Bass Gear Roundup: The Top Gear Stories in January 2024
We were thrilled to see the Winter NAMM Show happen in January once again. And that means plenty of new gear coverage to kick off the new year.
Here are the top 10 reader-favorite bass gear stories for the month – including those announced at the show.
1. Ibanez to Introduce Fretless Semi-Hollow SR Series Basses at NAMM 2024
Ibanez’s flagship SR series will be shown at the 2024 NAMM show. The fretless SRD900 and the SRD905 models are four and five-string basses, each featuring a semi-hollow construction with an exotic maple top with three oval sound holes.
2. Ernie Ball Music Man Introduces Joe Dart III Bass
Ernie Ball Music Man has added a third iteration to the Joe Dart Artist Series Bass Collection, fittingly called the Joe Dart III. The bass takes a wholly new approach from the previous two and features a short 30-inch scale with a passive split-coil pickup.
3. NUX Introduces the B-8 Wireless System
NUX has added to their range of wireless products with the B-8, a wireless system that includes a tuner, a boost, an effects loop, and a DI all in one pedal-sized package.
4. Ernie Ball Music Man Unveils 13 New Colors for StingRay Special
Ernie Ball Music Man is revamping the StingRay Special for 2024 with a whopping 13 new colorways. The lineup will include the same signature features from forty years ago.
5. Ibanez Unveils BTB Light Multi-Scale Basses
Ibanez introduced multi-scale versions of their boutique-styled BTB model a few years ago, and now they’ve introduced a refined version of them. The BTB Light Multi-Scale Basses feature subtler scale differences between the highest and lowest strings.
6. Ibanez Adds New Multi-Scale SR’s for 2024
Ibanez’s 2024 offerings are being expanded to include the SRMS720 and SRMS725. The new models are a variation of their SR basses and employ multi-scale construction for even tension across all the strings.
7. Kiesel Guitars Introduces the Dustin Davidson DDM4 Bass
Kiesel Guitars has announced a revision to their signature model with Dustin Davidson of August Burns Red. The second iteration of his model, dubbed the DDM4, is based on Kiesel’s A2 bass with some tweaks.
8. Epiphone Unveils the Rex Brown Signature Thunderbird Bass
In 2022, amid the news of Pantera reforming to tour, Gibson unveiled a Rex Brown signature Thunderbird Bass. The signature model has now been added to the more budget-minded Epiphone brand.
9. Tech 21 Unveils the SansAmp XB Driver
Tech 21 will be on hand at the 2024 NAMM Show to introduce their latest development: the SansAmp XB Driver. The “all-in-one” box brings together elements from their SansAmp Bass Driver DI, the Para Driver DI, the Q/Strip, and dUg Pinnick Ultra Bass 1000 into one unit.
10. FM Guitars Unveils the Esphera Bass
FM Guitars has introduced the Esphera bass, a lightweight and ergonomic instrument that comes in 4, 5, 6, and 7-string versions as well as FM’s signature double fingerboard style in 8, 10, and 12-strings.
