This Week in Bass: G&L’s Final Days, Mike Dirnt’s New Signature, and a Stunning Acoustic Archtop

Welcome back to No Treble’s weekly roundup of the best of bass.

Our top story this week was a feature on former G&L employee Steve Araujo detailing the company’s final weeks. Araujo, who resigned in August, was in touch with employees at G&L as the factory workers were furloughed and eventually laid off. He also gave No Treble an update on the status of all the instruments on order that were in limbo.

Our Bass of the Week column received a lot of attention for its sleek design and incredible features. The Canna Guitars EVO Acoustic Archtop Bass Guitar is crafted with Sitka Spruce top, but the rest of the body is solid ebony. “Pretty hard to do the concave bend, but I like that with the all-black design,” luthier Jakob Frank explains. “It almost doesn’t look like wood anymore.” Other highlights include a multi-scale neck, a side-mounted sound port, and an elegant thumb rest.

Green Day bassist Mike Dirnt has teamed up with Epiphone for a signature version of the Grabber G-3, which he used on early albums like Kerplunk, Insomniac, and Dookie. The double-cutaway maple body features three hand-crafted pickups made at the Gibson Pickup Shop in Nashville, Tennessee.

The rest of our top ten is filled with killer grooves by Thundercat, John Myung, Justin McKinney, and Alune Wade. Plus, don’t miss out on the rest of the new gear and a killer walking bass lesson from Ryan Madora.

1. Former G&L Employee Breaks Down the Quiet Collapse of the Iconic Bass Brand

Former sales director Steve Araujo breaks down the timeline behind G&L Guitars’ quiet shutdown, from factory furloughs to what happened to the instruments.

2. Canna’s EVO Acoustic Archtop Bass Pushes Design Forward with Solid Ebony Body

Canna Guitars’ EVO Acoustic Archtop bass features a rare solid-ebony body, multi-scale neck, and bold design choices that deliver a striking new acoustic tone.

3. Green Day’s Mike Dirnt Launches New Epiphone Grabber G-3 Signature Bass

Green Day’s Mike Dirnt launches the Epiphone Grabber G-3, reviving the classic G-3 with Nashville-built pickups, modern construction, and a punchy signature tone.

4. Walking Bass Made Simple: Chromatic 1–6–2–5 Exercise and Upright-Style Tone on Electric Bass

Learn a smooth chromatic 1–6–2–5 walking bass line and get an upright-style tone on electric bass using palm muting, dead notes, and solid left-hand technique.

5. Thundercat’s Bass Work Shines in Erykah Badu’s Spotify Anniversary Session

Erykah Badu delivers a smooth and soulful performance while Thundercat holds down a warm RnB pocket, giving the entire session a deep and easy flowing vibe.

6. The Ghost Note Rhythm Engine Fires Up at Tiny Desk with Justin McKinney’s Dingwall Five String

Ghost Note delivers a vibrant Tiny Desk moment with Justin McKinney’s Dingwall and Sput’s guiding feel giving the band a warm foundation and relaxed flow.

7. How Alune Wade shapes groove and melody on his Bacchus Jazz bass at KNKX

In this KNKX session, Alune Wade shapes melodic lines, deep groove, and sharp interaction with a tight horn section while his Bacchus jazz bass adds focus and color.

8. Grez Unveils 5-String Grand Tour Bass: A Short-Scale Semi-Hollow Built for the “Slightly Different”

Grez Guitars expands its lineup with the 5-string Grand Tour Bass, a short-scale semi-hollow design featuring Curtis Novak H22 pickups and custom options.

9. Dream Theater drops a fresh live cut with John Myung driving Night Terror on his Bongo bass

The latest Paris drop from Dream Theater highlights John Myung settling into Night Terror with his red six string Bongo, giving viewers a clear look at his smooth live approach.

10. Spector Unveils Limited Euro LX Series with Maple Boards and Custom Shop Flair

Spector launches the Limited Euro LX Series with rare maple fingerboards, figured tops, EMG pickups, and Legacy preamps across three gloss finishes.