Dawn of the Dregs: An Interview With Andy West
Last year one of the biggest surprises for music lovers was the announcement that the original members of the Dixie Dregs would be reuniting for a tour. That lineup includes guitarist Steve Morse, violinist Allen Sloan, drummer Rod Morgenstein, keyboardist Steve Davidowski, and – of course – bassist Andy West. West co-founded the band with Morse, who now spends much...
Fender Reveals American Original Series Including Four New Basses
Fender will be unveiling the American Original series at the 2018 Winter NAMM Show, including four new basses. The line focuses on recreating instruments from the company’s past while updating them with enhancements. “For more than six decades, Fender’s core models of guitars and basses have developed their own distinct personalities and legions of devoted disciples. Whether it was the...
Joe Satriani Releases “What Happens Next” with Glenn Hughes
Guitar legend Joe Satriani has just released his sixteenth studio album, What Happens Next, and he lined up a killer trio for it. The record is filled out by Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and former Deep Purple bassist Glenn Hughes. Though he’s known for his progressive style, Satriani took a more straight-forward approach he described as “pure...
Corrosion of Conformity Releases “No Cross No Crown”
Corrosion of Conformity has returned with No Cross No Crown, their first album to feature guitarist/vocalist Pepper Keenan since 2005’s In the Arms of God. Keenan reunited with the band in 2016 to return them from a trio to a quartet. “It’s been great, definitely good to have the whole crew in effect and go out there and take it...
Fano Guitars Announces the JM4-FB Bass
Fano Guitars has introduced the JM4-FB bass, and instrument they say is inspired by the classics and redefined by creativity. The model, which will be debuting at the Winter NAMM Show, is based on one of their guitars. “Using the ever-popular JM6 as a springboard, we designed the JM4 Bass to look and feel as though it’s been part of...
Steep Canyon Rangers Announce New Bassist
The Steep Canyon Rangers have announced a change in the ranks with the addition of bassist Barrett Smith, who will fill the shoes of Charles Humphrey III. Humphrey was the band’s original bassist, but they say Smith is already a great fit. “Our new bass player is Barrett Smith,” Woody Platt stated. “He’s from Columbia, South Carolina, but we met...
Bass of the Week: Dream Studio Guitars Voodoo Bass
This week we’re checking out the Voodoo Bass from Dream Studio Guitars. Created as a signature model for Jorge Casillas of the Voodoo Glow Skulls, the bass brings old-school tone with a more futuristic body. “No Active Pick Ups, no Ebony Neck; this is old school bass here,” Dream Studios writes. “Maple Neck, Maple Fretboard, and some good old vintage...
EvenMidi Updates H9 MIDI Controller
EvenMidi has updated their H9 MIDI controller with a host of new features. Designed for the Eventide H9 as well as other devices, the unit offers control of up to four devices simultaneously or switching from one to the other. It has nine banks of three presets for a total of 27 presets that can be customized. It works with...
Ibanez Announces Upswing Electric Upright Bass
Ibanez will be introducing their very first electric upright bass at the 2018 Winter NAMM Show. Dubbed the UB804 or “Upswing”, the bass was designed to mimic the tone of an acoustic upright bass. “The special AeroSilk Piezo pickup, along with the Walnut, Maple, and Jatoboa woods, combine to create a tone that is incredibly warm and true to the...
Mattoverse Electronics Announces The TetraStep MkII
Mattoverse Electronics has released the TetraStep MkII, an updated version of their four-step square wave sequencer. It has four pitch controllable steps with on/off buttons for each step. Users can adjust the rate, tone, pitch, and volume of each step. The MkII version adds a slew of new features including a Tap Temp footswitch, Sync In and Out functionality, illuminated...
Aguilar Amplification Unveils 2018 Limited Edition Cabinet Color
After adding the SL 212 to their lineup, Aguilar Amplification has unveiled their limited edition cabinet color for 2018: Dorian Gray. The outfit will be available on the SL 112 (250 units), the SL 410x (100 units), and the SL 212 (100 units). All of the Dorian Gray cabs will feature a “Limited Edition 2018” label on the crossover as...
James Jamerson’s Family Starts GoFundMe to Raise New Headstone, Scholarship Fund
Without a doubt, James Jamerson is a huge figure in the history of the electric bass. His work on countless Motown hits inspired scores of bassists while creating the groove that made a generation dance. Now his family wants his burial site to have a headstone to match his legacy. Jamerson’s cousin Anthony McKnight has started a GoFundMe crowd-funding campaign...