Bass Gear - Page 175

NS Design has teamed up with Mi-Si Electronics Design to introduce the NXTa Active series of instruments, including versions of the company’s Omni Bass and Double Bass models. Central to the new series is the introduction of battery-free, high-performance active electronics. The circuitry works is powered by plugging into a wall socket for one minute at a time. “Operationally, for...

Tech 21 has announced a new version of their flagship SansAmp Bass Driver DI. The Version 2 model retains all of the functionality of the original while adding features to better suit modern players. The all-analog pedal now has a switch for the bass frequency to select between 80Hz and 40Hz, which the company says helps 5- and 6-string players...

Kala has revamped their California U-Bass series for 2016. The mini-scale, solid-body instruments will have reshaped necks and bodies, plus new placement for the fret markers on the fingerboard. “The California body and neck have been cut and sanded to smoother, more rounded edges so they provide more comfort for the player,” The company writes. “The feel is enhanced when...

This week we’re checking out a collaboration between Conklin Guitars and Jason Everett called the OM Bass. The bass is a seven-string fretless that is fitted with several interesting features to suit the bassist’s world music style. Its pickups are a pair of custom Bartolinis along with a set of GraphTECH Ghost piezos in individual saddlebridges. Besides EQing, the OM...

Crazy Tube Circuits has unleashed the Golden Ratio Phi, a stompbox that features two compressors in one. The pedal can switch between an optical compressor and a FET compressor, each of which have their own distinct style. Crazy Tube says the optical compressor is a “hand selected photocell [that] offers distinctive attack and release characteristics resulting in very gentle and...

Eastwood’s Custom Shop is reviving another classic instrument with their new model called the Spectrum 5 Bass. Based on the Teisco Spectrum 5, the bass version is a four-string that will feature a precision German carved top in the spirit of the original. The bass will carry many of the same vintage features, though Eastwood had to make a few...

Warwick’s W-Music Distribution is now offering Rockbag leather gig bags for bass and guitar. The handmade bags feature a 6-layer construction featuring a select water buffalo leather exterior, 2mm EVA foam, 5 mm Polyethylene foam, 1.5 mm plastic plate, 15 mm foam, and a 5 mm foam-adhered velveteen interior. Models are available for electric basses, hollow body electric basses, or...

This review will cover two Ibanez basses that are by design apples and oranges, but maybe in side-by-side comparison help you to find a good fit that suit your needs. The SR300E-CCB is the more modern styled and beginner level variety and the TMB2000-TFL fits the more seasoned player seeking a classic sound and esthetic. Both are well built, came...

Fodera introduced the Masterbuilt series earlier this year, and this week we’re checking out the second ever bass in the series: The Kestrel. The avian-themed instrument features some of the company’s finest materials to create an astounding visual and sonic experience. “Over the years we have produced a number of special instruments that feature inlays of various birds,” Fodera writes....

Positive Grid has expanded their BIAS Amp lineup with a new rackmount version. The BIAS Rack integrates hardware and software to allow bass and guitar players to capture “any amp tone in the world.” The unit ships with BIAS Amp Pro software for Mac and PC, which allows users to capture and load simulations of the tones of popular bass...

Fender has revamped their Deluxe series of instruments into a more cohesive lineup with a shared set of upgrades. The series includes new versions of the Deluxe Active Precision Bass Special, the Deluxe Active Jazz Bass, and the Deluxe Active Dimension Bass. Each of the basses now has a 12-inch fingerboard radius, active/passive electronics, a hi-mass bridge, and vintage noiseless...

Radial Engineering has announced the BigShot EFX, a true-bypass dual effects loop. The device lets you set up two separate effects loops to have two distinct and selectable pedal chains. This also helps to reduce tone-robbing and noisy by-products of certain non-true bypass pedals. Both loops are in series, allowing you to feed loop-A into loop-B for more creative options....