Bass Gear Roundup: The Top Gear Stories in July 2019

The late Thin Lizzy bassist Phil Lynott is being honored with a new limited edition signature bass from the Fender Custom Shop. Crafted by Master Builder John Cruz, the bass “painstakingly” recreates Lynott’s original bass in precise detail.

Boss has announced the SY-1, a synthesizer pedal that brings their latest technology to a compact format. The unit has 121 synth sounds they say “makes it simple for any guitarist or bassist to incorporate an authentic Boss synth into their music.”

Fender launched nine new models to its Squier Classic Vibe series at the Summer NAMM Show. That includes four new basses: the Classic Vibe ’50s Precision, the Classic Vibe ’70s Precision, the Classic Vibe ’60s Mustang, and the Classic Vibe Jaguar.

Ampeg is celebrating five decades of the SVT bass amp with the Heritage 50th Anniversary SVT, which is launching at the 2019 Summer NAMM Show. The unit combines the SVT’s “most celebrated circuits” with the 1969 “Blue Line” and 1970s Magnavox-era circuits.

Boss has expanded its looping pedals with the RC-10R Rhythm Loop Station pedal, which the company says is designed for in-the-moment music creation. It has 280 built-in rhythms with song structures and separate parts.

Electro-Harmonix has introduced the Tri Parallel Mixer, which they call a “powerful effects creation and mixing hub.” The unit has three separate effects loops with controls that allow for multiple configurations.

Vox was on-hand at the 2019 Summer NAMM Show to launch two new basses: The Starstream 1H Artist and the Starstream 2S Artist. Both are short-scale active basses based on the company’s Starstream guitar design.

David Ellefson’s line of signature instruments has gotten a new spin with two new bassists: the 4-string X Series Signature David Ellefson Concert Bass CBXM IV and 5-string X Series Signature David Ellefson Concert Bass CBXM V.

Aguilar Amplification has added a new model to their Super Light Bass Cabinet series with the SL 210. The lightweight cab is fitted with a pair of custom-voiced 10-inch neodymium speakers as well as a phenolic tweeter with variable level control.

EarthQuaker Devices has announced The Plumes, which is a low to medium gain overdrive “based on the trusty lime-green overdrive that has been an industry staple since its inception.”