Bass Player

Bass Player is the world's most comprehensive, trusted and insightful bass publication for passionate bassists and active musicians of all ages. Each issue delivers the latest tips and techniques that are guaranteed to make you a better player.

Movie stars love playing bass too. We know, because we asked one.

Bass Player

CAPTAIN HOOK • Peter Hook gets his own signature Yamaha BB bass.

RIP SEAN MALONE

Slim Picking • New, two-octave Thinline Warwicks are on the way.

Love Lines • A great bass-line in 85 words or less...

Gear News

NEW TRACE ELLIOT COMBOS • The veteran amp-makers announce new Elf units.

Introducing • A posse of new bass players answer this month’s burning questions. Do you agree with their replies?

Israel Crosby

AHMAD JAMAL At the Pershing (1958)

AHMAD JAMAL Ahmad’s Blues (1958)

LOREZ ALEXANDRIA Deep Roots (1962)

SAM JONES & CO. Down Home (1962)

GEORGE SHEARING Jazz Moments (1963)

The Beach Boys record Pet Sounds in 1966

BUILD YOUR CONFIDENCE • Add some swagger to your bass playing

WOOD TRENDS EXPLAINED • Don’t be terrified by torrefied maple

MASTER COOL SUBSTITUTIONS IN TURNAROUNDS: PART 1

Lights. Camera. Bass! • Jason Momoa , the movie star who everyone knows thanks to Game Of Thrones and Aquaman, plays bass every single day. Who knew, right? Well, you read about it here first. He often talks about his admiration for a long list of heavyweight bass players—so, in a world first, we sit down with Momoa and present him with a list of questions from those very bassists. Along the way he reveals his journey into the low end, his admiration for a certain Mr. Claypooland his profound fear of something that we bassists do all the time...

Robert Trujillo, Metallica

AQUAMAN ANSWERS

Frank Bello, Anthrax

Rex Brown, Pantera, Down, Kill Devil Hill

AQUAMAN ANSWERS Tom Araya, Slayer

David Ellefson, Megadeth

THE BIG F • Jason recently ordered a beautiful custom Fender Precision. He and Fender Master Builder Vincent Van Trigt tell the story...

GET CARTER... • ...on your session, if you want the ultimate double bass performance. “I’ll take a bullet if I’m wrong,” says the great Ron Carter , 83 years old and kicking the asses of bass players a third his age.

ENTER THE DEAD ZONE • We chronicle the return of the long-lost 1974 Alembic bass, known as ‘Osiris’ aka ‘Mission Control’ by Deadheads, and ‘The Osage’ or ‘The Omega’ by Alembic faithful, once belonging to Phil Lesh of the Grateful Dead

JON LAWHON BLACK STONE CHERRY • Bass tips and key advice from the rockin’ BSC bassist

LUCKY JIM • Jimmy Haslip continues to push forward the frontiers of bass guitar with album reissues, sessions and a playing style that is like no other.

DUNN DEAL • There is no rock band quite like Mr. Bungle. There is no composer quite like John Zorn. Trevor Dunn plays bass for them both...

WHISKEY TONES • Session and solo bassist Leanne Bowes recalls the key moments that took her career to the next level

GEAR Reviews • Welcome to our expert road-tests of state-oftheart basses, amps and effects.

EPIPHONE Jack Casady • From the Tunas—sorry, tuners—to the bridge, Jack Casady’s venerable bass design endures into the 2020s, says Joel McIver

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

LAIRAT Stega Deluxe • Player-friendly design plus precision-engineered components makes for a winner, says Stuart Clayton

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

BERGANTINO Forté D amp, NXT112 and 210 cabinets • Freddy Villano plugs into the high-spec, high-powered new Forté D amp from the mighty Bergantino

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

Bass...