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8 Mar

FENDER AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL JAZZ BASS

Fender Music Australia | fender.com.au | Expect to Pay: $3699

Tried and trusted, Fender’s Jazz Bass is a living classic. From the outset its brighter tone, richer midrange and more prominent treble made it a much-loved point of difference to the Precision Bass, and an embraced constant in the ever-changing Fender range. It’s a bass guitar with style, with pizzazz, with oomph and versatility thanks to a couple of well-refined single coil pickups, added controls and a sleek offset body. Like any proven formula, it’s something that you don’t want to mess with too drastically, otherwise risk muddying the sonic personality and the aesthetic appeal of the instrument. With every new iteration of the bass model, it always begs the question: what can Fender do that hasn’t been done before? And after that, what is the impact of these changes and/or additions? With the release of the new American Professional Jazz Bass accompanied by a bunch of new features, it’s time to once again answer these pertinent questions.

8 Mar

3 Nov

Ernie Ball Music Man Cutlass Bass

The Angry Younger Sibling

As the eldest sibling in a reasonably large litter, it has always been my job to bear the focus of my parents as they set off on the ­first lap of the child-rearing racetrack.

3 Nov

24 Oct

Ernie Ball Music Man 40th Anniversary “Old Smoothie” StingRay Bass

CMC Music Australia | cmcmusic.com.au | RRP: $4895

Picture this: the year is 1976. You’re sitting in a sunken lounge lined with shag pile carpeting listening to your brand new copy of Frampton Comes Alive or Songs In The Key Of Life, reading about the dissolution of the Viet Cong. Everybody has been talking about this raucous new wave of bands they’re calling ‘punks’; The Ramones have just put out their first 12”, some ugly English kids calling themselves The Sex Pistols have played two shows to less than fifty people (many of whom would go on to change the world themselves) and it all sounds like the second coming of rock and roll Jesus. You swap the newspaper for a catalogue from your local music store and nestled somewhere around the forth or fifth page 
is the brand new StingRay Bass. Little do you know the lasting effect just about every detail of that situation is to have on the next forty years!

24 Oct

11 Jul

Guild Starfire Bass Guitar

Zenith Music | (08) 9383 1422 | www.zenithmusic.com | RRP: $2499

Sometimes in this job you have what I’ve come to refer to as a ‘Pulp Fiction’ moment. You get a call from the Editor to go and pick up a couple of bits and pieces for the next issue. You’re greeted with an imposing, black tolex case that sits quietly in the back seat all the way home. You lay it out on the table, flick open the latches and your face is bathed in the golden glow of something truly magical. This is exactly what happened to me with the Wine Red Guild Starfire Bass.

11 Jul

5 Nov

Yamaha TRBX204 Bass Guitar

Yamaha Music Australia | (03) 9693 5111 | www.au.yamaha.com | RRP:$499.99

Before getting into this review, it’s worth pointing out that in 20 years of playing in bands, working in music stores, writing for magazines and working with gear companies, this writer has never come across a bad anything from Yamaha. Their quality control and construction standards have never been anything less than gosh- darn impressive, whether you’re talking about an entry level acoustic guitar, or a top-of-the-line Billy Sheehan Attitude Bass. So you know that when it says Yamaha on the headstock it’s going to be reliable. So what’s this particular instrument, the TRBX204, all about?

5 Nov

30 Sep

Diamond Hailfire SM 15 Bass Guitar

Dynamic Music | (02) 9939 1299 | www.dynamicmusic.com.au | RRP: $1999

It’s always a good day when a Diamond guitar visits for review, but this is the first Diamond bass to drift into my claws. The Hailfire SM 15 Bass is very similar in looks to the guitar version of the Hailfire we reviewed a little while ago (maybe you’re in a Diamond-playing ZZ Top tribute band and you want your guitar and bass to look the same?) but with all sorts of bassy touches.

30 Sep

4 Sep

MUSICMAN STRINGRAY 5 THROUGH NECK BASS

CMC Music | (02) 9905 2511 | www.cmcmusic.com.au

The Stingray is a not only a MusicMan classic but a classic of the bass community as a whole. Used by players such as Flea, Louis Johnson, John Deacon and Tony Levin, its sound has defined many albums and gigs with its punchy tone and playability making it a favourite amongst pros and weekend warriors alike. Whilst Neck Through is a newish innovation for the Stingray, it is an even newer idea for their five string model, (initially being offered on the four string versions) with this slim heeled fiver being unveiled earlier in the year to much interest from bass playing pundits.

4 Sep

20 Mar

MAYONES COMODOUS 6 STRING BASS

Ubersonic | (03) 9580 2060 | www.ubersonic.com.au | RRP: $4999

Poland’s Mayones makes extremely fine, high quality guitars with a very distinctive look and style, great tone woods and amazing playability. But their basses are equally distinctive and high quality. The Comodous 6 is a breathtaking instrument - quite literally, because everyone I showed it to had the same shocked reaction to its sheer size, odd shape and the striking nature of its top. Aahh but as anyone who’s played a Mayones guitar will know, you can’t judge one on looks: it all happens when you pick that first note.

20 Mar

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