Buzz
Dead Kennedys 7-Inch Singles Re-Released
If you didn’t hold on to your Dead Kennedys singles and you want to relive the days when you laid down a 7-inch record on your turntable and dreamed of a punk rock revolution, was made for you. The vinyl set features seven singles released by the band (with Klaus Flouride on bass and Jello Biafra on vocals) between 1979...
Weekly Top 10: The Best in Bass for the Week of April 13th
Take two great bass lessons, add four bass gear stories, three bass videos and one bassist story… add them together, and you have the top 10 stories and videos on No Treble. Here’s the list for the week of April 13-19, 2014. Thanks for reading, watching, commenting and sharing. 1. Dan Lakin Launches D. Lakin Basses with Two New Models...
MBS Effectos Releases Evolution Volume Pedal
Argentinian effects company MBS Effectos has released the Evolution Volume Pedal. The active pedal utilizes a transparent buffer to allow for placement anywhere in your signal chain. It also has a buffered tuner output that’s not affected by any volume changes to allow for quick and easy tuning. The tuner output can be used to split the signal into dry...
John Mayer Trio with Pino Palladino: Chicken Grease/Cissy Strut Jam
I’ve said it before… by far, my favorite work by John Mayer is with his trio, thanks to Pino Palladino and Steve Jordan backing him up. Here’s the trio in 2005 performing a bonus jam at the end of a concert, including “Chicken Grease” and “Cissy Strut”. Each band member gets his own showcase, making this even better.
Clayton-Hamilton Orchestra Releases “L.A. Treasures Project”
A live performance from the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, led by double bassist John Clayton, his sax-playing brother Jeff and drummer Jeff Hamilton reveals the distinct pleasures of not only listening to the orchestra, but also two beloved L.A. vocalists. The pair — Ernie Andrews and Barbara Morrison — are the treasures referred to in the album’s title, The L.A. Treasures...
Carvin Introduces Vanquish Series Bass Guitars
Carvin has unveiled a new line of basses called the Vanquish Series, which the company calls a “radical departure from traditional bass guitars.” Available in 4-, 5-, and 6-string versions, the new model is built with a beveled body for comfort and a 5-bolt neck for increased body/neck contact. Standard features on the series include an alder body, a tung-oiled...
Willy González: 29 Mineros de San Albino
Willy González is one of my favorite bassists. His unique approach draws from traditional Latin American folk styles with strumming and fingerstyle techniques on his 6-string bass. Here’s Willy performing the song “29 Mineros de San Albino”:
Book Review: Damian Erskine’s “The Improvisor’s Path”
There comes a time for every bassist where they feel they’re in a rut or have hit a plateau in their playing and creativity. It happens to the best of us. Bassist and No Treble contributor Damian Erskine’s new book The Improvisor’s Path is a surefire way to get yourself back into high gear. While Erskine’s first instructional book, Right...
Patax: “Billie Jean” Rumba
Our good friend Sylvain Gros-Desormeaux delivers once again with a incredible video he’s shared with us. “This band Patax has some serious stuff. DIG THAT TONE!!! The bassist is really amazing. I hope you guys will enjoy watching this an share it to the readers.” That bassist is Alain Perez, who also handles vocal improvisation in this performance of their...
Emmure Releases “Eternal Enemies”
Deathcore band Emmure has released its seventh album, . The record from the New York-based group, featuring bassist Mark Davis, is being billed as the “most aggressive, brutal and devastating of their career.” You can hear if that’s true on the album track, “Like LaMotta”: Eternal Enemies is available on and as a digital download ( and ). Eternal Enemies...
Bass of the Week: Helios Guitars Evolution 4 Custom
This week we check out the Evolution 4 Custom by Helios Guitars. Made in Italy, the bass is completely handcrafted to benefit its tonal qualities. “Various instruments benefit the typical industry process of precision (in the cut, calibration, painting etc.),” Helios writes, “but suffer the stress of the prime material through the carving phases: high temperatures can be reached by...
Old School: 1962 Fender Precision Bass
After featuring a beautiful 1969 Fender Precision Bass in our Old School series, Tim Wolfe, Jr. sent us a note about his 1962 Precision. Not only is this one great looking bass, the story is equally terrific. Tim’s grandfather gave him the bass after playing it for years. Here’s the story… How long have you owned it? Around a decade...