The 20 greatest bass solos of all time – from the fastest ‘lead bass guitarist’ to the only bass solo James Jamerson ever recorded By Nick Wells published 2 January 24 We count down moments of bass guitar genius from Tal Wilkenfeld, Flea, Victor Wooten, John Myung and many more
Tech 21 SansAmp Street Driver 48 review – a new Frank Bello signature amp pedal that delivers the full range of the Anthrax bassist's tones, and then some By Joel McIver published 30 December 23 Yes, the monstrous drive tones are unmistakable, but this impressively versatile SansAmp unit is not only about unhinged distortion that will terrify your neighbour’s cat
“Bass players seem to like that feeling of the sound pushing against their legs, but if you stand too close to your amp, you’re never sure what it sounds like”: Mike Watt offers his advice for putting some teeth into your live sound By Karl Coryat published 28 December 23 The patriarch of punk has influenced a generation of rockers. Here he talks through his live gear setup
Budweiser bodies and a new kind of competition stripe? Feast your eyes on Fender Japan’s early Christmas present: the Wasted Youth Telecaster and Mustang Bass collection By Matt Owen published 22 December 23 Renowned graphic designer and Budweiser creative director Verdy has lent his keen eye for eye-catching aesthetics to FJ's 2023 end-of-year releases
“The arena-grade touring rig that fits in every guitar bag”: Kemper’s new Profiler Player might just be the ultimate compact all-in-one rig – and it doesn't even need a screen By Matt Owen published 20 December 23 It's only the size of two standard stompboxes put together, but the deceivingly compact rig looks to be just as powerful as its larger siblings
“There was bass before Jaco and after Jaco; his playing turned my whole life around”: How Norman Watt-Roy brought a bit of Jaco to Ian Dury’s Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick By Chris Jisi published 19 December 23 Just a few weeks after seeing Weather Report at London’s Hammersmith Odeon, Norman Watt-Roy found himself in the studio with Ian Dury and the Blockheads
“The smallest element can be the basis of a cool riff. That’s pretty much how I wrote Sweet Emotion”: Tom Hamilton reveals the inspiration behind one of the most iconic bass riffs in rock By Nick Wells published 19 December 23 How Sweet Emotion, from Aerosmith’s Toys in the Attic, was inspired by Jeff Beck’s Rough and Ready
“A pedal no-one else has and a tribute to my dad”: Red Witch releases 60 one-of-a-kind pedals as the company’s founder pays tribute to his late father By Phil Weller published 19 December 23 Each of the all-analog stompboxes from the New Zealand boutique pedal builder features a different photo of Ben Fulton’s dad and a unique chorus circuit
“I got a call: 'Peter Frampton needs a bass player. Can you do it?' This was Tuesday. By Friday, I was playing my first show”: Bass legend John Regan reflects on his career with Frampton and Frehley in his final interview By Andrew Daly published 19 December 23 The Frehley's Comet bassist died in April 2023. Just three days before his untimely passing, he spoke to Bass Player about his remarkable career, including the highs and lows of working with Ace Frehley and his lifelong musical friendship with Frampton
Best looper pedals 2023: go it alone with the greatest loop pedals for practice, live performance and jamming By Alex Lynham last updated 19 December 23 Whether you're writing songs or woodshedding solos, using a loop pedal will make you a better guitarist – these are the best looper pedals from Boss, TC Electronic, Line 6 and more
“Some of the most-heard guitars in the history of popular music”: Gibson’s latest Certified Vintage drop raids the vault to offer some of the cleanest vintage Epiphones you’ll ever see By Matt Parker published 15 December 23 The vintage haul celebrates Epiphone’s 150th Anniversary with a host of rare, all-original finds – several of which come from Gibson’s own archive
Origin Effects DCX Bass Tone Shaper & Drive review – an exhaustive pedal that will give your bass a range of sounds you never knew you needed By Joel McIver published 14 December 23 Designed to add analog color to your tone, Origin Effects’ DCX Bass unit gives you a host of old-school studio sounds in a box
“I would never play a bass that has brand-new strings. My strings only leave the bass when they break”: How George Porter Jr. helped put funk on the musical map with The Meters By Nick Wells published 13 December 23 Formed in 1965, The Meters became the measure of funk to come with their 1969 instrumental anthem Cissy Strut
The world’s biggest amp brands are not who you think they are: these are Reverb’s best-selling guitar amps of 2023 By Matt Parker published 13 December 23 The used and new retailer's shared its top-selling amps this year – and it asks some serious questions of legacy names
“A groundbreaking digitally controlled analog booster”: Is the OPFXS Twin Boost the future of boost pedals? By Phil Weller published 13 December 23 With stereo outputs, programmable controls and MIDI control, the Italian pedal maker has served up a modern take on boost pedals
Best Christmas gifts for bass players 2023: the ultimate gift guide for the lovers of low-end By Daryl Robertson last updated 13 December 23 Show your bass-playing buddy, parent, or partner some love this Christmas with these brilliant gift ideas for bass players
There’s no beating the Boss: Reverb reveals its best-selling guitar pedals of 2023 By Matt Parker published 12 December 23 From an orange classic to Josh Scott’s fake-it-til-they-make-it hit, here are the stompboxes that shifted over the last year
“A harmonious blend of vintage tones, contemporary technology and sonic possibilities”: Stone Deaf FX redefines octave fuzz pedals for a new generation with the Rise & Shine By Phil Weller published 12 December 23 Featuring an innovative new Octapulse tremolo/vibrato feature – which is customizable for endless subdivisions and momentary capabilities – the Rise & Shine marks the UK firm's return to the digitally controlled analog pedal market
“Even John Paul Jones, Geddy Lee, Sting, and Steve Harris dig this guy”: Cordell Crockett of Ugly Kid Joe reels off 5 albums that shaped his sound By Joel McIver published 12 December 23 Ugly Kid Joe’s long-term bassist reflects on Sgt. Pepper, and why Michael Anthony had the “hardest gig” supporting Eddie Van Halen
“Bass players can solo through changes just like a horn player or a guitarist”: Watch Nathan East raise the bar as a soloist on Al Jarreau’s Our Love By Chris Jisi published 12 December 23 Recorded live at Wembley Arena, Nathan East’s melodic 16-bar solo was played on a Yamaha BB3000 5-string
