Analog Outfitters Scanner
This glorious spinning, twirling plexiglass mechanical monster is the Scanner from Analog Outfitters, who build beautiful amps from recycled Hammond Organs. This time around they're repurposing Hammond vibrato units and mating them to a spring reverb. The unit is expression pedal controllable (stupidly fun!!!) but also has line and XLR outs so you can use it as outboard gear in a studio. At $1,599 it's not cheap but MAN it sounds fantastic.
Spaceman Effects Voyager I and Orion
Zak at Spaceman Effects has always very deftly fused practicality and classic sounds with a touch of wooly and weird. This year he unveiled the $349 Voyager I tremolo (with triangle and square wave settings and an envelope. He also brought the Orion, an amazing 6.25 x 4.75 " spring reverb that sounds massive at even the most extreme dwell settings. Both are an absolute blast! Well done Zak.
Taylor 326e-6 Baritone
Early days here at Summer NAMM 2015, but the rich honey lows of the Taylor 326e-6 baritone will stay with us for a long, long time. The combo of the Honduras mahogany top and sapele back and sides is a perfect combo for the long scale tones.
Jackson Ampworks Continuum
The crew over at Jackson Ampworks brought the Continuum controller to NAMM. They had a prototype last year but this finished model has tap tempo bias trem, rhythmic subdivisions, and modulated reverb. The spacious and cinematic 'verb is astounding and the stuttering trem effects are jarringly authentic. It will be available in August for $499.
Recording King RD-216
Recording King entered the torrefaction game with its usual dazzling combination of fair prices and sweet tones. The RD-216 has a lovely solid Adirondack top (torrefied of course) and layered mahogany back and sides. Just 499 bucks on the street.
Bootleg Guitars GS Custom
Bootleg Guitars had their new SG-style GS Custom in tow.. It has a mahogany body, mahogany neck topped with a rosewood 'board, and is packed with a trio of Filter'Tron-style "Harvey-trons."
Wampler Pedals Low Blow
Wampler Pedals brought some love for bassists to NAMM with their first offering for low enders. The Low Blow features two clipping modes: Smooth brings more of an overdrive while jagged is akin to distortion. A 3-band EQ delivers plenty of tone control and the notch-filter switch helps to clean up cabinet woof without having to turn things down.
DOD MeatBox and Gonkulator
DigiTech/DOD resurrected two gloriously grody pedals from the '90s that had gained a cult following among noise connoisseurs since their discontinuation. The MeatBox sub generator and the Gonkulator ring modulator sound as nasty as you hope, feature a sturdier build and more reliable true-bypass switches, and go for 99 bucks.
DynaMount
DynaMount beat their Kickstarter goal by 50 percent in order to debut their new "robotic" mic mounts at NAMM. Their app-controlled motors let you adjust grille proximity, lateral positioning, and mic angle from the convenience of a studio control room, etc. Shipping in October, Dynamount models range from approx. $200 to $600.
Wifo RemoFinger
Wifo from Seoul, South Korea, brought the slick new RemoFinger to NAMM. Consisting of a foot-controller and a separate console, RemoFinger uses the company's own proprietary Touch Pointer technology (top) and the latest ZIGBEE wireless technology—which reportedly uses less power than Bluetooth while switching faster—to enable you to switch settings on any apps (e.g., GarageBand) on Apple and Android devices. The Touch Pointer technology conducts current equal to the human finger in order to yield more traditional hands-free operation. RemoFinger will ship in November for $159, but for a limited time you can get it for an Early Bird price of $79 on Kickstarter.com.
Pittsburgh Modular Synthesizers Patch Box
We're pretty stoked about first-time Summer NAMM exhibitors Pittsburgh Modular Synthesizers, who brought the super-tweakable, super-rad Patch Box, a $349 (street) switching shell that can power up to six Eurorack-format effect modules (not included) for an insane variety of sounds. Pittsburgh's own modules—which range from LFOs to filters, analog phasers and delays, digital reverbs, and more—range from $99 to $399.
Hill’s straightforward methodology for the Dawg is also found in the electronics. Going with a passive setup, he employed Bartolini BC4C hum-cancelling pickups wired to the Volume and Blend knobs. Believing it diminishes the potential for noise in the circuitry, Hill opted to go without a tone pot.
A highlight of the Dawg bass is the 34" bolt-on neck, constructed of quartersawn maple and topped with a maple fretboard. The nickel frets are an indication of Hill’s craftsmanship, flawlessly installed and cleanly dressed. A closer look at the headstock reveals a quite different, but functional, device to hold down the strings—a dollar coin held in place by two screws. Hill found this to be a more cost-effective approach than pur- chasing imported string trees. And with approximately 1.2 billion of these coins piling up in federal vaults, he though they may as well be put to good use.
By combining these features with Hipshot hardware and a big brass nut, Hill has produced a Dawg that can tackle any playing situation.
Playing The Rookie
Strapped in or sitting down, the Dawg felt very balanced and maintained its position against the body, whether in an angled playing style or in a horizontal orientation. The neck was smooth and had a comfortable radius that should suit a player with big or small hands. Hill designed the bass so well that every note was easily accessible on the fretboard, without any adjustment needed in left-hand technique. Our test bass had
an excellent setup, with little to no fret buzz and near-perfect intonation.
The Blend knob is wired similarly to Sadowsky basses, whereby rolling it forward engages more of the bridge pickup, and turning it back increases the neck pickup’s dominance. Purists may prefer a more-traditional wiring of the dial, but many believe this “reverse” configuration is more intuitive.
Game Time
The overall tone of the Dawg is bright, with strong upper mids and growly lows.
The test model was played through a Glockenklang Soul head and Quattro 410, as well as an Aguilar Tone Hammer 500 with two SL112 cabinets. Through both rigs, the ash and maple combination established a bright and punchy foundation, with the Bartolinis delivering their characteristically articulate sound.
For those who require a little more flexibility in shaping their tone, the Dawg handled preamp pedals very well. Boosting the lows with an Aguilar Tone Hammer pedal added bump and booty to the bass. Pairing the Dawg with a Daring Audio Edge Activator created a modern vibe— conveying an MTD-like zing.
The Dawg excelled in aggressive live situations and its inherent tonal charac- teristics cut through the mix like an angry Peyton Hillis running through a defensive line. Balancing both pickups creates a solid tone for picking or fingerstyle rock, and Jaco disciples will enjoy the snarl of the bridge pickup. Soloing the neck pickup had more growl than girth, but it conjured up some Louis Johnson-style funk when slap- ping the bass.
Option Plays
Bootleg also offers a 5-string version of
the Dawg bass, extending the scale length to 35", which makes the 5th string more taut. Though there are no additional wood options for the Dawg at this time, a buyer has the option of choosing red, white, or black for the pearloid pickguard’s color.
The Verdict
To sum up the Dawg bass in one word, it would be “value.” It’s rare to find a
USA-made instrument built this well, with a price point that won’t bust your salary cap. Hill has created an instrument that can handle the rigors of the road and maintain an eye-catching look from the stage. Its tonal palette covers most of the common tones for the bassist, though it may not appeal to those who prefer a warmer, thicker sound. If you’re looking to add a bass to your roster, the Dawg 4 might just become the MVP in your collection.
Buy if...
you want a well-crafted bass with good tone at a great price.
Skip if...
you require bells and whistles, and/or traditional looks.
Rating...
Street $1849 - Bootleg Guitars and Basses - bootlegguitars.com |
