Doug Johns: The Dougumentary
Doug Johns is one of the funkiest bassists alive. The Terra State Video Club caught some of the funk with this 45-minute look into his style, his outlook, and his personality. “I’m proud to announce… The Dougumentary!” Johns shared on Facebook. “Filmed at Terra State Community College/Terra Video Club/ Brandon Beining, Mark Grine, Chris Cavera. These are all talented cats!...
Bass of the Week: Anaconda Crusher Standard CX5
Facebook is great for discovering new and beautiful instruments. Our friend Russ Sargeant posted a picture of this fantastic Anaconda Crusher Standard and I was hooked. Built in England, the hand-crafted bass has some nice curves for ergonomics and aesthetics. The Crusher comes in several flavors, with the Standard version offering all of the most important features in a clean...
Viktor Lörincz: Return of the Boomerang
One of the most popular videos we’ve ever shared is Viktor Lörincz’s “Boomerang,” back in 2011. We even had Stuart Clayton transcribe it. Now Lörincz is back with “Return of the Boomerang,” a bass solo that builds on his previous and most popular video. This one’s got it all: slapping, tapping, chords, and of course, a deep groove.
Source Audio Releases The Soundblox Hub
Source Audio has released the Soundblox Hub, a box that allows for linking up five of the company’s Soundblox 2 pedals and saving the settings on each. It utilizes MIDI Program Change and Control Change messages to save and recall up to 128 pedal “scenes” to be recalled later. “For the first time, you can save the state of your...
Charles Mingus Quintet: So Long Eric
Today we’re celebrating Charles Mingus’s birthday. Here’s a video of one of my favorite Mingus tunes, “So Long Eric,” taken from Belgium’s “Jazz Pour Tous” TV program in April 1964. The quintet’s lineup includes drummer Dannie Richmond, pianist Jaki Byard, tenor saxophonist Clifford Jordan, and alto saxophonist Eric Dolphy, for whom the song is named. Often, the song is thought...
Alusonic Announces the Alberto Rigoni Hybrid Signature Bass
Alusonic Aluminum Instruments has teamed up with Italian bassist Alberto Rigoni to present the Alusonic Alberto Rigoni Hybrid signature bass. The bass is a take on the company’s hybrid blend of aluminum and wood construction and features an alder body topped with aluminum. “As many bass players, I’m affected by GAS but I’m also pretty eclectic – I’m always looking...
Mike Gordon: Yarmouth Road
Mike Gordon’s fourth solo album, Overstep, was released last month to critical acclaim. The Phish bassist has been touring in support of the record, but he’s also just released this music video for the fourth track, “Yarmouth Road.”
MBS Effectos Releases Evolution Volume Pedal
Argentinian effects company MBS Effectos has released the Evolution Volume Pedal. The active pedal utilizes a transparent buffer to allow for placement anywhere in your signal chain. It also has a buffered tuner output that’s not affected by any volume changes to allow for quick and easy tuning. The tuner output can be used to split the signal into dry...
Carvin Introduces Vanquish Series Bass Guitars
Carvin has unveiled a new line of basses called the Vanquish Series, which the company calls a “radical departure from traditional bass guitars.” Available in 4-, 5-, and 6-string versions, the new model is built with a beveled body for comfort and a 5-bolt neck for increased body/neck contact. Standard features on the series include an alder body, a tung-oiled...
Willy González: 29 Mineros de San Albino
Willy González is one of my favorite bassists. His unique approach draws from traditional Latin American folk styles with strumming and fingerstyle techniques on his 6-string bass. Here’s Willy performing the song “29 Mineros de San Albino”:
Book Review: Damian Erskine’s “The Improvisor’s Path”
There comes a time for every bassist where they feel they’re in a rut or have hit a plateau in their playing and creativity. It happens to the best of us. Bassist and No Treble contributor Damian Erskine’s new book The Improvisor’s Path is a surefire way to get yourself back into high gear. While Erskine’s first instructional book, Right...
Bass of the Week: Helios Guitars Evolution 4 Custom
This week we check out the Evolution 4 Custom by Helios Guitars. Made in Italy, the bass is completely handcrafted to benefit its tonal qualities. “Various instruments benefit the typical industry process of precision (in the cut, calibration, painting etc.),” Helios writes, “but suffer the stress of the prime material through the carving phases: high temperatures can be reached by...