You've got another SIX chances to win in this week's giveaway. Enter below for your shot at pedals(or gear) from Aguilar, AmpMojo, Electro-Harmonix, Gator Cases, Truetone, or Zashabuti!
Aguilar AG Preamp/Direct Box
Aguilar’s AG Preamp Pedal is a must-have for any bassist looking for a clean and transparent preamp to sculpt their sound. Revered for tight, fast response and tonal flexibility, the AG Preamp Pedal features a 4-band EQ, footswitchable "deep" and "bright " controls, headphone out, aux in, and balanced DI.
AmpMojo Sol Drive Responsive Tube Overdrive
The Sol Drive is a low-to-medium gain, responsive tube overdrive pedal. It uses a Tung-Sol 12AX7 pre-amp tube to bring a rich harmonic texture to your tone that only a real tube can. Real tube tone. Real tube feel.
Features:
• Genuine Tung-Sol 12ax7 vacuum tube
• Premium no-click foot switch
• True bypass relay circuit
• Top mounted input, output, dc jacks
• Tour-grade durability
• Built in U.S.A.
Electro-Harmonix Lizard King Octave Fuzz Effects Pedal Green
Make way for the new heir to the octave fuzz throne, the Lizard King from Electro-Harmonix. Directly inspired by the EHX x JHS collaboration released in 2023, the Lizard King takes the gnarly and responsive octave fuzz circuit from the Lizard Queen and optimizes it for bass and beyond. With updated tone controls and a new Blend knob, the bass’s fundamental tone and low-end is preserved while the top-end of the fuzz tone is shaped to fit or dominate any mix!
The EHX Lizard King is a fixed-gain fuzz that is dynamically responsive. Adjustments to your instruments volume affects the amount of fuzz. Lower instrument volumes create a clear, fuzzy overdrive, while full instrument volume sends the gain over the top for ripping riff and searing solo tones. The familiar VOLUME and OCTAVE knobs control overall output and octave blend volume respectively. New to the Lizard King, the BLEND knob sets the mix between your clean and fuzz tones to create the perfect balance of fuzz while retaining your bass’s attack and low-end. The TONE knob is a low pass filter that rolls off the highs, while the SUN/SHADOW switch further enhances the tone of the octave fuzz and clean tones. SUN boosts the octave fuzz with a more driving midrange, and the clean tone accessed by the BLEND knob has more treble and bass frequencies. When the switch is set to SHADOW, the clean tone is unchanged, and fuzz tone is tighter.
TrueTone 1 SPOT Pro CS11
Our most powerful 1 SPOT Pro yet! The 1 Spot Pro CS11 is the same size as the CS12, but with all new outputs and options. It doesn’t replace the CS12, but gives users more power and more available 9Vdc outputs. It also has “one more” output on the back, which allows users to connect the CS11 to Truetone’s new expansion boxes like the XP5 and XP8. It goes to 11… and so much more.
Zashabuti ZAMP
Vintage Tweed Tube Amp Reimagined in Gold Analog Stompbox
Zashabuti has announced the launch of the ZAMP, a groundbreaking amp-in-the-box pedal that delivers the cherished sound of 1950s Fender Tweed amplifiers.
For musicians seeking to capture the magic of rock’s golden era, the ZAMP brings legendary tones right to your pedalboard, offering an authentic playing experience that pays homage to the greats. With its innovative true analog tube emulator, the ZAMP meticulously recreates the entire tube chain and tone stack of these classic amplifiers with Jensen speaker emulation, offering musicians the best of both worlds – vintage tone with modern reliability.
Imagine dialing in the iconic sounds of The Eagles, The Rolling Stones, Steely Dan, Eric Clapton, and Neil Young—all without the high cost and maintenance of vintage gear. Designed as an all-in-one DI amp-in-a-box solution, the ZAMP eliminates the need to lug around a traditional amplifier. You’ll get the sounds of rock legends – everything from sweet cleans to exploding overdrive – for the same cost as a set of tubes.
The ZAMP’s versatility makes it an ideal tool for a variety of uses…
• As your main amp: Plug directly into a PA or DAW for full-bodied sound with Jensen speaker emulation.
• In front of your existing amp: Use it as an overdrive/distortion pedal to impart tweed grit and grind.
• Straight into your recording setup: Achieve studio-quality sound with ease—no need to mic an amp.
• 12dB clean boost: Enhance your tone with a powerful clean boost.
• Versatile instrument compatibility: Works beautifully with harmonica, violin, mandolin, keyboards, and even vocals.
• Tube preamp for recording: Use it as an insert or on your bus for added warmth.
• Clean DI box functionality: Can be used as a reliable direct input box for live or recording applications.
See the ZAMP demo video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJp0jE6zzS8
Key ZAMP features include:
• True analog circuitry: Faithfully emulates two 12AX7 preamp tubes, one 12AX7 driver tube, and two 6V6 output tubes.
• Simple gain and output controls make it easy to dial in the perfect tone.
• At home, on stage, or in the studio, the ZAMP delivers cranked tube amp tones at any volume.
• No need to mic your cab: Just plug in and play into a PA or your DAW.
• Operates on a standard external 9-volt power supply or up to 40 hours with a single 9-volt battery.
The ZAMP pedal is available for a street price of $199 USD and can be purchased at zashabuti.com.
About Zashabuti:
With a team of experienced engineers and innovators from leading companies in the music industry, Zashabuti is dedicated to designing products with a deep respect for the classic sounds of the past, combined with the best of today’s technology. We strive to create products that inspire and elevate your musical journey.
Stompboxtober is rolling on! Enter below for your chance to WIN today's featured pedal from Peterson Tuners! Come back each day during the month of October for more chances to win!
Peterson StroboStomp Mini Pedal Tuner
The StroboStomp Mini delivers the unmatched 0.1 cent tuning accuracy of all authentic Peterson Strobe Tuners in a mini pedal tuner format. We designed StroboStomp Mini around the most requested features from our customers: a mini form factor, and top mounted jacks. |
Many listeners and musicians can tell if a bass player is really a guitarist in disguise. Here’s how you can brush up on your bass chops.
Was bass your first instrument, or did you start out on guitar? Some of the world’s best bass players started off as guitar players, sometimes by chance. When Stuart Sutcliffe—originally a guitarist himself—left the Beatles in 1961, bass duties fell to rhythm guitarist Paul McCartney, who fully adopted the role and soon became one of the undeniable bass greats.
Since there are so many more guitarists than bassists—think of it as a supply and demand issue—odds are that if you’re a guitarist, you’ve at least dabbled in bass or have picked up the instrument to fill in or facilitate a home recording.
But there’s a difference between a guitarist who plays bass and one who becomes a bass player. Part of what’s different is how you approach the music, but part of it is attitude.
Many listeners and musicians can tell if a bass player is really a guitarist in disguise. They simply play differently than someone who spends most of their musical time embodying the low end. But if you’re really trying to put down some bass, you don’t want to sound like a bass tourist. Real bassists think differently about the rhythm, the groove, and the harmony happening in each moment.
And who knows … if you, as a guitarist, thoroughly adopt the bassist mindset, you might just find your true calling on the mightiest of instruments. Now, I’m not exactly recruiting, but if you have the interest, the aptitude, and—perhaps most of all—the necessity, here are some ways you can be less like a guitarist who plays bass, and more like a bona fide bass player.
Start by playing fewer notes. Yes, everybody can see that you’ve practiced your scales. But at least until you get locked in rhythmically, use your ears more than your fingers and get a sense of how your bass parts mesh with the other musical elements. You are the glue that holds everything together. Recognize that you’re at the intersection of rhythm and harmony, and you’ll realize foundation beats flash every time.“If Larry Graham, one of the baddest bassists there has ever been, could stick to the same note throughout Sly & the Family Stone’s ‘Everyday People,’ then you too can deliver a repetitive figure when it’s called for.”
Focus on that kick drum. Make sure you’re locked in with the drummer. That doesn’t mean you have to play a note with every kick, but there should be some synchronicity. You and the drummer should be working together to create the rhythmic drive. Laying down a solid bass line is no time for expressive rubato phrasing. Lock it up—and have fun with it.
Don’t sleep on the snare. What does it feel like to leave a perfect hole for the snare drum’s hits on two and four? What if you just leave space for half of them? Try locking the ends of your notes to the snare’s backbeat. This is just one of the ways to create a rhythmic feel together with the drummer, so you produce a pocket that everyone else can groove to.
Relish your newfound harmonic power. Move that major chord root down a third, and now you have a minor 7 chord. Play the fifth under a IV chord and you have a IV/V (“four over five,” which fancy folks sometimes call an 11 chord). The point is to realize that the bottom note defines the harmony. Sting put it like this: “It’s not a C chord until I play a C. You can change harmony very subtly but very effectively as a bass player. That’s one of the great privileges of our role and why I love playing bass. I enjoy the sound of it, I enjoy its harmonic power, and it’s a sort of subtle heroism.”
Embrace the ostinato. If the song calls for playing the same motif over and over, don’t think of it as boring. Think of it as hypnotic, tension-building, relentless, and an exercise in restraint. Countless James Brown songs bear this out, but my current favorite example is the bass line on the Pointer Sisters’ swampy cover of Allen Toussaint “Yes We Can Can,” which was played by Richard Greene of the Hoodoo Rhythm Devils, aka Dexter C. Plates. Think about it: If Larry Graham, one of the baddest bassists there has ever been, could stick to the same note throughout Sly & the Family Stone’s “Everyday People,” then you too can deliver a repetitive figure when it’s called for.
Be supportive. Though you may stretch out from time to time, your main job is to support the song and your fellow musicians. Consider how you can make your bandmates sound better using your phrasing, your dynamics, and note choices. For example, you could gradually raise the energy during guitar solos. Keep that supportive mindset when you’re offstage, too. Some guitarists have an attitude of competitiveness and even scrutiny when checking out other players, but bassists tend to offer mutual support and encouragement. Share those good vibes with enthusiasm.
And finally, give and take criticism with ease. This one’s for all musicians: Humility and a sense of helpfulness can go a long way. Ideally, everyone should be working toward the common goal of what’s good for the song. As the bass player, you might find yourself leading the way.Fuchs Audio introduces the ODH Hybrid amp, featuring a True High Voltage all-tube preamp and Ice Power module for high-powered tones in a compact size. With D-Style overdrive, Spin reverb, and versatile controls, the ODH offers exceptional tone shaping and flexibility at an affordable price point.
Fuchs Audio has introduced their latest amp the ODH © Hybrid. Assembled in USA.
Featuring an ODS-style all-tube preamp, operating at True High Voltage into a fan-cooled Ice power module, the ODH brings high-powered clean and overdrive tones to an extremely compact size and a truly affordable price point.
Like the Fuchs ODS amps, the ODH clean preamp features 3-position brite switch, amid-boost switch, an EQ switch, high, mid and low controls. The clean preamp drives theoverdrive section in D-Style fashion. The OD channel has an input gain and outputmaster with an overdrive tone control. This ensures perfect tuning of both the clean andoverdrive channels. A unique tube limiter circuit controls the Ice Power module input.Any signal clipping is (intentionally) non-linear so it responds just like a real tube amp.
The ODH includes a two-way footswitch for channels and gain boost. A 30-second mute timer ensures the tubes are warmed up before the power amp goes live. The ODH features our lush and warm Spin reverb. A subsonic filter eliminates out-of-band low frequencies which would normally waste amplifier power, which assures tons of clean headroom. The amp also features Accent and Depth controls, allowing contouring of the high and low response of the power amp section, to match speakers, cabinets andenvironments. The ODH features a front panel fully buffered series effects loop and aline out jack, allowing for home recording or feeding a slave amp. A three-position muteswitch mutes the amp, the line out or mute neither.
Built on the same solid steel chassis platform as the Fuchs FB series bass amps, the amps feature a steel chassis and aluminum front and rear panels, Alpha potentiometers, ceramic tube sockets, high-grade circuit boards and Neutrik jacks. The ICE power amp is 150 watts into 8 ohms and 300 watts into 4 ohms, and nearly 500 watts into 2.65 ohms (4 and8 ohms in parallel) and operates on universal AC voltage, so it’s fully globallycompatible. The chassis is fan-cooled to ensure hours of cool operation under any circumstances. The all-tube preamp uses dual-selected 12AX7 tubes and a 6AL5 limiter tube.
MAP: $ 1,299
For more information, please visit fuchsaudiotechnology.com.
Jackson Guitars announces its first female signature artist model, the Pro Series Signature Diamond Rowe guitar.
“I‘m so excited about this new venture with the Jackson family. This is a historic collaboration - as I am the first female in the history of Jackson with a signature guitar and the first female African American signature Jackson artist. I feel so honored to have now joined such an elite group of players that are a part of this club. Many who have inspired me along this journey to get here. It’s truly humbling.” says Diamond.
Diamond Rowe is the co-founder and lead guitarist for the metal/hard rock band Tetrarch. Since co-founding the band in high school, Tetrarch has become one of the most talked about up-and-coming bands in the world - with several press outlets such as Metal Hammer, Kerrang, Revolver, Guitar World and many others boldly naming Diamond Rowe the world’s next guitar hero. Tetrarch has connected with many fans while performing on some of the world's biggest stages garnering spots alongside several of the heavy music world’s biggest names such as Guns N’ Roses, Slipknot, Lamb of God, Disturbed, Avenged Sevenfold, Sevendust, Rob Zombie, Trivium, and many many others. The Jackson Pro Series Signature Diamond Rowe DR12MG EVTN6 is based on Jackson’s single-cut Monarkh platform and is a premium guitar designed for progressive metal players seeking precision and accuracy.
Crafted in partnership with Diamond, this model boasts a 25.5 “ scale, Monarkh-styled nyatoh body draped with a gorgeous poplar burl top, three-piece nyatoh set-neck with graphite reinforcement, and 12˝ radius bound ebony fingerboard with 24 jumbo frets. The black chrome-covered active EMG® 81/85 humbucking bridge and neck pickups, three-way toggle switch, single volume control, and tone control provide a range of tonal options. The Evertune® bridge ensures excellent tuning stability, while the Dark Rose finish with a new custom 3+3 color-matched Jackson headstock and black hardware looks simply stunning.
To showcase the Pro Plus Signature Diamond Rowe DR12MG EVTN6, Diamond shares her journey as a guitarist, delving into the inspiration behind her unique design specifications and the influential artists who shaped her sound within a captivating demo video. This video prominently features powerful performances of Tetrarch’s latest release, “Live Not Fantasize,” and “I’m Not Right” showcasing the DR12MG EVTN6’s unparalleled tonal versatility and performance capabilities.
MSRP $1699.99
For more information, please visit jacksonguitars.com.