Bass of the Week: Waja-Bass Design Telio G.V. 5-String Fretless
This week we take a look at the Telio G.V. 5-string Fretless from Waja-bass Design. The bass is built by hand in Kempen, Germany and features a striking ergonomic body shape made of swamp-ash and dibetou. Besides sculpting for easier access, the design aims for balance between the body and neck, effectively shifting the the instrument’s focus to the middle...
ZZ Top Honored with “A Tribute From Friends” Album
A new tribute album to “Little Ol’ Band from Texas” is now available, featuring performers from across the music world. ZZ Top: A Tribute From Friends is the fourth collection of covers to pay homage to the southern rock legends and has all their classic hits. Among the lineup is former Fleetwood Mac bassist John McVie, who joins Mick Fleetwood,...
Bergantino Audio Systems Unveils HD Series Bass Cabinets
Bergantino Audio Systems has announced a new line of bass cabs called the HD Series. The new models all feature 100% Baltic birch construction, newly designed woofers, tweeters, phase-coherent crossovers with a tweeter control, tolex covering, and metal corners. The HD112 Most compact of the new line is the HD112, which features a 12″ woofer with an 80 ounce magnet....
William Parker Releases Box Set of Solo Bass Works
William Parker has put out a limited edition box set of his works, Crumbling in the Shadows is Fraulein Miller’s Stale Cake. Limited to 1,000 copies, the set contains 3-discs of Parker’s solo bass albums, including his long out-of-print first solo bass album Testimony, as well as a 48-page booklet of writings. The improvisatory and often avant garde bassist got...
Paul McCartney Announces Additional “On The Run” Tour Dates
One day after being married, Sir Paul McCartney has announced 11 new dates to his “On the Run” Tour, which already made its way through North America this summer. The string of shows begin November 13 in Abu Dhabi, then hit major cities throughout Europe before ending up in his hometown of Liverpool, England in December. The former Beatle bassist...
Fishbone Releases Crazy Glue EP, Announces Tour Dates
Fishbone has released Crazy Glue, a 7-track EP that coincides with showings of a new documentary entitled Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone. Fusing funk, rock, punk, reggae and more, the band’s unique and influential sound shines through on the new material, which were put together from last year’s European tour. “There seems to be a story of some kind...
Brian Bromberg’s “Hands” Now Available in U.S.
Jazz bassist Brian Bromberg’s solo acoustic bass album Hands is now available in the U.S. via his website. The 15-track disc features a variety of tunes ranging from straight-ahead jazz standards like “Stella By Starlight” to classic rock like Led Zeppelin’s “Black Dog,” all done with one bass in one take. Though he admits he was skeptical to make a...
In Memoriam: Mikey Welsh
Former Weezer bassist Mikey Welsh passed away Saturday, October 8th in his Chicago hotel room, according to police. Welsh, who was a part of the group from 1998 to 2001, found a second career as an artist after his departure. During his tenure, Weezer recorded their self titled green album, which included the hits “Hash Pipe,” “Island in the Sun”...
MakeMusic Releases Finale 2012
Finale 2012, the latest edition of MakeMusic’s music notation software, is now available. The updated program now includes ScoreManager – a tool designed to improve workflow by centralizing key functions like changing staff names, orders, transposition, clef and playback sounds. Finale 2012 now supports Unicode text, allowing for use of all characters in your fonts, while also making it easier...
EBS Unveils Reidmar 250 Bass Amp and Session 120 Combo
EBS has unveiled two new products to their lineup: the Reidmar 250 bass amp and the Classic Session 120 Combo. Both are scheduled to hit the market in Sweden in November, with a worldwide release set closer to the Winter NAMM show, in January, 2012. The Reidmar 250 is EBS’s first foray into the world of lightweight amps, weighing in...
Pocket Labworks Now Shipping iRiffPort
Pocket Labworks is now shipping the iRiffPort, a new interface for connecting your bass or guitar to your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch. The port is a six foot cable with an 1/4″ instrument plug on one end and a dock connector on the other, allowing you to plug directly into your mobile device to utilize apps for practice, effects,...
Chandler Limited Releases Two New Effects Pedals
Chandler Limited is now shipping their first effects pedals: the Germanium Drive and Little Devil Colored Boost. Known for their high-end equipment, the company channels their studio gear savvy into the stompboxes, which work for bass, guitar or keyboard. Both pedals feature true bypass and run on dual 9v power supplies or a pair of 9v batteries. Germanium Drive Inspired...