Articles by Kevin Johnson - Page 801

For NAMM 2011, Peterson released the StroboStomp Classic, a retro stomp box tuner modeled after their Conn ST-11 Strobotuner from the ‘70s. The new pedal boasts .1 cent note detection and the company’s “Sweetened Tunings,” which are presets for specific instruments. A USB input allows for you to drop in your own presets and update firmware. The display is a...

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament revealed the band’s future, including a documentary on their time together, directed by Cameron Crowe. Crowe, whose films include Almost Famous and Jerry Maguire, is a long-time friend of the group. On the film, Ament said, “I just saw a rough cut. It was so weird seeing footage of...

Ibanez has unveiled a new take on their SR series with four new models. The SR Premium basses are built at Ibanez’s premium factory and all feature USA Nordstrand “Big Single” pickups, a first for any of the company’s basses. Each model also includes their EQB-IIISC 3-band EQ that has a Mid frequency switch and an EQ bypass switch for...

Ernie Ball/Music Man has unveiled a new patent-pending pickup switching system called the Game Changer that will be available on their Reflex HH bass. By choosing the coils in any order, whether they are in series or parallel, and whether they are in or out of phase, the system allows for 250,000 pickup combinations without rewiring, digitizing, or remodeling. A...

Genz-Benz unveiled three new amps at the NAMM show, including two in the new Streamliner series and an update to the ShuttleMax line. Sporting a retro look and feel, the Streamliner 900 and 600 amps have straight-ahead controls, allowing players to “focus more on their playing and less on adjusting knobs.” The models feature Class A Six Stage All Tube...

Jazz bassist Robert Hurst has released Unrehurst, Vol. 2, a straight-ahead trio album featuring pianist Robert Glasper and drummer Chris Dave. As the names suggests, the CD was recorded in 2007 without any rehearsals at Smoke in New York City, though that’s not how the jazz veteran had planned it. A taped-off crime scene prevented him from checking in to...

Bassist Billy Sheehan will be part of the “house band” of an upcoming heavy metal tribute to Frank Sinatra. The album, SIN-atra, is collection of twelve of the master jazz vocalist’s most famous tunes sung by the “finest voices in rock,” including Dee Snider, Tim “Ripper” Owens, and Joey Belladonna. Bassists/vocalists Glenn Hughes and Doug Pinnick will also be getting...

Aerosmith bassist Tom Hamilton recently taped an update video for the band’s fan site AeroForceOne revealing that the group is working on new material “commencing immediately,” and should be touring by the end of the year. The group’s progress has been delayed by singer Steven Tyler’s new gig as a judge on the TV show American Idol, but according to...

Fender has rolled out a few new bass products this year, including the introduction of their bass models into the American Special series and an update to the Mark Hoppus Signature Jazz Bass. The American Special Precision and Jazz basses are built in the U.S. and feature a slim neck profile, high-gloss finish, and the Fender “Greasebucket” circuit. The circuit...

Who says you need a band to play gigs? Singer-songwriter Seth Horan utilizes a looping pedal to fill out the song, which is the opening track on his album Clang & Chime.

F-Bass has released a new Alain Caron signature model, dubbed the AC-Classic. Built to attain an “upright” tone from an electric bass, the instrument features a redwood top, additional chambering, and a floating bridge. Another new development for the series is a natural sounding RMC piezo pickup system that is controlled by master volume, bass cut/boost, and treble cut/boost knobs....

Here’s a cool video of funk legend Louis Johnson and 7-string wonder Bill Dickens trading licks at The Stage in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The clip kicks off with a couple minutes of drums by Reggie Bordeaux (and some weird faces), but once the two bassists start lettin’ loose, the good times roll.