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...
Federico Malaman: Speed Demon “Live”
Bassist Federico Malaman pays tribute to Michael Jackson with a live version of the King of Pop’s “Speed Demon.” The song’s title rings true for the blazing lick that Malaman pulls off throughout the clip, starting at the 0:27 mark. You might recognize this bass by Laurus. The Laurus T900-XR was our bass of the week earlier this month.
Bass of the Week: Reverend Decision
Mixing retro and modern, Reverend’s Decision bass is their take on the “P/J” style, with the company’s Split Brick pickup in the neck position and their J-Rails in the bridge position. The pickups are blended with a Pan knob, which Reverend says let you go from “funk to thump and all points in between.” The Decision is built with a...
Mike Portnoy’s New Band Announces Debut Album, Featuring Dave LaRue
Flying Colors, a new band consisting of ex-Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy, Dixie Dregs bassist Dave LaRue, guitarist Steve Morse, keyboardist Neal Morse and vocalist Casey McPherson, have announced details of their self-titled debut album, set for a March 27th, 2012 release. The band utilizes elements from each member’s experience and background, according to Portnoy. “This album has bits and...
Godlyke Unveils Voltage Converter and Ground Isolator
Godlyke has introduced a pair of new power accessories- the Iso-Pump Voltage Converter and the Ground Hound Ground Isolator. The new gadgets will be debuting at the NAMM Show. The company’s GH-1 Ground Hound takes care of grounding issues by creating an isolated ground connection for effects devices. In addition to fixing ground loops, reducing line noise and reducing cross-talk...
Höfner Reissues Updated Shorty Bass
Höfner has reintroduced the Shorty Bass, a model they ran in the 1980’s featuring an extremely short scale and body. The updated version bumps the scale up from 28″ to 30″ for easier playability, as well as utilizing better string spacing, similar to that found on their trademark Violin Bass. Available in black, the Shorty Bass has a basswood body,...
Ritter Instruments Introduces R8-Singlecut Bass
Jens Ritter has introduced the R8-Singlecut, a new design featuring a single cutaway and bolt-on construction. The new instrument also introduces the luthier’s new C-3-S electronics, an active/passive switchable 3-Band EQ with custom adjustable frequencies and integrated boost, all controllable by the bassist. The new model was debuted with four pieces, and though each has different woods and finishes, there...
GoGo Tuners Release First Pedal Tuner
GoGo Tuners has expanded their lineup with the debut of The GoGo, the brand’s first pedal tuner. Housed in a metal chassis, the stompbox is colored the orange for better visibility on dark stages. The large, high-definition display follows the company’s signature “Green you’re in, Red you’re Out,” meaning that the display turns green when you’re in tune. The GoGo...
Craig Butterfield: Charlie Parker’s “Donna Lee” on Double Bass
Charlie Parker’s “Donna Lee” is just one of those tunes that act as a benchmark for skill. Ever since Jaco’s take on it from his debut album, bassists have been giving it a shot. Here’s a mind-blowing version by University of South Carolina double bass professor Craig Butterfield, playing along with Parker’s original recording. Not only does he nail the...