Bass Gear - Page 358

Another stop on our Summer NAMM exhibit journey brought us to the Innovation Strings booth. Innovation makes handmade strings at their factory in Wales, and boast the use of non-metallic cores that hold pitch and are “virtually unaffected by climate changes.” Their different string sets are made with specific genres in mind, ranging from classical and jazz to psychobilly, and...

During our Summer NAMM adventure, we stopped in at the Better Audio Technologies booth to check out their new custom SMB-series of bass cabinets. The cabinets, which are available in a variety of finishes, utilize innovative 6″ long-throw woofers that give a –3dB cutoff frequency of 37Hz for great low-end extension. That’s lower than many manufacturers’ bass cabs, which generally...

After recently naming Geddy Lee as an endorsing artist, Orange Amps was proudly showing off their newest bass goodies at Summer NAMM. Orange expanded their Tiny Terror line to the low end, with the Terror Bass 500 and 1000. A compact head weighing in at 5kg (11.02 lbs), the Terror bass is a hybrid amp with a Class D solid-state...

“Small. Under-powered. Lackluster tone.” These words come to mind when one thinks of a bass combo amp. We’re pre-programmed to assume this as most combo amps are all those things because most combos are beginner amps. TC Electronics’ has set-out to destroy the old combo amp negative connotations with its new BG500. The BG 500 bass combo amp comes in...

The new Vee Strap is an innovative solution to the problem of finding the right way to hold a heavy or uncomfortable bass. It features a dual-shoulder strap design that evenly distributes weight and stabilizes your instrument. Essentially, it is two straps built into one, coming together in a “V” on your back and buttoning onto your bass like any...

While checking out all the great new gear at NAMM, the Gold Tone booth really caught our eye with some great twists on the bass. New for 2010 is their PBB model, a resonator bass with an extending aluminum endpin allowing it to sit in an upright position. The bass has a 32″ scale, with a mahogany body and maple...

EMG has released Jazz bass versions of their X series pickups: the JX, JAX, and JVX sets. The brand’s X-Series is made to provide increased headroom, giving the voicing an organic and open tone while keeping great clarity and response. EMG describes them as “bridging the gap between passive and active tone.” The JX retains the jazz bass tone while...

Digitech released the new BP90 Bass Multi-Effects Processor as part of their appearance at the 2010 Summer NAMM Show. Powered by the AudioDNA 2 processor, the BP90 is built to digitally represent equipment including stompboxes, amplifiers, cabinets, and tons of effects. In all, it features 27 effects, 11 amps, five cabinets, and five stompboxes to choose from. Along with 50...

The Fleabass line will be expanding with the coming of the Street Bass model, due to ship in late July. The Street Bass is an even more affordable version of the already available Touring Bass, which Flea himself is using to tour and write the new Red Hot Chili Peppers album with. The Street model varies from the Touring Bass...

Grip Studios has added to their line of Custom Guitar Hangers, featuring wall hangers in the shape of hands. Made in Detroit, the hangers come in standard or made to order custom designs with high gloss finishes, and support basses and guitars. Two new designs will be released in July 2010, called Bella Rose and Woody. You can also get...

Bassist Reginald Means has created a product to help alleviate amp-tilting woes: the uni-stand. Means wanted to develop a device to let bassists easily position their amplifiers to best monitor their sound. He is a machine tool technology instructor and brought his vision to life. After years of prototyping it is now available. “I got tired of bending over and...

Pigtronix has introduced their latest analog effects pedal: the EP2 Envelope Phaser. The EP2 is a redesign of the company’s original Envelope Phaser, but still features the option of both envelope and LFO modulation. Among the new features is a “Staccato” function which accommodates tight funk bass by “listening” to your playing and discharging the envelope between your notes. This...