Top 10: The Best of No Treble – Top Bass Gear, Lessons and Stories for July 2012
At the end of every month, we take a look at the most read articles on No Treble. So it only makes sense that we make a top 10 list from there.
We lost one of the great bass legends of our time last month, with the passing of Bob Babbitt, who takes the #1 slot for most read in July.
It is hard to mention anything else from there, but readers did enjoy a lot of the stories of new gear, our bass of the week features, and the newest bass how to’s and lessons.
Thanks for reading, commenting and sharing, as always. Once again, bass players rule.
Another bass legend has left us with the passing of Funk Brother Bob Babbitt, as the iconic bassist succumbed to complications from a brain tumor which was discovered last year. He was 74. Along with fellow low-ender James Jamerson, Babbitt was the foundation for the Motown Sound and played on over 200 Billboard Hot 100…
2. Getting to Know Your Bass: How Your Bass’s Action Influences What You Can Do
Keeping up with Getting to Know Your Bass series, today we’ll take a look at the action of your bass and how that influences what you can play. While your action doesn’t necessarily impact your note choice, it certainly factors into the amount of force necessary to play the instrument and the techniques that you…
3. Sterling By Music Man Unveils S.U.B. Ray4 and Ray5 Basses
Sterling by Music Man has unveiled the new S.U.B. line of basses, which the company says is meant to make Music Man designs available at more affordable pricing. The new line includes the Ray4 and Ray5, which are cousins to the Music Man Stingray 4 and 5 basses. The new basses are built with hardwood…
4. PBS History Detectives to Trace History of Ampeg Amp Marked with James Jamerson’s Name
In 2009, Los Angeles bassist Steve Fishman discovered a vintage Ampeg amp that may just be the find of the century. Stenciled on the back of the amp was the name of the Motown bass legend, James Jamerson. Fishman, who has recorded with Paul McCartney, decided to try to get this story investigated, to see…
5. Mono Cases Unveils Vertigo Top-Loading Bass Guitar Case
Mono Cases has unveiled the Vertigo, which they state is the world’s first top-loading instrument case. Available in bass and guitar models, the design unzips from the headstock down on both sides for quicker access to your axe. The company’s Headlock neck suspension system got a redesign for the Vertigo and no longer requires strapping…
6. Getting to Know Your Bass: How Many Strings Does It Take to Screw In A Lightbulb?
Ok, this column’s title is a bad joke (feel free to come up with you own punch line). In the past few columns of this “Getting To Know” series, we’ve examined a number of topics that relate to what your instrument can do, why you prefer it, and how that impacts your playing ability on…
7. Fender Custom Shop Unveils Limited Edition Relic La Cabronita “Boracho” Bass
Fender’s Custom Shop has unveiled their 2012 Limited Edition Models, including the Limited Edition Relic La Cabronita “Boracho” Bass. Bringing together elements of the Porazzo and its sister Boracha, the Boracho sports a reversed Jazzmaster body with added mass. Couple that with a custom T.V. Jones Thunderblade pickup and you get what Fender says is…
8. Bass of the Week: Zakrzewski Exclusive
Polish luthier Piotr Zakrzewski has some pretty great bass designs, including his Exclusive model. The mid-range of his three basic basses, the Exclusive is a double-cut bass with the lower horn being significantly deeper to provide easy access to the very end of the fingerboard. The Exclusive EX1 01 really caught my eye with its…
9. Single Position Left Hand Dexterity Drills for Bassists
Although scales, arpeggios and repertory are necessary for any musician’s development, etudes and exercises such as the ones below should also be part of any instrumentalist’s diet. Such exercises allow us to focus on a single aspect of technique. Single task left hand drills are essential if we desire to have true dexterity in the…
10. Triplets: A How To Guide to Timing and Practice
Q: Can you give me some exercises to play with a triplet feel? I’d also love a comparision of how the division is different from a binary feel. A: Simply put: A triplet is kind of like shifting the time where you can fit three notes in the space of two: A half-note triplet is…
