Table of contents for September 2020 in Bass Player

There’s no doubt that the term ‘handmade’ has some romanticism surrounding it, especially among us musicians. Put the word under the microscope, however; what does it really mean for a bass to be truly handmade in 2020, and does it make much of a difference? We put the question to the veteran luthier and founder of his own bass company, Rob Allen, who is more than happy to share his angle on the subject with us. “I’m glad you asked—this is a favorite topic of mine!” chuckles Allen. “To me, a handmade instrument is one that is made or overseen by a career instrument-maker. The most important factor is selecting and combining the right woods, and then the fine details of sanding, finish and assembly. The judgement that comes with…

MARIE TORNETTO SHARP VIOLET What was your way into bass? I always wanted to play with a band, but was very intimidated to try. I started out with the intention of becoming a guitarist but never gained any traction in my playing. Just as I was about to give up, I tried out the bass and everything just clicked. I felt an immediate connection with the instrument, and haven’t put it down since. My first love was a Fender Jazz, which I still use to this day. What bass gear do you currently use? My basses are a Fender Jaguar with a short scale and my Jazz bass. For effects, I use a Darkglass Microtubes B7K Ultra, a Boss Digital Delay DD-5, a Boss Compression Sustainer CS-3, an MXR Bass…

Mayones wwww.mayones.com $2,500 [Approx] Mayones basses have come a long way since we first encountered them in the mid-2000s. Compared against the brand’s other body shapes and price points, this classic-looking Jazz variant looks pretty simple—but if it does the job, why do you need any bells and whistles? Let’s take a closer look. Build Quality Vintage white with a three-ply tortoiseshell scratchplate is always a winning combination—and combined with the chrome hardware, many a bassist would be excused for drooling at the sight of the Jabba. Like its namesake in Star Wars, the bass has rounded body curves; these reduce the extremes of the legendary offset body-style, and with sensible contouring front and back, extensive cutaways, and a pleasingly-contoured neck-heel, the playing experience is very much to the player’s…

Price | $540 Made In | Indonesia Color | Dark sunburst, gloss finish Body | Okoume with quilted maple top Neck | Maple, 34” scale, gloss finish Neck Joint | Bolt-on, four-bolt attachment Nut Width | 45mm Fingerboard | Maple Frets | 21 Pickups | 2 x Alan Entwistle Neobass-5 Neodymium humbuckers Electronics | Passive Controls | Volume, volume, tone, tone Hardware | Chrome hardware, standard bridge, open-gear elephant ear machine heads Weight | 9.92 lbs Case/gig bag included | No Left-hand option available | No WHAT WE THINK Plus | Playable, decent passive tones, amazing price Minus | Did we mention that it’s heavy? Overall | Impressive value for money, and a fine bass to boot BP RATING…

Peavey https://peavey.com/MAX-Series $699.99 Times change, but the humble bass combo is still a worthy piece of gear for many players, fulfilling our most important requirements—portability, affordability, power, and quality of sound. Peavey combos have been a reliable workhorse for our community for decades; in fact, many bassists would tell you that they’ve been the rule by which other combos were measured. With their new MAX 300 model, has Peavey come up with a combo that continues this enviable legacy? Build Quality The unit is constructed from high-quality lightweight timber, the advantage of which is that it keeps the weight down, although it will also affect the quality of the low end. Covered in rugged grey vinyl with hard rounded plastic corners for protection, and a curved metal grille to protect the…

Price | $349.99 Features | Fully discrete Class A PURE circuit, Z-Tone impedance-adapting circuit, two PURE discrete Class A preamps, assignable data knob with push encoder on the front panel, active pickup mode, multi-segment LED VU meters, Monitor knob, chromatic tuner, software package, two Hi-Z ¼” inputs, two rear combo inputs with phantom power, two dedicated back panel controller inputs, MIDI in/out, two floating balanced outputs, two unbalanced and one floating unbalanced Amp Out, high-current headphones out. Dimensions | 19.5cm x 19.5cm x 5.3cm / 7.7” x 7.7” x 2.1” Weight | 2.2 lbs WHAT WE THINK Plus | Excellent range of tone-shaping options Minus | USB 2.0 ports may not suit all users Overall | The Axe I/O’s impressive range of features definitely merits a road-test BP RATING…

I hope you’ve been having fun with our looping exercises over the last couple of months. This month I want to look at one of the things that looping introduces us to which we can apply without looping—the idea of a pedal point, which is a note that stays the same while other aspects of the music move around it. We’ve looked before at sustaining open strings while playing fretted notes on top, but this time we’re going to explore what’s called an inverted pedal point—having the unchanged note on the top rather than in the bass. Let’s jump in and then talk about how we can use it... Example 1 As usual, if the ledger lines in the notation look scary, just focus on the TAB. Here we want…

JIMMY HASLIP RETURNS Classic solo records reissued—plus a challenging guest session. “It’s time that these albums were heard again,” says the great Jimmy Haslip when we call him to ask about the reissue of Red Heat (2000), and Nightfall (2011) by Blue Canoe Records. “They were released at emotional times in my life, and it’s been wonderful to listen to them again after so long.” You can also hear Haslip on the acclaimed drummer Gergo Borlai’s new album, The Missing Song, where each cut pays tribute to a renowned percussionist. Haslip’s track was dedicated to Billy Cobham, inspiring a phenomenal performance from our man that has to be seen to be believed—especially, as his disciples know, because he plays his extended-range instrument upside-down and left-handed. Other bassists on Borlai’s album…

Nashville-based composer, educator, author, and stage and session bassist Ryan Madora started her musical career as a drummer. As she tells us, “In my freshman year I quit, because I didn’t want to play drums any more. I was trying to figure out what else to do, and I always listened to a lot of soul, R&B and Motown stuff where the bass was pretty heavy, so I was like, ‘I want to play that’. “At the time I was also listening to a lot of Nirvana and Chili Peppers and a lot of rock music, and the thing that I was really impressed by was the bass. I convinced my dad to go halfies with me on buying a bass, and the rest is history.” In between touring with…

I was about 14 or 15 years old when I started playing bass. I heard ‘Come Together’ by the Beatles for the first time. That was basically when I decided that I wanted to play the instrument. My first bass guitar was a small, not too heavy Yamaha TRBX in turquoise. Since then, I’ve mostly played my Fender Jazz, because I’m looking for a very specific, guitar-like punk rock sound, with gritty, warm and powerful low-mids. I’ve put a lot of effort into putting together the perfect kit, which is a combination of a Warwick WCA 410 cabinet, a Gallien-Krueger MB Fusion head and my Jazz bass. The best advice I’ve ever been given about playing bass is that random technical practice, and basically keeping your fingers on the instrument—even…

“We’re losing work left and right,” sighs Lamb Of God bassist John Campbell. “We had a four-week European run cancelled, and a festival in May, and things in June too. Obviously people’s health is way more important than us playing some shows, but I’ll be very ready to get back out once that time comes. I imagine that people who are sitting at home quarantined are going to be ready to hear some live music too!” The small matter of the pandemic aside, Campbell and his band are on fine form. Their new album, a self-titled effort indicating that it’s something of a career milestone, is a thoroughly enjoyable slab of riffage; we have no idea how Campbell, a pick player, keeps up with the intimidating picking speed of his…

Price | $2,500 [Approx] Made In | Poland Color | Vintage white, gloss finish Body | Alder Neck | Hard rock maple, 34.25” scale, satin finish Neck Joint | Bolt-on, six-bolt attachment Nut Width | 38.5mm Fingerboard | Pau ferro Frets | 22 Pickups | 2 x Nordstrand NJ4SE single-coils Electronics | Mayones M-BP2 2-band EQ preamp Controls | Volume, pickup pan, bass, treble, vintage tone control, active/ passive switch Hardware | Chrome hardware, Mayones Vintage Big Foot bridge, Hipshot HB6C Ultralite machine heads Weight | 8.59 lbs Case/gig bag included | Hybrid gigbag Left-hand option available | Yes WHAT WE THINK Plus | Playability, tones, versatility Minus | Volume control could be smoother, but it’s a small point Overall | All the plus points of a great Jazz Bass…

Price | $699.99 Made In | China Power | 300 watts RMS Features | Gain, bass, middle, treble, master, chromatic tuner, overdrive, contour, mid-shift, bright, Kosmos-C, tune/mute, tweeter defeat Speakers | 2 x 10” speakers and tweeter Dimensions | 580mm (H) x 492mm (W) x 412mm (D) / 22.8” (H) x 19.4” (W) x 16.2” (D)) Connections | ¼” jack inputs (active and passive), ¼” jack Send/Return FX loop, balanced XLR DI output with ground lift switch, 3.5mm auxiliary input, 3.5mm headphone output, ¼” jack footswitch, Speakon output Weight | 46.4 lbs WHAT WE THINK Plus | Tone-shaping, build quality Minus | None Overall | An excellent all-in-one solution BP RATING…

Welcome to our lesson section, in which Bass Player collates the wit and wisdom of the crème de la crème of the electric and upright bass world. We’re fortunate enough to have some serious talent on the team, from world-class music educators to experienced touring musicians, who between them have laid down the low notes in every studio, club, and arena in the civilized world. Note that we’ve divided the columns according to Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced level for easy reference. Whether you’re looking to improve your playing technique, expand your awareness of theory, set up your rig to sound like your particular bass hero, or simply get on a bus and tour, we provide the answers you need here. What are you waiting for? Dive in... Kickstart your journey…

As you progress through your career as a bassist, a number of unexpected abilities will develop along the way. Woodwork craftsmanship is such a skill, acquired from various attempts to bolster loose strap-button holes with matchsticks. Some of you may obtain some flair with a paintbrush after applying clear nail polish to the heads of grub screws in an effort to stop tired bridge saddles from collapsing. My favorite is the copying skills gained from painstakingly tracing the outline of neck pockets onto old credit cards. On more than one occasion, our flexible friends have been modified to become a homemade neck shim. This month is an opportunity for you to become a scholar in blister maintenance, so protect your fingers with plastic wrap. Example 1 Once your fingertips are…

Hello once again, and thank you for your kind comments regarding my column! Today, we move on from our effects pedals round-up, to probably one of the most useful, yet overlooked, devices in our arsenal—the humble DI box. WHAT IS DI ANYWAY? Well, DI stands for Direct Injection, used when we need to take a signal from one device and make it compatible with another. Think of it as an electronic version of one of those super-useful audio adaptors we always seem to need, transforming electrical signals. Most DI boxes feature something called a Balanced Line Driver, which sends our output to a corresponding Balanced Line Receiver on a mixing desk, recorder or PA system. IN OTHER WORDS, A DI BOX SENDS OUR BASS SIGNAL ALONG A CABLE TO A…

“WE SHOULD ALWAYS VALUE SUBSTANCE OVER SPEED TO BUILD A SOLID FOUNDATION” Welcome back, bassists! In an industry where it is becoming increasingly desirable to handle multiple roles to get a gig, it will prove useful to discuss the skill of managing backing vocals while playing bass. These two skills form one of the most challenging combinations to carry off, and they take a lot of practice to refine—but here are my top tips to help you along the way... START SIMPLE As with anything new, it’s important not to drop yourself in the deep end. I find a number of my students initially try to get from A to Z as rapidly as possible, because the fastest route is regarded as the best one. Believe me, that’s not the…

When learning the bass, an important element to focus on is being able to hear different chord qualities such as major 7th, minor 7th, and dominant 7th. Often, bassists struggle to identify these chord qualities by ear, simply because they don’t play them on their instrument. Because of the range of the bass guitar, chords can often sound muddy or inappropriate; too many chord tones can obscure the characteristics of the chord quality that you’re trying to play. For this reason, the safest and most useable chord voicings are three-note chords consisting of the root, 3rd and 7th. As there are no 5ths, 9ths, 11ths, or 13ths, any alterations in the chord symbols become irrelevant. Let’s play some examples... Example 1 Example 1 shows how to derive the root-3-7 chord…

Consider some numbers. It’s 52 years since Deep Purple formed, 51 since Roger Glover joined their so-called Mark II line-up, a cumulative 40 that he’s been in the band, 18 since the current lineup, Mark VIII, formed, and four years since they were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. They’re about to release their 20th studio album—named Whoosh! for reasons which we’ll get into in a minute—and in doing so will add to the 100 million albums they’ve sold. Yes... 100 million. Before the live concert industry was temporarily erased by coronovirus, Purple were planning to continue their Long Goodbye Tour, a jaunt which they’ve been on since 2017, more or less. Added up, these are massive figures, culturally and numerically. There’s no wonder that Glover is…

I’ve always loved the idea that being an artist is all about observing what’s happening in the society around you and responding in some meaningful way. I get the feeling this notion went out of style in the tumult of the 20th century and art became a kind of anything goes proposition, but I just can’t seem to let go of it. I have the privilege of travelling a good bit, seeing some interesting parts of the world and meeting lots of people. I’m not sure if I have any special perspective, but I always look for themes and patterns around me and those ideas motivate me in the creative process. From what I can see, life in the early part of this still new century is increasingly technological and…

Behold our world-beating bass gear review section, where we bring you the crop of each month’s new, interesting, or otherwise relevant bass guitars, bass amplifiers, bass cabs, and bass effects. Occasionally we’ll review a guitar effect if it’s useful for bassists, but generally speaking, this zone is reserved for bass-specific gear. We take our reviews seriously. BP has readers all over the world, so we’re responsible about our conclusions. If a product is worth your time, we’ll say so; if it’s flawed, we’ll make that clear. We’re not beholden to advertisers in any way, and our tests are independent of the views of manufacturers and distributors. When you read about a product here, you’re getting a balanced review from an experienced bass tester. Value for money is at the top…

The Bass Gallery www.thebassgallery.com Sutherland Trading www.sutherlandtrading.com/revelation $540 The Revelation brand is known for delivering pocket-friendly instruments, and they tick many of the boxes that any player might require, but this particular model stopped us in our tracks. Once we’d picked ourselves up off the floor, it was time to look a little deeper and try to determine if there’s a downside to the RBN 5’s affordability... Build Quality There’s no denying the looks on offer—the quilted maple top over an okoume body core with a dark sunburst and gloss finish is highly impressive, as is the matching headstock. Flip the bass over and the rich brown okoume is totally in keeping with the warm aesthetic. With contouring front and back to aid playing comfort, and a deep lower cutaway…

Price | $649 Made In | Korea Color | Striped ebony (burl and zebraburst also available) Body | Red cedar Neck | Rock maple Nut | Bone Nut Width | 1.63” / 41.4mm Fretboard | Pau ferro Frets | 21 Pickups | Rockfield 4SW, voiced specifically for the Element bass Controls | Volume, blend, stacked tone Bridge | MK Stealth Attack Bridge System Hardware | MK Die Cast WHAT WE THINK Plus | Looks great: builds on the classic design very nicely Minus | Some issues with build quality Overall | A good first entry into the market from Michael Kelly BP RATING…

Welcome back to my column on the slap bass technique. Over the last few issues, we’ve been looking at some of the more advanced techniques: Fretting-hand slaps, machine triplets, and playing double stops. We’re going to carry on in a similar vein in this issue and look at ways in which we can incorporate chord strumming into our slap technique. Strumming chords isn’t necessarily a slap bass technique, but it’s one that integrates with it extremely well. Many bass players have incorporated strumming into their slap bass toolkit over the years: A great example is Stanley Clarke, who used the technique very effectively in his bass anthem ‘School Days’. I strongly recommend listening to this track alongside studying the lines in this column. In addition, be sure to check out…