Weekly Top 10: Aria’s Cliff Burton Bass, Marcus Miller, Squier Paranormal & More

This week was heavy in the gear department, so let’s dive into the top stories.

Aria announced that the SB-CLB Cliff Burton Signature is now shipping worldwide. First announced at Winter NAMM, the bass recreates the SB-1000 that Burton used in Metallica’s early days. “Every detail has been carefully restored to capture the tone, feel, and appearance of Cliff’s original instrument,” the company writes.

Next up, we had a very special episode of the Groove Podcast. Marcus Miller sat down with No Treble’s Mitch Joel at the Montreal International Jazz Fest to discuss Miles Davis, his philosophy as a bassist, and his thoughts on playing with Les Claypool at the 2026 Bass Magazine Awards.

Fender is closing out the summer with some new instruments in the Squier Paranormal series. The Paranormal Precision Bass Thinline SJ reimagines the first Fender bass as a semi-hollow with a ’51 P Bass pickup and Jazz bass pickup configuration. A three-way blade switch lets you toggle between the warmth of a P Bass and the bite of a Jazz.

Other features include the stunning Brooks EMB-3, Eastwood’s four-string Sandman bass variation, and MXR’s pedal version of its Flanger/Doubler. Of course, we have killer videos to inspire you from Geezer Butler, MonoNeon, Dominic Davis, and Mike Kerr.

1. Aria’s Cliff Burton Signature Bass Is Finally Shipping Worldwide

The Aria Pro II Cliff Burton Signature SB-CLB is now shipping worldwide, recreating the Metallica icon’s famous SB-1000 bass for 2026.

2. Groove Podcast: Marcus Miller | Episode #139

Groove Podcast: Marcus Miller shares stories from his time with Miles Davis and explains how listening, creativity, and curiosity have guided his life on bass and beyond.

3. Squier’s New Paranormal Precision Bass Thinline SJ Breaks the P-Bass Formula

Squier’s Paranormal Precision Bass Thinline SJ gives the P-Bass a semi-hollow body, ’51 P and Jazz pickups, and three finish options for $479.

4. Brooks Combines Gibson and Epiphone Classics for the Three-Pickup EMB-3

The Brooks EMB-3 blends elements of the Gibson EB-3 and Embassy with three coil-splittable humbuckers, Khaya construction, and vintage-inspired style.

5. Eastwood Expands Its Mark Sandman Tribute Bass to Four Strings

Eastwood Guitars expands its Mark Sandman-inspired lineup with the Sandman Deluxe 4-String, featuring a scroll body, dual pickups, and 34-inch scale.

6. Geezer Butler Sounds Absolutely Colossal With Heaven & Hell at Wacken 2009

Heaven & Hell sound absolutely massive at Wacken 2009, with Geezer Butler’s Lakland PJ bass anchoring a nearly 90 minute set from metal’s true godfathers.

7. MXR Revives Its Vintage Flanger/Doubler Rack Unit as a Pedal

MXR has revived its vintage Flanger/Doubler rack unit as an all-analog pedal, complete with bucket-brigade devices and the original control set.

8. Three Monsters, One Stage: MonoNeon, Marcus King & Chris Dave Tear Into “Save Me”

MonoNeon has shared several Atomic Habitz clips from Newport, but this take on Marcus King’s “Save Me” may be the best showcase of this trio’s chemistry.

9. Watch Dominic Davis Tear Through Two Songs With Jack White at Pine Knob

Jack White returned home for a sold out Pine Knob show, with Dominic Davis holding down the low end on a vintage Jazz Bass through an Ampeg stack near Detroit.

10. Royal Blood Announces Dead Company – Shares New “Ten Over Ten” Music Video

Two people, no guitar, and a massive sound. Royal Blood is back with “Ten Over Ten,” the first single from the upcoming album Dead Company.