Another Addition To The Fold

Well I got rid of one of my guitars. The Squire P-Bass left the house today but in it's place I brought home another Squire. I's a  Squire by Fender Vintage Modified Fretless Jazz Bass. I had been wanting a fretlless bass for sometime and the deal was right so I picked one up. This is a very well built and playable guitar. A lot of players look down their noses on the Squire line of guitars but I have to say after owning the P-Bass and now this fretless Jazz, for the money you can't buy a better guitar in my book. Time to plug up and put on some Jaco.

I haven't got around to taking any pictures yet so here's a few I snagged off the web.

Jeff Beck Mixes New Solo Album

Jeff Beck Mixes Rock with Classical on New Solo Album

Jeff Beck’s forthcoming new solo album, Emotion & Commotion, promises to be among the most eclectic recordings of the guitarist’s career.

Slated for release on April 13, the album features a mix or original music and cover songs, including renditions of the Wizard of Oz classic “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” Jeff Buckley’s “Corpus Christi Carol,” and Screamin’ Jay Hawkins' “I Put a Spell on You.” Among the disc’s three guest singers is Joss Stone, who handles vocals on the latter song.

Complementing Beck’s guitar work on several tracks will be a 64-piece orchestra. The legendary rocker says the idea to bring in an orchestra evolved from his work on Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 5, which he recorded a few years ago.

“It turned out amazingly well, but I didn’t want to commit to an entire album of classical music,” Beck says. “What appealed to me instead was the idea of bringing together these seemingly contradictory sounds on different kinds of non-classical music.”

Among the disc’s original compositions is “Hammerhead,” a track said to incorporate a horn arrangement into a wah-driven groove, and “Never Alone,” a soundscape that features a “high-flying” melody.

Frequent Beck collaborators Vinnie Colaiuta (drums), Jason Rebello (keyboards), and Tal Wilkenfeld (bass) contribute throughout the disc, which was recorded in late 2009 in London.

EMOTION & COMMOTION Track Listing:

1. “Corpus Christi Carol”
2. “Hammerhead”
3. “Never Alone”
4. “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”
5. “I Put A Spell On You” featuring Joss Stone
6. “Serene”
7. “Lilac Wine” featuring Imelda May
8. “Nessun Dorma”
9. “There’s No Other Me” featuring Joss Stone
10. “Elegy For Dunkirk” featuring Olivia Safe

Warwick Announces Adam Clayton Bass

Warwick Announces Adam Clayton Reverso Signature Bass & Bronze Acoustic Bass Strings
Anaheim, CA (January 12, 2010) -- Warwick has announced a new signature bass for U2's Adam Clayton, along with new bass strings.

Adam Clayton Reverso Signature Bass
The fact that Adam Clayton of U2, the bassist of one of the biggest rock' n 'roll bands in the world, sought the collaboration with Warwick two years ago is a milestone for the soon to be 30-year-old success story of Warwick as a manufacturer of bass equipment. An intensive collaboration with the Warwick team under the guidance of Marcus Spangler created an unmatched bass that shines with its own voice and design.

The Warwick Adam Clayton Reverso Signature Bass not only stands out because of its extravagant design. The high quality components, like the selected 5A quilted maple top for the body and headstock, the Khaya Mahogany body, the 3A flamed maple neck with tiger stripe ebony fingerboard give this bass a unique tone with smooth elegance and a punch that a band like U2 needs every time they play.

An active MEC P split coil pickup captures the tone, new passive MEC electronics co-developed with Adam Clayton allow a separate reduction of high and low frequencies, and produce the typical Adam Clayton sound. The electrical outfitting of this Adam Clayton Reverso Bass also includes red LEDs on the fingerboard's edge providing the best orientation on dark stages. An all-around professional bass for one of the most demanding bassist in the world.

Red Strings Bronze Acoustic Bass Strings
Warwick expands its range of high quality and highly affordable acoustic bass strings products with the “Red Strings Bronze Acoustic Bass Strings“, which close the market gap for affordable but still high quality acoustic bass strings. The “Red Strings Bronze Acoustic Bass Strings“ will be available in two different sets – one medium scale (32”) for 4-string basses and one long scale (34”) for 5-string basses. The Bronze Acoustic Bass Strings sound very balanced across the complete fingerboard and deliver an excellent, powerful, warm and singing tone.

The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) including VAT for the 4-String Medium Scale Set is £13.90, and for the 5-String Long Scale Set £18.90.

4-String Medium Scale: .045”, .065”, .085”, .105”

5-string Long Scale: .045”, .065”, .085”, .105”, .135”

For more information:
Warwick

Fender Products: 50th Anniversary Jazz Bass®-New for 2010!

Fender Products: 50th Anniversary Jazz Bass®-New for 2010!



For all you Fender Jazz bass fans out there, here's your chance to grab a piece of Fender history.

The Fender Jazz Bass guitar was first delivered to the world in 1960. If the Precision Bass® was a muscle car, the new Jazz bass was a sports car, and it proved incredibly popular with bassists of all styles worldwide.

Although remarkably unchanged since its introduction half a century ago, the Jazz Bass did see a very gradual succession of subtle design refinements over the course of the past five decades. Accordingly, our limited edition 50th anniversary Jazz Bass is a truly distinctive instrument in that it boasts design touches from several periods in Jazz Bass history, including '60s-era lacquer finish, headstock logo, chrome bridge and pickup covers; '70s-era thumb rest and bridge pickup positioning; and modern-era high-mass bridge and graphite neck support rods.

Comes in a deluxe black hardshell case containing cable, strap, polishing cloth and collectible 50th Anniversary Jazz Bass brochure.

Model Name: 50th Anniversary Jazz Bass®
Model Number: 019-5000-(809)
Series: Limited Anniversary Series
Colors: (709) Candy Apple Red,
(Nitrocellulose Lacquer Finish)
Body: Alder
Neck: Graphite Reinforced Maple, Modern C Shape,
(Nitrocellulose Lacquer Finish)
Fingerboard: Rosewood, 9.5 Radius (241 mm)
No. of Frets: 20 Medium Jumbo Frets
Pickups: Two 75 Vintage Jazz Bass® Single-Coil Pickups
Controls: Volume 1. (Neck Pickup),
Volume 2. (Bridge Pickup),
Master Tone
Pickup Switching: None
Bridge: HMV, High Mass Vintage, (Strings-Thru-Body or Topload)
Machine Heads: Fender®/Hipshot® Vintage Keys with Tapered Shafts
Hardware: Chrome
Pickguard: 3-Ply White/Black/White
Scale Length: 34 (863.6 mm)
Width at Nut: 1.50 (38 mm)
Unique Features: White Pearloid Block Position Inlays,
Matching Painted Headstock,
*60s Style Lacquer Finish,
*62 Fender Logo,
*70s Bridge Pickup Position,
*70s Style Bass-Side Thumb Rest,
*00s Style HMV Bridge and Lightweight Fender®/Hipshot® Vintage Tuning Keys,
*00s Posiflex™ Graphite Neck Support Rods,
Vintage Tinted Neck,
Buffed Fingerboard,
Highly Detailed Nut and Fret Work,
Rolled Fingerboard Edges,
Rounded Body Shape,
Chrome Bridge and Pickup Covers are Mounted at the Factory,
Collectable 50th Anniversary Jazz Bass® Brochure,
Black Plastic Parts
Strings: NEW U.S. Fender® NPS 7250M (0737250406), Gauges .045, .065, .085, .105
Accessories: Deluxe Black Hardshell Case, Cable, Strap, Polishing Cloth, Collectable 50th Anniversary Jazz Bass® Brochure
Case: Deluxe Black Hardshell Case with Black Interior
Introduced: 1/2010
Notice: Product Prices, Features, Specifications and Availability Are Subject To Change Without Notice

Quote Of The Day

"Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. They teach you there's a boundary line to music. But, man, there's no boundary line to art." ~ Charlie "YardBird" Parker

Epiphone Introduces NEW Series Thunderbird PRO

Thunderbird Pro Basses



Building upon the long-term success of the Thunderbird bass, Epiphone introduces the NEW professional series Thunderbird PRO's. Available in both 4 and 5 string versions, THE original "rock and roll" bass with the distinctive shape combines traditional design elements with new technology - all for a price that the working bassist can afford.

The Thunderbird PRO's feature a rock-solid, 7-piece (Walnut/Maple) neck with through-body construction for amazing sustain and tone. Add to that, Epiphone's new T-Pro bass humbucking pickups with custom active electronics and EQ and suddenly, the Thunderbird transforms into a very versatile bass capable of a wide variety of tonal options.

Other features include premium die-cast 14:1 bass machine heads, a "bad ass" fully-adjustable bridge and SlimTaper neck profile with Epi-designed straight-string pull headstock. Add to that black hardware and black pickguard with silver Thunderbird logo and you've got the NEW Epiphone Thunderbird PRO's. Available in 3 striking colors - Vintage Sunburst, Translucent Black and Natural Oil.









Specifications:

Body Wings: Mahogany
Neck: 7-piece (Walnut/Maple/Walnut/Maple/Walnut/Maple/Walnut)
Neck Joint: Through-Neck
Truss Rod: Double-Action, 2-Way
Fingerboard Rosewood
Fingerboard Radius: 12"
Frets: 20-Medium/Jumbo, nickel/silver alloy
Scale Length: 34"
Nut Width: 1.50" (4-string), 1.93" (5-string)
Neck Pickup: Epiphone T-PRO Bass Humbucker
Bridge Pickup: Epiphone T-PRO Bass Humbucker
Bridge: Flush-Mount, fully adjustable
Controls: Master Volume, Blend, High-EQ, Low-EQ
Tuners:
Premium Die-Cast Bass
Outputs: 1/4" Mono, Metal Jack Plate
Hardware: Black
Options: Hard Case
Warranty Limited Lifetime (US only, Void where prohibited.)

Video Demo:

Our friend Chris Catero of Razer and Marty Friedman's touring band gives us an in depth look at the Epiphone Thunderbird Pro V Bass in the video below.

Epiphone Thunderbird Pro V Bass - Chris Catero from Epiphone Company on Vimeo.

Modern Moto-Mother: Honda CB750 KO

The 1969 Honda CB750 motorcycle offered a combination of hardware never before seen on a single machine. When Honda introduced the model in June of 1968, the manufacturer dropped the gauntlet that changed the world of motorcycling.

At the heart of the Honda CB750 motorcycle was an inline four-cylinder engine with single overhead cam, four carburetors, prominent four-into-four exhaust, and 67 horsepower at 8000 rpm.

For those keeping track, it put out a good 15-percent more power than BSA's new 750-cc Rocket 3 and at just under 500 pounds, weighed about the same.

It's not hard to guess which was quicker.

But it wasn't just the four-cylinder engine that caused such a stir; though most contemporary competitors were twins, several manufacturers had offered fours in the past.

No, it was the fact that four-cylinder power and smoothness was joined by a five-speed gearbox, electric starter, and a front disc brake --the disc brake first ever on a street machine -- all at a reasonable price.

The first Honda CB750 motorcycles were produced with sand-cast cases that had a rough finish; later models had smoother castings.

Those early sand-cast models, such as the Honda CB750 motorcycle pictured with this article, became the most valuable to collectors.

By 1970, Dick Mann had piloted a race-prepped Honda CB750 motorcycle into the winner's circle at Daytona, and the world of aftermarket hop-up equipment came alive.

The Honda CB750 motorcycle is also credited with casting the mold for what would later be called the "Universal Japanese Motorcycle," a breed of machines that would bring the bikes of England to their collective knees.

I always have had a very soft spot for this machine. The true definition of a classic motorcycle in my opinion. One day I will have a CB750 in my collection.