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Archive for February 2012

Aguilar Introduces AG 4P-60 P-Style Pickup
Player News

Aguilar Introduces AG 4P-60 P-Style Pickup

Aguilar Amplification has unveiled the AG 4P-60 P-bass pickup, modeled after company president Dave Boonshoft’s personal 1964 Fender Precision Bass. The vintage-style pickup is described as having just the right amount of “mid-range nose” to cut through a band while retaining hefty low end. Designed as a direct replacement for Fender Precision and other P-style basses, the pickup is built...

Zero Fret: What’s the Point?
Ask Damian Erskine

Zero Fret: What’s the Point?

Q: What’s the point of a “zero fret”? A: I haven’t noticed much of a difference having a zero fret vs. not having one. My Skjold basses all have zero frets in them, while my Zon’s do not. However, I believe that that the zero fret serves two functions: It gives an open string the same tone as a fretted...

Jeff Beck and Rhonda Smith: “Brush with Blues”, Live at the White House
Bass Videos

Jeff Beck and Rhonda Smith: “Brush with Blues”, Live at the White House

Our Facebook friend Smokee Bear shares this video with us, of Jeff Beck and Rhonda Smith performing at the White House last week. The group, which also includes Veronica Bellino on drums, is performing “Brush with the Blues” as part of a night of music dubbed “Red White & Blues”. Smokee said, “PBS’ showing the performance of ‘Red, White and...

Mr. Big Releases All Acoustic “Live From the Living Room”
New Albums

Mr. Big Releases All Acoustic “Live From the Living Room”

When you’ve been rocking as long as the members of Mr. Big have, it stands to reason that you might want to shake things up from time to time. Last year, the quartet did just that. After 14 years, Mr. Big’s original line up of bassist Billy Sheehan, vocalist Eric Martin, guitarist Paul Gilbert and drummer Pat Torpey reunited and...

Reader Spotlight: Bill Bois
Reader Spotlight

Reader Spotlight: Bill Bois

Meet bassist Bill Bois, a well-traveled musician who has played as many styles of music as the places he’s lived and visited. Maybe more. Bill is our player in the spotlight for February 28, 2012. Bio: I’m a bass player and songwriter. Over the years, I’ve played jazz and rock in Maine; rock and blues in upstate New York; punk...

Top 10 Cover Tune Videos Arranged for Bass – 2nd Edition
Top Ten

Top 10 Cover Tune Videos Arranged for Bass – 2nd Edition

We love all-bass arrangements of cover tunes, and we love even more the fact that the bass is versatile enough to pull it off. We published our first list of the top 10 all-bass covers back in December, 2010. We’ve also featured a variation, with ten Jimi Hendrix-inspired bass videos. And of course, our Bass Cover Week, where we asked...

Victor Wooten and The Roots: Live Jam
Bass Videos

Victor Wooten and The Roots: Live Jam

Wow, when we first reported the news that Victor Wooten would be joining The Roots on the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon show, we were really excited about that line up coming together. And these guys did not disappoint. Here’s a clip from the show, where Vic and company perform a variation of the tune “Flex”, from his 2008 release,...

Stefan Lessard Announces 2012 Dave Matthews Band North American Tour; Band Announces New Album is Coming
Concerts & Tours

Stefan Lessard Announces 2012 Dave Matthews Band North American Tour; Band Announces New Album is Coming

Dave Matthews Band bassist Stefan Lessard recently tweeted that the band is gearing up for its 2012 North American tour, and the band followed with an official announcement. The tour kicks off May 18th in Woodlands, Texas and will include two-night shows in many cities, following a hiatus in 2011. The tour will also include the band’s first headline appearance...

Ashdown Unveils ABM-1000 and ABM-2000 Amps at NAMM
Amps

Ashdown Unveils ABM-1000 and ABM-2000 Amps at NAMM

Ashdown has expanded their ABM line of amps with introduction of the ABM-1000 and ABM-2000. The pair couples the company’s ABM Evo III preamp with Class D amplifiers to pump out 1000 and 2000 watts, respectively. Ashdown ABM-1000 bass amp head Both amps carry a unique EQ that combines rotary knobs with a pair of dual sliders. The knobs cut...

In the Studio: Part 1 – Preparation
The Lowdown with Dr. D

In the Studio: Part 1 – Preparation

Recently I’ve had the good fortune to take several trips into the recording studio, each situation was entirely different from the last. Each session, or group of sessions, highlighted in my mind different features necessary for an efficient, pleasant and successful session. Unless you are doing both the performing and the engineering, (something I advise against if you can avoid...

Herbie Hancock & The Headhunters: Spank-A-Lee, Live with Paul Jackson (1974)
Bass Videos

Herbie Hancock & The Headhunters: Spank-A-Lee, Live with Paul Jackson (1974)

Of all the rhythm sections in the history of the world, the combo of bassist Paul Jackson and drummer Mike Clark has to rank near the top. Here’s the duo laying it down behind Herbie Hancock & the Headhunters in a performance of “Spank-A-Lee”. This was originally broadcast on the German television show Musikladen in November 1974. So funky. So...

Top 10: Michael Pedulla Interview, More New Bass Gear from NAMM, Bass of the Week, Plus the Week’s Top Bass Videos
Weekly Top 10

Top 10: Michael Pedulla Interview, More New Bass Gear from NAMM, Bass of the Week, Plus the Week’s Top Bass Videos

If you can believe it, we’re still posting articles about gear announced at NAMM. And it is obviously worth doing (and we’re not complaining, either). Half of last week’s Top 10 focused on new bass gear announced during the show, from Boulder Creek’s entry into the solid body electric space, to new signature basses from Jackson (Dave Ellefson), Ibanez (Gerald...