Weekly Top 10: Harley Benton, Sunn Amps, Serek Basses, and More

Welcome back to No Treble’s weekly top 10, where we share the ten most-read articles of the week.

This week was all about gear and grooves. At the top of the heap is Harley Benton’s new collaboration with BassTheWorld. The MV-4JB Plus BassTheWorld Signature is their most refined J-style bass, with BTW’s Gregor Fris calling it the highest-quality bass the budget-minded brand has ever produced. It has handmade Kloppmann JB-61 Alnico V pickups, pearloid block inlays, and Gotoh hardware. Click through to read all the specs.

Next, Sunn Amps has distilled two of its iconic sounds into one compact amp called the Beta Mini. The 200-watt amp has switches to voice it for bass or guitar. Its dual channels can be played independently or combined for an even bigger sound. The tiny unit weighs just 3.9 pounds.

Our Bass of the Week is a five-string Midwestern 2 from Serek Basses, which sports a 32-inch scale, mahogany construction, and a pair of Nordstrand Zen Blade pickups.

We also featured a vintage Danelectro bass signed by Todd Rundgren for charity and performance clips from Billy Talent, Mick Jagger, Derek Frank, Thundercat, and more.

Scroll on to get caught up on the best in bass.

1. Harley Benton Teams With BassTheWorld for Its Most Refined J-Style Bass Yet

Harley Benton teams up with BassTheWorld’s Gregor Fris for the MV-4JB Plus Signature bass, featuring Kloppmann pickups, premium woods, and high-end appointments.

2. Sunn Amps Unveils Beta Mini 200-Watt Amp with Dual Channels for Bass or Guitar

Sunn Amps has launched the Beta Mini, a 200-watt compact amp head with dual channels, analog MOSFET design, and bass/guitar voicing for just 3.9 pounds.

3. Bass of the Week: Serek’s 32-Inch Five-String Midwestern 2 Nails Comfort and Tone

This week’s Bass of the Week is a five-string Serek Midwestern 2 with a 32-inch scale, mahogany build, ebony fingerboard, and Nordstrand Zen Blades.

4. Todd Rundgren Auctions Rare Danelectro Longhorn Bass Used on “A Wizard, a True Star”

Todd Rundgren is auctioning a rare Danelectro Longhorn bass used on his 1973 album "A Wizard, a True Star" to support music education through the Spirit of Harmony Foundation.

5. Billy Talent Channels Rush Energy on New “Limelight” Studio Cover

Billy Talent shares their version of Rush’s “Limelight,” featuring a strong vocal performance and a Jazz Bass tone that stays true to the original feel.

6. Mick Jagger Goes Solo in Tokyo and Doug Wimbish Holds It Down All Night

Mick Jagger’s Tokyo Dome run just resurfaced and Doug Wimbish is all over it, aggressive, locked in, and pushing the whole band

7. Chicago Soundcheck: Derek Frank Warms Up with a Wah-Driven Bass Line

What starts as a soundcheck becomes a deep pocket groove as Derek Frank leans into a wah soaked bass line with full band interplay. (

8. Thundercat Lifts “Walking on the Moon” Into Orbit on Fallon

Thundercat delivers “Walking on the Moon” on Fallon, a spacey performance pulled from his latest album Distracted.

9. Cory Wong’s “Ain’t It Fun” Is a Pocket Clinic, Thanks in Part to Yohannes Tona on Bass

Cory Wong's live take on “Ain’t It Fun,” with Tema Siegel on vocals and Yohannes Tona driving the pocket on 5-string Jazz Bass.

10. Darkglass Expands Anagram With New Plugin Marketplace for Effects, Amp Sims, and More

Darkglass Electronics has launched the Anagram Marketplace, adding third-party plugins, amp sims, and creative tools to its multi-effects platform.