TC Electronic Introduces SpectraComp Bass Compressor Pedal
TC Electronic has taken the SpectraComp found in some of their bass amps and put it into a TonePrint-enabled effects pedal. The multi-band compressor is specifically tuned for bass and housed in a mini enclosure to fit on tight pedalboards. Based on their MD3 multi-band dynamics engine, the SpectraComp Bass Compressor features a frequency specific compression algorithm that the company...
James Taylor with Leland Sklar: Your Smiling Face, Live 1988
I was going through my records this weekend and realized just how many of them feature the tasteful bass lines of Leland Sklar. Of course, that sent me into a Sklar phase on YouTube, which led me to this great version of James Taylor’s “Your Smiling Face” from 1988. His playing on this track is the perfect mix of anchoring...
Christian McBride Trio To Anchor Mack Avenue SuperBand Tour
Ever since its debut in 2012, the Mack Avenue SuperBand has become a staple of the Detroit Jazz Festival. Now the jazz supergroup is taking it on the road in support of their latest release, . Both the album and the tour are anchored by bass master and musical director Christian McBride. His bandmates for the tour include pianist Christian...
Ashdown Engineering Unveils AAA EVO Bass Amplification Series
Ashdown’s AAA combo amps have evolved. Introduced at the Winter NAMM show, the AAA EVO collection includes four combo amps as well as a 1×15″ cabinet. Each of the combos comes with the company’s App Tek socket, allowing bassists to access amp simulators, effects, and other apps from their smartphones. Other common features include a Line In, a headphone jack,...
Boss Introduces BC-1X Bass Comp Pedal
Following up on last year’s bass driver, Boss introduced the BC-1X Bass Comp at the 2016 Winter NAMM Show. The pedal is a multi-band compressor optimized for bass that the company says offers a wide range of compression without altering a bass’s fundamental tone. The BC-1X has the familiar compressor controls of Level, Release, Ratio, and Threshold as well as...
Alberto Rigoni and Remco Hendriks: FutureFunk
Bassist Alberto Rigoni is gearing up a new album called Bassorama for an April release, and to hype it up he’s published this video of the track “FutureFunk” featuring Remco Hendriks. The duo blends their own styles and don some creepy masks to really get into it. Bassorama will be released April 15th.
Schecter Teams Up With Michael Anthony for Signature Bass
Ex-Van Halen and current The Circle bassist Michael Anthony has a brand new signature bass from Schecter Guitars. Available in production and custom shop versions, the bass is a take on their Model T with updates to suit Anthony’s playing style. The Diamond Series Michael Anthony Bass is built in South Korea with an Alder body, maple and walnut neck,...
Armin Metz: Swifty
Armin Metz is back with another beautiful bass song set in nature. “Swifty” is a solo bass piece with swirling rhythms and harmonic twists. Metz gets a sweet tone out of his ’77 Fender Jazz, which completes the theme with a custom floral pickguard.
Bass of the Week: PRS Guitars Private Stock Hollowbody Bass 4
PRS Guitars began their Private Stock series 20 years ago, and to celebrate they’ve brought back their guitar of the month showcase. They kicked it off with a jaw-dropping Private Stock Hollowbody Bass 4, which is our bass of the week. The short scale bass features a solid center block with hollow body wings. The neck is curly maple while...
The Who Announces Tour with Tal Wilkenfeld Band
2016 is turning out to have some incredible tours for bassists. The Who will be continuing their “The Who Hits 50!” tour with a new North American leg, and they’ve tapped Australian bass phenom Tal Wilkenfeld to open the shows. Between Pino Palladino in the The Who and Wilkenfeld’s band, these shows are going to be bumping. Wilkenfeld shared her...
Ibanez Introduces SR Cerro Singlecut Bass
Ibanez has expanded their Bass Workshop and Soundgear models with the SR Cerro, a singlecut bass available in Natural and Deep Twilight finishes. The Cerro’s body connects to the neck from the 24th fret all the way to 13th fret for increased stability and sustain. Built with neck-through construction, it’s built with a mahogany body, poplar burl top, a five-piece...
Tech 21 Unveils Bass Fly Rig at NAMM 2016
Tech 21 introduced a Bass version of the Fly Rig 5 at NAMM this year, fitting five of their famed pedals into one. The Bass Fly Rig includes a SansAmp, Octafilter, Chorus, Compressor, and a Boost rolled into one pedal with extra connectivity for versatility. Each effect has its own controls. The SansAmp is complete with a 3-band EQ, level,...