Buzz
Rocking Steady: An Interview with Jack Casady (Part 1)
As a member of the generation-defining bands Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna, the impact Jack Casady’s bass playing cannot be overstated. His unmistakable tone and melodic bass lines have been the foundation for countless songs, not to mention the inspiration for countless bassists. While his previous accomplishments are nothing short of incredible, Casady isn’t one to rest on his laurels....
Tony Grey: Floating River Yangtze
Tony Grey shares this video he put together using a variety of bass loops and showcasing his new Fodera Signature model. Every one of the loops was recorded using the bass. The tune is “Floating River Yangtze”. So cool.
Top 10: The Best of No Treble in February
February might be the shortest month, but it was also a record breaking month for traffic on No Treble. Here are the top 10 most read articles, features and interviews on No Treble in February, 2012. Also, when The Who shares something on their Facebook page, it kind of helps that story’s rank. (Hint: take a look at the #1...
Aguilar Introduces AG 4P-60 P-Style Pickup
Aguilar Amplification has unveiled the AG 4P-60 P-bass pickup, modeled after company president Dave Boonshoft’s personal 1964 Fender Precision Bass. The vintage-style pickup is described as having just the right amount of “mid-range nose” to cut through a band while retaining hefty low end. Designed as a direct replacement for Fender Precision and other P-style basses, the pickup is built...
Zero Fret: What’s the Point?
Q: What’s the point of a “zero fret”? A: I haven’t noticed much of a difference having a zero fret vs. not having one. My Skjold basses all have zero frets in them, while my Zon’s do not. However, I believe that that the zero fret serves two functions: It gives an open string the same tone as a fretted...
Jeff Beck and Rhonda Smith: “Brush with Blues”, Live at the White House
Our Facebook friend Smokee Bear shares this video with us, of Jeff Beck and Rhonda Smith performing at the White House last week. The group, which also includes Veronica Bellino on drums, is performing “Brush with the Blues” as part of a night of music dubbed “Red White & Blues”. Smokee said, “PBS’ showing the performance of ‘Red, White and...
Mr. Big Releases All Acoustic “Live From the Living Room”
When you’ve been rocking as long as the members of Mr. Big have, it stands to reason that you might want to shake things up from time to time. Last year, the quartet did just that. After 14 years, Mr. Big’s original line up of bassist Billy Sheehan, vocalist Eric Martin, guitarist Paul Gilbert and drummer Pat Torpey reunited and...
Reader Spotlight: Bill Bois
Meet bassist Bill Bois, a well-traveled musician who has played as many styles of music as the places he’s lived and visited. Maybe more. Bill is our player in the spotlight for February 28, 2012. Bio: I’m a bass player and songwriter. Over the years, I’ve played jazz and rock in Maine; rock and blues in upstate New York; punk...
Top 10 Cover Tune Videos Arranged for Bass – 2nd Edition
We love all-bass arrangements of cover tunes, and we love even more the fact that the bass is versatile enough to pull it off. We published our first list of the top 10 all-bass covers back in December, 2010. We’ve also featured a variation, with ten Jimi Hendrix-inspired bass videos. And of course, our Bass Cover Week, where we asked...
Victor Wooten and The Roots: Live Jam
Wow, when we first reported the news that Victor Wooten would be joining The Roots on the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon show, we were really excited about that line up coming together. And these guys did not disappoint. Here’s a clip from the show, where Vic and company perform a variation of the tune “Flex”, from his 2008 release,...
Stefan Lessard Announces 2012 Dave Matthews Band North American Tour; Band Announces New Album is Coming
Dave Matthews Band bassist Stefan Lessard recently tweeted that the band is gearing up for its 2012 North American tour, and the band followed with an official announcement. The tour kicks off May 18th in Woodlands, Texas and will include two-night shows in many cities, following a hiatus in 2011. The tour will also include the band’s first headline appearance...
Ashdown Unveils ABM-1000 and ABM-2000 Amps at NAMM
Ashdown has expanded their ABM line of amps with introduction of the ABM-1000 and ABM-2000. The pair couples the company’s ABM Evo III preamp with Class D amplifiers to pump out 1000 and 2000 watts, respectively. Ashdown ABM-1000 bass amp head Both amps carry a unique EQ that combines rotary knobs with a pair of dual sliders. The knobs cut...