When a fan challenged Megadeth to outpace Metallica, the band responded by cranking up the tempos
David Ellefson recalls the sliding-doors moment that would transform Megadeth into one of thrash metal’s Big Four
Latest
Lee Sklar looks back on his early sessions with James Taylor and Jackson Browne – and the beginnings of a legendary studio career
The session bass icon has gone to work with artists as varied as Billy Cobham, Lyle Lovett, Phil Collins and Toto
Fender recreates session legend Lee Sklar's iconic P-Bass – used on records by James Taylor, Phil Collins and Jackson Browne
Sklar's Precision is the definition of road- and studio-worn – now Fender has captured the distinctive modifications he made to create a wholly unique bass
How Bootsy Collins and his James Brown alumni brought the J.B.’s back to life for the Superbad soundtrack
With guitarist Lyle Workman at the helm, Bootsy Collins reunited with the J.B.’s for the 2007 Superbad soundtrack
Bassists
Teenage bassist Aria Becker on the strange realities of life in an underage band
As bassist for Canadian alt-rock band Freeze the Fall, Aria Becker knows the challenges that come with age restrictions – and why the band is finally beginning to outgrow them
When a fan challenged Megadeth to outpace Metallica, the band responded by cranking up the tempos
David Ellefson recalls the sliding-doors moment that would transform Megadeth into one of thrash metal’s Big Four
Lee Sklar looks back on his early sessions with James Taylor and Jackson Browne – and the beginnings of a legendary studio career
The session bass icon has gone to work with artists as varied as Billy Cobham, Lyle Lovett, Phil Collins and Toto
How Bootsy Collins and his James Brown alumni brought the J.B.’s back to life for the Superbad soundtrack
With guitarist Lyle Workman at the helm, Bootsy Collins reunited with the J.B.’s for the 2007 Superbad soundtrack
Bass Gear
Fender recreates session legend Lee Sklar's iconic P-Bass – used on records by James Taylor, Phil Collins and Jackson Browne
Sklar's Precision is the definition of road- and studio-worn – now Fender has captured the distinctive modifications he made to create a wholly unique bass
“Don’t play, or even look at, this bass if you’ve got a hangover”: The biggest bass guitar launches this month
From genre-defining signature basses to an unconventional take on a Fender classic, here’s the lowdown on August’s biggest new bass gear releases
How Rex Brown’s new signature bass channels his punchiest Pantera era
The metal icon explains how his labor-of-love Euro4 bass – painted to imitate a desert sunset – bottles his pummelling Far Beyond Driven period
Geezer Butler gets a limited-edition combo and Dingwall honors a modern metal great in July’s biggest bass releases
From classic heavy-metal thunder to the soulful tones of reggae, these are the bass releases putting some serious weight behind July’s gear calendar
Ernie Ball and Fender top this month's low-end releases with signature models celebrating two of the bass world’s most influential voices
John Myung’s new artist model kicks off another stacked month of bass releases, alongside an eye-catching Squier, a semi-acoustic Rickenbacker, and a raft of player-friendly upgrades
Reviews
“It’s clearly had a lot of thought put into making it as flexible and useful as possible”: Laney Digbeth DB-EAST review
Over a long, distinguished career, Nathan East has never had a signature amp. Until now…
Buying Guides
Best bass compressor pedals 2026: expert picks for the ultimate in low-end control
From studio-style levelers to stompboxes that squash, we put the market-leading compressor pedals for bass to the test
More from Bass Player
How Bootsy Collins and his James Brown alumni brought the J.B.’s back to life for the Superbad soundtrack
With guitarist Lyle Workman at the helm, Bootsy Collins reunited with the J.B.’s for the 2007 Superbad soundtrack
Las Vegas Motörhead exhibition will let play through Lemmy’s bass rig
Along with Lemmy's gear, the Punk Rock Museum exhibition will feature an extensive collection of photos from the band’s archive and handwritten lyrics
How Violet Lea went from self-taught bassist to opening for Bon Jovi
As bassist and lead singer for American rock band Madam Radar, Violet Lea’s approach is all about instinct and attitude
Tony Levin on how a Peter Gabriel session changed his trajectory – and led him to King Crimson
The bass juggernaut looks back on his session days and how a recording session in Toronto with an unfamiliar artist turned into one of the biggest chapters of his career
