Radial Engineering Introduces Firefly Tube Direct Box
Radial Engineering was showing off their new Firefly DI box at their booth at the NAMM Show this year. Built for for both live and recording purposes, the Firefly features a Class-A tube preamp with dual inputs that allow for quickly switching instruments. The Firefly’s signal path goes straight to a tuner output that stays on. It features a 12AX7...
Alfred Music Releases Bryan Beller’s “Mastering Tone and Versatility”
Bryan Beller’s first ever instructional DVD, Mastering Tone and Versatility, has been released by Alfred Music Publishing. Beller is a bassist known for both his tone and versatility, with playing credits ranging from extreme metal to fusion to R&B and plenty in between. To help teach that sort of diversity, the bassist calls upon some of his cohorts. The DVD...
Peavey Unveils Cirrus Rudy Sarzo Signature Bass
Peavey’s NAMM product announcements included the all-new Cirrus Rudy Sarzo Signature Bass, incorporating elements of the rock veteran’s original signature bass and their Cirrus line. The 35″ scale bass features neck-through construction with maple neck and mahogany stringers. Graphite reinforcement and a dual expanding truss ensure a sturdy neck, while Rudy’s signature snake-eye inlays serve as fret markers in the...
Alex Bershadsky: Groove Move
Here’s an intense jam by bassist Alex Bershadsky, whose incredible groove is matched equally by his impressive technique. The clip features Gal Gershovsky on drums. When you groove it, you gotta move it!
Lakland Reintroduces Darryl Jones Signature Bass
Lakland has reintroduced the Darryl Jones Signature bass in both US and Skyline models. Jones, who originally commissioned a bass in 1985, has played with the Rolling Stones, Miles Davis, Sting, and many more. While the bass’s body shape is similar to the company’s Vintage J 44-60 and 55-60 models, the new signature model offers more curve to its contouring...
Washburn Expands on Stu Hamm Signature Series Line of Basses
Last year’s NAMM Show brought the debut of the Washburn Stu Hamm Signature Hammer bass, and as a follow-up this year the company has introduced a fretless version of the bass as well as the rest of the Stu Hamm Electric Bass Series. The SHBH3FLTSS completely follows suit with the fretted version and features a double cutaway designed alder body...
Red Hot Chili Peppers Add Dates to North American Tour
The Red Hot Chili Peppers have added 16 new dates to the North American leg of their ongoing world tour in support of their August release of I’m With You. The leg builds upon the six previously announced shows and will take the funk rock quartet from Canada into the United States, where it will mostly visit the East Coast...
Matthew Garrison’s 4-Finger Technique How-To
Here’s one to keep you in the woodshed for a while. Bassist Matthew Garrison posted this great video explaining his 4-finger right hand technique, which he developed during his time with Joe Zawinul’s band. While he says that the 2-finger technique creates a fatter sound, the 4-finger technique allows for playing lines at mind-boggling speeds.
Chris Squire and Steve Hackett To Release Collaborative Album as “Squackett”
Prog-rock bassist Chris Squire’s collaboration with former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett is finally coming to fruition, according to the Yes founder. Going by the name Squackett, the duo have been planning an album for years, and Squire has finally said that fans can expect the wait to be over this spring with the release of an album of original material....
Fodera Introduces Matt Garrison Standard Bass
Fodera expanded its Standard series at NAMM this year with the Matt Garrison Standard. As with the other Standard models, the company says the bass comes in a single configuration to keep the price point and wait time down versus the artist models. Built for speed, the new model came to existence after Garrison decided to switch his string spacing...
TC Electronic Expands TonePrint Pedals To Offer Dedicated Bass Effects
TC Electronic’s innovative TonePrint pedals can now be tailored for bassists, as the company has teamed up with high profile players to release Bass TonePrints. The technology allows for the TonePrint series of pedals to be loaded with custom bass presets made with pros including Nathan East, Mark King, Divinity Roxx, Uriah Duffy, Justin Meldal-Johnsen and more. Though the effects...
Esperanza Spalding Announces World Tour
Grammy award winner Esperanza Spalding has released the first dates of her upcoming world tour, set to kick off April 18th, 2012 in Buffalo, New York. The bassist/vocalist will make her way around the U.S. with with concerts spanning the East, West, and South before she crosses the pond to visit Europe, and then returning to North America again. The...