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Paul McCartney performs live on stage with Wings at Ahoy on 25th March 1976 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. He plays a Rickenbacker 4001S bass guitar

“Wings are underrated. It’s difficult to follow The Beatles. It’s like following God”: How Paul McCartney quit the world's biggest band... and triumphed

By Nick Wells published 3 August 23

In 1971 Paul McCartney announced the formation of his new group Wings, who rose in a few short years from college level to an American stadium phenomenon

Meshell Ndegeocello performs during the Festival Jazz A La Villette 2011 at Cite de la Musique on September 3, 2011 in Paris, France.

“40 minutes of bass solos just ain’t going to work for me”: Meshell Ndgeocello on why she could never be as solo-orientated as Jaco Pastorius

By Nick Wells published 2 August 23

Yes, she’s an A-list bass player, but for Meshell Ndgeocello the groove comes first

Sunn’s first official drop revives amps used by Adam Jones, Kurt Cobain and Jimi Hendrix

By Matt Owen published 2 August 23

The Beta Lead and 100S are back, and they're joined by a host of bass heads, speaker cabs and monitors

Geddy Lee of Rush performs part of the bands' Time Machine Tour at Sleep Train Pavilion on June 26, 2011 in Concord, California.

“You bassists who think your bass isn’t loud enough, you’re right! I always want my bass louder in the mix”: How Geddy Lee found his sound with Rush

By Brian Fox published 1 August 23

Geddy Lee used distortion to “knit together” his live sound with Canada’s pioneering power trio

Best bass pickups 2023: Improve your bass sound with options from Fender, Aguilar, Seymour Duncan and more

By Richard Blenkinsop published 1 August 23

Step up your bottom-end game with our expert selection of pickups for upgrading your bass

“Paul was tuning his guitar at one point, and I said ‘What key is that in?’, added a bassline and that became a song”: The good luck and creative chaos behind Mr Big’s Lean In To It

By Mike Brooks published 31 July 23

The Lowlist "Like a chainsaw going through chocolate pudding”: Mr Big's Lean Into It caught an unstoppable rock band at the top of their game…

The Lowlist

Best bass guitars 2023: long and short-scale bass options for beginners to pros

By Jonathan Horsley last updated 31 July 23

Our pick of the world’s finest low-end monsters, with the best bass guitars from Fender, EBMM, Yamaha and more…

Best bass strings 2023: Get the best tone, feel and lifespan from your bass guitar with these string sets

By Jonathan Horsley last updated 31 July 23

Our expert pick of strings to bring the low-end thunder from Ernie Ball, D’Addario, Rotosound and more

“An integral part of the Eagles and instrumental in the early success of the band”: Eagles founding bassist, Randy Meisner, dies aged 77

By Matt Parker published 28 July 23

The bassist played on the LA legends’ first five studio albums, including Hotel California, and sung Take It to the Limit

One of the strangest guitar mods of all time? How Leon Wilkeson adapted his Gibson Thunderbird following the Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash in ‘77

By Nick Wells published 28 July 23

The ’63 T-Bird had a metal extension added after Wilkeson injured his left arm in the crash

Muse are selling Kempers loaded with their guitar and bass tones, plus a revered Russian Big Muff and much more

By Matt Owen published 26 July 23

Nearly 100 pieces of stage-played and studio-used gear spanning multiple tours and albums will go up for sale when the Reverb store goes live

Musician James Brown performs on stage at the Miller Rock Thru Time Celebrating 50 Years of Rock Concert at Roseland September 17, 2004 in New York City.

When TM Stevens met James Brown: “I said, ‘One day I'm going to play with you!’ He said, ‘Don't do it! Stay in school!’”

By Nick Wells published 26 July 23

TM Stevens on meeting the Godfather of Soul and the bass players that helped shape his sound

James Jamerson and Andy Taylor of Duran Duran

“That incredible musicality James Jamerson would bring to his parts – nobody wants to hear that today”: Duran Duran bass legend John Taylor on why music is becoming simpler

By Matt Parker published 26 July 23

The British bass player says pop music has lost its complexity – and he understands why

“Our best amp yet”: Darkglass introduces the limited-edition Microtubes X 900

By Nick Wells published 26 July 23

The X 900 promises power and projection without incurring the need for a back specialist into the bargain

Electro-Harmonix heralds a new era of mini pedals with its most versatile compact POG yet

By Michael Astley-Brown published 25 July 23

The Pico POG adds a new Filter section, and will be the first in a new line of Pico mini pedals

Bowie and Gail Ann Dorsey in Paris, France on September 25, 2002.

"There was something about that picture of Marilyn that resonated with how I feel when I’m trying to get something right on the bass": Why Gail Ann Dorsey named her bass after Marilyn Monroe

By Nick Wells published 25 July 23

The story behind the Bowie bassist’s iconic Music Man StingRay

Acorn Amplifiers' Guitar Pick Dispenser Pedal

A guitar pick dispenser pedal is in the works – and we really, really want one

By Matt Owen published 25 July 23

Acorn Amplifiers is seeking funding for its ingenious pedal design

Squier Sonic Mustang, Esquire, Stratocaster and Bronco Bass

Squier treats its uber-affordable Sonic range to limited-edition colors – including the Jeff Beck-pioneered Graffiti Yellow

By Matt Owen published 24 July 23

The successor to Fender's entry-level Bullet range arrived earlier this year – and now it's got some fresh new finishes

Carol Kaye plays bass guitar in a Los Angeles recording studio in the mid 1960's

“I was in my sixth year as a studio guitarist when one day the bass player didn’t show up. The producer asked me...” How Carol Kaye became a session bass icon

By Denny Ilett published 24 July 23

If you’ve ever wondered what connects Frank Zappa to Frank Sinatra, Burt Bacharach to The Beach Boys, the answer is Carol Kaye. The session legend tells the story behind her career and legendary bass recordings

"If you swing too much, it interrupts the head-banging, and that’s the last thing I wanted to do – the head-banging reigns supreme!" In praise of Living Colour's Vivid

By Mike Brooks published 23 July 23

Jagger produced them but that sound was all theirs. Inside Living Colour's late 80s classic debut

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