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.

Meet Laura Lee: a mystery inside an enigma, as well as a unique bassist.

Bass Player US

SLOW CHANGES • The Bass Extremes supergroup featuring Victor Wooten and Steve Bailey has an album on the way

GEARUP • Essential new basses and related products are on the way

IN THE Groove • Let’s dig out a bass-heavy LP from the vault. This month: Pixies’ masterpiece Doolittle

The Albums That Made Me

Richard Jones • The Stereophonics bassist looks back at five albums from his 25-year career. It’s a journey through the low end...

I WAS THERE! • A historic moment in bass world—recalled by those who were there to see it

USE DI BOXES CORRECTLY • The benefits of going direct

WHAT’S YOUR ANGLE? • Head over to the top end of your bass

IMPROVE YOUR GROOVE

THE LEE WAY • The hottest new band in years is Khruangbin, the Texas-based trio whose music stretches from dub via country to cinematic soundscapes and beyond. Anchoring the band philosophically and musically, bassist Laura Lee has wisdom for us all about making a band work while basing it on a solid set of ethics.

MEETING OF MINDS • We asked Flea, a huge fan of Laura Lee, to ask her some questions about her low-end philosophy...

FÖREVER TWENTY-ONE • After 40 years and millions of album sales, Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe is still getting flak from certain quarters. “People say I’m not a real bass player,” he tells Hywel ‘Too Fast For Love’ Davies

SUMON SAYS • How many bass players do you know who have survived multiple bouts of cancer, a near-fatal road accident, a stroke, and more than 30 surgeries, and are still performing at the top of their domestic music industry? Meet Bassbaba Sumon from Bangladesh

STILL YOUNG • Dave Young is one of Canada’s most celebrated jazz bassists, having played over the last 50 years with Oscar Peterson, Tommy Flanagan, Kenny Barron and others. Now 82, he’s as creative as ever. What’s his secret?

SWEDE SENSATION • Leftfield rockers Placebo have returned with an album that was recorded in reverse, explains Stefan Olsdal

BACK IN BLACK • Melanie Makaiwi of Black Sabbitch has some useful advice for back-pain sufferers. Seriously.

FINE TUNED • New York-based bassist Michael Feinberg is on a mission to evolve jazz. We find out how he plans to do it…

Incoming • Which bassist is equally inspired by Mingus and Maiden? Which one reveres The Meters and The Damned? And which bassist lost a bet and was reborn as a wolf? Meet Paul Shine of Dead Writers, Grant Curry of Flood Twin, Kamikaze Boy of Man With A Mission, and Andy Champion of Living In Shadows. We think one of those might be a stage name.

GEAR Reviews • Welcome to our expert road-tests of state-of-the-art bass gear

FENDER Player Plus Active Meteora • The Editor tackles the new Player Plus Active M-Bass

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

DRAGONFLY CS-5/345 • A custom five-string from Japan is always worth investigating, says Mike Brooks

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

PHIL JONES BASS X4 NanoBass Combo • How does a bass amp featuring nanotechnology size up? Kevin Johnson weighs in

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

FLATTLEY Bass Chief and Bass Poison Ivy • Add color to your tone and pedalboard, advises Joel McIver

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

Bass Lessons • Making you a better bass player in every issue, our state-of-the-art team of educators will guide you every step of the way. Say hello to them here!

BP Notation...