Articles by Kevin Johnson - Page 597

Zon’s booth at NAMM this year was highlighted by the release of the Billy Gould Signature BG4 Bass. The instrument has several unique features, including a tulip wood boy, a black satin finish, and a Hipshot D-tuner, but its electronics push the envelope. The BG4 is fitted with a pair of Bartolini pickups which seemingly only have a single volume...

Ibanez has introduced the BTB Volo to their conceptual Bass Workshop Series. The Volo is a fresh take on the company’s BTB model that is aimed at players looking to explore the higher registers. The five-string bass features a shorter 33-inch scale and comes factory tuned from E to C.

Aguilar introduced the Super Double Pickups at NAMM this year. The pickups feature dual rows of Alnico 5 pole pieces that the company says dishes out a “thick yet articulate tone” as well as hum-canceling performance. The pickups come in versions for four, five, and six-string basses. Aguilar builds them in their New York City factory with 42-gauge Formvar wire....

Chip Shearin is one of the most well rounded musicians in the world. He’s a top tier bassist who has worked with artists including Donald Byrd, Marion Meadows, Aretha Franklin, Janet Jackson, Christina Aguilera, Ceelo, and many more. He produces commercial music for advertisements, television shows, and even composes film music. Millions have heard his playing in one form or...

I’ve been checking out a lot of reggae lately, but one album always sticks with me: Steel Pulse’s Tribute to the Martyrs. My friend John gave it to me years ago and I still play it regularly, thanks in large part to the heavy bass grooves emitted by Ronald “Stepper” McQueen. As the title suggests, the album focuses on political...

Ibanez is taking a page out of the old school with their new Talman Bass Series, consisting of the TMB300 and TMB100. The basses, which feature a retro aesthetic, share many of the same features with the 300 having an edge in features. Both models are built with a mahogany body, maple neck, and rosewood fingerboard. The TMB300’s fingerboard is...

Bass legend Francis “Rocco” Prestia shared this video on his Facebook page the other day, and I can only imagine that thousands of people around the world started moving in their seats. This clip of “Soul With a Capital S” is taken from the band’s 40th Anniversary at the Fillmore West. Most bass players dream of being able to play...

I love checking out fledgling bass builders and self-starters, so when Alain Guiraud sent a note about his new bass, I got just as excited as he did. His friend and guitarist Bruno Régis created an axe that mixes and matches features from a handful of basses. Guiraud says it is his friend’s first order, and I have to say...

Laney Amplification has expanded their Nexus series of bass amps with the Nexus Studio Live, a hybrid tube bass amp designed for use on stage or in a session. The core of the amp includes a ECC83 tube in the preamp and a class D amps for a total output of 1,000 watts, but that’s just the beginning of this...

Here’s another great metal playthrough featuring bassist Mike Poggione and guitarist Tyler McDaniel of Serocs demonstrating the song “And When The Sky Was Opened.” The clip comes from the Blakhart Guitar booth at the 2015 Winter NAMM show. Poggione is rocking a 7-string bass and some wicked right hand technique to tear through the 7-minute song.

After introducing the EX-Bass two years ago, D’Angelico announced the solidbody EX-SD Bass at this year’s NAMM Show. The four-string bass features a chambered mahogany body topped with flame maple and a mahogany neck. Its rosewood fingerboard holds 21 frets and is adorned with mother of pearl block inlays as position markers. The EX-SD is loaded with a pair of...

Alessandro Corsi has taken things to a new level with his latest solo bass arrangement. The bassist covers Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” with an infectious amount of charisma.