Veteran bassist Nathan East on recording one of Eric Clapton's most personal – and well-loved – songs
East reflects on the deeply emotional behind-the-scenes moments of the Tears in Heaven recording sessions
Latest
NAMM 2025: rumors, predictions and breaking news from the world’s biggest gear show
With the likes of Fender, Gibson and Marshall returning to Anaheim at long last, this year’s event is set to be the biggest in five years – with secrets and surprises to match
Sterling by Music Man brings six high-end builds to affordable price ranges – covering guitars and basses
From the EVH-rooted Axis and the Cutlass, to a collaborative Darkglass bass, the Ernie Ball-owned firm is serving up cut-price versions of fan favorites
Magneto takes its Sonnet six-string to new heights and launches its first-ever bass
The one-two release is set to be rolled out in May, with its upgraded Strat-a-like and short-scale bass set to be showcased at NAMM 2025
Nobels stuffs three chorus flavors into its tiny new pedal, the CHO-mini
Skewed towards ’70s-style chorus effects, it comes with tap tempo functionality, space-saving housing, and an affordable price tag
Ibanez and JTC claim to have created the world’s most advanced guitar cable
The Glideline collaborative instrument cable delivers high-resolution signals that “eliminate any compromise” from guitar tones
John Mayer and Dave Matthews to perform as a duo for the first time at L.A. FireAid benefit concert, alongside Red Hot Chili Peppers, Joni Mitchell and Green Day
The mega-event will take place on January 30 at L.A.'s Intuit Dome and Kia Forum, and will be broadcast on multiple platforms
Bassists
Veteran bassist Nathan East on recording one of Eric Clapton's most personal – and well-loved – songs
East reflects on the deeply emotional behind-the-scenes moments of the Tears in Heaven recording sessions
Geddy Lee reflects on his 50 years atop the prog-rock heap
The Rush frontman charts his experiments in bass tone, and why he'd sometimes tackle the instrument like a lead guitarist
How Marcus Miller found his voice – and became one of the most-imitated bassists in the biz
The bass icon breaks down his formative influences, and how he gave everyone from Prince to Beethoven a low-end makeover via his '77 Fender Jazz
Recorded for Metallica’s Master of Puppets, Cliff Burton’s bass masterpiece has earned its place in the pantheon of great rock solos
Recorded for Metallica’s genre-sparking Kill ’Em All, Burton’s complex snarl of notes has captivated bassists for years. Dial in your favorite fuzz-wah tone and let it rip
B.B. King had his breakthrough blues guitar moment with The Thrill Is Gone – but it was Jerry Jemmott’s bass that made it groove
For The Thrill Is Gone, Jemmott played his 1964 Jazz Bass – which would be stolen soon afterward
Bob Rock made bass history on Metallica’s St. Anger – quite a feat, since he “never really played bass” before
Producer Bob Rock on making St. Anger, the legacy of Cliff Burton and why he used Loverboy’s bass guitar on every track
If you think Mike Dirnt is another clueless punk, think again
Every success story needs a behind-the-scenes hero, and for Green Day, it was bassist Mike Dirnt. He details the making of American Idiot and his forensic approach to bass tone
Bass Gear
Tim Commerford’s new Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay is a love letter to the pawnshop bass that crafted the first Rage record
Passive and active editions have been launched, but both come optimized with some clever, player-adjustable additions
Shergold’s new Telstar bass repackages one of the firm’s best electric designs of recent years into a low-end format
It’s joined by another new low-end launch from the acclaimed UK luthier, the Libertine
“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?
Learn bass for less with beginner basses from Squier, Yamaha and Music Man hitting the low-end on price for Black Friday
With great discounted options from the likes of Squier, Yamaha and Sterling by Music Man, now's the time to start your bass guitar journey
A maple cap fingerboard in 1965? Here’s why this vintage Jazz Bass is a true Fender unicorn
Could it be that this mid-'60s Jazz Bass is rare simply because people couldn't read Fender's small print? Well Strung Guitars owner David Davidson floats a theory and picks up the tale…
Brubaker merges headless guitar hype with modern modular designs for the NBS Series
Bartolini, Dark Glass, John East, Aguilar, and Nordstrand preamp modules are available, and each can be swapped out in less than 60 seconds
Best budget bass amps 2025: brilliant bass tone without a hefty price
Keep your low-end punchy and your bank balance healthy with our pick of the best budget bass amps from Fender, Orange, Ampeg and beyond!
“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?
Epiphone has brought back its quirky cult classic 1970s Grabber bass beloved by Gene Simmons, Krist Novoselic and Mike Dirnt
The double-cut four-string was a hit back in the 1970s, and finally makes a triumphant return in the form of a more affordable Inspired by Gibson Epiphone reissue
Reviews
“Playing the Bass VI is a really strange experience”: Squier Limited Edition Classic Vibe Bass VI review
Part bass, part guitar, we get to grips with the Classic Vibe version of Fender’s very own dichotomy of tone
“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?
“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?
“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?
“As a compact amp modeler/cab simulator/Capture device, this is perhaps the best option out there, screen or no screen”: Neural DSP Nano Cortex review
The follow-up to the game-changing Quad Cortex is here at last, and with its ultra-powerful Nano Cortex, Neural DSP has set its sights on challenging IK Multimedia and Kemper to offer the ultimate all-in-one rig solution
Fender Vintera II ’60s Precision Bass review
Vintage looks? Timeless P-Bass tones? We size up the latest incarnation of Fender’s flagship 4-string
“You’d be hard-pushed to find a bass sound that you couldn’t gig with almost immediately”: Boss Katana-500 Bass Head review
This newly developed, feature-packed bass head features an Amp Feel switch and ‘Cabinet Resonance’ calibration technology to get the best from your cab – but is it a game-changer for bassists?
“If you can handle the fanned frets, this is a bass you’ll cherish for decades”: Dingwall John Taylor Signature review
After playing a custom Dingwall live with Duran Duran, John Taylor has launched his production model, loaded with a new bridge design, a Rupert Neve Design preamp to die for and a monster tonal range
