Bass Gear Roundup: The Top Gear Stories in February
While NAMM seems like a distant memory now, the gear coverage from the show kept coming in February (and we still have more to cover!)
And that made for a gear-filled February. Here are the top 10 most popular gear stories on No Treble for February, 2013.
1. Fender Introduces Four New American Vintage Basses
Fender has expanded its American Vintage series with four new basses including the ’58 Precision Bass, the ’63 Precision Bass, the ’64 Jazz Bass, and the ’74 Jazz Bass. As with the rest of the line, the new basses are reimagined to bring new life to the original designs…
2. PRS Guitars Adds Grainger Basses To Core Line
About a decade after introducing their Private Stock model, Paul Reed Smith Guitars and bassist Gary Grainger have teamed up again to introduce the Grainger 4 and Grainger 5 basses to the company’s Core production line. The new models are modified slightly from their predecessors to add more universal appeal to players…
3. Ernie Ball Introduces Classic Sabre Bass
After a limited release for their Premier Dealer Network, Ernie Ball has reissued the Music Man Sabre as a standard model. The original Sabre, first introduced in 1978, was Music Man’s first dual humbucking bass. The new Classic Sabre is the first production of the instrument in twenty years and brings back the vintage design…
4. Guild Reintroduces Starfire Bass
Guild has reissued the Starfire Bass along with eight other models as part of their Newark St. Collection. Introduced in the ’60s, the original Starfire Bass was made popular by bands including the Byrds and Jefferson Airplane. The new model sports an extra-thin, semi-hollow body made of laminated mahogany finished in Cherry red…
5. Tech 21 Introduces VT Bass DI Pedal and Rackmount Preamps
Tech 21 has expanded their Character VT Series with the VT Bass DI, available in pedal and rackmount versions. Both versions are based on the original VT Bass and VT Bass Deluxe, which are designed to give familiar sounds from the early ’60s up through modern day crunch via the “Character” knob…
6. Jackson Introduces Dave Ellefson Signature Kelly Bird Bass
David Ellefson now has a signature model of the Jackson Kelly Bird bass, which he helped design last year. The new 4-string bass stands out with the Megadeth bassist’s signature red pinstripe finish over its modern body shape…
7. Zoom Announces MultiStomp MS-60B Bass Pedal at NAMM
Zoom unveiled the MultiStomp MS-60B at NAMM this year. The stompbox features over fifty types of effects and six amp models in a standard-sized pedal. The MS-60B comes with 30 preset patches with room to create up to 50 original patches, and players can switch through different patches using a unique toggle footswitch…
8. Ampeg Introduces Limited Edition Heritage B-15N Bass Amp
Two years ago, Ampeg paid homage to one of their most popular vintage models with a limited run of the Heritage B-15, which they did again in 2012. This year the company has introduced the Heritage B-15N, a new model that delivers the sound of the B-15 in a new black finish…
9. G&L Introduces ASAT Bass Tom Hamilton Signature Model
Aerosmith’s Tom Hamilton has a new signature bass from G&L. Based on their ASAT bass, the Tom Hamilton Signature Model tweaks the design in a few ways including newly designed pickups, woods, and finishes…
10. ESP Introduces LTD BB-4 Bass
ESP Guitars unveiled a host of new basses at NAMM this year, including the LTD BB-4. Available in Natural and Black finishes, the new model features neck-thru construction, a P/J pickup configuration, and active/passive electronics. The ESP LTD BB-4 is built with a 5-piece maple and walnut neck with an alder/swamp ash body…
the fender ones rock! :)