Latest articles by Nick Wells
Created by the Ibanez Custom Shop in L.A., Thundercat’s double-neck bass guitar has a 6-string on top and an 8-string on the bottom
It’s impossible not to notice Thundercat onstage, especially when sporting a custom-made double-neck bass
After 50 years at the low-end, Stanley Clarke decided to part ways with his astonishing bass collection
The bass virtuoso recounts his bass gear past and present, from his trademark Alembic to the bass equivalent of the Fender Stratocaster
Opeth’s Martín Méndez names the 5 albums that shaped his sound
The low-end maestro for prog titans Opeth digs deep into fusion and soul as he names his favorite bass records
John Paul Jones breaks down his Led Zeppelin bass approach – and what separated his and Jimmy Page's riffs
The all-time bass great discusses his telepathic relationship with John Bonham, early influences, and why Stairway to Heaven's gradual speed-up is part of its magic
Guy Pratt on the Jazz Bass he bought from John Entwistle and how he conjured a “massive octave-pedal freakout” with Madonna
In addition to his main gig with David Gilmour, Guy Pratt has played bass on some monster hits, including Madonna’s Like a Prayer and Michael Jackson’s Earth Song
Iron Maiden’s Steve Harris on staying loyal to Fender, and the Gibson that sounded “horrible”
In his quest for the perfect tone Steve Harris has tried virtually every make of bass there is, but always comes back to one
In an era dominated by look-at-me shred guitarists, Nikki Sixx showed that playing bass could be cool, too
Mötley Crüe's 1989 blockbuster, Dr. Feelgood, is a prime example of Sixx's gritty bass approach
“My initial reaction was to marvel at just how creative an effect it is”: DigiTech MonoNeon Whammy review
Designed in collaboration with bassist Dywane Thomas Jr, aka MonoNeon, this tone-bending pedal delivers signature sounds in the Whammy format
Sterling By Music Man Intro Series StingRay review
As a budget-friendly version of the US-made original, can this wallet-friendly StingRay really do the business?
How do you anchor a band like Pleasure? If you’re Nate Philips, you do it with a formidable slap technique
Pleasure’s fusion-influenced dance music reached its peak with Glide, the Top 10 R&B single from Future Now
With Rage Against the Machine, Tim Commerford pioneered an all-time iconic bass tone. No wonder he's cagey about his setup
The toughest right hand in bass charts his never-ending quest for the ultimate tone
John Myung plays for one of rock’s most ambitious bands, and the Berklee-schooled bassist is tackling the challenge with extraordinary discipline
The Dream Theater maestro explains what every bassist can learn from Bach, how he developed the Bongo 6-string bass with Ernie Ball, and why he runs a Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifier on bass…
Jack Bruce on his chance meeting with Motown hit-maker James Jamerson
Speaking in 2001, the late Cream bassist recalled his encounter with Jamerson at the Record Plant in L.A.
Duran Duran’s John Taylor breaks down the group’s landmark album and his Rio-inspired signature bass
John Taylor and Adam ‘Nolly’ Getgood are among the guests on a new podcast series from fanned-fret originators, Dingwall Guitars
Cheap Trick’s Tom Petersson shares his 12 tips that every bass player should know
Cheap Trick’s 12-string bass legend on the joys of multiple amps, and why bass players should never use effects
Before the Rolling Stones, Bill Wyman needed a good bass guitar – so he built a proto-fretless model
It's a tale as old as time: three guitarists, a need for a bass player, and no one wants the job. Eventually, Wyman took it on, and built himself a proto-fretless model in the process
“Gene Simmons used a Grabber for a reason – because they play like nothing else on earth”: Epiphone Grabber Bass review
With its classic looks and budget-friendly price tag, is the revived Grabber still as iconic?
“We hit the stage, and there’s Paul McCartney. He looks at me and he says, ‘Hey, Duff’”: Duff McKagan recalls his real-life Spinal Tap moment
The Guns N' Roses bassist on meeting Sir Paul McCartney, and a life-changing encounter with Prince
“In terms of sheer value for money, it’s hard to beat”: Sterling by Music Man Joe Dart Artist Series Bass review
On paper, the Sterling Joe Dart model looks like a remarkable reproduction of Music Man’s pro-standard version. Could this be as good as it gets for a $399 bass?
Berry Oakley set the template for the Allman Brothers Band with a modified ’72 Jazz, known as ‘The Tractor’
Oakley added a Hagstrom Bi-Sonic pickup to his 1972 Jazz Bass, giving him a total of three pickups and five control knobs
“Somebody said, ‘Why don't you try slap bass?’” Chris Wolstenholme switched up his tone and technique on Muse’s The Resistance
Monstrous tones (and a massive signal chain) are just part of Chris Wolstenholme’s bass evolution with Muse
How Richard Bona found a rare Pastorius tune for his Brazilian-inspired solo album
Bass worshippers will need to listen between the layers to catch the bottom-end brilliance of Bona’s Jaco tribute
“Thrill-seekers wishing to add ear-melting fuzz to their bass will be in tonal nirvana”: Goliath FX Hornburg Fuzz review
With drive tones verging on the mythical, is this the ultimate bass fuzz?
