Bass, Headline »

I get press releases from Rotosound relatively frequently. Some of the information in those releases has found its way onto this site if I thought it might be useful to others.
This time though, I’m posting an image from this Rotosound release just because I like it.
Rotosound say they found a programme from Thin Lizzy’s Bad Reputation tour in their archives and it contained the ad above for their Jazz Bass strings. They say some other stuff about strings and other users and whatnot but I tuned out to be honest.
I …

Bass, Featured »

Well that’s quite snazzy, isn’t it?
That’s the Fender Roger Waters Precision Bass and it’s now shipping. As you can see, it features a none-more-black body, pickguard, bridge and control hardware which I think looks great teamed with the maple neck and fingerboard. Very smart, indeed.
At first glance, the inclusion of chrome tuners is a little odd when all of the other hardware is black. It gives the bass sort of a ‘bitser’ look which may well be the point. Whatever the case, and possibly perversely, I quite like it. …

Bass, Competition, Featured »

We mentioned the launch of the, rather handsome, Epiphone Thunderbird PRO bass a while back.
Did you see?  Did you want?
Well, if you did want one, now’s your chance to win one.
Just pop off to Epiphone’s competition site, pop your email address in the email address field and you might just win a T-Bird Pro.
Not too shabby.
Closing date is 31st of January, 2010.

Bass, Featured »

When it comes to rocking the bottom end on stage, there are few basses that look as good as a Thunderbird.  Sling one low and thud away for high-times.
Epiphone have introduced their ‘professional series’ basses, the Thunderbird PRO to bring the distinctive Thunderbird coolness to you at a price that the working bassist can afford.
As we probably all know, the Thunderbird is a neck-through-body bass for excellent coupling and great tone.  The neck section on these Epiphones are seven-piece sandwiches of walnut and maple and they look great.  The multi-ply …

Bass, Featured »

Fender are celebrating half a century of Jazz Bass goodness by introducing the limited edition, 50th Anniversary Jazz Bass.  The idea is that this bass incorporates design elements from several important periods in Jazz Bass history.
This baby includes features from a few different eras (even if ‘modernised’ versions of them).
From the 60’s:

Nitrocellulose finish in Candy Apple Red.
60’s style headstock logo
C-shaped neck
Chrome pickup and bridge covers
Pearloid block inlays on the fingerboard

From the 70’s:

Bridge pickup placement
Thumb rest

From today:

High-mass, vintage-style bridge
Modern tuners
Posiflex neck support rods

Personally, I’ve always liked Jazz basses with block inlays …

Bass, Featured »

It looks set to be announced properly at NAMM but information is out about Warwick’s Bootsy Collins Infinity Signature Bass.  One thing’s for sure; it’ll get you noticed.
Based on the Warwick Infinity bass, the Bootsy signature is available in two flavours – the Black Star and the Orange Star.  Obviously enough, perhaps, the differences in the models are the colours of the stars in the finish – black on the Black Star (pictured) and orange on the Orange Star. Simple.
The bass has an through-neck in maple.  The body wings (hollow) …

Bass, Featured »

Way back in the mists of time – September, 2009 to be precise – Warwick began offering a ‘bass of the month’.  What this meant was that they would release a special edition bass each month.  The special bass would be, essentially, a tweaked version of one of their standard instruments but tweaked sufficiently to make it a little more unique and exclusive.  Here’s a round-up of the Warwick’s fall line.
September – Thumb Bolt On French Flamed Ash

A mouthful to be sure.  This is a twist on the regular Thumb …

Bass, Featured, News »

Rotosound have announced that metal legends, Duff McKagan (Guns & Roses and Velvet Revolver) and James Lomenzo (Megadeth) will lead a line up of artists at their NAMM booth in January.
Joining McKagan and Lomenzo will be Eva Gardener, Warren DeMartini, Robbie Crane (RATT) and also Billy Sheehan.
Pretty impressive line up that Rotosound have bagged there.
The event will take place on Saturday, January 26th at the Rotosound Booth (5596, Hall B) at NAMM.
The list of appearances and times is as follows:

James Lomenzo (Saturday 11am)
Duff McKagan (Saturday  1pm)
Eva Gardner    (Saturday  2pm)
Billy Sheehan  (Saturday  3pm)
RATT …

Bass, Featured, Software »

Until November 29th, Line 6 are offering a complete set of their amp and effect tones for the POD, Pod Studio, TonePort or GuitarPort as a single download.  Basically, thats all model packs in one bundle.
Line 6 call this the Ultimate Model Pack Bundle and it includes:

Power Pack – 20 vintage and modern amp tones and 26 effects.
Collector Classics – 18 amp models based on boutique combos and rare vintage heads
Metal Shop – 18 high-gain metal monster amps.
FX Junkie – 35 effects including synths, filters, delays, choruses, etc.
Bass Expansion – …

Accessories, Bass, Software »

Don’t have an iPhone to enable you to view your tabs in electronic format but want a snazzy gizmo backed by a massive tab library?
Well, the iTab could be just the thing.
It’s a new device that, at its simplest, stores and displays tab.  It does a lot more besides – at least in one of its various formats.
Entry level is the iTab Lite with a 5″ screen.  This is the most basic model and can display and scroll chord tabs while allowing some basic editing capabilities.  It’s aimed primarily at …