Buzz
Kala Introduces Five New U-Basses for 2012
Kala increased their U-Bass lineup with the addition of five new models of the 21″ scale basses. The new models include Sunburst, Gloss Black, Solid Spruce Top HH (Hutch Hutchinson Model), Spalted Maple, and Exotic Mahogany. The Sunburst, Gloss Black, and Solid Spruce Top HH basses all feature solid spruce tops with mahogany back and sides. The Hutch Hutchinson model...
Steve Vai with Billy Sheehan: “The Crying Machine”, Live
Billy Sheehan is usually known for blazing riffs and absolutely ripping solos, but the man knows how to really get down, too. Sheehan presented Steve Vai with the Les Paul Award at this year’s TEC Awards, and afterwords they jammed out the guitarist’s tune “The Crying Machine.” Sheehan lays down a funky groove that just won’t quit. As much of...
Korn Announces New Leg of U.S. “Path of Totality” Tour, Plus European Dates
Korn, anchored by bassist Reginald “Fieldy” Arvizu, is getting ready to kick off the second stint of their tour in support of their latest album, Path of Totality. The new batch of dates kick off on February 23, 2012 in Detroit, threading through the Midwest before returning West and wrapping up in San Francisco. The group has also announced new...
Schecter Introduces Dale Stewart Avenger Bass
Seether bassist Dale Stewart’s Signature Avenger Bass was released by Schecter this year at NAMM. Sporting a black finish, the bass features a contoured mahogany body, 3-piece maple neck, a rosewood fingerboard, and a reverse headstock. The bass has creme binding on the neck and headstock while the fingerboard is adorned with tribal bug inlays and a dragon inlay at...
Essential Items for the Gigging Bassist: A Gig Survival Checklist
No matter how prepared someone usually is, most gigging bassists will find themselves at a gig, searching through their bag of “stuff” and saying: “hey, where’d my _____ go?” It happens to everyone at least once. If this has happened to you, you’ve probably experienced one of three outcomes: You get extremely lucky since you happen to be gigging five...
Aaron Gibson: “I Will Take You Home” (All-Bass Grateful Dead Cover)
Aaron Gibson shared this touching video of his solo bass arrangement of the Grateful Dead’s “I Will Take You Home.” Aaron said, “For Daughters and Dads and in memory of Brent Mydland”. Mydland, of course, was the Dead’s keyboardist until his death in 1990. He cowrote this song with John Perry Barlow as a lullaby for his two daughters. Gibson...
Disturbed’s John Moyer Joins Adrenaline Mob
Disturbed bassist John Moyer will now be a full-time member of Adrenaline Mob, a metal group composed of ex-Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy, Symphony X vocalist Russell Allen and guitarist Mike Orlando. Moyer will be replacing Fozzy bassist Paul DiLeo, who had to bow out due to scheduling conflicts. “Mike Portnoy called me about auditioning for his new band, Adrenaline...
Bass of the Week: DeMars Guitars Long Trail Bass
DeMars Guitars’ Long Trail bass is no doubt an instrument for proud players of the low end. Inspired by Vermont’s hiking trail of the same name, the Long Trail is a a chambered solid-body instrument sporting the company’s patented bass clef soundhole, which the company calls “a stunning visual signature for forward-thinking bassists.” We call it righteous. The Long Trail...
The New Bass Buzz: an Exclusive Interview with Felix Pastorius
Late last month we broke the news that Felix Pastorius would be joining the Yellowjackets, to fill the shoes of cofounder Jimmy Haslip while he takes a hiatus. This came as a shock to many fans as the switch would end the veteran bassist’s 30-year tenure with the group. The last name is no coincidence: Felix is the son of...
Evan Brewer: Jimi Hendrix Bass Medley
Jimi Hendrix’s virtuosic playing inspired millions of musicians, not just guitarists. Evan Brewer sent us this great medley of Hendrix tunes arranged for solo bass with his own twist. Evan starts with a filter-laden “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)” before kicking into a riff from “Hey Joe”, then into a nice tapping version of “Little Wing” and wrapping up with “Fire”.
Ernie Ball Introduces Cobalt Slinky Bass Strings
Ernie Ball has expanded their Slinky string line with the introduction of the all-new Cobalt Slinkys. As the name indicates, the new sets use cobalt, which has a high magnetism to provide a stronger relationship between an instrument’s strings and pickups. Ernie Ball says the design adds extended dynamic range, better harmonic response, increased low end, and cleaner highs. The...
Ibanez Introduces Revamped Sharlee D’Angelo Model at NAMM 2012
Ibanez rolled out a ton of new basses at NAMM this year, including an updated version of the SDB Sharlee D’Angelo signature bass with a white flat finish and cosmo black hardware. Inspired by the company’s Iceman model, the Arch Enemy bassist’s axe features neck-through construction, a Mono-Rail IV bridge, and comes factory-tuned to drop-C. The SDB2 is built with...