Bass Gear Roundup: The Top Gear Stories in August 2014
Time for another bass gear roundup, featuring the gear news most popular with No Treble readers in the month of August, 2014.
As always, we’re required to issue this warning: this list may cause GAS.
1. Ernie Ball Music Man Premier Dealer Network Neptune Blue Bass Series
Ernie Ball/Music Man is now taking orders for their Neptune Blue edition of basses and guitars as part of their Premier Dealer Network. The series is based around an African Mahogany body with a custom Neptune Blue finish and can be ordered on most models…
2. Fender Classic Player Rascal Bass
Back in 2013, Fender Master Builder Jason Smith created the retro styled Rascal Bass to display at the NAMM Show. Now Fender has announced the Rascal Bass would be put into full production as part of their Classic Player Series…
3. Sandberg Guitars Serpentine Finish
Sandberg Guitars has been turning heads with interesting finishes on special handmade custom instruments. The company has now announced they’ve acquired a CNC machine that allows them to produce a new option called the Serpentine Finish, which brings two different types of woods together for each of the bass’s wooden components…
4. Mono Cases Bass Sleeve Gig Bag
“Being a musician requires traveling with a lot of gear, but sometimes we want to downsize and travel lighter,” says Mono Cases CEO Daniel Kushner. And that’s the idea behind the company’s latest offering called the Bass Sleeve…
5. Focusrite Scarlett Solo USB Recording Interface
For bassists looking to record, Focusrite has just announced the Scarlett Solo, a USB interface with dual inputs and outputs. The device is a continuation of the Scarlett series and retains the recording capabilities in a smaller package…
6. Ampeg Revamped BA-112 and BA-115 Bass Combos
After revamping the BA series earlier this year, Ampeg is now shipping the new BA-112 and BA-115 bass combo amps. The models carry all the new features including the foot-switchable Bass Scrambler overdrive circuit, a 3-band EQ, and a true sixty degree monitoring angle so they can be set up as a wedge…
7. Ibanez Peter Iwers PIB3 5-String Bass
In Flames bassist Peter Iwers has teamed up with Ibanez to release a third signature bass called the PIB3. Featuring a new blood red finish, the company says the new five-string model’s secret weapon is the EQB-IIID 3-band EQ…
Aries Basses has added a new model to their lineup called the Aman II. The design is brings together elements of two of their existing basses with the front pulling from the Aman I and the semi-acoustic body style of their Conis bass…
9. Ibanez SR Premium Series Basses New Color Finishes
Ibanez stepped up its SR series in 2011 with the SR Premium, which took the company’s flagship model and gave it upgraded features. The series has traditionally kept in the vein of boutique basses with only natural finishes, but the SR Premium 1400E and 1405E will be getting new color options…
Xotic has expanded their XJ-1T series with a 6-string bass, which the company describes as having the feel and tone of a traditional jazz-type bass with the addition of two more strings. The 34″ scale bass is fitted with a pair of the company’s single coil pickups and Hum Reduction Inductor circuit…