Gruv Gear Introduces Fump Bridge Muter/Dampener
Music accessory company Gruv Gear has expanded their string dampening products with the Fump, a muting device that slides over the strings against the bridge of your bass. The Fump works with four- and five-string basses and can be applied or removed in seconds. Check out the company’s demo: The Gruv Gear Fump is available now direct for $19.99. Gruv...
Nordstrand Pickups Introduces Jazz Bar Series
Nordstrand Pickups has introduced the Jazz Bar pickup line, a series takes all of the company’s standard J-style pickups and puts them in soapbar shapes. Available in most popular EMG and Bartolini casing sizes, the JB Series includes Nordstrand’s single coil models (NJ4, NJ4 70’s, NJ5, and NJ6) as well as their hum canceling models (NJ4SV, NJ4SE, NJ5s, and NJ6s)....
S.I.T. Strings Introduces RB Bass Strings
S.I.T. Strings has introduced the RB line of bass strings, which will replace their current Rock Bright series. According to the company, the new set has been developed with an improved manufacturing process as well as a more balanced tension string formula. The RB Bass String is built with a 92/8 phosphor bronze under-wrap wire over a hard-tempered hexagonal steel...
Pablo Elorza: Bass Solo Chord Melody
Bassist and educator Pablo Elorza recently posted a new blog on exercises for musicians. Part of the lesson is a video with stretches to warm up before or after a playing session. The bassist composed this beautiful bass solo to accompany the video, and it’s just as inspiring as the information. Elorza crafts a lyrical melody complete with chordal backing....
Ornette Coleman & Prime Time Band: “Story Tellers” and “Latin Genetics”, live 1987
The world lost a pioneer in the music world yesterday as Ornette Coleman passed away at the age of 85. An innovator of the free jazz movement, the saxophonist was a major influence for a generation of musicians. We’re remembering Coleman with a 1987 clip from the Stadtgarten in Cologne, Germany. Coleman’s band includes two bassists – Jamaaladeen Tacuma and...
Jason Everett: The Return
Jason Everett, aka Mister E, sent us this clip of his song “The Return,” which features the bassist playing on his fretless seven string. “‘The Return’ is a recent composition and is the fourth and final movement of my epic composition ‘Moksha: The Elimination of All Duality,'” Everett writes. “[Moksha] is the sonic story of a soul that lives in...
Ibanez Introduces Gary Willis Fretted Signature Bass
Ibanez has added a new fretted model to the Gary Willis Signature series. The GWB35FDBKF is the first fretted Willis signature model and will be available as a limited edition instrument. The five-string bass is built with a three-piece maple neck topped with an ebony fretboard with off-set white dot inlays. The basswood body is finished in a flat black,...
Fernando Molinari: Destrambelhado
Fernando Molinari sent us this smoking playalong clip of the song “Destrambelhado” from his first CD. The bassist mixes fingerstyle, slap, and strumming to drive the fusion track.
Apogee Unveils Groove USB Digital-To-Audio Converter
Digital audio company Apogee has unveiled the Groove, a portable USB digital-to-analog converter and headphone amp for listening to music on your computer. The device utilizes their recording quality audio conversion to provide ample power and sound quality. “A [digital-to-analog converter] takes the digital information on your computer and translates it into analog sound you can hear through your headphones...
Bass of the Week: Martin Keith Guitars Elfin Hollowbody
Martin Keith took on the singlecut body design with his Elfin model, and this week we take a look at its hollowbody version. The five-string bass is built entirely like an acoustic instrument with functionality for electric players. The Elfin’s body, which measures 14 inches wide and 3 inches deep, is built with maple sides and back and a braced...
Lorenzo Feliciati Releases “Koi”
Progressive music fans take note: bassist Lorenzo Feliciati has released Koi, a 12-song concept album based on the life the river carp fish. Blending progressive rock and ambient soundscapes, the record features a host of guest musicians including Japan drummer Steve Jansen and King Crimson drummer Pat Mastelotto. “Traditional Chinese folktales tell the story of Koi fish that swam up...
NS Design Introduces WAV4 Radius Bass
NS Design has expanded their bass guitar offering even further with the introduction of the WAV4 Radius, a bass that follows the design of their Radius series with a more accessible price point. It carries many of the same features of its predecessors, including a diradial body, a headless design with self-clamping tuning system, an advanced truss rod design, and...