Weekly Top 10: New Basses, Right Hand Endurance, Improving Time & Rhythm, Bass of the Week and the Top Videos

Time for another celebration of the best in bass for the week. This week we have a wonderful balance of gear, videos and expert how-to columns that made the list.

Thanks as always for reading, commenting and sharing!

Fender Introduces Deluxe Active Okoume Basses

1. Fender Introduces Deluxe Active Okoume Basses

Fender had a lot of new gear at NAMM this year including the Deluxe Active Okoume series. The basses, which feature okoume bodies with a natural finish, come in Jazz Bass, Jazz Bass V, and Precision Bass Special versions…

Right Hand Endurance for Bass Players

2. Right Hand Endurance for Bass Players

In this week’s “Ask” column, Damian Erskine answers a reader’s question on maintaining right-hand endurance during gigs, including how to practice for success…

Fender Custom Shop Announces 2015 Lineup

3. Fender Custom Shop Announces 2015 Lineup

Every year, Fender announces a new lineup from their Custom Shop that includes at least one bass. The 2015 series includes four basses: the Limited Edition 1955 Precision Bass, the Postmodern Precision Jazz Bass, the 1959 Journeyman Relic Precision Bass, and the 1960 Journeyman Jazz Bass…

Bass of the Week: Anastasio Fasanaro Contrabasso

4. Bass of the Week: Anastasio Fasanaro Contrabasso

This week we take a look at Italian luthier Anastasio Fasanaro’s Contrabasso model, but this is no ordinary double bass. The unique 1/4 size bass features low profile sides for a slim body and a highly figured, bookmatched curly Italian poplar top…

Improving Time and Rhythmic Accuracy

5. Improving Time and Rhythmic Accuracy

As important as playing with good intonation is, it is even more important to play with good time and rhythmic accuracy. Most of us know that counting, subdividing and practicing with a metronome can help. However, there are things we can do beyond these initial steps. Dr. D has the prescription…

James Brown, Featuring Bernard Odum: Live on The Hollywood Palace

6. James Brown, Featuring Bernard Odum: Live on The Hollywood Palace

James Brown had tons of hits, and nearly every one of them was driven by an outstanding bass line. This clip from 1969 on The Hollywood Palace proves just that, with Brown and his band tear through a medley of “I Got the Feelin,” “Cold Sweat,” “Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud,” “Give It Up or Turn It Loose,” and “Please, Please, Please”…

Now Vs Now: Ancient Alien, Live

7. Now Vs Now: Ancient Alien, Live

Here’s a killer video of Now Vs Now performing “Ancient Alien” from their album Earth Analog, live at Relix. The song features the electro space groove travelers throwing down with a massive, futuristic soundscape…

Gear Review: Accuracy Basses Matisse Deluxe 5-String

8. Gear Review: Accuracy Basses Matisse Deluxe 5-String

Like any craft, the art of building basses takes finesse and attention to detail. Each contour is carefully considered and carved into the bass as a painter would add a stroke to his painting, so it’s only fitting that Accuracy Basses named their doublecut model the Matisse Deluxe after the French artist…

Kollejen with Jan Urbanec: Udder Terror

9. Kollejen with Jan Urbanec: Udder Terror

Jan Urbanec just sent me this video of a project he’s doing with percussionist Adam Koller. Jan humbly said, “I hope you’ll like it! Still unnecessary amount of notes, but…we had great fun with it”…

Evan Brewer: Entheos “Primal” Playthrough

10. Evan Brewer: Entheos “Primal” Playthrough

Ever since Evan Brewer joined Entheos at the beginning of the year, I’ve been eager to check the band out. The technical death metal band’s Primal EP dropped this month and proved the wait was worth it. Here’s a clip of the bassist playing through the album’s title track…

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