Buzz
Seymour Duncan Introduces SPB-4 Steve Harris Signature Pickup
Iron Maiden’s Steve Harris has a new signature P-Bass pickup from Seymour Duncan called the SPB-4 Steve Harris Model. The new split single coil is the production version of the custom shop pickups Harris has been using for the last 10 years. The SPB-4 utilizes Alnico 5 rod magnets and a vintage-hot coil wind to produce what the company describes...
Killswitch Engage Releases “Disarm the Descent”
Metal outfit Killswitch Engage are back with their sixth studio album, Disarm the Descent, via Roadrunner Records. This is the band’s first album in four years and it marks the return of original vocalist Jesse Leach, who last recorded with the band on 2002’s Alive or Just Breathing. Bassist Mike D’Antonio says having Leach back is rejuvenating. “We had already...
Bass of the Week: BassLab STD
BassLab isn’t your ordinary bass manufacturer and they certainly don’t make your average bass. Developed by a musician and a physicist, the company uses a tuneable composite material instead of wood. “We use carbon for stiffness, but add other [elements] to the mix for tone,” they shared. “It’s called ‘tuneable’, because we can also alter the tone.” BassLab’s flagship instrument...
Track by Track: Zander Zon Talks “Saturn Return”
If you’ve been reading No Treble for a while now, or simply spend time on Youtube like we do finding the great bass players there, you’ve no doubt run across the music of Zander Zon. Zander is a remarkable solo bassist, incorporating piccolo strings, alternate tunings and effects with unique compositions and arrangements. And while his technical ability is undeniable,...
Impact Fuze: “Splatch” Cover
The Musikmesse show in Frankfurt, Germany is coming up, so to mark the occasion, here’s a video from the Musikmesse two years ago. This is the French/Russian power trio, Impact Fuze, with Anton Davidyants on bass doing a funky jam over Miles Davis’ tune “Splatch”.
Niacin Releases “Krush”
After a seven year hiatus, Niacin has returned with an all new album. Krush, the sixth album by the trio of Billy Sheehan, Dennis Chambers and John Novello, offering up 14 tracks of the group’s trademark neo-fusion style. That blend starts with the diverse jazz and rock roots of Niacin’s members, combined with Novello’s Hammond B3. As we mentioned back...
Bass Ramps: The How and Why
Q: I see a lot of people talking about the use of bass ramps. I see that it’s basically a piece of wood in between the pickups, but I’m not sure what the benefits are. Also, how do you make one? A: A ramp (or finger ramp) was created out of the desire to broaden the range of feeling one...
Marco Panascia and Johan Hansén-Larson: “Lady Bird” Bass Duet
It’s great when two of your favorite bassists get to jam together. It’s even better when they get to record it. Here’s a video of electric bass whiz Johan Hansén-Larson playing a duet with New York jazz heavyweight Marco Panascia on the standard “Lady Bird”. After their respective face-melting solos, the duo trade fours then twos, all while keeping a...
Robert Hurst Releases “Bob a Palindrome”
Veteran jazz bassist Robert Hurst has released Bob: A Palindrome on Bebob records. Hurst’s sixth album as a leader has been a long time in the making with original songs written as far back as 1985. It was recorded in October of 2001, but between his time playing as a member of the Tonight Show Band, touring with Diana Krall...
Reader Spotlight: Cassie Mann
Meet bassist Cassie Mann who like many here, started on guitar before finding out bass is where it’s at. Cassie is a young bassist on the right track, and we’re thrilled to share her story for this week’s reader spotlight feature. Bio: I’m an 16 year old bass player in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia! I perform in numerous group from...
Bass Gear Roundup: The Top Gear Stories in March
Time for your monthly dose of bass gear goodness, with our usual disclaimer: may cause G.A.S. These are the top ten most read, commented and shared bass gear stories on No Treble last month. 1. Blast Cult Enters the Electric Bass Market with the Thirty 2 Bass Blast Cult announced a new electric bass model late last year, but the...
Victor Wooten: 2013 NAMM Performance
The NAMM Show is one of the highlights of our year… like a family reunion of sorts. But it is massive, and so we often miss many of the great performances that take place on the show’s floor. (Hey, we’re not lying when we say we’re working… at least not completely.) Thankfully, there’s video to show us what we missed....