Bass Gear Roundup: The Top Gear Stories in July

1. Bastard Basses Announces Little Bastard Bass

Bastard Basses has launched with an innovative prototype called the Little Bastard. Born out of a final exam project for designer Szabolcs Sinka’s Master’s in Product Design, the prototype bass is based around a 32-inch to 30-inch multi-scale neck…

2. Fender Announces Modern Player 2.0 Basses

Fender has upgraded its Modern Player series of instruments including updates to the Jazz Basses in the line and the introduction of a new model called the Dimension Bass. The new instruments keep in step with the rest of the series, which offers unique designs at entry-level pricing…

3. Fender Now Offering Precision and Jazz Bass Replacement Bodies and Necks

Fender has announced a new line of replacement bodies and necks, produced at their manufacturing facilities in both Corona, California and Mexico. The parts come with the exact specifications as those used in their full American and Standard series instruments…

4. Bass Centre Introduces Jaco Pastorius Tribute Bass

The Bass Centre is paying tribute to the late great Jaco Pastorius with their new Portrait Bass. Based on their Jive Bass, the latest addition to the Bass Collection range features a lined fretless rosewood fingerboard and Solar Flare finish. The Portrait Bass also comes without a pickguard, similar to how Jaco kept his instruments…

5. Carvin Unveils PB4 and PB5 Basses

New for summer 2013, Carvin has added to their bolt-on basses with the PB4 and PB5 Classic Bolt-Neck Basses. The new designs take cues from a classic design while adding a few of Carvin’s own touches, like Carvin’s locking bass bridge, a sculpted neck heel, and newly designed pickup…

6. Overwater Introduces Scott Devine Signature SDS Lite Bass

Overwater’s Scott Devine Signature series has a new model with the announcement of the SDS Lite. Modeled after Devine’s fretless bass, the Lite version is a slightly lighter weight instrument that the company says has a “smoother, more neutral voicing”…

7. Gibson Introduces Five-String EB Bass

Gibson is building upon their recently relaunched EB Bass series with a 5-string version. As with its 4-string accomplice, the new Five-String EB Bass takes its body shape from the original EB’s SG-inspired body and gives it an offset-double-cutaway design…

8. Traveler Guitar Adds Duncan Designed Pickups to TB-4P Bass

Traveler Guitar has expanded on their original TB-4P bass with the introduction of a new finish and Duncan Designed MM-01 Pickup. Weighing in at 6 pounds, 8 ounces, the 32-inch scale travel-sized bass is designed to fit in airline overhead compartments…

9. Eastwood Announces Limited Edition Classic 4 Bass in Greenburst

Eastwood has introduced a run of limited edition instruments, including a version of their Classic 4 bass. The retrofied, 30.5? scale 4-stringer is limited to 24 instruments and is finished in a striking Greenburst…

10. Spector Announces Chris Kael CK-4 Signature Bass Guitar

Five Finger Death Punch’s Chris Kael will have a new signature series bass with Spector, which is set to be released this fall. The Spector Chris Kael CK-4 Signature Model Bass Guitar is part of the company’s Korean Professional Series and features neck-thru construction with a Rex body shape…

Bonus #11. Bass on a Budget: 14 Basses Under $500

Last year around this time, we published Bass on a Budget: 12 Basses Under $500 – a roundup of basses released through the first half of 2012, with a street price of $500 or less. Time to do it again. Here are 14 basses we’ve covered in the year since then with price tags of $500 or less…