20 Years Of Gear: A Look Back At Bass Player Product Coverage

In thinking back over the last two decades of bass gear development, my head buzzing with too much political chatter in this election season, I’ve been tempted to frame it thusly, “Are we better off now then we were 20 years ago?” Inarguably, yes. By every measure, the bass and its associated gear have improved immensely. Computer numerically controlled (CNC) machines have democratized high-quality instruments, resulting in lowcost imports that exhibit nearly flawless construction. As high-tech weight-saving technologies have proliferated through amp and speaker design, amps are lighter, smaller, and more powerful than ever. Digital technology is used to model amps, effects, and even instruments, and it contributes extraordinary flexibility to recording and signal processing. An inspired community of luthiers now invigorates an industry previously dominated by a handful of manufacturers. The advances go on and on.

The following pages aren’t just a short survey of BASS PLAYER product reviews over the past 20 years; they’re also a guide to the bass’s recent equipment evolution. It isn’t a comprehensive collection, rather it shows gear exemplary of important trends and technologies. Compiling the reviews reaffirmed my confidence in our instrument’s bright future, and left me guessing what’s next. Where do you see bass gear heading? Think about it, and hit me at jherrera@musicplayer.com. We’ll print your responses in an upcoming issue.

Boutique Basses

THE ORIGINAL BASS GUITARS WERE WORKADAY TOOLS DESIGNED FOR RELIABILITY, STRONG BASS RESPONSE, AND COST-EFFICIENT manufacturing. But in the early ’70s, Alembic changed all that. Prodded on by its hard-touring, musically experimental clientele (the Jefferson Airplane and Grateful Dead among them), Alembic instruments’ exotic woods, custom-machined brass hardware, hi-fi electronics, and exquisite attention to artistic detail created an entirely new product category. These innovations continue in today’s boutique basses, but it’s the collaborative nature of the builder/bassist relationship that remains the defining characteristic of boutique bass building.

FODERA EMPEROR BASS, MAY/JUNE ’91

“In 1983, after several years as a bass-maker with Spector and Ken Smith, Vinnie Fodera established his own shop. Working with partner Joe Lauricella, he quickly established a reputation for building instruments that were beautiful to both eye and ear. The Fodera Emperor basses are extremely well made. They’re a bit on the heavy side, but well within the acceptable weight range. It’s hard to make generalizations about these basses because they are so individually customized. Players in search of wild colors and sexy graphics had better look elsewhere—but bassists who appreciate beautiful woods and superb craftsmanship should check out a Fodera!” —Roger Sadowsky

WARWICK DOLPHIN PRO 1, JAN/FEB ’92

“The Dolphin Pro I won’t get lost in the crowd. It’s easy to see at a glance (even if you’re not looking at the price tag) that Warwick’s top-of-the-line model is a high-quality instrument, and closer examination reveals many outstanding features. The Warwick Dolphin Pro I is beautifully made, and the sound is all there: big, fat, punchy, deep, and bright.” —Harvey Citron

TOBIAS STANDARD 6, APRIL ’92

“If there’s only one thing to say about Tobias basses, it’s this: Nothing else is like them. Of course, there’s a lot more to say, but their uniqueness is significant. Michael Tobias and his builders have been making exquisite multi-wood instruments for over a decade, and the quality, playability, and sound have always been of the highest caliber. Like its more expensive stable mates, the Standard 6 is simply beautiful. Its styling is top-notch, and the instrument is very comfortable.” —Tom Mulhern

KEN SMITH CR5G, JAN/FEB ’93

“Rather than making one or two standard configurations with a few options, Smith gives the customer a wide range of choices. Ken Smith is a connoisseur of exotic woods, and his instruments feature some of the finest materials— and most elaborate construction methods—in the business. Although the active electronics provide a great deal of flexibility, the CR5G has a distinctive sound that’s evident even at extreme tone settings. I’d describe it as warm and thick, with a pronounced midrange “punch” and just a bit of an edge that’s accentuated by boosting the treble.” —Jim Roberts

SURINE AFFINITY SERIES II, SEPT/OCT ’93

“Denver may be a mile high, but one bass builder there is burrowing towards sea level with his strong-voiced, beautifully handcrafted instruments. The maker is Scott Surine. The Surine Affinity II feels smooth all over; the body, the neck, the dressing of the frets, and even the corners of the nut are nicely rounded. The small fingerboard radius and fairly thin neck profile make it easy to get around, and the sound is punchy and flexible. Without a doubt, the Surine 5-string is one of the nicest ones I’ve played.” —Tom Mulhern

STUART SPECTOR DESIGN NS-5, MARCH ’94

If you’re one of the many players who fell in love with Spector basses in the late ’70s and early ’80s, this new instrument from Stuart Spector Design (SSD) should make your heart skip a beat. It looks and feels like the original Spector NS-2, the popular neck-through-body bass that was designed by Ned Steinberger and originally built by Stuart Spector in his Brooklyn shop. The sound is amazingly flexible. The EMGs provide plenty of versatility on their own, ranging from one of the warmest tones this side of a vintage P-Bass to a bright, punchy sound that’s perfect for slapping. The Spector has the kind of sensual appeal that makes it a pleasurable experience to pick it up and play a few notes. If you’re not careful, a few minutes of plunking can easily stretch into hours of playing. —Jim Roberts

ALEMBIC EPIC, MAY/JUNE ’94

“If you can’t shell out $25,000 for a limited-edition Alembic 25th Anniversary Bass, you might want to check out the company’s latest offering: the Epic. At just under $1,400 for a 4- string, the Epic offers many of the same high-quality materials and features found on Alembic’s exclusive models. The Epics I tried sounded and played great—the combination of the setin neck, brass hardware, and quality woods gave them clarity and sustain that seemed to have no end. —Scott Malandrone

ELRICK NECK-THROUGH, AUGUST ’97

“If you’re one of those bassists who’s into handcrafted wood, you’ll dig the work of Chicago luthier Robert Elrick. His 35”-scale Neck-Through 4-string blends several species of fine hardwoods into an extremely well-built bass. At over three grand, the Elrick Neck-Through certainly isn’t a steal. Besides first-rate tone wood, a lot of what you’re paying for is the attention of one person tailoring an instrument for you.” —Scott Malandrone

PEDULLA MVP5 SIGNATURE, JANUARY ’98

“One thing is for sure: There’s nothing like a Pedulla MVP Signature bass. From its speedy neck profile to its beautiful woods and one-of-a-kind voice, the MVP neck-through is a real player’s bass. Thanks to the thin shape of the neck and a moderately low setup, though, the bass is very easy to play. Acoustically, the MVP5 has a rich, balanced bite across all of the strings. Not surprisingly, we found that the best setting for really standing out in ensemble situations was with the blend control at or near the full bridge-pickup position, with the midrange switch in. This sound let every note down to open B speak with power and focused pitch.” —Scott Malandrone

VEILLETTE SINGLECUT 5, JUNE ’03

“The Singlecut, a collaboration between Veillette and luthier Martin Keith, is Veillette Guitars’ first solidbody, non-piezo-pickup-equipped bass, but it’s far from traditional. Its distinctive neck joint, bridge construction, and unusual shape exemplifies Veillette’s longtime commitment to inventive design. Everything about the Singlecut seems small, except for its big, ballsy tone.” —Jonathan Herrera

BENAVENTE SC5, MARCH ’03

“The SC5 is a beautiful example of the exciting work being done by many upand- coming luthiers. Benavente designed the SC5 to be comfortable and well balanced, with a stable neck and diverse tones suitable for a wide array of musical styles. If you dislike our tester’s crazily figured top or crave a more vintage tone, don’t worry; you can always tailor high-priced custom instruments like the Benavente to your particular predilections.” —Jonathan Herrera

LEDUC MAURAD, NOVEMBER ’03

“The Leduc Maurad’s tone is tubby and organic, with an acoustic-like attack that sounds natural, not hyped. One staffer mentioned its evenness of sound across the neck; another pointed out its sweet highs with “a good mid thing going on.” You probably won’t see a Leduc on the walls of your local guitar mart, but maybe you should—it’s a winner.” —Karl Coryat

F BASS ALAIN CARON, MAY ’05

“Our test Alain Caron was an exquisite piece of workmanship, eliciting countless oohs and aahs from my coworkers and bandmates. Its sexy shape, top purfling, African blackwood knobs, and superb Violin Burst finish combined to make the AC5 one of the most elegant instruments I’ve ever played. The F Bass Alain Caron is a well thought out and masterfully crafted instrument that is extremely versatile and expressive, and it stands out as one of the finest fretless basses I have ever played.” —Brian Fox

DINGWALL PRIMA ARTIST, SEPTEMBER ’05

“If any bass ever truly deserved to be called impressive and striking, it’s the Dingwall Prima Artist. Every square inch of the posh instrument is saturated with luxury. Even though the Dingwall is near perfect in every way, can anything justify spending $6,900 on a bass? Compared to a exquisite 18th-century Italian upright, the Dingwall is a bargain, and given its beautiful craftsmanship and awesome musical potential, it’s no less valuable.” —Jonathan Herrera

DAVID KING D BASS, JANUARY ’06

“More than an example of headless benefits, our D Bass tester demonstrated what a hand-built boutique bass can offer: a distinctive look, attention to craftsmanship details, and a sonic versatility that retains a responsive, individual voice. The King Bass was a beauty. The exotic top’s gorgeous bookmatched grain was filled with rich, natural colors and expertly finished in clear gloss. Headlessness may not be your thing, but David King’s D Bass makes a great case for reviving the trend.” —Bill Leigh

JERZY DROZD, JUNE ’06

“The Obsession Excellency V is a thing of beauty. No wonder, considering Jerzy Drozd dubs itself the “Bass Art Company.” Great art can come alive, as playing the Spanish-made Excellency demonstrates. The Excellency is an archetypal boutique bass. Drozd’s gift for aesthetic detail, as demonstrated in the bass’s beautiful figured woods and dynamic body contour, is laid over a pristine and versatile-sounding instrument. If you’ve got the dough, the Drozd is among the nicest European basses available.” —Chris Jisi

CITRON AE5 SWALLOW, JULY ’06

“As I mentioned in my May ‘06 feature on Steve Swallow, the partnership between the jazz great and New York–builder Harvey Citron is among the industry’s most collaborative, and the resulting instrument speaks to its success. The Citron’s warm colors, luxuriant woods, and taut lines are both opulent and austere. Even its odor evokes pleasant nostalgia; think burnished armchairs and broken-in baseball gloves. The test instrument’s construction was superb. The AE5-Swallow is more than just another signature bass. Like its namesake, it’s idiosyncratic, musical, and enduringly charming. Playing it was bass bliss.” —Jonathan Herrera

WATSON SINGLE-CUT, AUGUST ’08

BASS PLAYER has spilt much ink describing the flourishing low-cost/high-quality bass market, but high-end instruments are enjoying their own epochal explosion. Take this Watson Single-Cut. It’s exemplary of the superior craftsmanship and thoughtful design that used to distinguish a mere handful of established boutique brands, but now is increasingly available from an array of small-scale builders. I delighted in the Watson’s opulent tone and look, and the instrument was built with high skill and painstaking attention to detail. —Jonathan Herrera

Hybrid Heads

It will continue to rage on, but there is at least a partial solution in “hybrid” heads. These designs combine a preamp featuring at least one tube with a solid-state power amp, often promising to deliver some benefits of tube tone without its major drawbacks, like weight and ongoing maintenance.

AMPEG SVT-III, MAY/JUNE ’91

“The SVT-III combines the best of both worlds: the rich sound of tube circuitry and the efficiency of a solid-state power amplifier. At full power, it will give even the most rugged speaker system a rude awakening—and get your message through to the audience, loud and clear. If you like the warm sound of tubes, be sure to check out the SVT-III; I think you’ll be impressed.” —Gary Gibilisco

SWR SM-900, APRIL ’93

“Introduced in 1985, the company’s SM-400 has become legendary in the world of bass heads, and SWR recently decided to go one step further with the new SM-900 head. In bridge-mono mode, this monster produces 800 watts rms—and it makes a great stereo amp or bi-amp as well. The SM-900 sounds as good as an SM-400, only louder. That is, it has a very true, hi-fi sound that doesn’t color your instrument’s tone as some amps do.” —Karl Coryat

EDEN WT.300 TRAVELER, DECEMBER ’93

“The aptly named Traveler packs a tube preamp, a 5-band semi-parametric EQ, effects loop, and 300 watts of power into a lightweight, easy-touse package. I can’t think of a better amp to recommend in terms of sound, portability, versatility, and (most important) value. The Traveler just might become your best friend—and your chiropractor’s worst enemy.” —Scott Malandrone

ASHDOWN ENGINEERING KLYSTRON AKBM-400, JUNE ’98

“The new kid on the bass-amplification block is England’s Ashdown Engineering. Well, the amps may be new, but the forces behind the eye-catching heads are Mark Gooday and Mike Markure, two ex-big wigs from Trace Elliot. The Ashdown system sounds superb. If you love deep, clean, round bottom with tons of headroom, this amp is it.” —Scott Malandrone

WARWICK QUAD VI, JULY ’01

“The unique, German-built Quad VI features a complete all-tube amp (not just a preamp) driving a high-powered MOSFET power amp. It effectively combines the tactile musicality of tubes with transistors’ massive power.” —Terry Buddingh

AGUILAR DB 750, JANUARY ’03

“Although good tone is substantially a product of technique and musicality, it certainly helps to have a well-designed, no-compromise, and carefully constructed amp like the DB 750 at your disposal. Its price and weight may be excessive for the player doing casuals and coffeehouses. If you have the money and muscles, though, the DB 750’s exceptional tone, enormous power, and high fidelity definitely warrant a test drive.” —Terry Buddingh

MESA ENGINEERING BIG BLOCK 750, FEBRUARY ’05

“To add a pit bull to its kennel, Mesa dreamed up the Big Block 750, which compared to its siblings offers more aggressive midrange voicing, tube distortion, a bigger power amp, and a more straightforward control layout. Rockers might be drawn to the overdrive, but savvy tonehounds of all stripes would be wise to give the Big Block a look-see.” —Jonathan Herrera

Neodymium Speakers

CABINETS WITH NEODYMIUM SPEAKERS REPRESENT ONE HALF OF THE BIGGEST REVOLUTION IN AMP TECHNOLOGY: THE SHIFT toward lighter, more portable rigs (the other half is Class D power amps and switching power supplies). Super-strong neodymium magnets can be much smaller than their ferrite counterparts while exerting the same magnetic force on a transducer’s voice coil. Since a speaker’s magnet is a large contributor to a cabinet’s weight, a smaller magnet makes for a significantly lighter cabinet. While neo has its detractors, the universal adoption of the technology seems inevitable, especially as the quality improves.

AMPEG PB-210H, SEPTEMBER ’02

“The PortaBass PB-210H, like its companion PortaBass 250 head, uses advanced technology to reduce weight. At 32 pounds, the PB-210H is painless to carry, but Ampeg made your life even easier by attaching a dolly—complete with flight-attendant-style telescoping handle. The PortaBass PB-210H is so easy to transport you may have a difficult time taking it seriously. But its refined and sophisticated voice will soon convince you of its serious intentions. The neodymium magnets increase the cost a bit, but for many bassists the ease of transportation may offset the additional price. Isn’t that what luxury is all about?” —Terry Buddingh

“Epifani’s new Ultra Light Series offers a lighter weight alternative to its highly regarded conventional speaker cabinet designs. The Epifani T-410UL possesses uncommon balance, detail, and dynamic expression, and it should be a top contender for anyone considering a high-end, highdefinition cab. Its lightweight components and construction are an added bonus (you can carry it with one hand), but its real strength lies in exceptional tone.” —Terry Buddingh

“The 83-pound STD cab is lighter than most 4x10s. It looks great and is well constructed. Portability is excellent, with back-corner casters and top handles providing dolly-like transport. The cab has a strong midrange character, resulting in vigorous punchiness and good fingerstyle articulation. There’s nothing quite like six 10s flapping in unison—the air movement is felt as well as heard.” —Jonathan Herrera

CARVIN BRX10, MAY ’05

“Despite utilizing neodymium speakers, the BRX10 cab is no lighter than most conventionalspeaker- equipped cabinets. This is attributable to both its 13-ply birch construction and its Duratex covering, which feels and looks like the spray covering used in heavy-duty pickup truck beds. The BRX10’s construction was excellent, with thorough interior bracing to prevent unwanted resonance and a wellsealed crossover plate to help eliminate air leaks. The BRX10 proved throughout its stay that neo can bat against the bruiserweights. It’s a throaty cab with good definition and a bit of a low-mid hump, which suits fingerstyle especially well.” —Jonathan Herrera

“Unlike most 2x10 cabinets, which orient the woofers horizontally, the NEOX-210T has a vertical speaker arrangement. Strong and stout, the 210T’s big, room-filling sound betrays its modest speaker configuration. While low notes on a B string could get blurry, the cabinet projected them with authority. Its detail and articulation improves significantly in the midrange without sacrificing punchiness.” —Jonathan Herrera

GALLIEN-KRUEGER NEO 112 & 212, JANUARY ’06

“In keeping with the general spirit of neoaided luggability, the Neo cabs are small, especially the 212. Casters and handles combine for easy loading—I had no problem schlepping each on my own. Both the 112 and 212 are sweet sounding cabs. Rather than assault the player with burly mids, they speak delicately, with a colorful midrange and slightly edgy top. Their dynamic sensitivity was sharp, with leading edge attacks ringing with clarity and detail. As neodymium speaker technology matures and becomes cost efficient, it will inevitably gain a majority share of the bass cab marketplace.” —Jonathan Herrera

PEAVEY TOUR 410, NOVEMBER ’07

“With the arrival of Peavey’s Tour-series cabs, neodymium has gone fully mainstream. The lightweight magnet material, which was previously the purvey of elite wherethe- hell-do-I-buy-that brands, is now available for a song, and Peavey nailed it. The 410 was light, loud, and quick, with a strong and buoyant midrange, a delicate—but present—low end, and a treble extension that is a bit unrefined from the tweeter, especially considering the woofers’ smooth response across the frequency spectrum.” —Jonathan Herrera

Coated Strings

Unless you exclusively dig bass-y no-top tone, you’re subject to one of bass’s bigger annoyances: buying strings. Relative to guitar strings, bass strings are expensive, so whether you’re particularly sweaty or love to sizzle, a monthly string budget can extend past $100. In the late ’90s, Elixir, a subsidiary of the company responsible for water-wicking Gore-Tex fabric, pioneered a process that coated strings with a rugged polymer to extend life and save players’ money. Since then, several string makers have followed suit, many offering its own special coating recipe. BASS PLAYER’s string coverage reached a crescendo in December ’04 with “The String Thing” round-up of 142 sets. Below is the section on coated strings.

Cabinet Configurations

TO BEST COVER GEAR, WE BP EDITORS ARE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO IDENTIFY TRENDS; IT HELPS US FOCUS OUR COVERAGE TO best serve the community. This method is perhaps most easily applied to cabinets. Each year brings an emergent trend to our attention, be it cabinets with multi-size-driver configurations, 1x12s, 4x10s, or multi-way boxes that go beyond the two-way woofer-plus-tweeter formula.

BAG END AF1, JAN/FEB ’92 

“Before you put even a single watt into the AF1, you’ll be impressed by its portability. Frequency response is extremely wide and even. The system uses Time-Align, a configuration also employed in some studio monitors: the higherfrequency drivers are set back into the cabinet, so high-end transients and low frequencies reach you at the same time, without a phase lag that could blur the sound. This works well in the AF1: the cabinet, when driven with a good, clean power amp, is punchy, present, and absolutely studio-quality.” —Tom Mulhern

“Hartke settled on a 4x10 design for their first mass-produced units, and the appeal of this configuration has grown so rapidly that, at present, nearly every amp manufacturer offers one. At the heart of the 4.5 XL are the new-design, third-generation Hartke XL drivers. Placed smack in the middle of the four 10s is a 5" highfrequency driver, chosen because of its smooth response and because it doesn’t ‘spit’ like a conventional tweeter. For a weak thumb player like myself, slapped notes sounded fatter and warmer, with a smoother attack, no doubt due to the increased cabinet depth and power rating of the drivers.” —Chris Jisi

“SWR’s Goliath Sr. packs six 10s and a highfrequency Foster tweeter into a trimmeddown package. The enclosure was developed in cooperation with bassist Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam. The Goliath Sr. can tackle just about any gig requiring a loud, direct enclosure. The granddaddy of the SWR Goliath line is most welcome in this world of oversize bass enclosures. Expect to see many of these mini-monsters on stages worldwide.” —Scott Malandrone

“There are two main ingredients in Acme’s tone recipe. The first is a custom 3-way speaker system. Both enclosures use special 10" woofers designed to have a lower resonance (frequency), a deeper voice coil (for lower distortion in the lows), and a longer excursion (amount of backand- forth movement) than standard 10s. Acme uses a special 5" midrange driver that fills in the missing upper-mid details. The Acme Low B-2 and B-4 enclosures do require gobs of power for peak performance, but the end result is a rock-solid bottom end that will drive just about any band.” —Scott Malandrone

“The 12 has been making a big comeback for bass. Sure, yesteryear’s bass 12s were essentially guitar speakers that couldn’t handle the power and frequency response of the 4-string— but these days, a properly designed bass 12 has the goods for some unique low-end tones. The D-212 XLT is a very cool cabinet. Its deep character offers a tone 10s just can’t produce. It also fills the niche between the 1x15 sound and the 4x10 sound.” —Scott Malandrone

“The GS112 is the deepest sounding cabinet in our roundup. Low-note fundamentals sound full and fat with a barbecue sauce-like thickness that extends into the upper midrange. Fingerstyle players will appreciate its low-mid fullness, and upright players will enjoy its smooth, full-bodied richness. The GS112 impressed us with its chameleon-like ability to complement the sound of a wide range of basses. If you think big and fat is where it’s at, check out the GS112.” —Terry Buddingh

ACCUGROOVE BILL DICKENS 212, NOVEMBER ’05 

“Inside and out, there’s no mistaking Accu- Groove cabs. Their elaborate speaker configurations and voluminous proportions are atypical, and they’re filled with components that are outside the cab-construction mainstream. My testing revealed that the Bill Dickens 212 is all about the booty. It’s got huge bottom-end response. Like the Tri 210, it’s a warm cab overall, without the bite of a horn-loaded design. A 5-string’s B string was muscular and strong. The 212 had a lot of midrange detail, with a slight hump in the upper-mids.” —Jonathan Herrera

“The HT322 was designed to be a full-range cabinet with a balanced response that does not compromise any part of the music spectrum. To achieve this goal, Bergantino devised a carefully constructed three-way enclosure that blends a single 12” driver with two 10s and a tweeter. Though the HT322 isn’t the first cabinet to combine different-sized drivers into one enclosure, it does it with a rare level of fullspectrum coherency. The Bergantino is also very accurate; throughout testing, it revealed the unique personalities of each bass with impressive honesty. It’s also a convincing alternative to the reigning king of full-range cabs, the 4x10.” —Jonathan Herrera

Modeling

I VISIT A LOT OF GEAR MANUFACTURERS, AND ONE OF THE MOST MEMORABLE TRIPS WAS TO LINE 6 IN ADVANCE OF THEIR Variax Bass release. Witnessing the process behind digitally modeling the behavior of analog equipment—in this case, basses—finally crystallized the modeling concept for me. A modeling device uses proprietary software to digitally mimic the behavior of equipment on a deep level. Using sophisticated filters, it applies the resulting information to a signal, often resulting in an astounding duplicate of the original modeled unit. Modeling is used in a variety of hardware devices, hardware-plus-specialty pickup devices, and software.

“Line 6 developed the Bass POD—a multiapplication amp and effects modeling device and direct box—from the ground up. Despite the bean top’s many knobs, the POD’s real flesh and bones are virtual—the modeling software embedded in the circuitboard. Line 6 gathered a group of righteous rigs—16 amps ranging from the vintage and rare to the contemporary, plus associated cabinets, an LA-2A compressor, and a pile of nifty effect pedals. Engineers miked them up and determined how each behaves at various settings, down to the individual knob turn. The Line 6 Bass POD is a one-of-a-kind-product. If you’re a tone freak or vintage amp fan who does lots of recording, the POD makes it easy to get great sounds without lugging loads of gear.” —Bill Leigh

“While the major amp companies have been duking it out for the modeling guitar-amp crown, we bassists have been patiently waiting for a full-featured modeling bass amp. Peavey’s BAM 210 proves that it’s been worth the wait, though—the BAM does a great job of integrating amp-modeling technology into a traditional-feeling platform. I always found it easy to get a good sound out of the BAM, and there are a so many combinations of sounds and tweakable parameters, I never felt I fully exhausted all of its possibilities. The BAM 210 is the most flexible and versatile bass combo amp ever made—and by any standard, it just sounds excellent.” —Terry Buddingh

“Roland’s V-Bass system aims high. With its proprietary pickup installed and connected, it promises to make your axe sound like a variety of basses. It lets you choose what type of pickups your emulated instrument has, where they’re placed, and what kind of amp and effects it will go through. It offers several synth sounds and filters, string sounds and bowed effects, organ sounds, and in some models, alternate tunings. The key to the V-Bass’s architecture is in Roland GK-2B divided pickup. A low-profile magnetic sensor in a slightly arched plastic casing, the divided pickup senses each string separately. This allows the V-Bass to deal with each string source separately for more control over how the sound is modeled. Roland’s VBass is a revolutionary product for bassists, offering tremendous sounds and so much flexibility that sound tweakers and synth-bass lovers will never grow out of it.” —Bill Leigh

“The PX4B has rhythm patterns, a phrase trainer, and amp/cabinet models in one unit designed to function as both a personal practice aid and multi-effect modeler for direct recording or onstage use. After powering up, you have access to 50 presets and 50 user programs built using Korg’s Resonant Structure and Electronic Circuit Modeling System (REMS). With so much flexibility among amps, cabinets, and effects, playing with the Pandora is almost like having a gear-filled music store shoe-horned into a palm-size box.” —Greg Olwell

LINE 6 VARIAX BASS 700, MARCH ’05 

“The Variax Bass 700 electronically mimicks the sound of a ga-ga assortment of classic basses, offering an unprecedented amount of tone flexibility without buzz-killing complexity. Line 6 programmers used proprietary software tools to imitate each of the modeled instruments’ sound-influencing components. By critically analyzing the physical and electrical behavior of everything from the bridge saddles to the pickups of a modeled bass, Line 6 creates a sophisticated snapshot of the instrument’s tone anatomy and locks it into the Variax’s onboard software system. The Variax is an extraordinarily value-packed method for authentically evoking the sounds of 24 trophy basses. And it accomplishes this mission with elegance, presenting itself as an easy-to-use tool for creative musical expression, and not just as a tool.” —Jonathan Herrera

“Guitar Rig 2 works as a virtual gear rack where you can mix and match amps, effects, compressors, EQs, and cabs. Turn the knobs on these virtual gadgets, and they behave like you’d expect. Like most modeling gadgets, Guitar Rig 2 uses cheeky little monikers to sidestep trademark infringement, so the program calls its one-and-only bass amp BASS-VT. There are six bass cabinet models: 8x10, 4x10, and 1x15 configurations of the sealed BASS-VT enclosures and ported BASSWR cabs. It’s easy to use—I almost never consulted the manual—and the ability to change and rearrange gear so readily really gives you a sense of power.” —Bill Leigh

“Developed in cahoots with Ampeg, and built on the architecture of IK’s Amplitube II—one of those robust guitar amp-simulating plugins— Ampeg SVX is the first full-featured amp plug-in just for bass. It’s also one of few such efforts where the software maker partnered with the gear maker, rather than coding up facsimiles with clever names that barely avoid violating trademarks. Ampeg SVX models amps, cabs, and effects from the venerable, wide-ranging Ampeg line.” —Bill Leigh

High-End Fender-Style Basses

BACK IN THE EARLY ’80S, ROGER SADOWSKY WAS THE TOP FENDER REPAIR AND MOD GUY IN NEW YORK CITY. THIS WAS A GOOD time to be in biz, as the studio scene was reaching a frantic climax, with guys like Marcus Miller, Will Lee, Francisco Centeno, and Anthony Jackson working all-day, everyday on sessions. Sadowsky eventually hung his own shingle, specializing in Fender Jazz-style basses incorporating many of his typical modifications and an active preamp. Since then, an entirely new market segment has emerged: J-style basses with highend electronics, exotic woods, and other upmarket add-ons.

“Does the bass world need another J-Bass-copy? It does if it’s the Mike Lull Vintage Jazz. Lull’s take on the classic axe incorporates such smart upgrades as a heavyweight ABM bridge, hum-free Bartolini pickups, and Hipshot Ultra-Lite tuners. Overall, the Vintage Jazz is hard to beat. We loved the instrument’s pro setup, happening tone, and wicked looks.” —Scott Malandrone

CELINDER J VINTAGE 5, OCTOBER ’00 

“Following the early- ’60s J-Bass recipe, our tester came with an alder body, maple neck, slab rosewood fingerboard, bent steel bridge, and a tried-and-true rear pickup placement. The J Vintage 5 has the clarity, punch, and warmth you would expect from a ’60s J-Bass. The vintage player looking to get into a 5-string should definitely check it out—it will be familiar territory.”—Scott Shiraki

“The Nordy-series basses concoct the J-bass formula with unique flavor, so they’re worth a close look. The beautiful passive vJ5 was super in every way, provided I didn’t expect it to sound like something it isn’t. Sonically, the other vJ5 is the inverse of the passive model. Its hi-fi humbuckers, sophisticated Audere preamp, and punchy ash/maple body/neck combination make it a modern-sounding beast, with tight lows, a flexible EQ, and stratospheric treble response.” —Jonathan Herrera

“The ‘Sadowsky sound’: super fat, round, and punchy. The Vintage 5 has all of these qualities, which makes it the ideal axe for anyone weaned on the classic tones of collectable basses. It’s also expertly built and features the excellent Sadowsky preamp. —Scott Malandrone

With its sunburst finish, rosewood fingerboard, classic J-style pickups, and concentric knobs, the Osborn certainly looks right. Closer inspection reveals finicky attention to details. The finish is mirror-deep and virtually flawless. Its classic JBass flavors are gourmet quality. —Richard Johnston

“Ken Smith, who played Fenders as a successful New York session player, wanted to offer a low-priced but high-quality instrument for those players who simply must have that active Jazz-style bass sound and look. The affordable KSD basses should be on every active-J addict’s lust list. They capture the vibe of the original and offer the full range of contemporary sounds that J-Bass lovers crave.” —Jonathan Herrera

Rack-Mounted Preamps

FOR A WHILE—SOMETIME IN THE EARLY ’90S—RIGS THAT FEATURED SEPARATE PREAMPS AND POWER AMPS, RATHER THAN AN integrated head, were the coolest. The design makes sense. By isolating the tone-shaping preamp section from the heavy-lifting power amp, these systems afforded additional flexibility and made using ultra-high-output PA-style power amps feasible. The approach doesn’t seem to be in current vogue, but there are still a handful of high-end manufacturers continuing the tradition.

“The solid-state model 383 packs a compressor, a crossover, a 6-band EQ, an effects loop, and the Sonic Maximizer circuit into a singlespace rackmount unit that lists, amazingly, for under $300.” —Scott Malandrone

“Manufacturers have been putting tubes into dedicated preamps, giving musicians additional freedom and flexibility. The German company Hughes & Kettner has been one of the leaders of this trend; its BATT (which stands for Bass Advanced Tube Technology) is a small, easyto- use, good-sounding preamp.” —Karl Coryat

“One of the best—and most straightforward— preamps around is the Demeter Tube Bass Preamp, a two-rackspace unit that provides clear, robust sound with a minimum of knob twisting. Despite its Spartan appearance, make no mistake: this preamp is of the bare-knuckles, rather than bare-bones, variety.” —Tom Mulhern

“You read it right: here’s a Trace Elliot that actually sells for less than $400! The company must have cut corners, which would affect the classic Trace sound, right? Not as far as we can tell. The GP7 SM looks and sounds 100% Trace Elliot.” —Scott Malandrone

“Tech 21 made its mark with the SansAmp Classic—an analog ‘tube-amplifier emulation’ pedal that’s popular with both guitarists and bassists for its rootsy, tube-like grind. The company’s latest offering is this programmable guitar/bass preamp, which packs 99 times the power and punch of the original pedal.” —Scott Malandrone

“The SVP-Pro takes the front end of the SVTPro head and packs it into a well-constructed rack unit. Everyone who tried the SVP was knocked out, regardless of playing style. Juicy jazz, rootsy reggae, ripping rock, 12-string metal—you name it, the SVP aimed to please.” —Scott Malandrone

“The DB 680 is built to last. Its industrial appearance isn’t incredibly eye-catching, but lurking underneath the sturdy steel skin is some of the best construction we’ve seen. Handcrafted “boutique” gear doesn’t come cheap, of course, but if you’re the type who lusts after limited-production esoteric equipment, the Aguilar DB 680 fits the bill.” —Scott Malandrone

“Part of the World Tour Series, this preamp is armed with extra functions designed to provide complete low-end control in live and studio situations. Overall, the Navigator is one of the most bass-friendly units we’ve ever heard in the under-a-grand category.” —Scott Malandrone

KERN ENGINEERING IP-777, DECEMBER ’98 

“Fans of the Demeter VTBP-201L and Alembic F1-X tube preamps will love the Kern Engineering’s IP-777. The Kern combines the Demeter’s brilliance with the Alembic’s fatness—and it has a special color all its own. It’s so fat, in fact, that the first tone adjustment you’ll probably make is to turn the bass control down.” —Scott Malandrone

“Avalon Design has been providing the world’s best studios with high-quality EQs, compressors, and preamps for more than 15 years. Their U5 DI/preamp has earned a reputation for great low frequency response and clarity, and is a favorite of many well-respected recording bassists.” —Terry Buddingh

“Seeking to capitalize on the Fender tone stack’s classic sound and offer additional versatility, Fender Bass Amplification designed the TBP- 1, which blends a tube-driven Fender tone stack with several modern amenities characteristic of contemporary preamps, like semi-parametric midrange, an overdrive circuit, and a fullfeatured balanced output.” —Jonathan Herrera

“The EQ was seamlessly integrated, although with the preamp’s beguiling disposition when flat, I generally favored the EQ-off option. The transformer-equipped DI OUT tracked beautifully: The Hellborg preamp would make an excellent alternative to one of the many instrument- input-equipped high-end preamps often favored for recording bass.” —Jonathan Herrera

Lightweight Amp Technology

THE SECOND HALF OF BP’S EXISTENCE IS MARKED BY THE EMERGENCE OF TRANSFORMATIVE NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO REDUCE amp weight: Class D output sections and switch-mode power supplies (SMPS). Amps that incorporate one or both of these technologies do away with or shrink the components in traditional amps that tend to contribute to their weight, especially large transformers and heatsinks. Like neodymium-speaker-equipped cabinets, the undeniable weight benefits of Class D and SMPS amps contribute to their ever-increasing share of the amp marketplace.

“Back in the ’80s Peavey began experimenting with “switch-mode” power-amp designs, which use digital technology to supply large amounts of power without the huge transformers and capacitors required by conventional amps. The 1,400-watt flagship DPC 1400X uses the company’s patented phase-modulated circuitry to provide unprecedented power in a single-rackspace package.” —Terry Buddingh

“Acoustic Image seeks to carve-out its own niche in the crowded amp marketplace by offering compact and light weight amplifiers for the acoustic musician. The Clarus should find favor with upright-playing jazzers seeking a balanced and natural sound with effortless transportability. At $499 the Clarus is an amazingly value for an amp this unique. Paired with a balanced and natural-sounding cabinet, the Clarus is tough to beat for real-world gigging.” —Terry Buddingh

“The AG 500 is like a Class D amp, but it utilizes switching technology developed by the Tripath Corporation. The Tripath power amp topology, named Class T, modulates the output using a proprietary module that purports to eliminate some of the weaknesses of Class D amps while maintaining the efficiency that’s a hallmark of the technology. Playing through the Aguilar’s AG 500 is like working with a specially crafted tool, with lots of options, thoughtful conveniences, and a good, solid sounds. Backed up by its big power section, the AG feels like a muscle car, with ample reserve to deliver more when necessary.” —Bill Leigh

“The industry is stormy over Class D amps, with equally qualified engineers often holding diametrically opposed views on the technology’s sonic quality. The Epifani UL-502 should help bring an olive branch to drafting tables, as its wonderful tone is undeniable. The amp’s overriding musicality and poise is enchanting. Unlike less melodious heads, the syrupy 502 wasn’t cloying, obscuring my bass’s essence with murky, artificial sweetness; instead, its delicious tone has the complexity of an herb-spiked stock, heady with depth and flavor.” —Jonathan Herrera

“The Micro-300 worked proficiently in a variety of settings—even bigger, louder ones where my laziness got the better of me and I didn’t feel like schlepping something more powerful. Its tonehome is dry and arid, with a gritty haze when pushed real hard. It isn’t overwhelmingly bassy or particularly ballsy, but it offers enough clean, clear, and quick bass tone to satisfy almost any small- to medium-size gig.” —Jonathan Herrera

“Two qualities seemed to define the Markbass’s sound on gigs and in rehearsals. First, it has a buttery-sounding preamp, with toothsome mids and a smooth, syrupy top. That’s not to say it’s a slow responder; rather it delivers sweet, colorful tone with booty-thwacking immediacy. Second, and perhaps more important, it’s loud. Delivering 500 watts at 4?, it doesn’t seem like a lightweight, single-rackspace head at all. It was plenty loud for decent-size gigs.” —Jonathan Herrera

“The Eden has a sweet, subtly edgy tone with a top-to-bottom balance and overall dryness. It sounded precise, clean, and clear, and offered enough volume for small- to medium-size club gigs. The compressor was an excellent addition to a small head like this, as taming the input signal can go a long way toward achieving maximum efficiency from a small rig in a boomy room.” — Jonathan Herrera

“The Shuttle heads exhibited a quick, precise attack with sharp and dynamically responsive mids and a pliant low end. The midrange texture was colorful and rich— not totally syrupy, but appreciably sweet and refined. The Genz Benz Shuttle stuff is supremely capable and makes no sonic compromises for portability.” —Jonathan Herrera

High-quality Imports

THE EFFECTS OF BIG-TICKET ISSUES LIKE GLOBALIZATION TRICKLE DOWN INTO OUR LITTLE CORNER OF THE ECONOMY, AND no area demonstrates this more clearly than imported basses. When it came to bass guitars, made-in-America used to be the only way to guarantee a basic level of quality, but the global economy and the technology associated with it has made many foreign-born instruments competitive with their domestic counterparts.

“By building a new line of basses at a less expensive overseas production facility committed to quality craftsmanship, Lakland seeks to deliver the boutique vibe of their U.S. instruments at bargain prices. Lakland’s lowest priced model, the Skyline 55-01, has the same body shape and engineering approach as its more expensive American-made cousin, the 55-94, but utilizes imported electronics and subtle cost-cutting measures to stay affordable. This is one of the most impressive mid-priced instruments we’ve seen—an exemplary product of an increasingly adept overseas manufacturing community.” —Jonathan Herrera

CORT ELRICK JOSH PAUL SIGNATURE, MAY ’03

“‘I can’t believe how well made these imports are!’” It’s becoming a bit of a mantra here at BP. The Josh Paul Signature is yet another piece of evidence that low-cost import alternatives are increasingly difficult to differentiate from their high-dollar brethren. If you’re after versatility, playability, and value, you ought to seriously investigate Cort’s compelling new bass.” —Jonathan Herrera

“The ESP LTD Deluxe J-1004 makes an attention-grabbing visual statement, and the flashy look is backed by an equally assertive sound that offers gobs of clarity. If you’re a rock or funk player looking for a solid instrument and want to be seen as much as be heard, the J-1004 is worth trying out.” —Greg Olwell

“G&L’s Korean-built Tribute series is aimed point blank at cost-conscious players who’ve lusted after G&L’s sophisticated American-made instruments. Some players might be turned off by the Tribute L-2500’s many controls, but the instrument delivers oodles of sonic sculpting from its powerful pickups and flexible electronics. The L-2500 is a potent tone machine at a price that’s hard to beat.” —Greg Olwell

“In 1977, Stuart Spector and then-furniture-maker Ned Steinberger designed the NS bass, which was the first bass to feature a body contoured to match the human body. For decades this contoured body shape was available only in Spector’s expensive high-end instruments, but the new Legend Series basses deliver the classic shape at an affordable price. It’s nice owning a piece of history, and the Legend basses successfully offer a taste at a value-packed price. Their sparkly spank won’t please the dead-string delegation, but they do offer straightforward tones with more than a few welcome curveballs.” —Jonathan Herrera

“Michael Tobias has been a revered name in the bass world for decades, first with Tobias Guitars and now, after selling Tobias Guitars to Gibson in 1990, with Michael Tobias Design (MTD). The new Korean-built Kingston Z more closely evokes his U.S. instruments than any previous MTD import. The Kingston Z basses were gig-ready and a real pleasure to play. With an overall look that’s striking but not overdone. Michael Tobias has simply created solid, fun basses that sound great, play fast, and have precise intonation but are a great bargain.” —Sascha Jacobsen

“Warwick says their value-priced RockBass line has been successful since its 2002 launch, and I can believe it: The inexpensive yet well made basses have the Teutonic look and sleek feel of their German-built Warwick elder brothers, albeit without their counterparts’ fancy woods. All in all, the Warwick features remarkable workmanship for the value.” —Chris Jisi

Digital Signal Processing

BASS PLAYER’S LIFESPAN HAS PARALLELED THE CONCEPTION AND PROLIFERATION OF GEAR USING DIGITAL SIGNAL PROCESSING (DSP) to manipulate a bass’s signal. The advent of DSP made elaborate effects and EQ filtering inexpensive, portable, and exponentially more flexible than their analog equivalents. DSP is at the heart of many bass effects, both in rack-mountable preamps, standalone stompboxes, and multi-effects.

“Korg’s A5 Bass is an all-digital effects processor designed specifically for bass. The effects are generally well behaved and quiet (the noise gate helps here). If you’re used to stomp boxes designed for guitar, you’ll probably notice an immediate improvement when you plug into this unit.” —Craig Anderton

“The FX500B is a very cool box. Many of the factory presets are usable, and there’s plenty of room to store your own creations. But considering its flexibility, the FX500B is relatively simple to operate. So if you love effects, they’re here—and at $495 list, it’s a deal that’s hard to beat.” —Karl Coryat

“Today, we can’t settle for sound that’s just ‘okay.’ Fortunately, digital processing has come to the rescue, bringing high-quality sound and sophisticated effects within reach. If your gig requires the flexibility to come up with a lot of different sounds almost instantaneously, then you’ll want to look into ART’s SGX Nightbass—it’s one of the most advanced and best-sounding bass preamps/signal processors to date.” —Gary Gibilisco

“The box—no bigger than some choruses—can pile on as many as eight effects simultaneously, can be user-programmed, can be used as a tuner, and more. How is this possible? Technology! All of these effects come from a single circuit board, which also explains the 506’s super-low price of $139. The 506 is ideal for the player who wants to experiment with lots of different effects without laying out lots of cash.” —Karl Coryat

“The BassTEC packs modulation, delay, compression, and distortion effects (plus a chromatic tuner) into a gig-friendly package. the BassTEC does deliver a lot of sounds for the dough. One shouldn’t expect to find studio-quality effects in this price range, but you can get decent sound sculpting and more colorful tones.” —Scott Malandrone

“The thoughtful engineering, superb tone, and shrewdly designed editing environment give the GT-6B that transcendent distinction most pedals strive for: to be a stimulating and inspirational music-making cohort. With so much to offer, the GT-6B would be a deal at twice the price.” —Jonathan Herrera

“With the BNX3, DigiTech has combined the twin blades of a thoughtfully designed multieffect and a terrific little multitrack recorder with Swiss Army extras like drum patterns, live looping, multiple input and output options, and additional software.” —Bill Leigh

“Rocktron’s new Blue Thunder bass preamp offers a bevy of tone-coloring addons and effects, with lots of customization. By building this rackmount tone tool around digital signal processing, Rocktron’s deft designers intended the Blue Thunder to offer way more EQ flexibility than higher-priced analog preamps— at a much lower price.” —Bill Leigh

Graphite-Neck Basses

THOSE OF US WITH WOOD-NECK BASSES ARE ALWAYS ENGAGED IN A STRUGGLE AGAINST NATURE. WOOD RESPONDS TO SHIFTS in temperature and humidity by changing shape. The degree of change is usually subtle, but it can ruin a setup. This is a major problem on the road, as each gig can make for an entirely different-feeling bass. Graphite necks are made from a composite material of super-stiff carbon fibers and a plastic resin. They don’t budge, and they have a strong, focused sound that offers an appealing alternative to wood-neck instruments.

“Like all Zon basses, the Sonus has a graphite neck. While not all bassists like graphite, it does have its advantages: it’s extremely stable and resistant to temperature and humidity changes (which is why graphite necks don’t need truss rods), and its density provides a substantial musical benefit: there are no dead spots anywhere.” —Karl Coryat

“Graphite is becoming the choice of many players, and for good reasons—as Modulus’s new intermediate-priced axe, the M92, proves. This bolt-on bass combines stateof- the-art electronics, fine workmanship, good sound, and excellent playability—and its base price is under two grand.” —Karl Coryat

“With the introduction of the G-Bass, Mississippi- based Peavey has joined several notable manufacturers also currently adding graphite technology to the stripped-down, single-pickup design of the venerable Music Man StingRay. Many basses out there share design features with the new G-Bass, and several of those have strong sonic identities. When it comes to bang for the buck, though, it’s tough to ignore that under-$800 price tag on the G. Hats off to Peavey for bringing so much to so many for so little.” —Gregory Isola

The first Status basses were headless with through-body graphite necks and exotic wood bodies. The company’s flagship model is the Stealth II, an all-graphite engineering accomplishment. It would be a good choice if you need a bass that will cut through on the gig and stay stable between dates. If you’re searching for a bass with a unique voice and appearance, look no further. —Scott Shiraki

Top Gear

TO ENSURE BP CONTINUES TO FULFILL ITS REPUTATION FOR SUBSTANTIVE, IN-DEPTH PRODUCT REVIEWS AND NEW gear coverage, we editors constantly strive to be bias-free. We maintain strict policy guidelines to ensure this, but in the end, we are only human. After two decades, perhaps full-disclosure of our occasional failings will prove cathartic. The gear below so impressed or disappointed us that we failed our rigorous commitment to fairness. We apologize.

WESCO PENETRAITOR, APRIL ’92 

“The PeneTraitor has a body-through-neck design: a piece of the body actually loops outward from the back of the instrument, passes though the neck at the heel, and rejoins the body at the upper cutaway. The advantage of this is unclear. The body consists of two rubber wings; they are hinged to each other and flap wildly at the flip of a switch, for a refreshing breeze. So how does it sound? Awful. Even with all the controls set to zero, the PeneTraitor emits crackling, distorted static that only gets worse as you tweak your tone. None of the pitches are discernable, and high notes are out of the frequency range of the pickup. To make matters worse, playing the instrument sets up shock waves that cause pieces of the neck and headstock to fall off. In a word, the PeneTraitor sucks, and the people at Wesco should be ashamed of themselves.” —Lumpy Fatt

“It seems amp manufacturers are always trying to do something different in the hopes of improving tone—and apparently Western Sound is no exception. The Serial Killer features an unusual ‘rear-firing’ speaker. We found other flaws with the design of the Serial Killer. The austere front panel, with only the power cord and a fuse holder, may be the ultimate in the ‘less-is-more’ trend of today’s front panels—but it’s going overboard in our opinion. Where are its controls, you ask? On the back panel, of course! While we applaud Western Sound’s attempts to be innovative, we have to question their judgment. Overall, this is one of the poorest-designed amps we’ve ever seen.” —Scott Malandrone

“QwilTunes’ new Bass Mittens are designed to make it more difficult to practice, so you’re sure to ‘play better in no time.’ Use just one to concentrate on fretting or plucking technique or wear both for fastest improvement.”

“Wrong notes will become a thing of the past with the NoClam Fretboard Shocker. Utilizing California-safe electricity and the same technology found in stun guns, the Fretboard Shocker fits into your bass’s control cavity and clips to the bridge, administering 65,000 watts into the hands of players playing out of key. Not for children under five or use near water sources.”

“The brilliant circuit jockeys at Sailor Flop float above the competition … literally. The world’s lightest bass rig, the -9.8MS2 (Price: High. Really high) attains suborbital flux thanks to recent developments in General Relativity (particularly the Decke-Mund Solution), a Class D-rift power amp, and geominimum speakers. Early spotters report super unheavy tone, an airy top end, and sore necks.” —Jonathan Herrera