Weekly Top 10: Februrary 10-16, 2024
Bass gear again ruled the week, taking up six of the top 10 slots (including Paul McCartney’s recovered 1961 Hofner).
Add to it some exciting tour news, Paul Thompon’s excellent look at the early work of Pino Palladino – and more – and you have this week’s list of the top reader favorite stories.
1. Sire Guitars Unveils Z-Series Basses
Sire attended the 2024 NAMM Show to launch several new lines of basses, including the Z Series. It has two basses – the Z3 and the Z7 – that are their take on a classic bass design.
2. Ashdown Introduces Affordable Roasted Series Basses At NAMM 2024
Ashdown is most known for their bass amplifiers and pedals, but in 2020, it introduced a line of bass guitars. This year at NAMM, they unveiled the next generation of their basses with the Roasted Series.
3. Fodera Introduces the Ryan Martinie “Black Beauty” Standard Bass
Mudvayne bassist Ryan Martinie’s signature line of Fodera instruments has gotten a new member as the company has announced the “Black Beauty” Standard bass.
4. Report: Paul McCartney’s Stolen 1961 Hofner Has Been Returned
There have been several mysteries of missing basses of historical importance. Jaco’s Bass of Doom was thankfully found, though James Jamerson’s Funk Machine has not surfaced. In September, there was a big push to find Paul McCartney’s original 1961 Hofner bass, and after 51 years the search is finally over.
5. Herbie Hancock Reunites Original Head Hunters Band for 50th Anniversary Concert
The music from Herbie Hancock’s career can be described as influential, but for bassists, the “Head Hunters” album may take the cake. The keyboardist has announced a concert that’s being called the first performance from the original Head Hunters since 1973.
6. Incubus Announce New Bassist, 2024 Arena Tour
Incubus has announced a U.S. arena tour for 2024 during which they will be performing their career-defining album Morning View in its entirety. They also made an important announcement to their lineup.
7. Bass of the Week: Stambaugh Designs Custom Bass
I love it when readers share their basses with us. Jonathan Chase sent us the details of his new axe from luthier Chris Stambaugh, and it’s a real beauty.
8. Fender Custom Shop Unveils 2024 Basses
Fender has unveiled the 2024 Custom Collection from the Fender Custom Shop, and it has a good handful of basses. Four-strings appear in the Limited Edition, Time Machine, and Artisan collections for a total of seven new models.
9. Mohini Dey and Rubem Farias: The Chicken (NAMM 2024)
Here’s a great video of Mohini Dey and Rubem Farias jamming at the EBS booth at this year’s NAMM Show. In this clip, they take on “The Chicken.”
10. “I’m Gonna Tear This Playhouse Down”: Exploring Pino Palladino’s Classic Bass Line (and the Pedal That Made It Happen)
Paul Thompson kept the fretless out for this new “From The Bottom” episode. He digs into Pino Palladino’s classic bass line on “I’m Gonna Tear This Playhouse Down” (and the pedal that made it happen).
