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January 2013 Staff Picks

January 2013 Staff Picks

What''s your favorite bass line of all time?

Adrian Duran -- Reader of the Month
What am I listening to?
I always listen to Testament, Septicflesh, Joe Pass, Sigur R—s, Slayer, Chet Atkins, Stars of the Lid, Ghost, and Iron Maiden.
What's your favorite bass line of all time?
James Jamerson’s on “The Tracks of My Tears” (The Miracles) is so tasteful and restrained. Jamerson’s like Rembrandt: There are no bad lines, only less great ones. His lines are everywhere and completely invisible all at once. If anyone can name a more impactful bass player, I’ll eat my shoe.


Andy Ellis -- Senior Editor
What am I listening to?
Andy Timmons, ATB Plays Sgt. Pepper. Timmons offers a rocker’s perspective on chord-melody playing, a style associated with bebop jazz guitar. He performs the entire album on 6-string— a technically impressive and creatively inspiring feat.
What's your favorite bass line of all time?
I’m a dub bass fanatic—Robbie and Family Man, wow—but my single favorite line has to be what Rocco Prestia delivers in Tower of Power’s “What Is Hip?” ... total insanity.


Shawn Hammond -- Editor in Chief
What am I listening to?
Global a Go-Go, Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros. A vibey remaster of the Clash frontman’s 2001 album.
What's your favorite bass line of all time?
Larry Graham (Sly and the Family Stone) on “Underdog,” Ronald La Pread (the Commodores) on “Brick House,” Robert Bell (Kool & the Gang) on “Ladies Night,” Darryl Jenifer (Bad Brains) on “Stay Close to Me,” Muzz Skillings (Living Colour) on “Under Cover of Darkness,” Tim Commerford (Rage Against the Machine) on “I’m Housin’.”


Tessa Jeffers -- Managing Editor
What am I listening to?
The self-titled debut from Dead Sara, a young foursome with a two-guitar attack from Siouxsie Medley and Emily Armstrong—a vocal stunner who belts out a flawless vibrato while both singing and scream-singing.
What's your favorite bass line of all time?
Les Claypool’s slapping on “My Name Is Mud,“ the scorching bass fuzz by Adam Yauch on Beastie Boys’ “Gratitude,” and the groove in “Stand by Me.” But the most infectious funk bass line I’ve ever heard is in Can’s “Halleluwah.”


Chris Kies -- Associate Editor
What am I listening to?
The Man with the Iron Fists soundtrack. New Yeezy, Wiz Khalifa, and Wu-Tang cuts are worth the sticker price, but for guitarists, the Black Keys’ (with Iron Fists director RZA) bravado mash-up “The Baddest Man Alive” dominates, while the Revelations (with Tre Williams) bridge old and neo soul on the funky “I Forgot to Be Your Lover.”
What's your favorite bass line of all time?
Duck Dunn’s crawling-then-frenetic work in Otis Redding’s “Try A Little Tenderness” floors me every time.


Rich Osweiler -- Associate Editor
What am I listening to?
Cokefloat! by PAWS. The debut record from this Scottish punk-pop trio is a fuzzy, fist-pump-inspiring ride that blends in plenty of melodic flavoring to keep it radio-friendly, or not. Either way, a pretty fun listen.
What's your favorite bass line of all time?
I saw this question and knew right away I’d be calling out something from John Paul Jones. So many to choose from, but what JPJ did on “Ramble On” still gives me chills.


Tony Levin -- Stick Men bassist
What am I listening to?
Wish I could give a sexy answer, but it’s the usual homework situation. I’m on the road with Stick Men, playing the new album material, and I’m not yet solid on the parts, so I’m spending hotel time listening to our own album mixes at the moment.
What's your favorite bass line of all time?
Don’t love to pick favorites, but if I have to … it’s Peter Gunn. Come on, admit it: Is there another bass line so recognizable or so instantly cool? And that’s in one bar!


Charles Saufley -- Gear Editor
What am I listening to?
Bunalim, S/T—sick, unhinged fuzz-psych from the shores of the Bosphorus circa ’70-’72.
What's your favorite bass line of all time?
One favorite? Impossible. Cecil McBee and Stanley Clarke’s rippers on Pharoah Sanders Black Unity are up there. Danny Thompson from Pentangle, Jimmy Garrison, Geezer Butler, Aston Barrett, Leroy Hodges, Ronnie Lane, Al Cisneros, Ben Flashman of Comets on Fire’s The Bee and the Cracking Egg ... all killers!


Jason Shadrick -- Associate Editor
What am I listening to?
Scott Sharrard & The Brickyard Band is full of horn-infused blues and R&B grooves from the guitarist in Gregg Allman’s solo band. Sharrard eschews SRVisms for pure, old-school string bending.
What are your favorite albums of 2012?
Stefan Lessard on Daved Matthews Band’s “Crush” for simplicity, John Paul Jones on “When the Levee Breaks” for getting lost in a drum groove, and finally every single note Ray Brown ever played for pure swing.

Day 6 of Stompboxtober is here! Today’s prize? A pedal from Revv Amplification! Enter now and check back tomorrow for the next one!

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Beauty and sweet sonority elevate a simple-to-use, streamlined acoustic and vocal amplifier.

An EQ curve that trades accuracy for warmth. Easy-to-learn, simple-to-use controls. It’s pretty!

Still exhibits some classic acoustic-amplification problems, like brash, unforgiving midrange if you’re not careful.

$1,199

Taylor Circa 74
taylorguitars.com

4.5
4.5
4.5
4

Save for a few notable (usually expensive) exceptions, acoustic amplifiers are rarely beautiful in a way that matches the intrinsic loveliness of an acoustic flattop. I’ve certainly seen companies try—usually by using brown-colored vinyl to convey … earthiness? Don’t get me wrong, a lot of these amps sound great and even look okay. But the bar for aesthetics, in my admittedly snotty opinion, remains rather low. So, my hat’s off to Taylor for clearing that bar so decisively and with such style. The Circa 74 is, indeed, a pretty piece of work that’s forgiving to work with, ease to use, streamlined, and sharp.

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The evolution of Electro-Harmonix’s very first effect yields a powerful boost and equalization machine at a rock-bottom price.

A handy and versatile preamp/booster that goes well beyond the average basic booster’s range. Powerful EQ section.

Can sound a little harsh at more extreme EQ ranges.

$129

Electro-Harmonix LPB-3
ehx.com

4
4
4
4.5

Descended from the first Electro-Harmonix pedal ever released, the LPB-1 Linear Power Booster, the new LPB-3 has come a long way from the simple, one-knob unit in a folded-metal enclosure that plugged straight into your amplifier. Now living in Electro-Harmonix’s compact Nano chassis, the LPB-3 Linear Power Booster and EQ boasts six control knobs, two switches, and more gain than ever before.

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Photo by Artem Podrez: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-person-holding-an-electric-guitar-6270138/

Intermediate

Intermediate

• Learn classic turnarounds.

• Add depth and interest to common progressions.

• Stretch out harmonically with hip substitutions.

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Get back to center in musical and ear-catching ways.

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