Bass Gear Roundup: The Top Gear Stories in April 2018

Time for our monthly celebration of the top bass gear stories on No Treble.

Here are the top 10 reader favorites for the month of April.

Thanks for reading, commenting, and sharing!

Hiwatt Unveils DR401 400w Bass Head at MusikMesse

1. Hiwatt DR401 400w Bass Head

Hiwatt was on hand at this year’s Musikmesse to unveil the DR401, which they declare as the “most powerful all-tube bass amp in the world.” The tube head features three ECC83’s and one ECC81 in the preamp with a whopping eight KT88’s in the power section to produce 580 watts RMS before clipping…

Nordstrand Audio Unveils the NordyMute

2. Nordstrand Audio NordyMute

Nordstrand Audio has expanded their bass offerings with the NordyMute, a bass mute featuring a foam body and wood cover. Available in four or five string versions, the device imparts a darker tone for an old school vibe…

Markbass Unveils Marcus Miller Signature Amplification

3. Markbass Marcus Miller Signature Amps

Last year, Markbass announced they would be teaming up with jazz legend Marcus Miller for a series of amps. This year they unveiled the lineup at the Winter NAMM Show, which will include four head units, three combos, and two cabinets…

Schaller Introduces S-Lock Strap Lock System

4. Schaller S-Lock Strap Lock System

Schaller has expanded their strap lock options with the S-Locks Strap Lock system. The new design is comprised of three components: the strap button, a lock, and a lock-wheel. While there are several updates to the set, the lock-wheel is the most obvious…

Chapman Guitars Announces MLB1 DH Basses

5. Chapman Guitars MLB1 DH Basses

Chapman Guitars has teamed up with Dave Hollingworth to launch a new signature bass. The MLB1 DH was created with the Dorje and Toska bassist to deliver what he considers the perfect bass. A four-string player, Hollingworth’s model doesn’t have a five-string version. Instead, it comes in either regular or fanned fret versions…

Ibanez Unveils the BTB845V Bass

6. Ibanez BTB845V Bass

Back in 2015, Ibanez introduced a five-string bass to their Bass Workshop Series they called the Volo. The bass featured a shorter 33-inch scale and was tuned E to C for a higher range. Now Ibanez has brought the model back as the BTB845V…

Warwick Announces LWA 1000 Black Bass Amp

7. Warwick LWA 1000 Black Bass Amp

Warwick has released a new version of their LWA 1000 Lightweight bass amplifier. The amp is now available in a completely black finish with an all-metal housing as opposed to having wooden side panels. Its technical specifications are still retained, including two input channels with full EQ and compressor sections for each…

Höfner Unveils the H500/5 “Reeperbahn” Bass

8. Höfner H500/5 “Reeperbahn” Bass

Höfner has reissued another part of their history with the H500/5 “Reeperbahn” bass. Based on the 500/5 that was produced between the ’50s and ’70s, the instrument features a large hollow body and short scale neck. It was famously used by a Beatle, though not the one you’re thinking of…

Gruv Gear Unveils David Ellefson “Recoil” Signature Strap

9. Gruv Gear David Ellefson “Recoil” Signature Strap

Gruv Gear has announced a new model to their signature strap series by way of a collaboration with Megadeth bassist David Ellefson. The Recoil was designed and developed with the bassist and approved by bass health expert Dr. Randall Kertz…

Trickfish Amplification Releases the TF408 Bass Cabinet

10. Trickfish Amplification TF408 Bass Cabinet

Trickfish Amplification’s new TF408 bass cab is scheduled to ship this month with pre-orders available now. The company’s latest product features four Eminence 8-inch ferrite speakers plus an HF compression driver to offer 1200 watts peak handling and 600 watts RMS…

Get daily bass updates.

Get the latest news, videos, lessons, and more in your inbox every morning.

Share your thoughts