<![CDATA[ Latest from Guitar World in Bass-guitars ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/guitars/bass-guitars Sat, 11 Apr 2026 06:00:00 +0000 en <![CDATA[ “I’m a heavy hitter, so I had to calm down my attack. In the studio we nicknamed it ‘self-compressing’”: How fretless bass master Steve DiGiorgio embraced frets on Testament’s 2016 metal masterstroke ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/steve-digiorgio-testament-brotherhood-of-the-snake aDwpRF7WsJSFfoj4iXUgre Sat, 11 Apr 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Thu, 16 Apr 2026 11:42:44 +0000 <![CDATA[ “It felt like the worst moment of my life. I walked up to the truck, saw the padlock on the ground, and my heart sank”: The moment Wings’ former sound engineer had to tell Paul McCartney his priceless Höfner bass guitar had been stolen ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/ian-horne-on-the-theft-of-paul-mccartneys-hofner-bass xu5b8n2gKZ8zqpWwPhGoLN Wed, 08 Apr 2026 15:11:36 +0000 Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:23:04 +0000 <![CDATA[ Gibson brings back the Thunderbird bass beloved by Krist Novoselic and Gene Simmons – and it’s been given some fresh upgrades ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/gibson-thunderbird-bass-2026 M9iRW4z5J2xHxFJ5QJjox8 Wed, 25 Mar 2026 13:26:01 +0000 <![CDATA[ “We were still gluing the fur on the tuning keys when the FedEx driver showed up”: Paul McCartney, Fleetwood Mac and ZZ Top basses top the biggest four-string sales at historic Jim Irsay auction ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/jim-irsay-auction-2026-bass-guitars 3XDuER5KThuRS7EtyukHm7 Mon, 16 Mar 2026 14:55:36 +0000 Wed, 18 Mar 2026 16:09:10 +0000 <![CDATA[ “An evocative track reflecting the social and political unrest of Britain”: The Specials’ Ghost Town bass fetches thousands at auction – having been bought for just £200 ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/the-specials-ghost-town-bass-sells-at-auction 83MsQWtfoKkAzageSkX2xY Fri, 13 Mar 2026 13:41:09 +0000 <![CDATA[ “It’s about time this unsung guitar great received the recognition he deserves”: All the guitar gear that has caught my eye this week – including a firm-first from my favorite pedal brand ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/guitar-gear-round-up-2026-feb-28 ZAQH9robkuzYrvai4K7xff Sat, 28 Feb 2026 11:20:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ “It was like, ‘Congratulations, you just bought Leo Fender’s company. Now you gotta learn how to make guitars’”: The origins of Ernie Ball Music Man – and how it all started with a bass ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/ernie-ball-music-man-50th-anniversary-stingray-bass URk4joV2eJW5tesLaL9w7F Fri, 27 Feb 2026 15:44:57 +0000 <![CDATA[ “A historically significant instrument directly tied to the evolution of modern funk”: The bass Bootsy Collins used to record a James Brown anthem has been listed on eBay ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/bootsy-collins-fender-jazz-bass-ebay-auction tzwvT2S63gKuNN3GNARG8S Tue, 24 Feb 2026 17:05:59 +0000 <![CDATA[ “This is a bass guitar that’s going to stir up quite a lot of interest among fans and collectors”: The bass used to record The Specials' gloomy political anthem, Ghost Town, is headed to auction ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/the-specials-ghost-town-bass-auction c9ViFiXJhz9XkmtWhp5bUh Fri, 20 Feb 2026 15:49:12 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Set your preconceptions of the band and brand aside – this is a very capable bass”: Epiphone Mike Dirnt Grabber G-3 review ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/epiphone-mike-dirnt-grabber-g-3-review N8vYHPXoWeGki4Wdk9XazA Mon, 09 Feb 2026 18:42:54 +0000 Tue, 10 Feb 2026 09:28:21 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Honors Cliff Burton’s groundbreaking tone and legacy”: Aria marks 40 years since Metallica bassist Cliff Burton's passing by reissuing his posthumous signature bass ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/aria-cliff-burton-bass-reissue 3zySub7BCWjYGkhmsG8RG4 Wed, 21 Jan 2026 16:03:16 +0000 Wed, 21 Jan 2026 16:12:02 +0000 <![CDATA[ "A well-chosen feature set that really elevates it above similarly priced short-scales”: CortGB-Short Scale Bass review ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/cort-gb-short-scale-bass-review 3MuZpRoH3MUSgWDt4TghZd Sat, 10 Jan 2026 15:00:00 +0000 Wed, 14 Jan 2026 11:09:30 +0000 <![CDATA[ "Hits the sweet spot of Fender’s heritage, sound, practicality and price": Fender American Professional Classic Precision Bass review ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/fender-american-professional-classic-precision-bass-review VzPnzW9CnFFNDLGnLiRQ53 Tue, 06 Jan 2026 18:47:31 +0000 Wed, 14 Jan 2026 11:07:51 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I bought my first Höfner bass in the ’60s. I have loved it ever since”: Paul McCartney pays tribute to Höfner as the legendary German brand’s future hangs in the balance ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/guitars/paul-mccartney-reacts-to-hofner-financial-troubles BxAWtn6JzRipqsLP7R2mJn Fri, 19 Dec 2025 12:20:02 +0000 Fri, 19 Dec 2025 17:03:54 +0000 <![CDATA[ Höfner, the famed instrument maker behind Paul McCartney’s iconic Violin Bass, reportedly files for bankruptcy ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/hofner-files-for-bankruptcy fFzWsHiaYkfeRhM8xG7Rnd Thu, 18 Dec 2025 13:14:40 +0000 <![CDATA[ “He broke my heart, but at the same time, I was like, ‘Okay, well, I would love to have a Fender Jazz Bass’”: Bootsy Collins' first Fender Jazz Bass has just been sold at auction – and shot past its estimate ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/bootsy-collins-first-fender-jazz-bass-shoots-past-its-estimate-at-auction kiHwZWZpBMHMPzCh29w2mQ Mon, 08 Dec 2025 13:42:59 +0000 <![CDATA[ “James Brown told me, ‘Son, you can’t come on my stage with that funny-looking thing!’” When a young Bootsy Collins joined James Brown’s band, the Godfather of Funk bought him a Fender Jazz Bass. Now it’s up for auction ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/james-brown-and-bootsy-collins-1969-fender-jazz-bass-auction qocwT6RSBxgaFQ3nNTHTNX Thu, 27 Nov 2025 16:35:52 +0000 Thu, 27 Nov 2025 16:36:46 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Thank goodness it wasn’t painted”: John Entwistle’s Warwick bass triples in value after analysis reveals links to another rock great ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/john-entwistles-john-deacon-warwick-buzzard-auction jagDY7uedu3k24yHbyZro3 Mon, 24 Nov 2025 15:54:22 +0000 Tue, 25 Nov 2025 10:22:06 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I looked at the bass, Billie looked at me, and I picked it up. I thought, ‘Did I just become a bass player?’” Green Day’s Mike Dirnt looks back on his early bass days – as Epiphone launches signature version of his cult classic Grabber G-3 ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/epiphone-mike-dirnt-g-3-signature-grabber EpHY3j3vgcqywKm8UtcBFG Tue, 18 Nov 2025 16:53:19 +0000 Wed, 26 Nov 2025 13:12:30 +0000 <![CDATA[ “It absolutely nails the sounds of the ‘60s when palm muted and picked”: Gretsch Electromatic CVT Bass Double-cut review ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/bass-guitars/gretsch-electromatic-cvt-bass-double-cut-review mjyYVLGBCgb7e85a4WCGe7 Wed, 12 Nov 2025 15:28:35 +0000 Tue, 18 Nov 2025 16:44:55 +0000 <![CDATA[ “This is the bass I’ve wanted to make for years”: Sterling by Music Man releases signature bass with two dummy knobs that do absolutely nothing for MxPx bassist Mike Herrera ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/sterling-by-music-man-mike-herrera-artist-series-stingray-bass RNvwQz7UkGuMQs6mZZgmz9 Mon, 10 Nov 2025 17:34:48 +0000 Mon, 17 Nov 2025 11:53:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ “My only regret is that I don’t get to play them all as often as I would like”: U2’s Adam Clayton is auctioning off a score of bass guitars that have shaped the band’s sound over the years ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/adam-clayton-u2-juliens-auctions-2025 npUWpui28pkZ8KmfgGUTAa Mon, 27 Oct 2025 17:03:16 +0000 Wed, 05 Nov 2025 12:25:09 +0000 <![CDATA[ “The guy in the support band was playing a Jazz Bass. We agreed to swap instruments… That guy was Ian Hunter who went on to form Mott the Hoople”: Leo Lyons on the bass that appeared at Woodstock, has been played by Hendrix, and is on three UFO classics ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/leo-lyons-1962-fender-jazz-bass gjnTpCqjEhz2z7qfzs8s8Z Sat, 27 Sep 2025 09:20:00 +0000 Wed, 15 Oct 2025 15:39:50 +0000 <![CDATA[ “It evokes a cool old Jazz Bass that's picked up some useful mods over its life”: Squier Classic Vibe Active ’70s Jazz Bass review ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/squier-classic-vibe-active-70s-jazz-bass-review jy8GXUNZ43JALSLhJPqFYH Thu, 04 Sep 2025 17:49:34 +0000 Tue, 18 Nov 2025 16:44:33 +0000 <![CDATA[ “It might not be to all tastes, but its retro charm and sonic potential are compelling indeed”: Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster Bass review ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/squier-classic-vibe-telecaster-bass-review HYzzRjyhpsUeReEWQDnsNY Thu, 28 Aug 2025 16:55:05 +0000 Tue, 18 Nov 2025 16:44:43 +0000 <![CDATA[ “It weaves together wild features into something that could’ve been a producer’s secret weapon in the early 1970s”: Acclaimed producer Adrian Younge’s new semi-fretless signature Fender is perhaps the craziest Jazz Bass the company's ever released ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/fender-adrian-younge-jazz-bass 9KJ9oReNEHRFnYxn9TQ63F Tue, 26 Aug 2025 17:12:13 +0000 Wed, 03 Sep 2025 11:18:02 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I said to my tour manager, ‘I need 350 bucks,’ which he wasn’t happy about. That bass changed my career”: In 1981, Pino Palladino bought a fretless StingRay that altered the course of his musical life – now it’s been recreated as a signature model ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/ernie-ball-music-man-pino-palladino-stingray-signature nkrZ6DzqzpPXWgjKiTefp6 Thu, 10 Jul 2025 15:09:24 +0000 Tue, 15 Jul 2025 15:15:57 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Could this bass convert players to fanned frets?”: Dingwall SP1 review ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/dingwall-sp1-review rPpeeVXzVsYKt9pf5LQALT Fri, 20 Jun 2025 21:11:14 +0000 Tue, 18 Nov 2025 16:45:07 +0000 <![CDATA[ “This bass has plenty of cutting power, and it's versatile enough to handle just about any gig”: Cort GB-Fusion 4 review ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/cort-gb-fusion-4-review tesYXpzBRjrGorZxsFNQSC Fri, 16 May 2025 18:54:31 +0000 Tue, 18 Nov 2025 16:45:21 +0000 <![CDATA[ I bought the cheapest bass Fender makes from Amazon and it genuinely surprised me: Squier Debut Series Precision Bass review ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/squier-debut-series-precision-bass-review 48FNeANKmfRfJdXQKeK2gD Wed, 07 May 2025 18:52:17 +0000 Tue, 13 May 2025 14:19:53 +0000 <![CDATA[ “We had accidentally stored the bass in Seattle and paid $2,500 in rental fees!” 32 years ago, Jeff Ament rented a ’61 Jazz Bass from Norman's Rare Guitars to record Pearl Jam’s iconic Vs. record – and now he’s been reunited with it ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/jeff-ament-reunited-with-1961-fender-jazz-bass-pearl-jam-vs JBJnTVWnKbhrhhLbpanGQR Thu, 01 May 2025 14:43:57 +0000 Wed, 07 May 2025 10:43:29 +0000 <![CDATA[ “An esoteric boutique vibe, superb ergonomics and a powerful, unique preamp – Tobias is back”: Tobias Growler IV review ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/tobias-growler-iv-review yUs3yrLjyogJKeRhjoMS8C Mon, 14 Apr 2025 17:48:19 +0000 Tue, 22 Apr 2025 14:21:46 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Affordable versions of the three best basses I've ever held in my hands”: Sterling by Music Man completes its trilogy of Joe Dart signature models with a trio of made-to-order basses that cost less than $500 ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/sterling-by-music-man-joe-dart-bass-trilogy SnpJze3tEPfycthVRHNyGL Tue, 01 Apr 2025 18:00:10 +0000 Mon, 07 Apr 2025 15:32:52 +0000 <![CDATA[ “The ace up the sleeve of bass players around the globe since 1978”: Tobias instruments were trailblazers in the bass world. Now they’re back as part of the Gibson family ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/gibson-tobias-bass-guitars-2025 WJWSLDGx3faGLEp5JwZPmC Wed, 26 Mar 2025 14:13:48 +0000 Mon, 31 Mar 2025 09:24:36 +0000 <![CDATA[ “We’ve only changed the strings one time”: Travis Barker reveals the bass he uses on everything he records ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/travis-barker-studio-tour-star-bass q7PnXCsgc8HZGfc9gKRiY4 Tue, 25 Mar 2025 17:44:31 +0000 Mon, 31 Mar 2025 09:25:57 +0000 <![CDATA[ “It sounds great, bridges the gap between guitar and bass-playing very nicely, and does so with heaps of character”: Shergold Telstar Standard Bass SBT14 review ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/shergold-telstar-standard-bass-review RvS86W9hRDGmFCEcvoTfpZ Tue, 11 Mar 2025 21:59:24 +0000 Tue, 18 Nov 2025 16:45:36 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Any bass guitar for under $250 with this sort of pedigree…how can you go wrong?” Sterling By Music Man Intro Series StingRay Ray2 review ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/sterling-by-music-man-intro-series-stingray-ray2-review 7SFy9c8X4xAzSAPYK3dFW7 Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:00:00 +0000 Tue, 25 Feb 2025 15:58:52 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Technically, it’s for sale – I’ve priced it at a point where I hope nobody will ever buy it because I know I’ll never see another”: Why the 1960s Fender Bass VI is a tone machine that (almost) defies categorization ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/fender-bass-vi-60s-shoreline-gold FraWgsTTyy8fK9J2YnaKe7 Thu, 13 Feb 2025 10:42:42 +0000 Fri, 21 Mar 2025 15:18:21 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Used for the Cream reunion shows, arguably one of the biggest rock reunion performances of all time”: Jack Bruce’s Gibson EB-1 is going up for a one-time-only public display ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/jack-bruce-eb-1-bass-gibson-garage-london xedJpnTywSSsPSUC2JiBr4 Fri, 07 Feb 2025 16:19:06 +0000 Thu, 13 Feb 2025 12:19:12 +0000 <![CDATA[ “This bridge is a work of art”: Tim Commerford’s new Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay is a love letter to the pawnshop bass that shaped the first Rage record – and it’s uniquely primed for his playing style ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/tim-commerford-signature-ernie-ball-music-man-sting-ray oLdpn2HbHkGfBmECUScSiV Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:22:27 +0000 Thu, 02 Jan 2025 11:19:05 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Blends Shergold’s rich bass heritage with contemporary appeal”: Shergold’s new Telstar Bass repackages one of the firm’s best electric designs of recent years into a low-end format ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/shergold-telstar-and-libertine D4mXHyde9CPE2LsWVsYHqY Fri, 13 Dec 2024 17:30:10 +0000 Tue, 24 Dec 2024 08:53:49 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Gene Simmons used a Grabber for a reason – because they play like nothing else on earth”: Epiphone Grabber Bass review ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/epiphone-grabber-bass-review UjhZ4cyfe697AdPXjSxchU Wed, 04 Dec 2024 13:18:39 +0000 Mon, 09 Dec 2024 10:56:03 +0000 <![CDATA[ Learn bass for less with beginner basses from Squier, Yamaha and Music Man hitting the low-end on price for Black Friday ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/-black-friday-bass-round-up Yodbd368VRfWbvZKnH7sVj Sat, 30 Nov 2024 12:57:07 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Fender always presented these options in a very low-key way – it was added in very small print in the corner of one page”: Meet the vintage Jazz Bass that's a true Fender unicorn ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/1965-fender-jazz-bass-with-a-maple-capped-fingerboard FQoS2JhsjWye2fpcphUsqi Wed, 27 Nov 2024 10:44:40 +0000 Fri, 21 Mar 2025 15:18:58 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Unprecedented customization”: Brubaker merges headless guitar hype with modern modular designs for the NBS Series – which offers switchable high-end preamps ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/brubaker-nbs-series-bass jD7VpxVriRsJeTjetmNuyn Mon, 11 Nov 2024 12:37:15 +0000 Mon, 09 Dec 2024 16:50:31 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Designed to handle virtually any style of music you throw at it”: How Ibanez pioneered the high-performance workhorse bass guitar with the SR series – and made low-end more accessible than ever before ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/designed-to-handle-virtually-any-style-of-music-you-throw-at-it-how-ibanez-pioneered-the-high-performance-workhorse-bass-guitar-with-the-sr-series-and-made-low-end-more-accessible-than-ever-before uFJxqf3ju4UbfifmJh79AU Wed, 06 Nov 2024 09:56:35 +0000 Fri, 06 Dec 2024 16:56:38 +0000 <![CDATA[ Best bass guitar picks: our pick of perfect plectrums for bass players ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/best-bass-guitar-picks 9uUzgRyv7QVnCPtXcNbmQY Sun, 03 Nov 2024 13:14:07 +0000 Thu, 22 Jan 2026 14:03:39 +0000 <![CDATA[ “In terms of sheer value for money, it’s hard to beat”: Sterling by Music Man Joe Dart Artist Series Bass review ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/bass-guitars/sterling-by-music-man-joe-dart-artist-series-bass-review yZgJaA2Bc2NnT5tHaVNKcU Fri, 25 Oct 2024 09:19:46 +0000 Mon, 28 Oct 2024 10:49:17 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Players have been requesting a reissue of this model for decades”: Epiphone has brought back its quirky cult classic 1970s Grabber bass beloved by Gene Simmons, Krist Novoselic and Mike Dirnt ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/news/epiphone-grabber-2024 fmziyjSxFVCKvWjTKjNFnN Thu, 26 Sep 2024 14:24:05 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Here to make bold statements”: Harley Benton brings an elusive Gibson-inspired finish back for the masses in latest sub-$350 335-a-like – which is joined by an equally affordable semi-hollow bass ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/news/harley-benton-olive-drab-hb-35plus-tremolo VkyoAwXgx7HejiuyqcFbU6 Thu, 19 Sep 2024 17:29:51 +0000 Fri, 21 Mar 2025 15:20:55 +0000