Nick Wells

Nick Wells

Writer

Nick Wells was the Editor of Bass Guitar magazine from 2009 to 2011, before making strides into the world of Artist Relations with Sheldon Dingwall and Dingwall Guitars. He's also the producer of bass-centric documentaries, Walking the Changes and Beneath the Bassline, as well as Production Manager and Artist Liaison for ScottsBassLessons. In his free time, you'll find him jumping around his bedroom to Kool & The Gang while hammering the life out of his P-Bass.

Articles by: Nick Wells

Donald "Duck" Dunn of Booker T. & the MGs

“Paul McCartney was one of my favorite bass players. I didn’t do him justice”: Paying tribute to the Beatles turned out to be a humbling experience for Donald ‘Duck’ Dunn

By Nick Wells published

As a member of Booker T. and the MGs, Donald ‘Duck’ Dunn cut an instrumental version of the Beatles’ Abbey Road. But the experience wasn't all that satisfying...

Legendary pianist and keyboardist Herbie Hancock performs 2 tracks from his 1973 album "Head Hunters" on Soul Train episode 110, aired 9/28/1974. Directly behind Herbie in a red shirt is jazz bassist Paul Jackson.

“I really liked the concept, but it was a bit impractical. My bass playing tends to rely more on my hands than any kind of trick”: Listen to Paul Jackson’s double-stop funk on Herbie Hancock’s Watermelon Man

By Nick Wells published

Paul Jackson’s big-bottomed stank came courtesy of his modified Fender Telecaster Bass, Geraldine

Bassist Bernard Edwards and Guitarist Nile Rodgers, both of the group Chic, in a recording studio, New York, New York, July 29, 1981.

“The last thing Bernard Edwards wanted to be was a bass player who used a pick”: Nile Rodgers on the funk behind Chic’s Le Freak

By Nick Wells published

In 1973 Bernard Edwards helped define one of the most distinctive sounds of disco

Amos Williams

“Fingers or pick? I’ll play bass with a drumstick! Whatever works for the song!“ How Amos Williams found his sound on TesseracT’s War of Being

By Nick Wells published

TesseracT's Amos Williams on why he used parallel distortion and a “Swiss Army knife of overdrive” on the band's new album

Stanley Clarke performs onstage at the 36th Anniversary Playboy Jazz Festival

When Stanley Clarke met Paul McCartney: “Paul asked me to show him how to slap!”

By Nick Wells published

Stanley Clarke made a key assist on Paul McCartney's early-80s albums Tug of War and Pipes of Peace

Jack Bruce, Flea, Charles Mingus and Doug Wimbish of Living Colour

“It’s hard to think who the greatest bass players are. You could say Flea, but he doesn’t need the plug!” Jack Bruce on the bass players that shaped his sound

By Nick Wells published

Back in 2010, we asked Cream bassist Jack Bruce to nominate five albums that influenced his bass playing

Pete Griffin backstage with Dethklok

“Steve Vai tried to school me on string bending, but you just don't do that on bass!” Pete Griffin reflects on his time with Steve Vai, and his latest solo EP

By Nick Wells published

The seasoned sideman compares notes on Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen, Nuno Bettencourt, Zakk Wylde and Dweezil Zappa

Fernando Rosa demos the Retro '70s StingRay

Ernie Ball Music Man just dropped the Retro ‘70s StingRay bass range – and Brazilian thump master Fernando Rosa has demoed them in impeccable style

By Nick Wells published

Ernie Ball's new throwback StingRay combines ‘70s-inspired features with modern playability

Roger Waters performing live on stage at Wembley Arena during a production of Pink Floyd's rock opera The Wall, on September 20, 2013 & David Gilmour performs at Royal Albert Hall on September 23, 2015 in London

“It’s Roger’s bass riff. He came in with the verses and the lyrics for Money”: Listen to the isolated bassline on Pink Floyd’s 1973 masterpiece

By Nick Wells published

The iconic bass riff helped make Dark Side of the Moon one of the biggest-selling albums of all time

Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy

“Punk rock should be accessible – I think it’s very cool to be somebody’s potential first bass”: Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz partners with Sterling by Music Man for its first full-scale passive bass

By Nick Wells published

Spotlighting his punk roots, the Pete Wentz Artist Series StingRay is visually inspired by watches and skateboards

Geddy Lee Paramount Plus Series

“I’m trying to show the world that a bass player can do many things”: Watch the first trailer for Geddy Lee’s new docuseries, featuring Les Claypool and Robert Trujillo

By Nick Wells published

Geddy Lee Asks: Are Bass Players Human Too? also stars Nirvana’s Krist Novoselic and former Hole bassist Melissa Auf der Maur

Jack Bruce of West, Bruce & Laing performs on stage in 1973 in Copenhagen, Denmark. He plays a Gibson EB-3 bass guitar

“Unlike Jimi Hendrix, we never deliberately tuned down”: Listen to Jack Bruce’s bassline on Cream’s Politician

By Nick Wells published

Jack Bruce wrote with Pete Brown for Cream’s third album, 1968’s Wheels of Fire

Sterling DarkRay

Bassists, ditch your pedalboards: the Sterling by Music Man DarkRay features two Darkglass distortion circuits in one bass

By Nick Wells published

The Music Man DarkRay is now available as a more budget-friendly Sterling offering

Bill Wyman, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. 2nd June 1964

“I bought it from this bloke our drummer knew. I think it was the first fretless electric bass ever”: Bill Wyman on the origins of his famous “homemade” fretless bass

By Nick Wells published

The former Rolling Stones bassist used a modified fretless on every album and many of the singles up to 1975

Pat Thrall, Pat Travers and Peter Crowling performing at Travers Band'as the'Pat Oakland Auditorium in Oakland, California on November 28, 1978

“It’s got nothing to do with the rest of the song!” Listen to the octave-heavy outro on Gettin’ Betta by Pat Travers Band

By Nick Wells published

Bassist Peter ‘Mars' Cowling was at his inventive best on this blues-tinged rocker from 1979’s Live! Go For What You Know

Frankie Poullain during the Darkness perform live at the Estragon club in Bologna for their "Blast Of Our Kind" tour 2016.

“My Gibson is still the coolest looking bass guitar ever!” Frankie Poullain remains a committed Thunderbird player – just don’t ask him about beer-throwing fans

By Nick Wells published

The Darkness bassist on reinventing what it means to be a rock star in 2023: "You can't behave in that stereotypical rock star way..."

Chris Squire, bassist of British progressive rock band Yes performs in Ahoy, Rotterdam, Netherlands, 24 July 2003.

“Sunshine of Your Love should be in the dictionary under the best-known bassline of all time”: Chris Squire on the five bass players that shaped his sound

By Nick Wells published

Back in 2012, the legendary Yes bassist revisited five classic albums – and his final pick might surprise you

Richard Bona performs on October 8, 2010 at the Palace of the Culture in Abidjan.

“Sometimes the simplest bassline is the most difficult to play!” How Richard Bona developed his percussive right-hand technique

By Nick Wells published

Richard Bona may have the chops to pull off superhuman solos, but his strengths as a sideman lay in keeping things simple

Mike Dirnt of Green Day

“On Longview I used a Gibson bass. Then I broke the neck in half”: Mike Dirnt on the making of Green Day’s breakthrough single

By Nick Wells published

Despite his legendary status with Fender, Mike Dirnt’s most memorable bassline was recorded on a mid-70s Gibson

Ashdown Pro-DI and Triple Shot bass pedals

“Ultimate control” over your bass overdrive tones, and your entire backline in a pedal? Ashdown has lofty aims for its latest bass stompboxes

By Nick Wells published

Ashdown adds to its big trunk of tone with the Triple Shot and Pro-DI

Bassist Chris Squire (1948 - 2015) performing with English progressive rock band Yes, at Madison Square Garden, New York, 5th August 1977

“We mic’d one of Steve Howe’s old Gibson guitars and mixed it with the bass. That’s what gave it such a bright sound”: Listen to Chris Squire’s isolated bassline on Roundabout

By Nick Wells published

Learn the tone secrets behind Chris Squire’s iconic bassline on the Yes classic, Roundabout

Tony Levin performs on stage with English musician Peter Gabriel (unseen) during a concert at the Accor Arena in Paris, on May 23, 2023.

“I grabbed a diaper and shoved it under the strings near the bridge”: How Tony Levin came up with his muted bass tone on Peter Gabriel's Don't Give Up

By Nick Wells published

Peter Gabriel called it the “super wonder nappy sound”

Duff McKagan of Hollywood Vampires perform onstage during The 58th GRAMMY Awards & Nicky Wire of Manic Street Preachers performs on Day 2 of the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm on June 28, 2014 in Glastonbury, England

“It sounds like Lindsey Buckingham meets The Clash!” That time Duff McKagan played bass for the Manic Street Preachers

By Nick Wells published

Nicky Wire on working with Duff and why Guns N’ Roses are the best band ever

John Entwistle of The Who on stage, performing their album 'Quadrophenia', Ahoy, Rotterdam, 11th May 1997. He plays a Status Graphite Buzzard Bass guitar.

“I think a bass solo can be as exciting as a guitar solo – if not more”: Listen to John Entwistle’s live bass solo on The Who’s 5:15

By Nick Wells published

John Entwistle proves why bass solos aren't always a bad idea

Ampeg V12

The next step in the evolution of Ampeg? The new Venture Series promises a welcome return for Super Grit Technology – and starts at $499

By Nick Wells published

Ampeg looks to enter modern overdrive territory with its new Venture Series of amps and cabinets

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