Articles by Kevin Johnson - Page 739

Luthman is a company that puts out some pretty intricate work yet also knows simple elegance, the latter of which is evidenced in their Natural model. Handmade in France by luthier Thierry Etienne, the Natural has a unique, fluid body style with customizable options. Available in 4-, 5-, 6-, and 7-string configurations, standard features on the Natural include an ovangkol...

Professional audio technology company Aphex has introduced the Audio Xciter Music App, a mobile application designed to improve the quality of digital audio through the use of their proprietary Xciter digital signal processor. The app, which works with music as well as audio books and podcasts, makes audio sound more dynamic with Low, Medium, and High presets as well as...

Vox has expanded their bass lineup with the Apache series of basses, which pick up where their predecessors from the ’60s left off. The new travel instruments are separated by body shape, as the Apache 1 Bass features Vox’s classic Teardrop shape while the Apache 2 Bass features their Phantom body style. Both models have an onboard amplification system complete...

Vox has announced the StompLab series of multi-effects pedals, including the StompLab IB and IIB pedals for bass. The respective stompboxes offer 60 and 61 types of modeling including amp, cabinet, and effects with 100 preset programs. All the effects were created from Vox’s VT+ series of modeling amps as well as the Tonelab series of multi-effect units. Dressed in...

John Stockfish, the original bassist for Canadian folk artist Gordon Lightfoot, has passed away of natural causes in his hometown of Windsor, Ontario. He was 69. Stockfish trained at the Royal Conservatory of Music, but honed his chops by touring North America and Europe with Tommy Danton and the Echoes. It was in 1965 that he connected with Lightfoot led...

Besides being and incredible bassist, Victor Wooten is an equally talented educator. Check out this TED-Ed video of Wooten offering words of wisdom while he plays his rendition of “Amazing Grace.”

Xotic has released a 4-string of the XP-1T model, which thus far had only been available as a 5-string. The P-style bass offers vintage and modern tones by including a toggle for passive or active electronics. The active portion is Xotic’s Tri-Logic bass preamp, which has Bass, Mid, and Treble controls, a Mid switch, a Bright switch, and an Active...

Le Fay has introduced a new fretless version of their Singer model with a 32-inch scale and 19mm string spacing. Among the new features is the inclusion of the company’s new single-coil pickups, which have angular thumb rests and a three-point screw arrangement to prevent wobbling. Two pickups are under the bridge pickup cover while the neck cover houses one....

Here are couple of the greatest jazz bassists having fun on the old standard “Five O’Clock Whistle.” Ray Brown and John Clayton have a groove together like no other. And if you haven’t yet, make sure to check out their SuperBass stuff with Christian McBride.

Here’s an aptly named solo bass groove called “Wow” from bassist Bruno Tauzin. The piece offers a catchy melody supported by rich chordal responses to make for an interesting listen.

Go-Go’s bassist Kathy Valentine has been sidelined with a broken wrist and will have to sit out of the band’s current tour. The Go-Go’s are touring in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the hit album Vacation. Valentine, who co-wrote the album, has had surgery to realign the distal radius bone. “The surgery will allow for wrist movement much quicker...

There are lots of interpretations of the old J-bass, but one that strikes me most is the BeBop made by Dutch boutique shop De Gier. It offers a little more in the curves department with subtle tweaks to set itself apart from the classic design. Available in 4- or 5-string versions, the De Gier BeBop comes standard with an alder...