Jackson CBXNT IV and V Concert Basses Now Available
Jackson Guitars is now shipping the CBXNT IV Concert and CBXNT V Concert basses. Four and five-string models, respectively, the company describes the basses as perfect for metal or other styles that demand low, punchy bass. Jackson says the heart of the bass is in their electronics. “The heart of this beast is a pair of Jackson High Output Humbucking...
Cort Upgrades the B5 Plus AS Bass for 2016
Cort has updated their B5 Plus AS bass with a new set of electronics. The model, which is part of the Artisan Series, now comes with the Markbass MB-1 EQ to match its Bartolini MK-1 pickups. The bass’s preamp is described as providing a “very natural and transparent boost” that won’t color the instrument’s natural tone. “The crystal clarity and...
Shobaleader One: Squarepusher’s Theme
Bassist and electronica artist Squarepusher is taking his band Shobaleader One on the road in the UK next month, and we’ve got a clip of the first live video footage of the group. The up-tempo song “Squarepusher’s Theme” blends all the elements of the artist’s personality with drum and bass styled drumming, synth pads, and killer bass lines. The bassist...
Miles Mosley Releases “Abraham”
When the West Coast Get Down locked themselves in a studio for an entire month, each member of the group came out with a plethora of material. The first release from the session was Kamasi Washington’s groundbreaking 2015 album The Epic, and now upright bass phenom Miles Mosley has unveiled his first piece from the collaboration. In the bassist’s typical...
Levy’s Leathers Introduces M317HPR Harper Designer Strap
Levy’s Leathers has introduced the M317HPR Harper Designer strap, a deluxe pull-up leather strap decorated with a ridge down the center to accent its pull-up nature. Available in Rust coloring, the strap is 2½ inches wide with a soft suede backing. It’s adjustable from 37 inches to 51 inches. It will be available with a suggested retail price $122.26. Levy’s...
Christian McBride & Edgar Meyer: Solar, Live 2016
One of the best concerts I saw in 2015 was the duo of double bass virtuosos Christian McBride and Edgar Meyer. Besides being unbelievable technicians, their musicality and rapport was astounding. This year they took the show on the road to the UK. Here’s a smoking clip of McBride and Meyer tearing through the jazz standard “Solar”. McBride kicks things...
Korg Introduces Sledgehammer Custom 100 Clip-On Tuner
After introducing the Custom Shop Series of tuners this year, Korg has added to the lineup with the Sledgehammer Custom 100 clip-on tuner. The tuner offers tuning accuracy of ±0.1 cents and works with both bass and guitar. It’s powered by a single AAA battery, which provides about 100 hours of use before needing replacement. The Sledgehammer clips on and...
Bass of the Week: Hot Wire Blues Bass
Hot Wire Basses took a page out of the old school with their Blues Bass. Modeled after the early fifties Kay Electric Bass, the Blues Bass is a vintage-style hollowbody, which the company notes was often played by four-stringers backing up Blues legends like Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf. While the design imitates an old Kay, Hot Wire made some...
New York Bass Works Introduces Reference Series Basses
New York Bass Works has announced the Reference Series, a line of basses that bring together luthier David Segal’s custom work with the classic J-bass platform. “The Reference Series Basses are instruments infused with the DNA of nearly 20 years of custom bass projects, complex renovations, and pain-staking repairs of nearly every brand of instrument,” the company writes. “The empirical...
Ernie Ball Music Man 40th Anniversary StingRay Now Available for Pre-Order
Ernie Ball Music Man’s 40th Anniversary “Old Smoothie” StingRay Bass is now available for pre-order. Unveiled at the 2016 Winter NAMM Show, the bass is named after a prototype from 1976 that was designed by Leo Fender and gifted to Sterling Ball. Central to its design is a 10-pole piece pickup that gives it a smoother tone. “We recently revisited...
Guns N’ Roses Reunion Tour Dates Announced
The wait is over. Guns N’ Roses have announced the specifics for their “Not In This Lifetime” reunion tour. The outing will be bring together original members Axl Rose, Slash, and Duff McKagan with longtime collaborators Dizzy Reed, Richard Fortus, Frank Ferrer, and new keyboardist Melissa Reese. The band played their first reunion show at the Troubadour in Los Angeles,...
Darkglass Electronics Announces Release Date for Microtubes 700 Bass Amp
One of the biggest reveals at the Winter NAMM Show this year was the Darkglass Electronics Microtubes 700. Since the outing Darkglass has been further refining the the head, which is their first amplifier, but now they’ve announced a target release date of July. “This transition is very important for us, it’s a big challenge,” founder Douglas Castro said in...