John Paul Jones: “What Is And What Should Never Be” Isolated Bass Track
If you’re looking for vintage tone and a melodic groove, look no further. Zach McFatridge shared this clip of John Paul Jones’s isolated bass from the Led Zeppelin classic “What Is And What Should Never Be” from their second album. With some bleed from the drums, it’s easy to hear Jones and drummer John Bonham locked in tight.
Ampeg Expands Portaflex Series With New Cabinets
Ampeg has unveiled a new pair of bass cabinets in their Portaflex series called the PF-115LF and the PF-410LF. While the series previously had a 1×15? cabinet, the 4×10? is a first for the series. Both of the new cabinets are built with a 15mm poplar ply enclosure, covered in black diamond tolex with a vintage B-15 grill cloth. The...
Digitech Unveils iStomp Configurable Stompbox
Digitech has released the iStomp, a configurable stompbox pedal that can be changed to different effects. Different effects ranging from reverb to distortion can be downloaded from the new Digitech Stomp Shop and can then be loaded into the iStomp via an iPod Touch, iPhone, or iPad and a proprietary cable. All effects processing takes place in the actual stompbox,...
Fender Upgrades American Standard Series for 2012
Fender has raised the bar for 2012 by upgrading their American Standard series of instruments, including the Precision and Jazz basses. The main change is the inclusion of Fender Custom Shop pickups for each model, while other slight adjustments and a new finish also help to update the line. First up, the American Standard Precision basses now feature Fender Custom...
Nathan Navarro: Chemical (Dubstep Bass Guitar 2)
Nathan Navarro has been turning heads since he started incorporating electric bass into more electronic styles, most notably Dubstep. He sent us his second dubstep bass guitar video of his original song “Chemical.” Nathan uses a lot of “wobble” technique, though things take a heavier turn at about 1:37 that sounds more reminiscent of Meshuggah.
Duff McKagan Speaks on Upcoming Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction
In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Duff McKagan opened up about his thoughts on his upcoming induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Guns N’ Roses. “I don’t [know what’s going to happen]. I know I’m going to go. I can’t, at all, speak for anybody else. And won’t. I’ll be there with...
TC Electronic Unveils BG250 Combo Amp at MusikMesse 2012
TC Electronic announced their new BG250 bass combo, a 1×15? that pumps out 250 watts of power while weighing in at 35 pounds. The combo is the first to have TC’s innovative new TonePrint concept built in, which allows for interchangeable and customizable effects to be loaded into the amp. Coupled with the iPhone app, TonePrint lets you change effects...
New School: Olivier Babaz
Olivier Babaz is a bassist who pushes his technique to expand his musicality, even if it means playing several instruments at once. The bassist first caught our attention in a video where he plays bass, kalimba, and shaker all at the same time. Born and raised in Paris, Babaz moved to Canada in 2010. Besides working on his own music,...
KISS and Mötley Crüe Announce North American Tour
KISS and Mötley Crüe will be hitting the road this summer for a trek so epic it’s simply dubbed “The Tour.” Starting at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, Virginia on July 20th, the extensive tour covers the entire Continental U.S., eventually wrapping up on September 23rd in Hartford, Connecticut. Both iconic rock bands will be debuting new music on the...
Warwick Unveils Two New Robert Trujillo Signature Basses
Warwick has introduced the Artist Series Robert Trujillo NT and the Rockbass Artist Line Robert Trujillo basses. The new models are built with similar specs to his existing signature Streamer bass, but are built in different factories to keep the price point down. Available in 4- or 5-string versions, the Artist Series bass features a neck-through design with a maple...
Bass of the Week: Norton Guitars Wraith Bass
Norton Guitars takes a unique approach to building instruments by utilizing what they call the “Norton Mainframe” – a skeleton made of T6061 aircraft grade aluminum. The bass is then built with wood and electronics from there. A prime example of their work is their Wraith model bass. Featuring the “Tube” frame version of the Norton Mainframe, the Wraith is...
Larry Graham and Graham Central Station Play Maroon 5’s “Moves Like Jagger”
Yep, you read that right. During an appearance on the Dutch radio show GIEL to promote his European tour, Larry Graham and his band Graham Central Station took current pop music head on by tackling the Maroon 5 tune “Moves Like Jagger”. Armed with his iconic white bass and some gnarly effects, the slap bass innovator nails the tune and...