Undertone Audio Introduces the Vari-Cap Cable
Undertone Audio has introduced an innovative new product called the Vari-Cap instrument cable. Designed by producer Eric Valentine and Larry Jasper, the Vari-Cap allows for varying the amount of capacitance imparted by the cable with a 16-step rotary knob. The effect changes the tone of the cable. Its range of adjustment from 150 pF to 1650 pF in fifteen 100...
ZZ Top’s Dusty Hill Fractures Shoulder, Dates Rescheduled
ZZ Top has been forced to cancel a string of tour dates after Dusty Hill injured his shoulder. The bearded bassist was preparing to take stage in Lubbock, Texas when he was tripped by an unlit step-up backstage. The band’s website explains that Hill has subsequently undergone treatment for a fractured shoulder. “My physicians told me that this type of...
Bass Mute Clamp Now Available
Bassists looking for that old school thump have a new option with the Bass Mute Clamp. The aptly named device clamps to your bass strings and can be adjusted to vary the amount of muting. It works with four, five, and six-string basses and over a variety of string spacings. Application takes seconds and the mute only weighs six grams....
Bass of the Week: Tom Clement Basses Angel Bass
This week we’re checking out the Tom Clement Basses Angel bass, an instrument that the luthier describes as borrowing ideas from the Gibson Thunderbird to combine retro vibe with custom features. The bass was designed alongside long-time customer Jon-Inge Paulsen. “The name Angel reflects on the people we love, the people who mean the world to us, the people we...
DigiTech Introduces Dirty Robot Stereo Mini-Synth Pedal
The mad scientists at DigiTech have unleashed the Dirty Robot, a stereo mini-synth effect for bass and guitar. The pedal features seven controls and two synth voices: straight envelope-style synthesis (V1) or vocal formant synthesis (V2). “We designed the Dirty Robot to provide guitarists or bassists with a slew of synth effects in a small footprint,” DigiTech’s Tom Cram says....
Source Audio Now Shipping Aftershock Bass Distortion
Source Audio is now shipping their Aftershock Bass Distortion. The pedal boasts three distortion engines – Tube, Heavy, and Fuzz – as well as the company’s Neuro Mobile App capabilities for deep tonal tweaking. “The Tube engine belts out a subtle, but powerful vintage tube overdrive with a smooth breakup and plenty of punch,” Source Audio explains. “Heavy creates an...
Fodera Introduces Masterbuilt Series with “Arts & Crafts” Bass
Fodera has always been known for their gorgeous boutique instruments, but now they’re stepping things up with the Masterbuilt Series. Limited to four instruments per year, Fodera calls the series the pinnacle of what their shop can produce. “More specifically, these instruments are all theme instruments and draw inspiration from companies, artists, and craftsmen outside of the world of guitars,”...
Cog Effects Revamps Tarkin and Grand Tarkin Fuzz Pedals
Cog Effects has expanded their tonal offerings with an update to their Tarkin fuzz range, consisting of the Tarkin and Grand Tarkin mk2. The pedals are hand-built in Sheffield, England. Based on the Green Russian, the Tarkin is now housed in a smaller chassis with a pair of new LPF and HPF switches, which the company says are highly interactive...
Bass on a Budget: 10 Basses Under $1,000 for 2016
Tax season is finally over and it’s time to figure out how to spend that sweet refund from Uncle Sam. Of course, if you’re reading this site you’ve probably already decided on a bass. That’s why we put together this list of 10 new basses for 2016 under $1,000. The list is in no particular order and is not exhaustive....
Form Factor Audio Launches Bi Bass Amplifier Series
Form Factor Audio has announced the launch of the Bi 1000 and Bi 400 bass amps. Rated at 1000 and 400 watts respectively, the California-made Class D amps are packed with tons of connectivity and a 3-band EQ. The company describes their new preamp as “designed from the ground up to deliver the type of clarity, response time and tone...
Jason Everett: Moksha: The Elimination of All Duality, Part One
Bassist Jason Everett, aka Mister E, has unleashed part one of an epic 22-minute bass driven sonic story called “Moksha: The Elimination of All Duality”. This clip captures three movements of the world-jazz-fusion saga, which includes Everett’s slick 7-string fretless work and a diverse cast of musicians. ”’Moksha: The Elimination of All Duality’ is the sonic story of a soul…...
Ernie Ball Music Man Previews Cutlass and Caprice Basses
Ernie Ball Music Man has unveiled their first fully passive basses with the Caprice and Cutlass models. The basses, which were debuted at the NAMM Show this year, feature brand new body styles that are influenced by old school design with modern playability. Even with new body styles, players will be familiar with the necks as the Cutlass borrows the...