Bass of the Week: LedBelli Bass Guitars Jonah #015
I love checking out new basses that set themselves apart from the pack, and the LedBelli Jonah does just that. The fretless, single-cut, semi-hollow bass is a real eye catcher. The company just shared pictures of the recently completed Jonah #015, which features a stunning book-matched California Redwood burl theme. The bass’s body is semi-hollow and chambered with f-holes. Its...
MTD Kingston Announces Saratoga Deluxe Jazz Bass
MTD Kingston is introducing the Saratoga Deluxe Jazz bass at Winter NAMM 2015. A riff on their Saratoga bass, the Deluxe model includes active/passive operation with a bypassable 3-band EQ. The Saratoga Deluxe comes in three finishes: limited edition satin honey burst, satin dark cherry burst, or gloss transparent black. Its maple neck sports an asymmetrical profile for faster playing...
Seymour Duncan Unveils Lemmy Custom Shop Signature Pickups
If anyone has a signature sound, it’s Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead, and now he’s got a signature line of Custom Shop pickups from Seymour Duncan. Designed for use with Rickenbacker basses, the pickups were modeled after the ones on the bassist’s signature instrument and tweaked for more attack and punch. The Seymour Duncan Lemmy Custom Shop pickup is available in...
John Clayton, John Patitucci, Victor Wooten, and Steve Bailey: Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
Steve Bailey has a great tradition of spreading holiday cheer. He gathers his fellow bassists for a winter summit at Berklee College of Music, where he heads the bass department, and puts together star-studded arrangements of carols. This year the group includes heavyweights John Clayton, John Patitucci, Victor Wooten, and Bailey playing a reggae/swing/funk version of “Santa Claus is Coming...
Jazz Greats to Celebrate the Life and Music of Charlie Haden
Charlie Haden had an incredible life full of triumph, tragedy, and – most of all – beautiful music that he shared with the world. His passing earlier this year rocked the jazz community, who remembered his legacy with an outpouring of anecdotes on his impact on their lives. Now everyone is invited to honor Haden’s memory with a special concert...
Bass of the Week: Phantom Guitars XTC
This week we check out the XTC by Phantom Guitars. Handmade in Cologne, Germany, the XTC brings together elements of several classic basses with a single-coil and humbucker pickup configuration that the company says gives it modern sounds for rock, funk, jazz and pop. The XTC comes in 4-, 5-, and 6-string versions with a choice of body woods. Its...
Ibanez Unveils Limited Edition Buckeye Burl SR Premium Bass
Ibanez has unveiled a new limited edition version of their SR Premium bass. Built in their Premium facility, the SR Premium LTD SR5BBLTD is set from its apart with a Buckeye Burl top with a matching headstock and pickup covers. The SR5BBLTD’s ash body is matched with an Atlas-5 five piece wenge and bubinga neck that is reinforced with KTS...
The Nth Power: Only Love
No Treble reader Bryan Thomas sent us a note telling us to check out The Nth Power, featuring bassist Nate Edgar. We’re glad he did. Here’s a great clip of the band performing “Only Love” last year at Schubas in Chicago, Illinois. Edgar’s buttery tone ties the group together and works them into a frenzy as the song builds up.
In Memoriam: Larry Sims
Bassist/vocalist Larry Sims, who was an original member of Loggins & Messina, has passed away of undisclosed causes. Bandleader Jim Messina broke the news on his Facebook page. “I was awakened this morning with a phone call that Larry Sims has passed away. As most of you know Larry was the original bass player and singer in Loggins and Messina.Larry...
D’Angelo Debuts Long-Awaited Album, Featuring Pino Palladino
2014 has been a good year for sneak albums, but R&B master D’Angelo may have taken the cake by releasing over the course of a weekend. The album, which is his first in fourteen years, is a tremendous return that pushes his art forward while keeping true to his voice. D’Angelo took a more serious approach for Black Messiah with...
Olivier Babaz Trio: Bim Maloya
Olivier Babaz is working on an album focusing on his specialty of mixing bass and kalimba. He sent us this video for the song “Bim Maloya,” in which he plays both instruments while employing 12/8 & 9/8 rhythms from Réunion Island.
ZÜE Engineering Introduces the On Timer Pedalboard Clock
Time management on the bandstand can be crucial, and ZÜE Engineering is addressed that issue with the On Timer Pedalboard Clock, a pedal designed to help musicians manage their performance time. The device features two LED displays to keep track of your sets. The top is a 12-hour clock to display the current time, while the second is a timer...