Great Is Our Sin: An Interview with Brett Bamberger
When I had the pleasure of working on a Profiles in Tone interview with metal legend Alex Webster, he sent me a few examples of his favorite bass tones in metal. If I can trust anyone’s ear for metal bass, it’s Alex’s. One clip that particularly caught my ear was a video of a band doing a playthrough of their...
In Memoriam: Mike Chapman
Nashville session bass ace Mike Chapman has passed away after battling an aggressive form of cancer. He was 63 years old. Chapman was an absolute staple of country music. Born in Alabama, he began his career playing in nightclubs “6 nights a week, 5 sets a night for the biggest part of a decade,” his biography states. He decided to...
Troy Sanders and Gone is Gone Announce Tour, Release New Song
Rock supergroup Gone is Gone has announced a tour in support of their upcoming self-titled EP. The band is helmed by Mastodon’s Troy Sanders and includes Queens of the Stone Age’s Troy Van Leeuwen, drummer Tony Hajjar, and keyboardist Mike Zarin. In addition to the tour, they’ve released a second single from the album. Sanders calls “Starlight” a personal song,...
Bass of the Week: Tomisic Guitars MarkOne Bass
Luthier Milos Tomisic and bassist Marko Cvetkovic have teamed up once again to create the MarkOne bass, which Cvetkovic says is an attempt to solve all the typical issues modern players face. The result in a creative instrument that centers around a forward-thinking set of electronics. “As shown on pictures, there are no visible pickups nor hardware, except tuners,” the...
Brimstone Audio Now Shipping Ouroboros Dual-Band Effects Loop Switching System
After years of development, Brimstone Audio is now shipping the Ouroboros OB-1 dual-band effects loop switching system. The fully analog pedal cleans up your effects by separating them into two loops that can be layered together in a several ways. “The Ouroboros can do a standard parallel blend configuration, but the real star of the show is Brimstone Audio’s innovate...
Darkglass Electronics Unveils Vintage Ultra Pedal
After unveiling the Microtubes B7K Ultra at NAMM this year, Finland’s Darkglass Electronics has given the Ultra treatment to the Vintage Microtubes. The new Vintage Ultra is described as “super portable preamp which enables on one side a massive clean sound, and from the other side, a tasty saturated sound.” The pedal’s overdrive section has a Level control, Drive control,...
Joe Hubbard Announces “Alien Nation”
Bassist, educator and No Treble contributor Joe Hubbard is releasing “Alien Nation”, the first single from his upcoming recording project. The 7-minute track fusion track features the formidable keyboardist George Whitty (Michael Brecker, Dave Sanborn, Santana, Brecker Bros.) and the legendary jazz fusion drummer Tom Brechtlein (Chick Corea, Robin Ford, Wayne Shorter, Al DiMeola). Besides the amazing song, Hubbard also...
Dean Now Shipping Exotica Supreme Cutaway Acoustic/Electric Bass
Dean is now shipping the Exotica Supreme Cutaway Acoustic/Electric bass. The full-sized instrument is a pared down version of the Exotica Quilt Ash that gets down to the essentials. Its body is made from mahogany with a spruce top while the mahogany neck is topped with a rosewood fingerboard. The soundhole has a distinct inlay and the neck has multi-ply...
Ernie Ball Music Man Introduces Starry Night Package to Premier Dealer Network
Ernie Ball Music Man has revealed the latest package to their Premier Dealer Network. The Starry Night offering, which can be ordered on nearly all of the company’s basses, features a limited edition sparkle burst finish that will only be offered for the month of June. Other features include a roasted maple neck with stainless steel frets and an unmarked...
Crowbar Announces Bass Changeup
Crowbar’s lineup has gotten a little shakeup after the band announced that bassist Jeff Golden has left their ranks. Bandleader Kirk Windstein made the announcement on Facebook. “As many of you may have heard, we have parted ways with Jeff Golden, and he is no longer our bassist. Being in a band is like being in a relationship and things...
Fender Unveils Limited Edition American Standard “PJ” Bass
Fender’s Magnificent Seven series has gotten a little more magnificent with its first four-stringer called the Limited Edition American Standard “PJ” Bass. As part of the series, they are handcrafted in the U.S.A. and limited to 500 basses worldwide. The bass blends elements of the company’s two mainstay models with a P Bass body and a Jazz Bass neck (featuring...
Bass of the Week: LedBelli Basses 6-String Noah Bass
Humans of New York’s phenomenal Facebook page often catches my attention with intimate photos and insightful stories, but this portrait stopped me in my tracks: The bassist’s spirit and determination also called to LedBelli Basses luthier Cleve Johnson. “In January of 2015 I was surfing the Humans of New York website and came across the photo,” he said. “I was...