Fender revives divisive Antigua finish for limited-edition Squier ’70s Classic Vibe models By Matt Parker published 16 April 24 The once-derided Antigua Burst is back for a limited run and is now available for preorder in the US
Flea regrets his bass-smashing antics in Red Hot Chili Peppers’ earlier years By Phil Weller published 15 April 24 The energetic bassist took to social media to voice his regret of destroying his instruments in the ‘90s and ‘00s
The XO pedal splits the highs and lows of instrumental signals for unique tone exploring By Phil Weller published 15 April 24 The deceptively versatile pedal splits your high and low frequencies for some crazy effects stacking possibilities – and for bassists, it means “no guitar pedal is off limits anymore”
Why Klaus Voormann’s bassline on John Lennon’s Whatever Gets You Thru The Night is a must-listen By Chris Jisi published 14 April 24 The German musician and artist was John Lennon's bass guitarist of choice for two decades
Listen to John Deacon’s isolated bassline on Killer Queen By Chris Jisi published 13 April 24 John Deacon’s bass playing on Killer Queen is guaranteed to blow your mind
Ex-Smashing Pumpkins bassist Ginger Pooley will join Garbage on upcoming tour By Janelle Borg published 12 April 24 Garbage will be the latest A-list artist on Pooley’s resume, after stints with The Smashing Pumpkins and Gwen Stefani
Bad Religion’s Jay Bentley on his bass-playing influences and the “best sounding P-Bass he’s ever heard” By Jonathan Herrera published 12 April 24 Vomit and blood may be punk rock, but it’s not what you might expect from longtime Bad Religion bassist Jay Bentley
George Murray almost missed the call to join David Bowie's band because he had a bus to catch By Matt Owen published 11 April 24 The D.A.M. Trio recorded and performed extensively with Bowie across the '70s, but the revered rhythm section could have looked very different had Murray caught his bus
Verdine White picks his top 5 Earth, Wind & Fire basslines By Nick Wells published 11 April 24 Earth, Wind and Fire’s pocket-perfect bassist names his best basslines
“Playing at the Super Bowl is the easy part. It’s the musical director responsibilities leading up that’s stressful”: Adam Blackstone heads up the biggest gigs on the planet – now with a 5-string Jackson bass named after his grandmother By Amit Sharma published 10 April 24 The Emmy and Grammy winner has led the musical charge for everyone from Rihanna to Eminem and Justin Timberlake. He explains why he went for Jackson over Fender for his signature bass, what makes five strings essential to his style, and how he leads the band while laying down the groove
“I wanted him to be very successful because he seemed pretty nervous”: Original Tool bassist Paul D’Amour recalls coaching Justin Chancellor to be his replacement – and giving him an in-depth lesson in his wild pedal protocol By Matt Owen published 8 April 24 Chancellor has lined up alongside Adam Jones and co since joining the band back in 1995, but received some hands-on tutoring from his predecessor before he got started
“It was always magical playing bass with Tony Iommi. To me, he's the greatest guitarist ever”: Geezer Butler’s 10 best basslines with Black Sabbath By Nick Wells published 7 April 24 When it comes to influential metal bands, few can hold a candle to Black Sabbath. These are Geezer Butler’s 10 heaviest rock riffs
How to play bass guitar for beginners: start playing today By Nick Wells published 7 April 24 From basic finger techniques to slap bass, here’s what you need to get started on your bass guitar journey
“He already had his signature tone and touch, and a few of his signature licks, too”: A year before he was discovered, Jaco Pastorius laid down this classic R&B bassline on Little Beaver’s 1974 hit, I Can Dig It Baby By Nick Wells published 7 April 24 Recorded a year before he was discovered by Blood Sweat and Tears drummer Bobby Colomby, I Can Dig It Baby finds Jaco Pastorius in his prime
“I’d be there with bass pedals, a triple-neck guitar and keyboards, and Robert Plant would ask, ‘Can you sing, as well?’” How John Paul Jones became Led Zeppelin’s ultimate wingman By Nick Wells published 5 April 24 Armed with years of experience as a session bassist and arranger – having worked with the Yardbirds, Jeff Beck and the Rolling Stones – John Paul Jones could do it all
“Start building your dream bass”: Ernie Ball Music Man launches The Custom Design Experience – allowing players to customize every single spec of its StingRay Special bass By Phil Weller published 5 April 24 4 and 5-strings, changeable pickup configurations, neck profiles and 30 finish options. Could customizable electrics be next?
“Steve Vai is always evolving… he continues to achieve what others thought impossible, and he finds new things to try every day”: How Philip Bynoe keeps up with the world-leading virtuoso By Andrew Daly published 5 April 24 The Berklee grad on what drew him to six-string basses over fours and fives, why sometimes it’s important to compromise on tone, and modern playing techniques versus the joy of “a simple melody you can’t stop humming”
“If you can handle the fanned frets, this is a bass you’ll cherish for decades”: Dingwall John Taylor Signature review By Joel McIver published 4 April 24 After playing a custom Dingwall live with Duran Duran, John Taylor has launched his production model, loaded with a new bridge design, a Rupert Neve Design preamp to die for and a monster tonal range
“I bought a right-handed Hofner, re-strung it and learned to play like a lefty, which was a nightmare”: How The Bootleg Beatles’ Steve White became a carbon-copy Paul McCartney By Joel McIver published 4 April 24 Think you can play a bit like Sir Paul? It’s not as easy as you think, says Bootleg Beatles bassist Steve White
“Bro is a living breathing ‘Hell yeah’”: Bass player rips Cliff Burton’s iconic (Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth solo while squatting 225lbs By Phil Weller published 3 April 24 Alexander Mercieca pulled off the daring display of Metallica bass prowess while squatting for 45 seconds straight – and it looked like he didn't even break a sweat