“Red-blooded overdrive without shaking the foundations”: Is Ashdown's upgraded CTM-15 desktop bass amp the ultimate recording rig for tube fans? By Nick Wells published 21 September 23 A “low-wattage powerhouse,” the Ashdown CTM-15 now features a built-in load and headphone output
The ultimate all-in-one guitar and vocal rig? HeadRush continues its assault on the modeling market with amp-cloning, Auto-Tune-loaded Core FX processor By Matt Owen published 20 September 23 Streamlined version of the brand's feature-packed Prime amp modeler and multi-FX unit might just have Line 6 and Neural DSP looking over their shoulder
“Gene Simmons is breaking ground again”: Gibson unveils second signature bass guitar for the Kiss icon – and it’s the brand’s first 30.5” scale custom shop model By Matt Owen published 20 September 23 Following Simmons' G² Thunderbird model from last year, the limited-edition EB-0 is based on the bassist's heavily modded '59 example, which he used throughout the 1970s
“A harmonious chord between tradition and evolution”: Fender debuts the Vintera II Series – bringing back the Bass VI, a Nirvana-inspired Mustang and a wealth of vintage-spec’d models By Matt Owen published 19 September 23 A Nocaster and Kurt Cobain-esque Competition Mustang line up alongside a new suite of Strats, Teles, Jazzmasters and Jags, all of which aim to give modern players access to Golden Era guitars – complete with the return of rosewood fretboards
“The bass world has lost a giant”: Dave Roe, the all-rounder who played with Johnny Cash, has died aged 71 By Nick Wells published 19 September 23 As the last member of the Tennessee Three, Dave Roe defined the groove of Nashville's country music scene
“David united us in a truly special way. I am sure he would have loved this album”: David Bowie’s key collaborators have formed a new band – hear KillerStar's debut single By Matt Owen published 15 September 23 With Earl Slick on guitar and Gail Ann Dorsey on bass, KillerStar unites figures from across Ziggy Stardust's career. But as the band explains, this project is “something altogether new and exciting”
“The perfect blend of tradition and innovation”: Fender releases all-new Suona Collection of Thinline Stratocaster, Telecaster and Jazz Bass models By Matt Owen published 14 September 23 The elegant limited-edition instruments arrive with Violin Burst finishes, color-matched headstocks and an Eric Johnson flair thanks to the semi-hollow construction
Is this the world’s most expensive guitar string? An Epiphone string Paul McCartney used to record the Beatles’ Rubber Soul is expected to fetch over $5,000 at auction By Jonathan Horsley published 14 September 23 We often talk about the over-heated vintage guitar market, but the madness has come for secondhand strings now Macca’s is headed to the auction block
Boss releases its first noise suppressor pedal since 1987 – and it’s not just for high-gain metal and djent By Jonathan Horsley published 14 September 23 The NS-1X uses Multi-Dimensional Processing to kill noise without killing dynamics, and has a trio of modes to suit your style
Joe Bonamassa brings out his legendary Bolin ‘Burst to tear through Deep Purple classics with Glenn Hughes and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith By Jonathan Horsley published 11 September 23 Fan-shot footage captures Bonamassa joining the Voice of Rock for an epic jam on Mistreated, with Smith’s rhythm powering them all through Burn and Highway Star
Richard Davis, legendary jazz bassist who worked with everyone from Van Morrison to Charles Mingus, dies at 93 By Nick Wells published 8 September 23 He recorded with the likes of Bruce Springsteen and Paul Simon, but it was Davis’ bass playing on Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks that was described as “the greatest bass ever heard on a rock album”
“115 effects and tools to ignite your imagination and shape your sound”: Native Instruments updates its flagship amp and effects plugin with Guitar Rig Pro 7 By Jonathan Horsley published 7 September 23 There are four new amps, five new pedals, an all-new loop station, and a heap of rackmounted hardware tools for shaping your sound
One of the most famous names on a bass guitar pickup, electronics expert, Bill Bartolini, has died aged 84 By Nick Wells published 5 September 23 Gary Willis, Michael Manring, Lee Sklar, and many more pay tribute to Bill Bartolini
“Someone somewhere knows what happened to this bass and where it is now”: The Lost Bass Project aims to reunite Paul McCartney with his missing Höfner 500/1 violin bass By Matt Parker published 5 September 23 The organizers, including GW contributor and Höfner expert Nick Wass, say they have already received hundreds of emails about the iconic instrument
Metallica just launched the world’s first-ever guitar-shaped ice cream bar By Michael Astley-Brown published 4 September 23 Based on James Hetfield’s ESP Truckster, the Enlightened x Metallica vanilla dark chocolate bars will raise money for the metal icons’ All Within My Hands foundation
IK Multimedia iRig HD X’s new control layout looks very familiar… So how will it stack up next to the other one-knob wonders of the guitar interface market? By Matt Parker published 31 August 23 The latest version of the company’s flagship guitar interface features a simplified control layout
“Guitars were no longer the priority”: Fender had $100 million worth of retail sales canceled in 2022 By Matt Parker published 29 August 23 The guitar giant’s CFO Matt Janopaul says the figure equates to roughly 600,000 guitars and 200,000 amps
The Cure’s Simon Gallup has been gigging with 2 gnarly new-look bass guitars – and now Schecter has released them as his latest signature models By Matt Owen published 16 August 23 A cosmetically updated Ultra Spitfire and a new semi-hollow stunner dubbed the Corsair have been unveiled
“It's not a replica or a clone. It’s the actual thing”: JHS Pedals revives influential gear brand Ross Electronics – and recruits John Mayer, Brian Wampler and Robert Keeley for new documentary By Matt Owen published 16 August 23 A 30-minute film has been released to chart the history and revival of the cult classic company, which is back with five new stompboxes
“A traditional bass player might find it a bit bizarre”: Fender and Royal Blood’s Mike Kerr team up for a signature Jaguar Bass – is this the secret sauce to his heralded tone? By Matt Owen published 15 August 23 The bold short-scale four-string comes loaded with custom pickups that – combined with a spot of pitch-shifting – could be the key to unlocking Kerr's coveted guitar-esque sounds