Bass of the Week: Prat Basses Original I
This week we’re checking out an exquisite Original I by Prat Basses. This particular six-string, built by luthier Oscar Prat, will get Buckeye Burl lovers going with its prime top and matching headstock. The bolt-on bass has a 34-inch scale with a curly maple and walnut neck attached to its one-piece swamp ash body. Its bright birdseye maple fingerboard is...
Video Premiere: El Ten Eleven’s “Scott Township”
We’re bringing you another video premiere with live clip of El Ten Eleven’s “Scott Township” taken from a performance at the Bluebird Theater in Denver, Colorado on December 4th, 2015. The duo of multi-instrumentalist Kristian Dunn and drummer Tim Fogarty create a captivating and emotional atmosphere with a minimalist approach. Dunn kicks things off on a bass vi while Fogarty...
Billy Sheehan’s Signature EBS Pedal Goes Deluxe
The EBS Billy Sheehan Signature Drive Deluxe was unveiled at NAMM this year with the bass legend on hand to talk about it. The pedal adds on to his existing signature drive with more gain with a Boost footswitch, a phase inverter switch for add low end, and an innovative swappable op-amp. “There are a lot of drive pedals that...
Orange Amplification Launches O Bass Guitar
Orange Amplification took to NAMM to launch the O Bass, a vintage-styled bass that comes in Teardrop Sunburst, Off-Black and Orange finishes. The bass first made an appearance at the 2014 Winter NAMM show as a demonstrator piece, but came to production after videos of the instrument spread online. The company describes the O Bass as having a “distinctively vintage...
Custom Shop: Tuli Basses
Every instrument of distinction starts with a vision, but passion and commitment are the factors that make it a reality. That perfect storm has come together with Finland’s Tuli Basses, a fresh boutique bass company aimed at quality over quantity. The man with the vision is luthier Aron Bach. A lifelong bassist, the American-born bass builder cut his teeth as...
Alabama Shakes Announce 2016 Tour Dates
Fresh off of their Grammy wins for Best Rock Performance, Best Rock Song, and Best Alternative Music Album, the Alabama Shakes announced a string of new dates including international festivals and an expansive North American trek. Holding down the low end will be bassist Zac Cockrell, who helped to form the band with vocalist Brittany Howard in 2009. Get a...
Cort Launches Jeff Berlin Rithimic V Bass
Jeff Berlin’s signature Rithimic bass now comes in a five-string version. The Cort Rithimic V was displayed at the Winter NAMM show this year with the bassist on hand to talk about it. “I’m entirely a four-string guy,” Berlin noted, “but I wanted to help make an efficient an instrument as possible for five-string players. My contribution was to ask...
EMG Introduces Solderless J System Pickups
Swapping out your Jazz Bass pickups has just gotten a little easier. EMG’s new J System is a completely solderless setup that includes everything you need to drop a new set of their J pickups into your bass. The pickups come with a control plate that’s completely wired with a split shaft volume/tone control, an output jack, a battery clip...
Dunlop Introduces Flatwound Bass Strings
Dunlop went old school at NAMM this year by introducing a new set of flatwound strings. The Dunlop Flatwound Strings are designed to give the tone of classic rock, funk, and R&B recordings while providing a more modern feel. Designed for lower tension, the strings are described as providing a solid fundamental with rich articulation on top. “Rolling off your...
Bass of the Week: Roks Instruments Futura
This week we’re taking a look at the Futura from Roks Instruments out of The Netherlands. Luthier Axel Roks, who created the bass as part of Dutch Design Week, uses the human body as a large influence on his creations. “This design originated out of the idea that a bass guitar could be an object in itself,” he writes on...
Dunlop Introduces Mini Bass Wah and Volume Pedals
If you’ve been skeptical to add a wah or volume pedal to your pedalboard because of the space it takes up, Dunlop may have you covered. They unveiled a pair of new Mini pedals at the NAMM Show this year including the CBM105Q Cry Baby Mini Bass Wah and the Volume X Mini. The new CBM105Q Cry Baby Mini Bass...
Evan Brewer: “Cause For Concern” Bass Playthrough
Evan Brewer has released a bass playthrough for his song “Cause for Concern”, and it’s something you should be sitting down for. The track, which is featured on his album Your Itinerary, utilizes extended techniques to create a swirling sonic atmosphere. “This song has some of the harsher, heavier elements that are on the record,” Brewer told us in a...