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Archive for 2017 - Page 4

In Memoriam: Richard Ruse
In Memoriam

In Memoriam: Richard Ruse

Sad news to report today: Trickfish Amplification founder Richard Ruse has passed away. The company announced his death on social media. “It is with great sadness and loss that we announce the passing of our founder and visionary, Richard Ruse,” they wrote on Facebook. “Richard passed away from complications due to an infection he was battling for several weeks. Richard...

Electro-Harmonix Reissues the Op-Amp Big Muff Pi Pedal
Pedals & Effects

Electro-Harmonix Reissues the Op-Amp Big Muff Pi Pedal

Electro-Harmonix reached into their past to reissue the Op-Amp Big Muff Pi from the late ’70s. The new pedal is faithful to the original 1978 design with a few new features including a compact, die-cast chassis, and true bypass switching. “The pedal relies on op-amps rather than transistors and three gain stages rather than four, to create its signature sound,”...

Bass of the Week: Neal Heppleston Panormo Double Bass
Bass of the Week

Bass of the Week: Neal Heppleston Panormo Double Bass

British double bass luthier Neal Heppleston sent us photos of his Panormo model to check out, and I’ve been obsessing over it. Each piece of wood is jaw-dropping, but moreover, it seems every little detail is a work of art in itself. Hand-built in his Sheffield shop, the bass is designed after the work of a famous 18th-century luthier with...

Cheikh Ndoye, Featuring Woz Kaly: Jolie
Bass Videos

Cheikh Ndoye, Featuring Woz Kaly: Jolie

Cheikh Ndoye is back with another incredible performance on the bass ngoni, a traditional West African instrument that has similarities to a three-string fretless bass. This time he plays through the song “Jolie” from his recent album . Ndoye’s rhythmic and melodic bass lines support a melody sung by Woz Kaly to create an incredible groove.

Fredric Effects Introduces The BugCrusher
Pedals & Effects

Fredric Effects Introduces The BugCrusher

London’s Fredric Effects has expanded their tonal palette with the BugCrusher, an analog sample rate reducer that produces an aliasing effect. Although its name makes it sound like it is a BitCrusher, Fredric writes that’s not the case. “Despite the name, the BugCrusher is not an actual BitCrusher. Most BitCrusher effects will have sample rate (x-axis quantization) and bit depth...

Oscar Peterson Trio: Bag’s Groove
Bass Videos

Oscar Peterson Trio: Bag’s Groove

After people find out I’m a bass player, they always ask who my favorite bassist is and the answer is always the same: Ray Brown. The jazz bassist’s sense of melody and harmony always blow me away, but it’s the time and groove that keep me coming back. Here’s a fantastic take on “Bag’s Groove” with the Oscar Peterson Trio....

Ashdown Announces Norman Watt-Roy Special Edition OriginAL Pre-DI
Pedals & Effects

Ashdown Announces Norman Watt-Roy Special Edition OriginAL Pre-DI

Ashdown has expanded their lineup of signature gear with the Norman Watt-Roy Special Edition OriginAL Pre-Di. Watt-Roy, who is best known as the bassist for Ian Dury and the Blockheads, helped create the unit. “Strictly limited to a run of 50 special units, the special edition Norman Watt-Roy OriginAL Preamp Pedal has been tweaked to Norman’s specification,” Ashdown writes. “As...

Chick Corea & The Vigil: Galaxy 32 Star 4
Bass Videos

Chick Corea & The Vigil: Galaxy 32 Star 4

Christian McBride may be best known for his killer upright playing, but as we’ve shown before, he can also tear it up on electric. Here’s a fine piece of evidence with a live video of the bassist laying the foundation on fretless for the song “Galaxy 32 Star 4” with Chick Corea & The Vigil. McBride keeps the groove interesting...

Phil Lesh and Bob Weir Announce Duo Tour
Concerts & Tours

Phil Lesh and Bob Weir Announce Duo Tour

Grateful Dead fans have one more reason to be grateful: bassist Phil Lesh and guitarist Bob Weir have announced a duo tour. The trek, which will be their first ever duo run, will take place with multiple night engagements in New York City, Boston, and Chicago during March. “I guess it was last summer, Phil and I played a little...

CruzTools Updates GrooveTech Multi-Tool
Accessories & Strings

CruzTools Updates GrooveTech Multi-Tool

CruzTools has updated their GrooveTech Guitar and Bass Multi-tool just in time for the holidays. The second generation of the gadget has the original features: both metric and inch hex wrench sizes, ball-end for the truss rod sizes, and S2 steel tools with a polished chrome finish. New features include a 5/16” socket that fits Gibson and other truss rod...

The Lightbulb Moment: Setting The Stage
The Lightbulb Moment

The Lightbulb Moment: Setting The Stage

I’m standing in front of my amp. I’m sure of it. It’s two feet behind me, the light is on, and there’s definitely sound coming out of it – well, at least I’m pretty sure that there’s sound coming out of it. There comes a time in every musician’s life when you realize that a sound check can be an...

Zander Zon: Star Wars – The Last Jedi
Bass Videos

Zander Zon: Star Wars – The Last Jedi

We don’t just geek out over the bass, we also geek out about Star Wars. So today is an exciting day where we get to see the combination of both. In celebration of The Last Jedi, Zander Zon has put together his solo bass arrangement of the film’s theme song.