WELCOME TO BAARD GUITARS
HANDMADE IN ROTTERDAM
Custom Electric Basses & Guitars
Reach us on: robinbaard@gmail.com
The Mike Dirnt bass
In the summer of 2023 I was introduced to Ronnie Ficarro, bassplayer of Mammoth WVH
Sharing a love of G3 basses and Green Day bass tone,. we met up in a venue in Haarlem and I let him play my first Anchor III. My blend of a Precision Bass look combined with the sound of a G3.
Ronnie was impressed with the bass and he decided to play the show that night on the Anchor III. As an acquaintance of Mike Dirnt he showed him pictures and videos of the bass, accompanied by a personal review. A few days later I received a message on my Instagram: Mike Dirnt is starting to follow you. I almost spit out my coffee.
I decided to collect all my guts and send Mike a message, if he liked the Anchor III bass. He was siked!
We started talking about basses and Mike asked for some demos of different basses I made. He thought about cool ideas and told me he would get back to me.
Some time went by and then Green Day dropped the ball on a surprise show in the Bataclan. I sent Mike a message on monday if I should drop by with a bass on that saturday. He asked if I could make him a G3 replica in five days, accompanied. by a picture of a mockup.
Both realising that was a bit short on time he invited me to the show in Paris, so, there I went.
Unfortunately we didn't get to meet up, but we agreed on staying in touch and making something happen before the Green Day Saviours tour would start in June.
I decided to just go ahead and started building the bass Mike sent me as a mockup. Sink or swim!. After a while I decided to send him pictures of the progress.
When the bass was finished the Green Day Europe tour already started, and Mike played an Epiphone G3. Nevertheless he wanted to try out the ThunderBaard I made him.
Mike invited me to the show in Arnhem and just before showtime we met up. Mike was impressed and offered to buy it from me. Or....... do a trade.
In the end we traded G3's. I got a black G3 of Mike and he got the silverburst ThunderBaard.
Great story to tell the grandkids, I'll never forget this.
Special shoutout to Ronnie, Mike and the entire Green Day crew!
Mike: "The bass is amazing, seriously a piece of art. Honestly, I wouldn't have wanted to trade that vintage G3 if it wasn't so nice, but I can definitely tell how much craftmanship you put into your work!
I love it! "
CUSTOM BASSES
It's what we do best. Custom scales, custom pickups, custom neck profiles, custom colors
Below are our best selling models:
THUNDERBAARD
Based on the legendary 70's basses from Kalamazoo. Studied and improved with better materials, better joints, and playability. Available with sliding pickup, dual humbuckers, or three single coils
ANCHOR
Our take on the choice of the working mans bass. Lightweight, stable, a combination of vintage looks with modern twists. This takes a true 60's model into the 21st century.
ANCHOR III
Our blend of a G3 with a P Bass. 34,5 inch scale, 3 custom wound single coil pickups. Thunder and lightning under your fingertips!
CLIENTS
I've done work for:
- Mike Dirnt (Green Day)
- Henny Vrienten
- Xander Vrienten
- The Scorpions
- Ronnie Ficarro (MammothWVH)
- Within Temptation
- Jett Rebel
- Jason Newberry (Parker McCollum)
- Kensington
- Frank Boeijen
- Froukje
- John Coffey
- Krezip
- Maaike Ouboter
- Social Distortion
- Waylon
- Adrian Vandenberg
- Admiral Freebee
- Moke
- Undeclinable Ambuscade
- Epica
- Heideroosjes
- Di-Rect
- Blaudzun
ANCHOR III
Ronnie FIcarro of MammothWVH putting the Anchor III to the test
- Robin Baard - Luthier
ARTISTS
WORKING WITH THE BEST:
Mike Dirnt
GREEN DAY
Ronnie Ficarro
MAMMOTH WVH
Hennie Vrienten
DOE MAAR
Jason Newberry
PARKER McCOLLUM
Richard van Luttikhuizen
JOHN COFFEY
Pieteke Dik
FROUKJE
Marco Roelofs
HEIDEROOSJES
Waylon
%20-%2007.jpeg)
Sjors van Reeuwijk
TUSKY
Vladimir Stevic
TUSKY
Randy van der Elsen
ABOUT
Hello! I'm Robin, a luthier from Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
I build all my instruments by hand. No prefab parts are being used, except hardware and pickups. I hand select the woods from premium sources to make sure I get the best quality possible.
The necks are carved one at a time, by hand, by me. I take into account the wishes of the customer to make every neck a special one. I finish the guitar myself in nitrocellulose lacquer to honor the classic vibe I'm going for.
Final assembly is done in house by myself, I set up and make sure every instrument looks and plays great before it leaves the shop.
Since 2006 I have been touring with numerous acts around the world as a backline/guitartech. I have toured with The Scorpions, Within Temptation, Adrian Vandenberg and Jett Rebel to name a few. Several years ago I decided to take on building guitars as an extra skill. I have been honing and practicing my skills ever since.
From 2016 to 2021 I have been the in house repairman at Keymusic Rotterdam.
During my stint there I've done around 2500 repairs, everything from fretwork to refinishing guitars. I'm a certified Taylor Guitars repairman and I've been published in "De Bassist" magazine issue of december 2020.
Among my clients are Mike DIrnt of Green Day and Ronnie Ficarro of Mammoth WVH, which I made custom instruments for
Perhaps my next build is for you!
BUILDS
CONTACT
Giessenweg 55
Rotterdam
Free parking around the corner on the Industrieweg
SHOP TOUR
Take a look around the workshop
USEFULL INFORMATION
Legal notice
WARRANTY
- Repairs have a warranty of 3 months
- Custom builds have a limited lifetime warranty on craftmanship if the instrument is maintained by Baard Guitars
- Excempt from warranty are frets/tuners/hardware/faulty electronics
METHODS OF PAYMENT
- Repairs are to be paid on pickup, card only
- Separate invoice is possible, let me know in advance
- Custom builds require a downpayment of 60%, other 40% after delivery