Articles by Heiko Hoepfinger
Bass Bench: Exploring Low-End Distortion
April 5, 2019
What are the benefits and drawbacks of adding dirt and grind to your bass sound?
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Bass Bench: Inside the World of Bass Pedals
March 8, 2019
For the modern low-ender, it’s not enough to be a groove master. Today, you need to stay on top of ever-evolving tone-shaping technology.
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Bass Bench: Nickel Attack
January 31, 2019
Our instruments pack a lot of this alloy, which can cause allergic reactions in some platers. Do you get mysterious rashes?
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Bass Bench: Diving into Lutherie
January 2, 2019
What does it take to make a living building basses?
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Bass Bench: Marketing Madness
December 7, 2018
People want to sell the gear they make—that’s A-OK. But how far will some stretch the truth to make the sale?
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Bass Bench: Oil, Shellac, Nitro, Polyester, and Urethane: What Gives?
November 9, 2018
Let’s put the marketing hype aside and look at the basic properties of instrument finishes.
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Bass Bench: The World of Finishes
October 12, 2018
Wood requires protection—especially from moisture—and there are many ways to get the job done.
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Bass Bench: The Inherent Limitations of Acoustic Bass Guitar
September 7, 2018
In terms of unamplified volume, can low-enders ever compete with their flattop-wielding cohorts?
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Bass Bench: Psycho Tricks of the Low End
July 29, 2018
Sometimes we bassists can’t crank up enough to experience our fundamentals in all their glory. But wait—there is a simple solution.
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Bass Bench: MIDI Sensing on Steroids
July 1, 2018
No doubt you’ve heard the saying “many hands make light work.” It turns out this also applies to MIDI bass.
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Bass Bench: The Pros and Cons of Pitch-to-MIDI Technologies
June 8, 2018
Eager to explore electronic music with your bass? Here are the trade-offs you’ll encounter.
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Bass Bench: The Evolution of MIDI Bass
May 4, 2018
Can low-enders create lush orchestrations all by themselves?
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Bass Bench: Chasing Grounding Gremlins
March 23, 2018
If you hope to eliminate noise and hum from your bass, here are the important things to consider.
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Bass Bench: Dead Strings ... Revive or Replace?
February 23, 2018
Learn how to reclaim “new string tone”—at least temporarily.
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Bass Bench: The Mystery of Aging Strings
February 11, 2018
What causes our strings to lose their upper frequencies over time?
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Bass Bench: Digital Denial
December 22, 2017
They say variety is the spice of life. But how does this apply to musicians?
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Bass Bench: Power to the Bass Peeps!
December 1, 2017
Why do bassists need so much wattage to be heard?
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Bass Bench: Pondering the Cabinet Conundrum
November 14, 2017
Should bassists pay more attention to the humble speaker enclosure?
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Bass Bench: Horror Stories from the Repair Shop
October 6, 2017
Sometimes it makes sense to acknowledge your limitations.
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Bass Bench: The Evolution of Bass Versus Guitar
August 22, 2017
Are bassists more open-minded than their 6-string compadres?
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