Weekly Top 10: February 24 – March 1, 2024
Bass gear once again ruled the week, making up 60% of this week’s top 10 list.
Add a great new lesson by Ryan Madora, a killer cover of “The Fez,” and some exciting tour news, and you have 100% bass goodness.
1. Bass of the Week: Ruokangas Guitars Steam Classic “Puma”
Bassist Markus Setzer shared a video recently and the bass he was using caught my eye and my ear. This Ruokangas Steam Classic is a beautiful fretless that’s fitted with their Valvebucker MkII system. The setup matches a magnetic pickup capsule with a tube-powered preamp circuit that’s powered by a floor unit.
2. Kala Celebrates 15 Years of the U-Bass With 15th Anniversary Model
2024 marks the 15th anniversary of the Kala U-Bass and the company is celebrating with a special model. The Solid Hawaiian Koa Top 15th Anniversary Edition U-Bass is crafted with a hand-selected piece of Koa from Kala’s private stock.
3. Pigtronix Now Shipping Philosopher’s Tone 2 Pedal
Pigtronix has launched the Philosopher’s Tone 2, which expands on the original optical compressor’s design with a footswitchable Grit.
4. Dirty Logic: The Fez
Dirty Logic is an 11-piece Steely Dan tribute band based in Asheville that does The Dan justice. Here’s a great clip of them performing “The Fez.” Beside his slick lines, check out Jake Wolf’s tone!
5. Elrick Bass Guitars Adds Headless Option to Custom Basses
Elrick Bass Guitars previewed their headless bass at NAMM 2024 with the Gold Series SLC MkII for Steve Lawson. Now it’s available for everyone.
6. Cindy Blackman Santana Announces Tour Dates with Felix Pastorius on Bass
Drummer Cindy Blackman Santana is back on the road this year with his solo jazz band, which always has a stellar lineup. That band includes Felix Pastorius on bass.
7. Stir It Up: Easy Reggae Bass Lesson
In this “Keep It Groovy” lesson, Ryan Madora honors the great Aston “Family Man” Barrett and learn the bass line to Bob Marley’s classic, “Stir It Up.”
8. Bass Gear Roundup: The Top Gear Stories in February 2024
News from the NAMM show continued in February, and all the gear news over the month generated tens of thousands of views. Here are the top 10 reader-favorite bass gear stories for the month.
9. Tedeschi Trucks Extends Deuces Wild Tour
The Tedeschi Trucks Band just kicked off their Deuces Wild tour, but the North American trek has already been expanded with summer and fall legs. Their new dates begin on May 22nd in Portland, Oregon, and will cover the West Coast before making their way east.
10. Black Ice Introduces Battery-Free Boost and Distortion Modules
Black Ice Enterprises has announced two new products to mod your bass: the Black Ice Boost and the Black Ice Distort. The units are small, battery-free devices that the company says can be easily installed in a guitar or bass.
