Rotosound Introduces Bass String Cleaner
Rotosound has introduced a new string cleaner for bass that wraps around the strings for 360 degree cleaning. Designed to fit all 4- and 5-string bass guitars, the BSC1 uses microfiber pads to remove sweat and debris to extend the life of your strings. The device also cleans the fingerboard at the same time, all without needing a cleaning solution....
Ruokangas Guitars Introduce Fretless Steambass
Finnish custom shop Ruokangas Guitars is now offering fretless versions of their vintage-inspired Steambass, which they introduced last year. The company included stylish fret markers on the ebony fretboard that don’t cross the whole board but instead correspond in placement to the position of the neck – the lower register has markers under the E-string, while the 12th “fret” and...
Soulfly Releases “Enslaved”, Featuring Tony Campos
Soulfly has released their eighth studio album, Enslaved. The album is the first to feature the band’s new lineup of vocalist/guitarist Max Cavalera, lead guitarist Marc Rizzo, drummer David Kinkade and bassist Tony Campos. Metal fans recognize Campos from his time in Static-X among many other projects including Prong, Ministry and Asesino. Band leader Cavalera says the new lineup brings...
Godin Introduces Shifter Classic 4 Bass
Godin has added a new model to their Shifter bass series named the Classic 4. The new model, which sports a new Crème Brulee high gloss finish, has Godin’s passive PJ pickups for a more retro style and sound. The Shifter Classic 4 is built with a Canadian Laurentian Basswood body, rock maple neck, and either a maple or rosewood...
Sandberg Introduces Electra Vs 4 Bass at Musikmesse
Lots of exciting things are showing up this year for Europe’s Musikmesse trade show, including the Sandberg Electra Vs 4. While the wood, routing, and varnish processes take place in Korea to keep prices down, the bass is assembled and checked for quality control at the company’s headquarters in Germany. The Electra Vs 4 features bolt-on construction with a basswood...
Ansir Introduces Imperial and Imperial SL Basses
Ansir Music has unveiled all-new designs for their custom basses, with the introduction of the Imperial line. The Imperial and Imperial SL models feature ergonomic contouring and the company’s patented “Ansir Industry Standard Playing Angle,” which puts the neck in a more natural playing position. While the two models are very similar, Ansir founder Jody Michael explained the SL (or...
Petros Klampanis: Solo Double Bass Arrangement of Skylark
Petros Klampanis sent us this video of his solo bass arrangement for the jazz standard ballad “Skylark.” This track is also featured on his solo debut album, Contextual. Klampanis plays the head in a “Boleroish” way before busting out the looper at the end for a mesmerizing vamp.
N-Audio Introduces Tube Preamp DI Box
Bulgarian boutique electronics company N-Audio has released a new Tube Preamp DI Box. Built to expand the abilities of a DI to include a preamp, the device features a pair of tubes and an output transformer with two independent secondary coils that allow for two balanced outputs: one XLR and one 1/4?. The guys at N-Audio explain the preamp is...
Iron Maiden Announces Maiden England North American Tour
Iron Maiden will be taking North America by storm once again this summer with the Maiden England tour. The trek marks the third outing in the History of Iron Maiden tour series, and will closely mirror their original 1988 Maiden England concert video of the same name, by recreating the production and content. Vocalist Bruce Dickinson says the band enjoys...
Bass of the Week: Atlansia Solitaire
There’s been an on-going discussion about what constitutes a bass, and specifically how more than four strings is “breaking the rules.” Well, what if there’s only one string? Enter the Atlansia Solitaire. Based in Nagano, Atlansia is known for outlandish designs – so much so that their website has to specify that the instruments are “Made in Japan on Planet...
Custom Shop: Wilkins Guitars
Pat Wilkins of Wilkins Guitars is a man who can appreciate the Old School. After getting his start in amps in the ’70s, he soon switched to guitar building, where he eventually started his own brand. Most recently, Wilkins has turned to recreating vintage basses, right down to the smallest detail. Of course, his work also includes custom work and...
Spectrum Road, Featuring Jack Bruce, Announce Album and Summer Tour
While supergroups seem to be forming left and right these days, this one has got our attention. Spectrum Road is a band consisting of bass legend Jack Bruce, Living Colour’s Vernon Reid, drummer Cindy Blackman-Santana and keyboardist John Medeski of Medeski, Martin and Wood. The group originally played together in 2008 as the Tony Williams Lifetime Tribute band, and a...