Bass Gear - Page 143

Form Factor Audio is expanding their line of bass amps with the Bi1000Di, which builds upon their 1,000-watt flagship Bi1000. The new model retains many of the same features with some key differences in the direct output department.

Mattoverse Electronics has once again updated its Drone Tone pedal with the MkIII version. The pedal is a drone synthesizer that delivers “brutal buzzing, blatant beeping, [and] raucous rhythmic pulses.”

This week we have two basses of the week, although they are the mirror reflection of each other. Hayden Lassila of Lassila Guitars calls the model the Antipode. With one right-handed and one left-handed version, the bass lives up to its name.

Joyo has introduced the MA-10 series of dual-channel portable amps. The lineup has three models, including the MA-10B for bass, that each have two channels, a headphone output, and a five-inch off-frequency speaker.

Aclam Guitars has introduced a new overdrive pedal for bass and guitar called Dr. Robert. Named after the famous Beatles song, the pedal features artwork by Klaus Voorman, who designed the band’s “Revolver” cover. It is also based on a vintage amp from the same era.

Dwarfcraft Devices has released a new version of their flagship distortion pedal called the Gold Standard Eau Claire Thunder. The pedal offers a streamlined interface as well as “germanium diodes and NOS Fairchild 2n5133 transistors for a vintage Muff vibe.”

RJM Music has unveiled the PBC/6X, a pedal unit they describe as an “all-in-one loop switching system and MIDI controller for pedalboards.” The new unit borrows features from the company’s flagship Mastermind PBC while housed in a smaller chassis and with programmable loop order.

MXR has teamed up with renowned amp and pedal designer Shin Suzuki to create the Raijin Drive. The new pedal reinvents two iconic Japanese stompboxes – an overdrive and a distortion – with more tonal range to keep up with modern pedals.

Luthier Eric Doucet of Cosmic Woodworking posted some photos of his latest build in the No Treble Facebook group, and people took notice. The Jupiter bass has a lot going for it, but the choice of woods is a knockout.

Fender has unveiled a new limited edition Lightweight Ash American Professional line of instruments. The series includes a Strat, a Telecaster, and, most importantly, a Jazz Bass. Each model is built with a lightweight ash body while retaining most features from their American Professional counterpart.

Time for the big monthly GAS alert… here comes our top 10 bass gear list of the month – AKA the top 10 reader favorite gear stories for the month of April 2019.

GR Bass has expanded its line of bass specific gear with the Pure Drive pedal. The unit features a four-band EQ with four selectable frequencies for the mid-range control. It also has deep and bright filters for more general tonal shaping.