Bass Gear - Page 189

Tech 21 has expanded its lineup of Fly Rig pedals with an acoustic version. The new Acoustic Fly Rig is fitted with the company’s flagship circuitry and supports acoustic stringed instruments as well as guitar and bass. The compact unit weighs just over 20 ounces and measures 12.5 inches long. It features an all-analog SansAmp preamp with a sweepable, semi-parametric...

I’m always astounded by the bass work of Dominic “Forest” Lapointe. His refined technique and raw emotion always come through in his bass lines. I’m also stunned by his basses, which is why this week we’re checking out his six-string left-handed signature bass built by luthier Marc Chicoine. Based around Quebec, Chicoine has been building guitars and basses for 20...

Mooer has updated their octave pedal lineup again this year with an updated version of their Tender Octaver. The Tender Octaver mkII features three brand new algorithms and a true analog dry through the signal. Its new Fat algorithm adds a “huge bassy lower octave and a soft-toned upper voicing” while a Tight algorithm focuses more on the lower octave...

Electro-Harmonix has released a new Volume Pedal featuring two impedance options for maximum compatibility with instruments. “With selectable 25K or 250K impedances, the Volume Pedal is well suited for both active and passive pickup-equipped guitars and basses as well as keyboards, other electronic instruments and line level signals,” the company writes. Housed in a rugged chassis, the pedal is a...

Louisiana’s Rougarou Pedals has launched the Draugr, a versatile drive pedal that they say has “massive amounts of headroom and gain on tap while maintaining clarity through the range of the drive control.” The Germanium diode-based distortion circuit is controlled with a simple three-knob layout. “The drive and tone controls interact with each other in a way that makes an...

De Gier Guitars is paying tribute to a classic bass design with their new model called the Lowlander. Luthier Sander De Gier studied several vintage T-Birds to create an updated version with tweaks to improve its shortcomings. “One of the most prominent features is, of course, the 9 ply neck-through. It is a rigid construction for a bass neck, it...

This week we’re checking out a very unique Fodera. This Zebrawood AJ Contrabass Shape 12 Elite is a 12-string fretless built specially for bassist Steuart Liebig. Featuring the “AJ Contrabass” body shape, the instrument is built with a mahogany body with a Flame Maple tone block and zebrawood top. The neck is a five-piece laminate with maple and South American...

ProRockGear has released a new set of instrument cases called the Armourguard Wood Series. The line is described as a lightweight hybrid with the weight of a gig bag and the durability of a hardshell case. It includes a rectangular bass case built with a form-fit wood shell covered with 600D nylon. Other features include a soft interior foam with...

Eastwood Custom Shop is reintroducing another vintage bass with a remake of the Airline Pocket Bass. The short-scale bass, which GE Smith described as one of the best recording basses around, was a widely requested reissue for the company. “This time around we will fix a few of the originals short-comings,” they explained. “We’ll give it a slightly longer scale...

Fodera has unveiled the latest in their Masterbuilt Series with the “Woodblock” Emperor II 5 Elite. Limited to four basses per year, the Masterbuilt series is described as the pinnacle of what their custom shop can produce. Woodblock was created as a collaborative design with Vinny Fodera and luthiers Vadim Medved and Patrick Blaney, who found inspiration in historic art....

GHS Strings has expanded their line of bass strings with the new Balanced Nickels set, which they describe as a combination of traditional string materials and modern string design. “Traditionally, bass strings are made by wrapping one cover wire around the core to create the G, two covers for the D and A, and three covers for the E string,”...

Esh Bass Guitars has announced their basses will now be available in the United States and Canada. The European manufacturer has been relaunched this year with a North American sales channel. “The Esh bass guitar brand is known for its innovative Eshtronics onboard electronics package as well as edgy and unique body stylings,” the company stated. “Esh models available are...