WELL, I feel very inspired. Just two years ago Green Machine Technology (GMT) unveiled their first Status bass guitar which featured a moulded neck/central body section made from carbon-graphite and a refined version of Ned Steinberger's revolutionary bridge/tuning system. The outer sections of the body were fashioned from combinations of woods from exotic climes, and the high level of craftsmanship, quality of sound and success of design gave the Series I a firm foothold from which to climb.

I, for one, was initially apprehensive about the Status until I looked at close quarters, played it and heard it. And played it and played it... Many other bass people have had the same experience, I think.

This time last year, the Series II was introduced. The man-behind-the-bass, Rob Green, had perfected a substantially lighter, but equally rigid carbon-graphite section. And the method with which this was achieved bore an added visual bonus. The lighter moulding possesses a unique "woven" pattern which appears to shimmer and shift below the surface. An LED was also fitted near the control section to indicate the active position of the pickup circuit.

Everything else remained largely unaltered — the shape, the pickups and electronics (signal-to-noise was improved) — and the bridge/tuner had become well-established and liked.

Then the other week, like a bolt from the blue, the phone rang. It's TB. "Go to the shores of Wapping," says he, "and tell me what you see... " I will! I have seen a vision from the next century.

The Status Series 2000 is still the same shape, but now composed entirely of lightweight carbon-graphite. The unmistakable "weave" swirls around the whole bass.

The pair of basses I tried had been finished in tinted lacquer — one deep green, the other inky blue. Remember, the lacquer is applied to carbon-graphite, which is black, so the resulting colour appears as black, or, say, black-with-blue, depending on the light and attitude from which the guitar is viewed. These effects are, of course, constantly changing. The colouring is very subtle, and my first sight of the Series 2000 was fairly breathtaking.

None of the desirable characteristics of the Series II have been forfeited; the new model weighs even less. I haven't played any bass guitar as comfortable as this one when standing up — the fact is, you hardly know it's there at all, and yet it fits so close and snug that in this respect it's a bass player's dream. Phenolic fingerboards are used, as always; these examples were immaculately fretted.

Two state-of-the-art GMT pickups are installed at mid and bridge positions. Output is processed by ultra-low noise active/passive circuitry (switchable).

There are four controls (knobs in this case, of composite plastics): a "notched" volume pot, a pot for bass, another for treble (boost and cut), and, instead of a pickup selector switch, a balance pot which enables the player to sweep from one pickup to the other, covering the complete range in between.

The last three of these controls have centre-position detents and, needless to say, highest grade electrical components are used throughout, construction being exemplary. As mentioned, the LED flashes when the little active/passive switch is on.

Sounds available are rich, clear as a bell, and highly varied. Deep but tight bass, brilliant highs, and an overall elastic, sparkling quality, eminently suitable for dancing. The pickup response itself is very fast.

All the hardware (including the back access plates) is machined from solid brass, faultlessly ground and lacquered, and, unlike the current Steinbergers, it will accept both double ball-end and standard strings. The proven bridge/tuning system is highly accurate, very stable and easy to use, and, of course, string replacement takes a matter of seconds.

Hard playing didn't seem to cause any fret buzz or rattling, and vibrato is quite easy to produce because the string tension has been so cleverly calculated. The strings produce an enviable sustain quality, especially higher up the scale, and dead spots are nowhere in evidence.

The Series 2000 arrives complete with a good-looking, sturdy black case with metal protective runners and corner-pieces, and strong catches. The inside is foam-contoured to fit the bass exactly, and contains a pack of Allen keys, accessories, and all relevant documents.

Those players who have previously found the relative "coldness" of carbon-graphite to be off-putting may be surprised at this lightweight bass guitar's possession of a warmth much closer to wood, yet retaining the amazing rigidity of the former. The combination of these qualities makes the first encounter with the 2000 a little unreal.

Price at the time of writing was unfixed, but, unofficially, GMT are hoping to market the complete package for less than £1095. We'll have to wait and see.

The inspiration I spoke of earlier stems from the knowledge that right now all the smaller, independent British luthiers (Manson, Wal, Overwater and so on) are each producing some of the best bass guitars in the world, if not the best.

And none more than Rob Green who, with the Series 2000, has surely created a winner, and certainly taken the biscuit.

STATUS series 2000 bass: £TBA

CONTACT: Green Machine Technology, (Contact Details).