In Memoriam: Philip Kubicki
Philip Kubicki, creator of the Factor Bass, has passed away after a battle with cancer. The renowned luthier spent nine years at Fender in their R&D department before creating his own brand. Kubicki first realized his fascination with instruments at his grandparents’ house. “When I was young – perhaps 12 or 13 years old – I found an old, handmade...
GFS Pickups Introduces REDactive Bass Pickups
GFS Pickups has announced new REDactive series of pickups, including Jazz and P Bass styles. The pickups are low impedance, noiseless models with internal preamplifiers. Each pickup is vintage voiced and “position calibrated” by their coils and the internal preamplifier. Beyond standard configurations, each pickup can be matched with REDactive components including pots, jacks, caps, and switches to personalize your...
Decibel Magazine Announces 2013 Tour Featuring Cannibal Corpse, Napalm Death, Immolation
Decibel Magazine is kicking off their second annual tour on May 10th in Houston, Texas. The monthly heavy metal magazine has “doubled down on veteran star power” for the outing by tapping Cannibal Corpse, Napalm Death and Immolation as the tour’s co-headliners. The tour also includes Beyond Creation, Cretin and Magrudergrind. Featuring bassists Alex Webster, Shane Embury, Ross Dolan, Dominic...
Warwick Introduces RockBass Vampyre Dark Lord
Warwick has added to their RockBass series with the Vampyre Dark Lord, a 35? scale bass built for extra low tuning. From lowest strings to highest, the Dark Lord is tuned F#, B, E, A, which the company says gives it a “diabolic sound character.” The bass’s body is crafted from alder while neck is maple with ekanga veneer stripes....
Phil Jones Bass Announces H-850 Headphones
Phil Jones Bass has introduced the H-850 headphones, a pair of headphones designed with bassists in mind the company says bridges the gap between “high-quality music and deep clear bass.” Designed for practice, studio and casual listening, the set utilizes 40mm neodymium magnets and closed back acoustic loading for clear sound reproduction. Other features include acoustic isolation and a light...
Marleaux Bass Guitars Introduces Votan XS Deluxe Model
German luthier Gerald Marleaux has introduced a new model for 2013 named the Votan XS Deluxe. Continuing on the traditionally inspired Votan series, the XS Deluxe features a slim birdseye maple neck and a smaller solid African Dibetou hardwood body. The Votan XS Deluxe is fitted with a pair of Delano JSBC custom single coil pickups and a Marleaux 2-band...
ESP Introduces LTD FB-204 to Frank Bello Signature Series
ESP’s Frank Bello LTD Signature line of basses has a new addition. The FB-204 is an entry level model with bolt-on construction and a black satin finish to suit the Anthrax bassist’s style. The FB-204 is built with a basswood body, maple neck, and rosewood fingerboard. The P/J pickup configuration consists of the company’s LTD LDJ and LDP, which are...
Lakland Introduces 44-01 and 55-01 Deluxe Spalt Basses
Lakland has given their Skyline 44-01 and 55-01 models the Deluxe treatment this year. Sporting four and five strings respectively, the Lakland 44-01 and 55-01 Deluxe Spalt models add to their predecessors with spalted maple tops for visual flair. The models are built with ash bodies, maple necks, and rosewood fingerboards. The 4-string has a 34? scale, while the 5-string...
Bootsy Collins: Psychoticbumpschool, Live in Houston 1976
Prepare to get funky. Here’s a ridiculously awesome clip of Bootsy Collins and his Rubber Band live in Houston, Texas in 1976 – the same year Stretchin’ Out In Bootsy’s Rubber Band came out. The energy in this song is off the wall, and it’s non-stop funkin’ for ten minutes.
Kathy Valentine Splits from the Go-Go’s
Longtime Go-Go’s bassist Kathy Valentine has left the band she’s been a part of for more than 30 years. “The Go-Go’s have parted ways with bassist Kathy Valentine, citing irreconcilable differences,” the band said in a statement. “The rest of the lineup, original since 1979 (Belinda Carlisle, Charlotte Caffey, Gina Schock and Jane Wiedlin) remains intact. The band looks forward...
Bass of the Week: CallowHill Guitars MDM
This week we check out the CallowHill Guitars’ flagship bass, the MDM. The MDM was born out of three separate instrument models, and eventually evolved into a single model with several options. The MDM is offered in 5- and 6-string versions with standard features including lightweight swamp ash bodies, Nordstrand pickups and a fully passive wiring stage with a modified...
Ibanez Refreshes Artcore Series Basses
Ibanez has updated their Artcore series of basses with the AGB205 and the AFB200SRD. As part of the Artcore line, the acoustic/electric basses follow vintage aesthetic and sport 30.3″ scales. The AFB200SRD is built constructed with a 3-piece maple/mahogany neck, a maple body, and a bound rosewood fingerboard. It offers a new Sunset Red finish and a newly designed pickguard....