Bass Gear - Page 255

Every once in a while a product comes along that totally reimagines a piece of gear that most of us take for granted. In the world of gig bags, that product is the Gruv Gear GigBlade. The main idea behind the GigBlade is economy of space and weight distribution. Most gig bags have backpack straps for carrying on your back,...

This week we check out the Hades bass by Zerberus Guitars. Built in their German custom shop, the instrument was made for bassist Lenny Castellanos of the Mick Fleetwood Blues Band. The bass’s uniquely figured body is made of mahogany with a Zebrawood top finished in a wild honey color. Its five-piece neck is made up of birdseye maple, mahogany,...

Italian string instrument maker Alter Ego has introduced a tunable tailpiece for the double bass. Rather than tuning the strings themselves, the tailpiece allows for tuning the afterlength portion of each string. “There are many valid theories on how to tune the afterlength portion of the strings, but we believe there is no ideal formula as many factors may come...

AC Guitars is introducing a new compact model called the Border Reiver Travel Bass. Hand-built in Scotland, the headless bass takes its name from a piece of local history. “Border Reivers were bands of raiders that operated on both sides of the English/Scottish border from the 13th to 17th century,” luthier Alan Cringean explains. “So crossing borders seemed like an...

IK Multimedia has revamped their popular mobile instrument interface with the iRig 2. The new version adds several new features including a versatile gain control, a 1/4-inch amplifier output, and Android compatibility. The iRig 2 has a 1/4-inch input that can handle guitar, bass or other line level instruments. Its variable gain thumbwheel lets you adjust your input level to...

Electro-Harmonix has announced a bass-specific version of their Soul Food natural overdrive and clean boost pedal. The company describes the pedal as designed to enhance the original sound of your instrument while retaining its essential character. The Bass Soul Food is set apart with a gain stage, treble control and signal path optimized for bass guitar with more low-end definition....

ISP Technologies will be unveiling a new pedal version of their popular bass preamp at the Winter NAMM Show this month. The Beta Bass Preamp Pedal is powered by an external 9-volt AC adaptor that is then internally multiplied to provide plus or minus 15-volt power supply for a “full 30 volt signal swing.” Its EQ section includes a bass...

Bassist Danny Fox recently collaborated with luthier Xaver Tremel of Franz Bass Guitars to create a revamped version of the company’s Merak bass. The fretless four-string brings together elements of the original model with some specific tailoring to Fox’s style. The Franz Danny Fox Merak 4 is built with a walnut body that is chambered and curved for comfort. Its...

After introducing the series last year, Schecter has announced they’re adding the Model-T bass model to the Session Series. The bass features a classic aesthetic and follows the lineup’s description of “no frills looks with high end electronics.” The Model-T Session is built with a swamp ash body, maple neck, and maple fingerboard accented with ebony side block inlays. Schecter...

Forty years in business is quite an accomplishment, and Pedulla Guitars is celebrating that very milestone with a limited edition collection of basses. Michael Pedulla, who started the company in 1975, has made one limited edition 40th Anniversary version of each of his bass models including the MVP, the Pentabuzz, the Rapture, the Nuance, and the Thunderbolt. The series features...

By December, our excitement is at full throttle as we think ahead to the Winter NAMM Show in January. Thankfully, we had plenty of gear news to cover in December. Among all of that coverage, these stories were tops with No Treble readers. 1. Fender Dee Dee Ramone Precision Bass Guitar Punk bass icon Dee Dee Ramone had his legacy...

Xotic Effects has unveiled the Xotic Voltage Doubler, a power adapter that steps up voltage output to either 15 or 18 volts from a standard 9-volt power source. The compact device has a simple input and output with a switch to toggle between 15 or 18-volt output. The device, which is designed only for Xotic pedals, helps to run pedals...