Bassics BPA-1 Preamp Now Shipping
Diffusion Audio is now shipping the Bassics BPA-1 analog bass preamp. Designed by studio equipment designer Malcolm Toft, the BPA-1 packs a preamp, tone controls, and compression into a floor unit with footswitches for each section. It has two inputs with two low-noise pickup amplifiers with individual level controls. The three-band EQ has Low Bass, Mid Bass, and High Bass...
Whose Hat Is This?: Untitled
The musicians in the Tedeschi Trucks Band can throw down on some southern soul grooves, but they also have a love for free improv. Four members of the group – including Tim Lefebvre, Kebbi Williams, J.J. Johnson, Tyler Greenwell – formed a project called Whose Hat Is This? to let their creativity run wild. Here they are performing an untitled...
James Jamerson Bass Sold at Auction
If you’ve been online recently, you’ll know the most talked about story in the bass community in the last month has been the auction for a bass previously owned by James Jamerson. Owned by the Motown genius from 1962 until approximately 1968, the 1961 Fender Precision was reportedly given to fellow Detroit bassist Billy Hayes around that time. Hayes used...
Cort Introduces the GB74JJ Bass
Cort has expanded their GB7 series of guitars and basses with the GB74JJ, a jazz-style bass that they describe as integrating both modern and classic aspects. That blend is centered in its pair of VTB-ST pickups that are fitted into a swamp ash body. “Crafted with winding materials that maximize high and low frequencies, the refined design of these pickups...
Rancid Returns with “Trouble Maker”
Legendary punk band Rancid has returned with their ninth album, Trouble Maker. Anchored by bass freak Matt Freeman, the 19-song collection runs from blistering riffs to ska-infused jams. Freeman’s lines continue to be rooted in driving the song while bringing a melodic element to the grooves. For proof, check out the band playing the album (in the video below). Trouble...
Bass of the Week: Bogart Bass Sport V Headless
This week we’re checking out a slick headless, five-string version of the Bogart Bass Sport model. Built for Michael Klöckner, the bass is a modified version of their already lightweight Sport, which features a carbon fiber neck and an interesting body design. It’s a Blackstone synthetic body shell that is injected with a light weight filling foam. This particular bass...
Fender Unveils CB-60SCE Acoustic Bass Guitar
Fender has introduced the Classic Design series that they say is aimed at the company’s acoustic tone and aesthetic at an affordable price. The lineup includes the CB-60SCE, an acoustic bass guitar featuring a slim-taper neck profile and rolled fingerboard edges for playability. Its concert-bass body is built with a solid spruce top with mahogany for the back and sides....
Soul Fish: An Interview with Carey Nordstrand
As an instrument builder and pickup maker, Carey Nordstrand has helped scores of musicians find their voice in their tone. Now he’s getting to share his own musical voice with a new release by his band, Moba Jones. Soul Fish is the culmination of musical experiences of Nordstrand and his musical compatriot Edward Heppenstall, whose influences range from Peter Gabriel...
Bakithi Kumalo Anchors New Paul Simon “The Concert in Hyde Park” DVD
In 2012, Paul Simon reunited with his Graceland musicians to perform special concert at the Hard Rock Calling Festival in London. Held at Hyde Park, the concert also featured special appearances by Hugh Masekela, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and Jimmy Cliff. The whole cast was anchored by the unshakeable bass grooves of Bakithi Kumalo. Luckily, it’s been released on DVD. Kumalo,...
Ibanez Announces Six-String Fretless Portamento Bass
Ibanez announced the expansion of their Portamento Fretless bass series with a six-string version. The SRF706 will retain the features of its four and five-string predecessors while adding a high C string. The bass is built with neck-through construction featuring a five-piece maple and bubinga neck, mahogany body wings, and a rosewood fingerboard. Ibanez fits it with a pair of...
Victor Wooten to Record Bass for Revived Nitro Glam Metal Band
Founding members Michael Angelo Batio and frontman Jim Gillette announced last year that they’d be reforming their ’80s glam metal band Nitro for a new album. They also announced that Lamb of God drummer Chris Adler would be filling the group out, though the question of who would play bass on the record has been a mystery until now. “Nitro...
Rockboard Introduces New Pedal Connectors
Warwick’s Rockboard brand has released a new set of pedal connectors aimed at keeping the connection between your pedals as short as possible. The new compact connectors come in three versions – S-Connectors, N-Connectors, and Z-Connectors – each designed to fit your pedal setup. Each model comes in gold, nickel, or black colors with 1/4-inch connectors. The new Rockboard Pedal...