The Last Bass Outpost

http://www.cortguitars.com/_webapp_3760869/GS-Punisher-2

I believe the bass above wasn't posted here yet? I know Basvarken is a huge fan of the Cort Axe bass and rumours are that he's replacing all his Hobbits with those awesome basses. Now he can buy a new baby!

In Holland a new brand appeared. It's called Aristides. They make a 5 string bass called the 050 and a 4 string one will follow. This bass is made of Arium which is developed by the Delft Technical University in the Netherlands. This Arium consists of glass crystals and natural resins and the idea was to make the 'perfect tone material'. So it's no carbon fibre or something like that, but more an artificial wood, but without dead spots, without quality differences and it's made (molded) out of one piece.
I guess it won't be everybody's piece of cake, but take a look:

www.aristidesinstruments.com

BTW: I hope I can do this, because I help this company out with some marketing issues. So delete if I can't do this.

A question I have for ages.

I know if a guitar is build by a master it's masterbuilt. But why are some guitars like Epiphone called Masterbilt, without the 'u'?

And if so is a Peterbilt built by Peter? And what's a Ken worth?

Here's some NAMM-news. Maybe you know some more? I will be there, BTW. My very first trip to the US of A.

Some things were already on sites:


Fender:
Fender will bring the singlecut electro-acoustic Kingman bass. An acoustic bass with block inlays and a Jazz-headstock.
It also has seperate heads and cabs in the Rumble-series.
There's a new P and J in the American Special Series, but I can't see what's really new, except for the Greasebucket tonecircuit.
And there are some new CS-basses. Vintage style with some modern features.

Ampeg:
Ampeg will bring a new tube-Fliptop, but also a complete new Portaflex series. No tubes though. This is a series of small digital amps, with a bit of a retro design (Chickenhead-style controls and design look a bit like an old Portaflex). The cabs have this nice chequered tolex and ofcourse the amps will fit IN the cabs. It are like 350W and 500W amps, so just modern gigging amps, but with the Ampeg sound, according to... ...Ampeg.
http://www.debassist.nl/nieuws/5597-ampeg-portaflex-serie

Warwick
Warwick has a lot of news:
They bring a complete new amp series. Combo's, heads, cabs. From very small up to 600W. Design is a bit more 'Hellborg' and Jonas also helped wiuth the technical side.
There's an new Singlecut Star Bass. Less 335 and more Framus. It has a sharp cutaway and the same passive 'mudbucker'-looking singlecoils.
The normal EB2-style Star Bass is also available as a cheaper Korean version (in gold!), and so are a Streamer and a Thumb.
Also from Korea is the cheaper series of signatures for Clayton (Gold or sunburst Stryker Reverso), Bootsy, P-Nutt, Stuart Zender and more.
For guitards: Framus will bring some affordable, very vintage looking Korean guitars.

Orange
Orange will bring two new combo's, in the Terror-series. The 500W has two 12" and the 300W has 2x10. But like with the cabs, the speakers are places BEHIND eachother.

DNA
DNA stands for David Nordschow Amps and 'David' is from 'David' on the Eden amps. Now Mr. Nordschow has his own brand and he brings all kinds of new DNA cabs to the NAMM. Amps will follow later.

Eastwood
Rob has already posted it: Eastwood brings a Ovation Magnum-kinda bass.

AER
AER brings the Amp Three with two 8" speakers.

Aguilar
Aguilar alreadyt reveiled the vintage looking and very light SL112 cab. Now they announce the Tone Hammer 500 Super Lightweight Amplifier.

Hi guys,

Are there any opinions here (soundwise, quality wise, other wise) about those new cheap Gibson Melody Makers?

http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Melody-Maker/Gibson-USA/Melody-Maker.aspx

Thanks!

Guys,

Here's some news.
I have terrible problems in my relationship. My girlfriend has very bad panic attacks since seven months and finally she got help. She completely terrified of batteries, soap, but another day it can be a fence, an oven. Just random things can scare the hell out of her at random times. After ten years of relationship she isn't herself anymore and it's very bad to see. A couple of weeks ago she decided I was 'evil', she has thrown me out of my house changed the locks and I haven't talked to her since. She has got professional care now, but as you can imagine I am devastated after ten very good years without any problems. I don't know how long this will take and if she gets any better at all. It's a long story, I am not ready to talk about it yet, so I'll keep it with this short notice. And let's talk basses!

It's totally understandable you think I am the one who's crazy, ha ha, cos I sold the 4005WB for a good price to one of it's first owners in The Netherlands. Why? It was my dream bass and I never wanted to sell it. But I have it for 12 years now and I played it once with The La La Lies, once with Boilersuit and I recorded a vid with it.  That's it. It hasn't got 'my' sound and it doesn't play that well. I thought of selling it for years and I don't have any regrets!

I parted the money I got into some cash for future (got to find another home, buy stuff, ..), but of course I also bought the bass I wanted for a long time. A firebird red Gretsch G6199B Billy-Bo Jupiter Thunderbird Bass You can find some pics at:

www.flickr.com/chrispdekker

Some first impressions, more to follow: It's a great looker! It's very pretty and very nice built! The body is very, very light. Officially it's 'heavily chambered' but it feels more like a Höfner than a Rivoli. T think the top is very thin. So it's very light and it sounds very hollow. A great fat sound!!
More to follow if I played it more. A guy from a Dutch bass forum said something like this:

'So, yesterday evening I saw Chris Dekker with his La La Lies and he had a nwe bass. A Gretsch Billy-Bo Jupiter Thunderbird bass. What a momnster sound! Whoh! Gas. Yes, and this sound. Just 'enormous', super fat, loud, a big bump in the low mids. Everthing was right!'

I like it:D More pics and experiences will follow.

I've got quite a nice bass at home to review:



It's called the Godin Shifter. Canadian made. There's also a rosewood board sunburst one. I really like the looks of it. A bit slab P bass, a bit Jazz without the chrome control plate. Also a bit Mustang/Musicmaster and the three pick ups make it nice. It has a five way switch and a push/pull for a total of six pick up configurations.

Three pick ups seem to be a new trend? Music Man has the Reflex and Big Al. Fret King has the Ventura 80 Bass:



Of course nothing special about three pick up basses. My '64 Burns has three.