Top 10: Our Most Read Stories, Bass of the Week, Best Bass Gear & Videos, Plus the Christian McBride Interview

In gear, our Bass of the Week – JanAid Guitars’ Bob Abbott Yolanda 5 – brought out a lot of comments as many custom basses do – equally loving and not so loving. That helped propel the feature to the #1 most read article for the week on No Treble. Our coverage of Glockenklang’s Blue Soul Bass Amp, G&L’s new M-Series basses, a new pickup line from Watson Pickups and an old school 1968 Gibson EB-2D Bass also took top honors.

In videos, Suzi Quatro makes her return to the scene, Tom Barney really brings it in a classic live performance of “Kid Charlemagne” with Steely Dan and Richard Bona’s live performance of “Teen Town” were all huge hits with readers.

Dr. D’s Lowdown column, Pacing Your Solos: A Guide to Improvisation, got bassists thinking about soloing, and Kevin Johnson’s interview with bass legend Christian McBride also made the list. If you missed these last week, they are both definitely worth a read.

Here are the top 10 most read stories and features on No Treble for the week of December 4-10, 2011.

Bass of the Week: JanAid Guitars’ Bob Abbott Yolanda 5

1. Bass of the Week: JanAid Guitars’ Bob Abbott Yolanda 5

Named after a butterfly found in southern Spain, the JanAid Yolanda 5 bass draws inspiration from nature. This week, we check out the latest incarnation of the bass, which is also a signature model for Baltimore-based player Bob Abbott. The Yolanda 5 was built with a variety of woods, utilizing their “defects” to create a…

Richard Bona: “Teen Town”, Live

2. Richard Bona: “Teen Town”, Live

Jaco Pastorius wrote it and performed it. Many bassists have re-imagined it. Richard Bona may have turned in my favorite remake version of “Teen Town” yet with this live performance. I love what he does with the fretless. What do you think? Drop a note in the comments below.

Glockenklang Goes Lightweight with the Blue Soul Bass Amp

3. Glockenklang Goes Lightweight with the Blue Soul Bass Amp

Glockenklang has released details on the Blue Soul, their new 650-watt Class D amp that weighs in at just 5 kg (approximately 11 pounds). With a focus on warmth and detail, the German amplification company says it rings clear as a bell. The Blue Soul features a pair of switchable inputs, with a gain knob…

Steely Dan: Kid Charlemagne (Live)

4. Steely Dan: Kid Charlemagne (Live)

Here’s a great live performance of Steely Dan’s tune “Kid Charlemagne”, for VH-1′s Storytellers. In this version, bassist Tom Barney really brings it!

Pacing Your Solos: A Guide to Improvisation

5. Pacing Your Solos: A Guide to Improvisation

It is not uncommon for students of improvisation to approach their practice without a real plan. They simply start trying to improvise a solo, without really focusing on When, How or What to play, hoping things will simply get better over time. I was certainly guilty of this. It’s one reason I developed my expandable…

G&L Introduces M-Series Basses

6. G&L Introduces M-Series Basses

Thirty years after the introduction of their flagship L-2000 model, G&L has unveiled their new M-series basses. The M-2000 and M2500 both build upon their predecessor, which was first designed by Leo Fender in 1981, and aim to be more flexible while retaining the same attitude. The M-series basses still feature dual MFD humbuckers, but…

Suzi Quatro: Strict Machine

7. Suzi Quatro: Strict Machine

Bassist Suzi Quatro started her musical career at the age of fourteen, playing in the all-female band, The Pleasure Seekers and Cradle, with her sisters. Her father got her started, giving Quatro as 1957 Fender Precision as her first bass. Quatro has another claim to fame: starring in the sitcom Happy Days as Leather Tuscadero,…

Old School: 1968 Gibson EB-2D Bass

8. Old School: 1968 Gibson EB-2D Bass

Bassist Tod Ellsworth got his hands on this 1968 Gibson EB-2D bass about a year ago, expanding his gear and his sound with this unique instrument. The EB2D was first introduced by Gibson in 1966, at a time when electric basses were rising in popularity. The “EB-2D” designates the pickup configurations for this bass: an…

Watson Pickups Launches Product Line

9. Watson Pickups Launches Product Line

Watson Guitars has just launched a new pickups company, specializing in a variety of bass pickups. Run by former Nordstrand employee Michael Cooper, Watson Pickups’ new line offers products ranging from vintage replacements to completely custom creations for extended-range instruments. Cooper designed the entire line. “My current favorite design is a tap-able modern P pickup,”…

Versatility: A Conversation with Christian McBride

10. Versatility: A Conversation with Christian McBride

As the jazz standard goes: “Things ain’t what they used to be.” The music industry as a whole is changing, but even so, truly remarkable artists will always shine through. Christian McBride is one of those artists. Raised in Philadelphia, McBride moved to New York City at the age of 17 to step up his…

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