Rex Brown Announces Solo Album
After years of holding down the low end for the world’s biggest metal bands, Rex Brown has announced that he’s working on his debut solo album. The former Pantera and Down bassist revealed the news to Metal Hammer, saying it has inspired him to play again after burning out from touring. “I went to Nashville last summer, and I have...
Fender Introduces 800-Watt Bassman Head
Fender’s Bassman series of bass amplifiers has gotten bigger with the introduction of the Bassman 800 Head. The 800-watt, dual channel amp features a hybrid design with a tube preamp matched to a Class D power section. It weighs 17 pounds. Its two-channel tube preamp has Vintage and Overdrive voicings. The Vintage channel provides a vintage tone with a passive...
Cog Effects Expands Octave Pedal Series
Cog Effects has expanded their analog octave pedal lineup with two new pedals – the T-47 and T-70 – and an update to the T-65 model. “I wanted to make a range of octave pedals that provide valid solutions to guitarists and particularly bassists who are being more and more innovative with the pedals that are available to them,” Cog...
Turnitup: An Interview with Ida Nielsen
Ida Nielsen has gone by several names, including Ida Funkhouser and Bassida, but one thing has always stayed consistent: her rock solid funk style. The Danish bassist was building her own artistic empire with her band and a pair of solo albums when Prince handpicked her to be his bassist. Starting in 2010, Nielsen toured the world with The Purple...
MakeMusic Launches Finale v.25
MakeMusic has released version 25 of their popular music notation software, Finale. The new update carries several improvements including the transition to being a 64-bit application, making it more efficient and capable of handling 64-bit sound libraries. It also includes improved workflow and program support. “Features added in this release include transposed note entry, large time signatures, an incredible playback...
Bass of the Week: 39 Custom Guitars CK Canorous
Chris Kollias wrote in to share his new bass from 39 Custom Guitars, and it’s a beauty. The CK Canorous is a 5-string that the bassist wanted to cover a wide tonal palette. “The main purpose of this instrument is to cover a wide variety of sounds according to the demanding needs,” Kollias said. “The neck is made of white...
Evan Brewer: Entheos “New Light” Playthrough
Bass monster Evan Brewer shows his awe-inspiring bass line for Entheos’s “New Light” in this bass-centric playthrough. If you know Evan, you know this one is going to be a wild ride. He varies between several advanced techniques, including the heaviest slap line you’ve ever heard and a harmonically rich two-handed tapping section, to create a beautiful contrast in the...
Radial Engineering Revamps Bigshot i/o
After introducing the EFX version earlier this year, Radial is continuing to work on its Bigshot pedal series with a new redesign of the Bigshot i/o. The stompbox is a instrument selector that allows for switching between two basses plugged into the same amp. Each input can be selected quickly via footswitch. Input 2 is fitted with a level control...
Magnus Sjöquist: Visa från utanmyra
Ubass connoisseur Magnus Sjöquist sent us an all-bass version of a Swedish folk song called “Visa från utanmyra”, and it’s beautiful. “My version is inspired by the lovely version by Swedish pianist Jan Johansson and upright bassist Georg Riedel,” he told us. “It is featured on the album Jazz på svenska (Jazz in Swedish) released in 1964.” Sjöquist plays both...
Carlos Santana Announces Jazz/Rock Supergroup Featuring Marcus Miller
Carlos Santana has formed a new jazz-rock supergroup called Mega Nova, and it promises to be incredible. The legendary guitarist has recruited an equally legendary band including keyboardist Herbie Hancock, saxophonist Wayne Shorter, drummer Cindy Blackman Santana, and bassist Marcus Miller. Mega Nova will make their debut during a one-off concert at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California on...
NS Design Unveils NXTa Active Series Omni Bass and Double Bass Models
NS Design has teamed up with Mi-Si Electronics Design to introduce the NXTa Active series of instruments, including versions of the company’s Omni Bass and Double Bass models. Central to the new series is the introduction of battery-free, high-performance active electronics. The circuitry works is powered by plugging into a wall socket for one minute at a time. “Operationally, for...
Hot Tuna Gearing Up for Fall 2016 Tour
While their summer tour may be winding down and the Fur Peace Ranch workshops are wrapping up, Hot Tuna is still in full gear. The dynamic duo of Jack Casady and Jorma Kaukonen have announced a Fall run of acoustic and electric performances that will focus on the East and West Coasts. Electric Hot Tuna dates will include the drumming...