Essential Sound Products Announces Victor Wooten and Gerald Veasley Signature MusicCord-PRO Power Cords
Essential Sound Products has introduced two new Signature MusicCord-PRO power cords: the Victor Wooten and Gerald Veasley models. The new cords have colors chosen by the artists, with Wooten’s cord being purple with clear crisscross tracer and Veasley’s being red with black crisscross. Brochures with unique photographs, pictorial discographies, and biographic information are included in each package. Designed and assembled...
Bass Play-Along Week: Grant Smith’s Version of James Jamerson’s Line on “For Once In My Life”
Today’s play-along is Grant Smith’s cover of Stevie Wonder’s “For Once In My Life,” a tune that features a masterfully crafted bass line from the imagination of the late, great James Jamerson. Smith, who plays it on a Kens Smith 6-string, picked the song as his first in a series of videos for its complexity and beauty. “It is a...
Edgar Meyer Featured on The Goat Rodeo Sessions
Bassist Edgar Meyer, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, fiddler Stuart Duncan and mandolinist Chris Thile have come together to release The Goat Rodeo Sessions, an 11-track collection of songs which the group describes as “genre proof.” With styles ranging from classical to bluegrass, the album is definitely an interesting mix, sure to please fans of acoustic music. Though the title refers to...
Ashdown Engineering Announces Limited Edition Little Bastard LB-550 Amp
Ashdown Engineering has unveiled a limited edition of their Little Bastard amp head called the LB-550. The new amp couples their Little Bastard tube preamp section with the 550-watt digital power section from their new MiBass head, resulting in tube tone in a lightweight head weighing in at 6.2kg (approximately 13.6 puonds). The preamp uses ECC83 and ECC82 tubes and...
Chuck Rainey Recovering After Stroke
After suffering a major stroke on Friday November 4th, bass legend Chuck Rainey is expected to have a full recovery, according to his wife Susan. “Thank U Dear Friends for all the prayers and healing Light,” Mrs. Rainey posted on Facebook. “Chuck had a stroke Friday night but the prognosis is good for a full recovery. Please keep him in...
Gibson USA Releases New Explorer Bass
Gibson has added a new Explorer Bass model for their USA line. The solid mahogany bass takes its body shape from the original Explorer guitar, first introduced in 1958, and comes in a Silverburst finish. The Gibson Explorer Bass has a full 34″ scale and features a glued-in, quarter-sawn maple neck with a Preciosa fingerboard. The Explorer’s electronics are a...
CruzTOOLS Introduces Groovetech Truss Rod Drivers for Vintage Style Truss Rod Nuts
CruzTOOLS has announced their new Groovetech Truss Rod Drivers, designed specifically for vintage-style truss rod nuts on basses and guitars. As the company explains, early Fender instruments and subsequent modern reproductions use a “cross screw” nut, which has two slots in a cross pattern. Though the innovation was popular in years past, they often cause problems as they’re made of...
Providence Introduces Provolt 9 Power Supply
Providence has introduced the Provolt 9, a compact power supply with six 9 volt outputs, each output giving up to 100mA. The box features an auto voltage controller, which supplies the ideal output for each device you connect to it. Providence says even a brand new battery can vary from 9.4 to 9.8 volts, causing noticeable, albeit small change in...
Veillette Introduces Cutaway Acoustic Bass
Veillette has introduced a cutaway version of their acoustic bass, which itself is designed after their acoustic guitar line. Available in 4 or 5-string models, the Veillette Cutaway Acoustic Bass has a 34” scale, with a body that measures 17” wide and 5.5” deep. The instrument is described as “clear, big and strong-sounding.” Each Veillette is handmade in Woodstock, New...
Gigantour 2012 Dates Announced
The Gigantour is returning in 2012 for a fourth North American offering, and the first since Gigantour 3 in 2008. Organized by headliners Megadeth, this year’s lineup includes metal icons Motörhead, Lacuna Coil and Volbeat. The tour kicks off January 26th, 2012 in Camden, New Jersey, then snakes around the Northeast before heading to Canada and the Northern U.S. and...
Freekbass Releases “50 Freekbass Licks You Must Know” Instructional Video
Freekbass has released a new instructional video with a whopping 273 minutes of lessons. 50 Freekbass Licks You Must Know includes jam tracks, text commentary, tab and notation as well as power tab files. Aimed at intermediate students, the licks are designed to teach new techniques as well as build upon common ones. Freekbass also gives you tips on how...
Bass of the Week: Spalt Instruments vViper
This week we look at the Spalt Instruments vViper, a custom built bass with a unique pickup design that pivots. The idea for the “wiper” arm pickup is the brainchild of proprietor Michael Spalt, a luthier who started building after studying film, photography and painting in San Francisco. After consulting on it with Bill Bartolini, the end result allows infinite...