The MVP4-62 in SunburstAs I’ve said in past reviews of Fender-style instruments, there is something about the simplicity and familiarity of the form that can reveal more about an instrument designer than even the most fancy boutique bass can. As in music itself, wherein limitations of form, harmony, and aesthetic can provide the essential boundaries against which tension and release are created, the limitations of an established design — like the Fender Precision and Jazz Basses — can provide an inspiring framework for a luthier to flex their design chops. It’s for this reason that I still get a bit excited when I encounter yet another iteration of a P or J bass. Despite having played hundreds of these instruments over the years, I’m always curious what new little twist or refinement a talented luthier has dreamed up. When that luthier is Chicago legend Rob Elrick, my curiosity is piqued even more than usual. For over two decades, Elrick has quietly amassed a sterling re