Some players like using distortion, and that’s fine. However, there’s some debate that exists on whether you need a bass-specific distortion effect or not. Technically, no, you don’t: However…. Although the term “clean distortion” is a bit of an oxymoron (it’s like saying “clean dirty”), regular distortion pedals can’t distort cleanly. Why? Well, let’s take … Read more
See Stijn’s business listing here A request to all that send in instruments to featureme@bestbassgear.com for Bass of the Week: Please name your basses if it’s not a name brand, because we keep having to name these things. And remember, players like it when the bass has a name to go by. Name your custom … Read more
Preamp vs. Pedal is can basically be defined as inboard vs. outboard. With a preamp, everything is literally inboard to the bass guitar itself. Internal power, internal board, all-direct connections with the least noise, and so on. With a pedal, everything is outside of the bass guitar. External power and board with two big wires … Read more
Second in a series of articles about tools in the small builder’s workshop, this is a brief overview of the smaller tools commonly used in a shop. A later article will cover specialized jigs used in instrument building. As mentioned in the previous article on large tools, several of the tools in the small builder’s … Read more
I came across the thread If someone handed you $3000 for a new bass, which poses the question that if someone handed you a pile of money that was specifically to be put towards a bass guitar and nothing else, what would you get? The answers seen in the linked thread above are interesting because … Read more
When is a bass not a bass? Over the past few years, there has been a rising popularity in multi-range guitars. It started with the baritone guitar and then, later, the 8-string “extended range” guitar. But at what point is a bass not a bass (or are all stringed instruments of this type just “guitars” … Read more
See Nicholas’s business listing here Once again, this bass was sent to our featureme@bestbassgear.com inbox with a story and photos, but no title for the bass, so for this one I call it “Scrap Exotica” and you’ll understand why in a moment. Nicholas writes: The aim here was to challenge the idea of using rare, … Read more
Fender with its Squier line of guitars recently introduced some new color options, and above is one of them, “Metallic Red” with black pick guard and chromed (or at least looks like chromed) control knob treatment. Guitar companies like Fender choose their colors very carefully so they can sell the most guitars. You don’t have … Read more
See Roger Sadowsky’s business listing here Roger Sadowsky is one of the most highly respected instrument manufacturers in the world. Sadowsky instruments have been played by guitarists Jim Hall, John Abercrombie, Pat Metheny, Lee Ritenour, Earl Klugh and dozens of others. The list of bassists who play Sadowsky includes everyone from Marcus Miller, Roscoe Beck, … Read more
You already know that photos on or around train tracks is a bad idea. But this time around I’m going to concentrate on the dumb things bands do with their internet presence. “Internet presence” defined: Any presence a band has on the internet, such as a dot-com web site, a blog (e.g. WordPress, Tumblr), a … Read more
