I used to think that stereotypes and preconceived notions about what is right and wrong when it comes to bass were things that other people dealt withānot me. I was past all that. Unfazed by opinion, immune to classification. Or so I thought, tucked away in my jazz-hermit-like existence.
That belief was shattered the day Ian Martin Allison handed me a Fender Coronado while I was blindfolded in his basement. (Donāt askāitās a long story and an even longer YouTube video if you have time to kill.) For years, I had been a single-cut, 5-string, high-C-string player. That was my world. So, you can imagine my shock when I connected almost instantly with something that felt like it was orbiting a different solar system.
Less than 5 minutes with the instrument, and it was all over. The bass stayed in Ianās basement. (I did not.) I returned home to Los Angeles, but I couldnāt stop thinking about it. I kept playing my beloved semi-chambered single-cut 5-string, but I sent its builder, Anders Mattisson, a message about my recent discovery. I asked if there was any way we could create something with the essence of a Coronado while still suiting my playing and my music.
Thatās when everything I thought I knew about bassāand the personal boundaries I had set for myselfācame crashing down.
When we started talking about building a bass with a fully chambered body, much like the Coronado, I was adamant about two things: It needed to have active electronics, and I would never play a headless bass.
Fast-forward three months to the winterNAMM show in California. Anders arrived for dinner at my house, along with a group of incredible bass players, includingHenrik Linder. I was literally in a chefās apron, trying to get course after course of food on the table, when Henrik said, āHey, letās bring the new bass in.ā
He came down the stairs carrying something that looked suspiciously like a guitar caseānot a bass case. I figured there had been some kind of mistake or maybe even a prank. When I finally got a break from the chaos in the kitchen, I sat down with the new bass for the first time. And, of course, it was both headless and passive.
I should mention that even though I had made my requests clearāno headless bass, active electronicsāI had also told Anders that I trusted him completely. And Iām so glad I did. He disintegrated my assumptions about what a bass āhas toā or āshouldā be, and in doing so, changed my life as a musician in an instant. The weight reduction from the fully chambered body made it essential for the instrument to be headless to maintain perfect balance. And the passive nature of the pickups gave me the most honest representation of my sound that Iāve ever heard in over 30 years of playing bass.
Iām 46 years old. It took me this long to let go of certain fundamental beliefs about my instrument and allow them to evolve naturally, without interference. Updating my understanding of what works for me as a bass player required perspective, whereas some of my most deeply held beliefs about the instrument were based on perception. I donāt want to disregard my experiences or instincts, but I do want to make sure Iām always open to the bigger pictureāto other peopleās insights and expertise.
Trusting my bass builderās vision opened musical doors that would have otherwise stayed bolted shut for years to come. The more I improve my awareness of where the line between perception and perspective falls, the more I can apply it to all aspects of my world of bass.
Maybe this month, itās playing an instrument I never would have previously considered. Next month, it might be incorporating MIDI into my pedalboard, or transcribing bass lines from spaghetti Westerns.
No matter what challenges or evolutions I take on in my music and bass playing, I want to remain openāopen to change, open to new ideas, and open to being proven wrong. Because sometimes, the instrument you never thought youād play ends up being the one that changes everything.
The Gold Label Collection draws inspiration from classic 1930s and ā40s flat top acoustic guitars, delivering a warmer, fuller tone that blends a heritage voice with a new version of Taylor's award-winning V-Class bracing technology. The collection features several groundbreaking design elements, including the new Super Auditorium body style, a Fanned V-Class bracing pattern, and a long-tenon neck joint, all of which contribute to a richer, more resonant, more muscular sound. The collection also introduces two distinctive wood pairings: Honduran rosewood back and sides with a torrefied Sitka spruce top, producing exceptional harmonic richness, and figured Hawaiian koa coupled with torrefied Sitka spruce, delivering a more balanced, rounded tone.
Taylor Gold Label 814e
āThe harder you play, the louder the guitar gets,ā says Powers. āBut it naturally starts to compress the sound into a more controlled, focused tone rather than becoming mushy. Yet these guitars also respond to delicate articulation with a broadly rich voice. When you play a simple note softly, the guitar naturally amplifies it with surprising warmth and volume.ā
With its unique sound and aesthetic, the Gold Label Collection sits apart from Taylorās other premium lines, offering a guitar that combines the warmth and tonal character of traditional instruments with the playability and reliability Taylor is known for. The collection's craftsmanship extends beyond its sonic capabilities, with a fresh visual aesthetic that combines classic influences with modern artistry. The result is a guitar that will appeal to a broad range of players, offering a distinctive voice and performance that bring together the best of both old and new.
Whether for recording, live performance, or personal enjoyment, the Gold Label Collection provides musicians with a guitar that is as visually striking as it is sonically impressive.
Axis, Cutlass, Sting Rays, oh my! There were all those and more new stylings at the Sterling by Music Man & Ernie Ball both this year as we got a tour of all their affordable options that are out or will be coming out in 2025. We saw new stylings on signature sweets for James Valentine, Steve Lukather, Ryan "Fluff" Bruce, Pete Wentz, Tosin Abasi, Jason Richardson and more!
The StingRay Plus takes the classic StingRay guitar to new heights with a roasted maple neck, versatile P90 pickups, and a built-in volume boost. A matching headstock and sleek block inlays complete the polished, old-school look. Experience the next level of tone and performance with the StingRay Plus.
Danelectro keeps bring the past to the future by recreating cult classics from their history. The masonite masters brought a pair of new electrics, their Sitar in a cracked-black finish, and some new colors on the Longhorn basses.
Xvive wants to make sure you take some time for yourself and your tone with their new More You HUB. It's the starting point to bulid out your studio or rehearsal space with an expandable audio interface and personal monitoring system for up to eight people and 24 inputs. The More You Hub (1st slide) is the heart of the system, with two combo inputs for microphones and instruments, and outs to your DAW, headphones/IEMs, and studio monitors. True gain mic preamps with 60dB of gain in 1dB steps for precise setting and recall; 48V phantom power, phase and hi-pass filter available on all inputs; each user controls Level and Reverb for themselves on their two inputs. Talkback mics on each unit allow musicians to communicate without removing headphones and all settings automatically recall after shutdown and restart. The second slide shows the additional, expandable MORE YOU 2X Expansion Unit that works with the HUB.