Fender Japan uses a quirky finishing technique for new Sandblast Hybrid II range By Matt Owen published 18 April 24 Limited-edition Stratocaster, Telecaster and Jazz Bass models have been unveiled, each of which are treated to a nifty sandblast finish
Boss brings updated AIRD tech to its retro-styled ME-90B By Matt Owen published 18 April 24 Following the overhauled ME-90, the upgraded all-in-one bass pedal uses the same tech found in the GT-1000 but in a $399 package
Boss has unveiled its first-ever Katana bass head – and it might be a game-changer By Matt Owen published 18 April 24 The firm's flagship Katana bass head is its most advanced bass amp to date, debuting Cabinet Resonance calibration for optimum tone with any cab
Pearl Jam’s Jeff Ament names 11 bassists who shaped his sound By Gregory Adams published 18 April 24 From Dee Dee Ramone to Eric Avery, fretless to 12-string bassists, Jeff Ament believes all his influences can all be heard on the latest Pearl Jam album Dark Matter
James Hetfield has had Lemmy's ashes tattooed onto his middle finger By Phil Weller published 17 April 24 Hetfield says the salute to the late Motörhead legend means “he is still able to fly the bird at the world” even after death
Listen to Geddy Lee’s “flamenco” strumming technique on Rush’s Snakes & Arrows By Nick Wells published 16 April 24 Geddy Lee’s signature sounds abound on Snakes and Arrows, but was there a new twist in his bass playing?
Fender revives divisive Antigua finish for limited-edition Squier ’70s Classic Vibe models By Matt Parker published 16 April 24 The once-derided Antigua Burst is back for a limited run and is now available for preorder in the US
Flea regrets his bass-smashing antics in Red Hot Chili Peppers’ earlier years By Phil Weller published 15 April 24 The energetic bassist took to social media to voice his regret of destroying his instruments in the ‘90s and ‘00s
The XO pedal splits the highs and lows of instrumental signals for unique tone exploring By Phil Weller published 15 April 24 The deceptively versatile pedal splits your high and low frequencies for some crazy effects stacking possibilities – and for bassists, it means “no guitar pedal is off limits anymore”
Why Klaus Voormann’s bassline on John Lennon’s Whatever Gets You Thru The Night is a must-listen By Chris Jisi published 14 April 24 The German musician and artist was John Lennon's bass guitarist of choice for two decades
Listen to John Deacon’s isolated bassline on Killer Queen By Chris Jisi published 13 April 24 John Deacon’s bass playing on Killer Queen is guaranteed to blow your mind
Ex-Smashing Pumpkins bassist Ginger Pooley will join Garbage on upcoming tour By Janelle Borg published 12 April 24 Garbage will be the latest A-list artist on Pooley’s resume, after stints with The Smashing Pumpkins and Gwen Stefani
Bad Religion’s Jay Bentley on his bass-playing influences and the “best sounding P-Bass he’s ever heard” By Jonathan Herrera published 12 April 24 Vomit and blood may be punk rock, but it’s not what you might expect from longtime Bad Religion bassist Jay Bentley
George Murray almost missed the call to join David Bowie's band because he had a bus to catch By Matt Owen published 11 April 24 The D.A.M. Trio recorded and performed extensively with Bowie across the '70s, but the revered rhythm section could have looked very different had Murray caught his bus
Verdine White picks his top 5 Earth, Wind & Fire basslines By Nick Wells published 11 April 24 Earth, Wind and Fire’s pocket-perfect bassist names his best basslines
“Playing at the Super Bowl is the easy part. It’s the musical director responsibilities leading up that’s stressful”: Adam Blackstone heads up the biggest gigs on the planet – now with a 5-string Jackson bass named after his grandmother By Amit Sharma published 10 April 24 The Emmy and Grammy winner has led the musical charge for everyone from Rihanna to Eminem and Justin Timberlake. He explains why he went for Jackson over Fender for his signature bass, what makes five strings essential to his style, and how he leads the band while laying down the groove
“I wanted him to be very successful because he seemed pretty nervous”: Original Tool bassist Paul D’Amour recalls coaching Justin Chancellor to be his replacement – and giving him an in-depth lesson in his wild pedal protocol By Matt Owen published 8 April 24 Chancellor has lined up alongside Adam Jones and co since joining the band back in 1995, but received some hands-on tutoring from his predecessor before he got started
“It was always magical playing bass with Tony Iommi. To me, he's the greatest guitarist ever”: Geezer Butler’s 10 best basslines with Black Sabbath By Nick Wells published 7 April 24 When it comes to influential metal bands, few can hold a candle to Black Sabbath. These are Geezer Butler’s 10 heaviest rock riffs
How to play bass guitar for beginners: start playing today By Nick Wells published 7 April 24 From basic finger techniques to slap bass, here’s what you need to get started on your bass guitar journey
“He already had his signature tone and touch, and a few of his signature licks, too”: A year before he was discovered, Jaco Pastorius laid down this classic R&B bassline on Little Beaver’s 1974 hit, I Can Dig It Baby By Nick Wells published 7 April 24 Recorded a year before he was discovered by Blood Sweat and Tears drummer Bobby Colomby, I Can Dig It Baby finds Jaco Pastorius in his prime