Articles by Kevin Johnson - Page 501

Red Panda has introduced the Bitmap, a bitcrusher pedal designed to work with bass, guitar, synthesizers, drum machines and more. The stompbox features fractional bit reduction with a new bit crushing algorithm that the company says adds the warmth and grit of classic 8- and 12- bit samplers. It also goes down to 1-bit resolution for grittier square wave fuzz...

If you’re crazy about figuring out new rhythms, you may want to check out a new app called . Created in part by bassist Kenneth Dahl Knudsen, the app helps you “study and practice various polyrhythms in a wide range of time signatures.” It has a loop that can be set for up to 16 bars that allows you to...

T-Rex Effects will be introducing a new line of pedal boards at the 2015 NAMM Show. The ToneTrunk boards will feature a two-tiered design for better access to the back row as well as providing space for cables. The pedal boards will come in four sizes: 27.5″ x 12.4″, 22″ x 12.4″, 17.7″ x 12.4″, and 22″ x 6.2″. Each...

Our good friend Will Marks sent us this classic Hot Tuna video featuring bass legend Jack Casady on his Alembic bass. The clip is taken from a 1973 performance at the 46th Street Rock Palace in New York City. Dig that tone!

CStands is a new company out of the Netherlands specializing in bass and guitar stands with a unique twist. Each model incorporates an iconic headstock for extra flair and personality. The company’s product lineup includes two bass models: the FB, which is based on the headstock made famous by Leo Fender, and the WB, based on Warwick basses. All CStands...

Ginastera’s “Variaciones Concertantes” is a standard in the realm of double bass solos. Jean-Baptiste Salles took things a step further by arranging it for double bass and six-string electric bass, both of which he plays himself.

At the close of each year, we take time to remember those we lost in the bass community. 2014 saw the passing of some of the most influential bassists of our lifetime. Join us as we take a moment to remember the lives and legacies of the bass players we lost this year. Paul Goddard (April 29, 2014) Goddard was...

I love checking out new basses that set themselves apart from the pack, and the LedBelli Jonah does just that. The fretless, single-cut, semi-hollow bass is a real eye catcher. The company just shared pictures of the recently completed Jonah #015, which features a stunning book-matched California Redwood burl theme. The bass’s body is semi-hollow and chambered with f-holes. Its...

MTD Kingston is introducing the Saratoga Deluxe Jazz bass at Winter NAMM 2015. A riff on their Saratoga bass, the Deluxe model includes active/passive operation with a bypassable 3-band EQ. The Saratoga Deluxe comes in three finishes: limited edition satin honey burst, satin dark cherry burst, or gloss transparent black. Its maple neck sports an asymmetrical profile for faster playing...

If anyone has a signature sound, it’s Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead, and now he’s got a signature line of Custom Shop pickups from Seymour Duncan. Designed for use with Rickenbacker basses, the pickups were modeled after the ones on the bassist’s signature instrument and tweaked for more attack and punch. The Seymour Duncan Lemmy Custom Shop pickup is available in...

Steve Bailey has a great tradition of spreading holiday cheer. He gathers his fellow bassists for a winter summit at Berklee College of Music, where he heads the bass department, and puts together star-studded arrangements of carols. This year the group includes heavyweights John Clayton, John Patitucci, Victor Wooten, and Bailey playing a reggae/swing/funk version of “Santa Claus is Coming...

Charlie Haden had an incredible life full of triumph, tragedy, and – most of all – beautiful music that he shared with the world. His passing earlier this year rocked the jazz community, who remembered his legacy with an outpouring of anecdotes on his impact on their lives. Now everyone is invited to honor Haden’s memory with a special concert...