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Berry Oakley onstage with the Allman Brothers Band.

Berry Oakley set the template for the Allman Brothers Band with a modified ’72 Jazz, known as ‘The Tractor’

By Nick Wells published

Oakley added a Hagstrom Bi-Sonic pickup to his 1972 Jazz Bass, giving him a total of three pickups and five control knobs

Chris Wolstenholme of Muse performs during the 2017 Lollapalooza Day One at Grant Park on August 3, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois.

“Somebody said, ‘Why don't you try slap bass?’” Chris Wolstenholme switched up his tone and technique on Muse’s The Resistance

By Nick Wells published

Monstrous tones (and a massive signal chain) are just part of Chris Wolstenholme’s bass evolution with Muse

John Lennon 1970 Plastic Ono on "Top Of The Pops" & The Plastic U.F.Ono Band: Jim Keltner, Gordon Edwards, Rick Marotta, Yoko Ono, David Spinozza, Sneaky Pete Kleinow and Kenny Asher.San Diego, CA, 17 Sep 1973

Session bassist Gordon Edwards laid it down on this classic John Lennon ballad

By Nick Wells published

A close connection with John Lennon's musical arranger put Gordon Edwards in the studio for 1973’s Mind Games

Larry Graham performs at Billboard Live on May 5, 2014 in Tokyo, Japan.

Larry Graham explains how his unorthodox six-string style invented slap bass

By Nick Wells published

How the father of slap bass drove the world’s grooviest band

(from left) Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker, and Eric Clapton perform onstage at Madison Square Garden in New York City on November 2, 1968

Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker recount the wild story of Cream, rock's pioneering power trio

By John McDermott published

Cream changed rock forever, but within less than three years, internal and external tensions pulled them apart. This is their story, as told from within

Richard Bona performs on stage with a five string bass circa 2000.

How Richard Bona found a rare Pastorius tune for his Brazilian-inspired solo album

By Nick Wells published

Bass worshippers will need to listen between the layers to catch the bottom-end brilliance of Bona’s Jaco tribute

Jane's Addiction bassist Eric Avery performs at The Pearl concert theater at the Palms Casino Resort May 18, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The band, touring with all four original members for the first time since 1991, released the four-disc box set, "A Cabinet of Curiosities" in April.

“Flea said I might get the gig”: Jane’s Addiction bassist Eric Avery recalls his 2003 audition for Metallica

By Brian Fox published

After surviving Jane’s Addiction and touring with Alanis Morissette, Eric Avery was granted an audition with metal giants Metallica

Geezer Butler, ofBlack Sabbath performs at Ozzfest 2016 at San Manuel Amphitheater on September 24, 2016 in Los Angeles, California.

Geezer Butler names his favorite bassist of all time

By Joel McIver published

His basslines with Black Sabbath are iconic, but Geezer Butler’s still a fan with his own four-string idols

Bassist-singer John Wetton and drummer Bill Bruford perform with King Crimson in New York, 1974.

John Wetton has been the bass force behind a peak-period King Crimson lineup and two prog rock supergroups

By Chris Jisi published

A veteran of one of King Crimson’s classic lineups, John Wetton’s amazing career took him through a host of British prog bands

Glenn Hughes and Joe Bonamassa of Black Country Communion performs on stage at O2 Academy on July 26, 2011 in Leeds, United Kingdom.

How Glenn Hughes brought his low-end expertise into the spotlight with Joe Bonamassa and Black Country Communion

By Brian Fox published

The ageless rock veteran with Deep Purple and Black Sabbath recorded his most bass-intensive disc alongside guitarist Joe Bonamassa

Keith Richards and Darryl Jones of The Rolling Stones perform during the Festival D'ete De Quebec on July 15, 2015 in Quebec City, Canada.

Darryl Jones on his journey to The Rolling Stones – from Miles Davis to Sting, Herbie Hancock to Peter Gabriel, and Madonna

By Chris Jisi published

The Rolling Stones bassist is a force of nature, with a stage and session career second to none

Tom Hamilton plays bass onstage with Steven Tyler

Tom Hamilton reflects on Aerosmith’s past challenges – and why they still have a future

By Andrew Daly published

Still finding inspiration, he explains how close the band came to missing out on Sweet Emotion, his near-grudge over Janie’s Got a Gun, why he was glad Joe Perry quit and the development of his video screen bass

Ryan Martinie of Mudvayne performs on a stop of the Freaks on Parade tour at Michelob ULTRA Arena on August 13, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

How Ryan Martinie redefined metal bass playing for a new generation with Mudvayne

By Chris Jisi published

Ryan Martinie stepped out as a 21st-century bass hero on Mudvayne’s The End of All Things to Come

Bassist/singer Sting of the Police performs at The Agora Ballroom on April 27, 1979 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Fretted, fretless, double bass, eight-string – Sting is unstoppable on bass. Here’s how he developed his style

By Nick Wells published

Songwriter, actor, author, activist, rock star, jazz freak... Gordon 'Sting’ Sumner is quite the renaissance man. Oh, and he played bass in The Police…

Bassist Willie Weeks rehearses for the "Lean On Him- A Tribute To Bill Withers" show on September 30, 2015 in New York City.

How Willie Weeks' unbelievable solo on Donny Hathaway's 1972 Live album made him a bass legend

By Chris Jisi published

After being introduced as “the baddest bass player in the country,” Willie Weeks kicked off his now iconic solo

Chase Bliss discontinued pedals

Why Chase Bliss has been forced to discontinue 5 of its finest pedals – and what it means for the firm going forward

By Matt Owen published

The forward-thinking effects specialist ran afoul of UK and EU legislation by using one particular component in five of its most popular pedals

Neural DSP TINA

How Neural DSP changed the digital guitar gear game with the help of a robot called TINA

By Matt Owen published

Since its inception, Neural DSP has innovated a new approach to amp modeling and produced a game-changing multi-effects floorboard in record time – they explain how TINA has helped them do it

The Beatles perform 'Rain' and 'Paperback Writer' on BBC TV show 'Top Of The Pops' in London on 16th June 1966. Left to right: John Lennon (1940-1980), Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison

Did Paul McCartney fumble a note on this classic Beatles bassline?

By Nick Wells published

Recorded at Abbey Road Studios on October 16th, 1965, see if you can hear the bass glitch where McCartney “breaks” the main riff

Blu DeTiger Limited Edition Blu DeTiger x Player Plus Jazz Bass

Viral bass hero Blu DeTiger just gave the Fender Jazz Bass a radical revamp – but she started on a Gretsch she left in a taxi

By Nick Wells published

We talk to the bassist with 1.4 million fans on TikTok about how DJing influenced her bass playing, and sending her new signature Jazz Bass to Flea

Photo of Lou REED; 24-05-2003/LOU REED/CARRE/AMSTERDAM. JANUARY 01: ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL Photo of Herbie FLOWERS

“David Bowie didn’t even show up”: Herbie Flowers on the making of Lou Reed’s Walk On the Wild Side

By Nick Wells published

Having recorded over 20,000 sessions for the likes of David Bowie, Dusty Springfield, T.Rex, Paul McCartney and Elton John, Brian ‘Herbie’ Flowers was not your average bassist