BassPlayer 2017-03

Music
& Tab
The Yardbirds’ “Lost Woman”
Learn Paul Samwell-Smith’s Spirited BaSS Line
bassplayer.com
®
¡Viva El Bajo!
Oskar
Cartaya
Explores The Many
Cultures of Bass
MARCH 2017
A NEWBAY MEDIA PUBLICATION
Reviewed
Danelectro D64 Bass
Bergantino B|Amp
Steve DiGiorgio
Taste & Tone With Testament
Alex Stiff
Riffing With The Record Company
Miles Mosley
Expand Your Upright Palette

Nice top.
Round core.
Boom.
When our bass-playing experts found a way to wrap nickel-plated steel around a
round core, they created one of the world’s most popular bass strings. GHS Round
Core Bass Boomers offer the malleable, tactile experience you expect from a round
core string. The nickel-plated steel adds extra core durability with a full frequency
sound — with a soft, clear high end — that babies your frets. These are your power
strings. These are Round Core Bass Boomers. From GHS.
PLAY WITH THE BEST
ghsstrings.com
800.388.4447
ELECTRIC GUITAR BASS ACOUSTIC CLASSICAL MANDOLIN BANJO BAJO DULCIMER PEDAL STEEL RESONATOR UKULELE AND MORE

600 Watts
at your
Fingertips.
Victor Wooten
Hartke Artist
Introducing the Hartke TX600 Bass Amplifier
This new 600-watt bass amp offers Hartke’s legendary tube
preamp circuitry in a highly-portable enclosure that weighs in
at just 7 pounds. The TX600 features a built-in compressor
and unique tone stack EQ section that compliments a variety
of playing styles. Loud, light and flexible, the TX600 is the
perfect all-around bass head for the stage and studio.
© 2016 Hartke | hartke.com

HELP FOR THE INSATIABLE
A treat to eyes and ears! Single coil and Lipstick ® Humbucker pair combine
to produce magnificent “never heard before” bass tones. Pull on tone knob
for coil tap. German carved top. If you are stuck on a desert island with only
one bass, make sure it is this one!
Colors: Black Pearl, White Pearl, 3 Tone Sunburst.
© DANELECTRO 2017
THE DANELECTRO ’64 ®
BASS
danelectro.com

Sweetwater Is Your Premier
One-stop Shop for Bass Guitars,
Effects, Amps, and More.
Sweetwater Charcoal
Reel-to-reel T-shirt
Darkglass
Microtubes B7K Ultra
Fender
Jazz Bass
Gallien-Krueger MB Fusion 800 and Neo 112-II
FREE PRO ADVICE
We’re here to help!
Call today!
FREE 2-YEAR WARRANTY
Total Confidence
Coverage Warranty
FAST, FREE SHIPPING
On most orders, with
no minimum purchase!
(800) 222-4700 Sweetwater.com
0 % * on purchases of select manufacturers’ products made with your Sweetwater Musician’s All Access
INTEREST for 24 MONTHS Platinum Card between now and March 31, 2017 – 24 equal monthly payments required.
*Offer applies only to single-receipt qualifying purchases. No interest will be charged on promo purchase and equal monthly payments are required equal to initial promo purchase amount divided equally by the number of months in promo period until promo
is paid in full. The equal monthly payment will be rounded to the next highest whole dollar and may be higher than the minimum payment that would be required if the purchase was a non-promotional purchase. Regular account terms apply to non-promotional
purchases. For new accounts: Purchase APR is 29.99%; Minimum Interest Charge is $2. Existing cardholders should see their credit card agreement for their applicable terms. Subject to credit approval.

TABLE OF CONTENTS LINK FACE TECH PLAY LEARN
C ontents
March 2017 | Volume 28, Number 3 | Bassplayer.com D B S T W
DEPARTMENTs
Bass Notes
12 COMMUNITY
Lowdown, Dig My Rig,
the Real World, Court of
Opinion
24 NEW GEAR
Aguilar, Morley, Bergantino,
Dunlop
66 THE INNOVATORS
Douglas Castro of
Darkglass Electronics
14 Miles Mosley Getting
down on upright
16 Alex Stiff Giving back to
the blues with the Record
Company
20 BP Recommends
26 Oskar Cartaya
Working his way from Puerto Rico to the top of the industry, the Latin-jazz master
44 Bergantino B|AMP head
48 Danelectro D64 4-string
is now focused on his solo debut, Bajo Mundo. By Chris Jisi
36 Steve DiGiorgio
Bassdom’s heaviest fretless player goes back to Testament —and to the basics—
with Brotherhood of the Snake. By Freddy Villano
56 The Yardbirds’
“Lost Woman”
Paul Samwell-Smith riffs and raves on this blues-rock classic from 1966.
Soundroom
Jon D'Auria
Cover photo: Jesse Vendetta
Bass Player (ISSN 1050-785X) is published 13 times a year, monthly plus a Holiday issue to follow the December issue, by
NewBay Media LLC, 1111 Bayhill Drive, Suite 440, San Bruno, CA 94066. Periodicals Postage Paid at San Bruno, CA and at
additional mailing offices. Canadian GST No. R13288078, Customer No. 2116057, Agreement No. 40011901. POSTMASTER:
Send address changes to Bass Player, Box 469069, Escondido, CA 92046.
Woodshed
50 Jazz CONCEPTS
Scott LaFaro: Low & slow
52 R&B GOLD
We want Money
8 bassplayer.com / march2017

PULSE
Bass Speakers
Step forward bass players. New Celestion Pulse speakers combine
thrilling dynamics with a rock solid low end and rich, deep tone.
But what really sets these drivers apart is their lightning response and
focus, enhancing every detail of your performance.
A bold new voice for bass players: put some Pulse in your cabinet.
Find out more
celestion.com

www.bassplayer.com
Vol. 28, No. 3, March 2017
Editorial Director Michael Molenda, mmolenda@nbmedia.com
Editor Chris Jisi, bpeditor@nbmedia.com
Consulting Editor Karl Coryat
Senior Contributing Editors E. E. Bradman, Jonathan Herrera
Contributing Editors Ed Friedland, John Goldsby
Web and Contributing Editor Jon D'Auria
Staff Writer Jimmy Leslie
Art Director Paul Haggard
Assistant Art Director Laura Nardozza
Production Manager Amy Santana
The NEWBAY MUSIC GROUP, Business
VICE PRESIDENT, GENERAL MANAGER: Bill Amstutz,
bamstutz@nbmedia.com
GROUP PUBLISHER: Bob Ziltz, bziltz@nbmedia.com
Advertising Director: Jon Brudner, jbrudner@nbmedia.com
Advertising Director: Mari Deetz, mdeetz@nbmedia.com
Advertising Director: Jeff Donnenwerth,
jdonnenwerth@nbmedia.com
Advertising Director: Jason Perl, jperl@nbmedia.com
Advertising Director: Scott Sciacca, ssciacca@nbmedia.com
Advertising Director - Labels: Chris Enriquez,
cenriquez@nbmedia.com
ADVERTISING director - NON ENDEMIC: Anne Triece,
atriece@nbmedia.com
PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT MANAGER: Beatrice Weir
FULFILLMENT COORDINATOR: Ulises Cabrera
OFFICE SERVICES COORDINATOR: Mara Hampson
Advisory Board
Kenny Aaronson, Jeff Andrews, Steve Bailey, Jeff Berlin, Brian Bromberg, Ron Carter,
Phil Chen, Stanley Clarke, Art Davis, Nathan East, Mark Egan, Andy Gonzalez, Barry Green,
Stuart Hamm, David Hungate, Anthony Jackson, Darryl Jones, Dave LaRue, Will Lee, Michael
Manring, Christian McBride, Marcus Miller, Pino Palladino, John Patitucci, Josh Paul, Dave
Pomeroy, Chuck Rainey, Rufus Reid, Steve Rodby, Billy Sheehan, Lee Sklar, Steve Swallow,
Gerald Veasley, Verdine White, Gary Willis, Doug Wimbish, Victor Wooten
Please direct all advertising and editorial inquiries to:
Bass Player, 1111 Bayhill Drive, Suite 440, San Bruno, CA 94066
(650) 238-0260; FAX (650) 238-0261; bassplayer@nbmedia.com
Subscription orders, inquiries, address changes, and Back Issues:
Bass Player, P.O. Box 469069, Escondido, CA 92046-9069. For
quickest service, telephone: 800-234-1831 or (760) 291-1537.
bassplayer@pcspublink.com
List rental: (914) 368-1024, jganis@meritdirect.com
For custom reprints & e-prints please contact our reprint coordinator
at Wright’s Media: (877) 652-5295 or newbay@wrightsmedia.com
Newbay MEdia CORPORATE
President & CEO Steve Palm
Chief Financial Officer Paul Mastronardi
Vice President, Digital Strategy & Operations Robert Ames
Vice President, Content & Marketing Anthony Savona
IT Director Anthony Verbanic
Director of Audience Development Meg Estevez
Director of Development & Web Operations Eric Baumes
Bass Player is a registered trademark of NewBay Media LLC. All material
published in Bass Player is copyrighted © 2017 by NewBay Media LLC.
All rights reserved. Reproduction of material appearing in Bass Player
is prohibited without written permission. Publisher assumes no responsibility
for return of unsolicited manuscripts, photos, or artwork. All
product information is subject to change; publisher assumes no responsibility
for such changes. All listed model numbers and product names
are manufacturers’ registered trademarks. Published in the U.S.A.
Follow Bass Player online at:
10 bassplayer.com / march2017

markbass.it

COMMUNITY LINK FACE TECH PLAY LEARN
C ommunity
LOWDOWN
chris jisi
Hey, What About …?
Judging from the early comments in response to the print version of our
February 2017 Special Issue, The 100 Greatest Bass Players—the story will be up on the web by the time you read
this—we got it right, for the most part. “A well-thought-out list.” “Much better than Rolling Stone’s list.” “I agree
with almost all of the choices.” “Not an enviable task; I’m sure it was agonizing.” “Looking forward to the next 100,
and the next, and the next . . . .” Thankfully, readers focused more on who was left off than in the rankings of who
was included (because, as I alluded to last issue, ranking artists is akin to using personal taste to pick the order of
finish in a 100-meter dash). Still, there were numerous cries that Phil Lesh should be higher up the list. Some of
you included your musical and playing backgrounds, which made your choices all the more revealing. The range
was wide and included many of our near-miss choices. Shout-outs came for Michael Henderson, Miroslav Vitous,
Dominique Di Piazza, Carles Benavent, Tal Wilkenfeld, Alphonso Johnson, Steve Bailey, Tiran Porter, Herbie
Flowers, Hugh Hopper, Allan Spenner, John Taylor, Richard Davis, Joey Spampinato, Squarepusher, Tommy Cogbill,
Jah Wobble, Andy Fraser, Mark Adams, and Roger Glover. Good stuff. So, who did you feel we missed? Please keep
your thoughts coming, either to me (bpeditor@nbmedia.com) or via our website (bassplayer.com) and social
media, at dedicated pages BP web ace Jon D’Auria was setting up at press time.
DIG MY RIG!
I play in ZZ Tush, a tribute to that
lil’ ole band from Texas. My basses: A Fender ’51
Reissue, a Warmoth, a Dean with fur (for “She’s Got
Legs”), a Fender Aerodyne, and a Tele-style Fender
Precision. On the floor: Fender parts and a custom
body (by Jack’s Customs). Just had to throw in the
mic stands and wardrobe, too. —John Roche
Got a rig you think we’d dig? Send a photo and description
to digmyrig@gmail.com.
12 bassplayer.com / march2017

The Real World
Mitchell Kaneff
Home base I’m a native New Yorker—born, raised, and still living here in Manhattan.
Occupation I’m the third-generation CEO of Arkay Packaging, a family-owned and operated packaging company.
Gigs I play bass, produce, and write music for my band, the Young Presidents. We have three albums out and we’re
working on our fourth now.
Basses Fodera Emperor 5 Elite, 1965 Fender Jazz Bass (Olympic white with matching headstock, formerly owned by
Marcus Miller), 1966 Fender Precision (with one-of-a-kind metallic burst, made for Manny’s)
Rig Markbass Little Mark head, Markbass Standard 104HR 4x10
Effects Electro-Harmonix Cathedral Stereo Reverb, Pensa Bass Preamp, MXR Bass Envelope Filter, Boss OC-2 Octave
Strings, etc. DR Hi-Beams (.045–.105)
Heroes & inspiration My heroes are plentiful, as judged by the many genres of music I have incorporated into my
own style! Bernard Edwards of Chic and Louis Johnson of the Brothers Johnson inspired me in my early love of
funk. On the rock front, I followed John Paul Jones, John Entwistle, Paul McCartney, Geddy Lee, and Flea. The
players who influenced me the most, however, were Stanley Clarke, Jaco Pastorius, and Marcus Miller.
Contact theyoungpresidents.com, facebook.com/theyoungpresidents
How did you come to play bass? What’s a lesson you’ve learned along the way? What are your musical goals?
When I was 12 years old, my best friend was playing guitar,
and he said, “Man, you should get a bass.” I listened!
The truth is, my parents would take me to Studio 54,
and I was exposed to some of the best music with the
hippest bass lines of the disco era. I immediately loved
the groove, and those pulsating bass lines really moved
me. I knew I wanted to produce that sound. So we’d
go to 48th Street, back then a mecca for musicians,
with Manny’s, Rudy’s Music Stop, Alex Music, Sam Ash,
Electro-Harmonix—we were in Disneyland! A Carlo
Robelli remake of a Fender Jazz Bass was my first axe.
To never stop exploring all styles of music! Rock, To keep writing, recording, releasing, and
punk, jazz, pop, country—I listen to it all, and I promoting albums, and to continue performing
mean actively listen to it all. Music comes from the Young Presidents’ music, as well as growing
everywhere, and it infuses everything in our lives. as a producer, a bass player, a composer, and
Most important: Find your own tone, your own
an artist.
sound, and go with it—there’s only one you!
Introducing Players Circle - Buy Strings, Get Points, Claim Rewards
Enter to win 2,500 Players Points by visiting bassplayer.com/realworld And go to
Playerscircle.daddario.com to join today!
Court Of Opinion
We live in a world filled with bass-friendly effect pedals for every price point and sonic need.
What’s the #1 pedal in your collection?
The Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver DI. It’s an SVT in a box and a
killer pedal for direct recording, as well as for getting some
overdrive/grit in a live setting. —Tony Gregory
Haven’t played a note in nearly 20 years without my Tech 21
SansAmp Bass Driver DI. Thing is beastly!
—Dave Whiteman
EHX Bass Soul Food. It’s just the right amount of distortion, and
it really warms up my Gallien-Krueger 400RB. Lots of low end,
and no fizziness. —Joel Mimbs
MXR Bass Octave.
—Brad Montvai
My EBS Billy Sheehan Signature overdrive. Most OD pedals drop
out the low end, but this one splits and only overdrives the highs.
I love the tone. —Nick Wheeler
My Electro-Harmonix Bass Preacher Compressor/Sustainer.
—Michael Woulms
My TC Electronic Spectracomp. It’s always on, and it squashes things
just enough that my plucking and tapping remain at a consistent
level while allowing me to have some dynamics. —Ryan Sloan
I like very much my Darkglass Vintage Microtubes.
—Harri Luiskari
My Morley Power Fuzz Wah. I replaced three pedals on my old
board with that sucker, and I couldn’t be happier! —Justin Ellis
The Strymon Big Sky. I wish it had existed 15 years ago!
—Tony Galofaro
My Diamond Bass Compressor. It’s always on, and it really gives
the tone a warm fatness. —Hans Swaep
My Boss TU-2 tuner. All the effects in the world won’t make an
out-of-tune bass sound good.
—Thomas Hunting
bassplayer.com / march2017 13

LINK FACE TECH PLAY LEARN
BASS NOTES
B
BASSNOTES
Miles Mosley
Rising Up
By Jon D’Auria | PHOTOGRAPH by AAROn WOOLF Haxton
Miles Mosley knows the importance of
surrounding yourself with good people. Growing up in the L.A.
music scene, Mosley was schooled by greats such as Ray Brown,
John Clayton, and Abraham Laboriel, before branching off as
a first-call player for Lauren Hill, Joni Mitchell, Chris Cornell,
Kendrick Lamar, Kamashi Washington, and many others. In
emerging from sideman to musical director and bandleader,
Mosley founded the West Coast Get Down, a powerful collective
of musicians who are responsible for seemingly every big
album coming out of Southern California nowadays. Add to
that list his duo band, BFI, with drummer Tony Austin, and
you get the idea of how important musical family is to him.
Even with numerous collaborations in motion, Mosley
is currently focused on his solo debut, Uprising. The soulful
album finds him at the helm as he belts rich, crooning vocals
over arco and pizzicato lines that run the sonic gamut from
effects-laden extremes to earthy clean. Mixing flavors of R&B,
funk, jazz, and rock, Mosley ropes in the listener with chant
choruses and hooks, while displaying his technical ability on
songs like “Heartbreaking Efforts of Others” and “More Than
This.” And while it’s no surprise that his crew contributed
plenty to his debut, right now Mosley is the center of attention.
Which is something he’ll have to get used to.
What were your goals going into your solo debut?
One of my goals was to cement an identity for a concept of
playing the upright bass that was new to me and to the instrument.
I wanted to present a way to augment this instrument
that opens up a lot of different opportunities. And I don’t mean
just putting effects on it. It’s about working on your bowing
until you’re fluent in the various colors and shadings you can
create, from singing to scorching to beautiful. I wanted to challenge
myself and make sure I was sculpting sounds that were
special and not just the first idea that came to mind.
You’re known for extreme, effected tones, but the
clean tone you captured is superb.
When I think of a natural, wooden tone, I hear Ray Brown.
His playing has that initial sizzle when his plucking finger
touches the string, and then the thump when his finger
rolls off and hits the fingerboard. Plus the way his left hand
resonated—all of those tones are what equal the sound of
one note to me. I tried to capture all of those nuances on
the album. I want the listener to be able to hear the flesh,
to hear it from my perspective of actually holding the bass,
from where I stand.
How much of that tone comes from your bass itself?
The bass is the inspiration, but the identity comes from
you. I was at Stanley Clarke’s house and he let me play Charles
Mingus’ blonde bass—the one he used on “Haitian Fight Song.”
So naturally, I played “Haitian Fight Song.” And as much as I
14 bassplayer.com / march2017

i INFO
Miles
Mosley,
LISTEN
Uprising
[2017,
World
Galaxy]
Bass Blast Cult 145 upright,
250-year-old German upright
Rig Aguilar DB 751 head, Tone
Hammer 500 head, 2 Aguilar
DB 410 cabs
Pedals MXR
Bass Octave
know this is not true, I realized the bass wrote that song
and not Mingus. The Db sounded so dope on that instrument,
it almost played the riff itself. Likewise, I wouldn’t
have my sound, and none of this would be possible without
the amazing work of Jason Burns and his Blast Cult team.
How did you come up with the cool rhythmic
pickups on “Heartbreaking Efforts of Others”?
The technique I use began as an exercise, and that
rhythmic phrase was the result of me having worked on
the exercise with a metronome up to the fastest tempo
I could play it at. Once I had the technique down, it was
another tool in my box that I could strive to use creatively
and not mechanically. In the context of the song, it kind
of sounds like the end of a floor-tom fill, so there’s a certain
finality to it.
Why did you choose the bass as your medium?
I’ve always said the instrument you play is a reflection
of the fundamental talents you have as a human. One
of my talents is being a hyper-organized person. I can
take a lot of scattered pieces and tie them together. So
when I play, my brain is pleased because I’m taking chaotic
information, translating it, and bringing it together.
Helping to control the delivery of emotion is ethereal,
and as bass players, that’s what we do. BP
EQUIP
Deluxe, MXR
Phase 90,
MXR Bass
Compressor,
Way Huge
Echopuss
Delay, Way
Huge Pork
Loin Overdrive, Moog MF
Drive, Dunlop 105Q Bass Wah
Strings D’Addario Helicore
Hybrid Double Bass Strings
Bow Carbon fiber
bassplayer.com / march2017 15

LINK FACE TECH PLAY LEARN
B
BASS NOTES
i INFO
LISTEN
The Record Company,
Give It Back to You [2016,
Concord]
The Record CoMPANy
Bass Fender ’62 Reissue
Jazz Bass, 1978 Fender
Precision Bass
Alex Stiff For The Record
By Jon D'auria | PhotogrAPH By Kim Szebe
Back in 2011, Alex Stiff and his friends
were relaxing at his home enjoying the the John Lee
Hooker and Canned Heat album Hooker ’n Heat [1971,
Elektra] over a few beers when they decided that they
should form their own band. The trio, which also includes
guitarist/vocalist Chris Vos and drummer Marc Cazorla,
met the following week and immediately began recording
riffs in Stiff’s living room, and kept going until they had
compiled enough blues-rock songs for a full album, Give
It Back to You. Never did they imagine that their humble
LP would lead to tours with B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Social
Distortion, and Grace Potter, or that they would receive a
2017 Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Blues
Album—but that’s exactly what happened. Continued
EQUIP
Rig Ampeg SVT AV,
Acoustic Amplification
B300HD, Ampeg SVT-410
Pedals MXR Ten Band
Graphic EQ, Ibanez TS9
Tube Screamer, Boss DD6
Delay
16 bassplayer.com / march2017

BASS NOTES
LINK FACE TECH PLAY LEARN
B
The Record Company’s debut is deserving of all the praise it has received.
The main reason? Stiff’s bass-driven songwriting and vintage sound. His
feel-good riffs on “Off the Ground,” “Don’t Let Me Get Lonely,” and “On the
Move” honor his bass heroes Carl Radle and James Jamerson in the most
soulful, toe-tapping way possible. Skipping the honeymoon period, Alex and
his bandmates are already hard at work writing their sophomore album. But
instead of renting a fancy studio, they’re going right back into the living
room where it all started.
Did you anticipate that this was going to be a bass-heavy album?
Our mindset was to do something that felt unique for each song, and a lot
of times we would focus on bass more than guitar. I feel like there are a finite
amount of ways you can go with a guitar, whereas the bass is more of a blank
canvas. Our songs are usually driven by a riff, which leans on the bass a lot, so
it’s fun for me. We like to keep it pretty high in the mix, too.
How much of the writing were you responsible for?
We all played big roles. If a song on the album is very bass heavy, then I
probably came up with the riff and groove. But it always morphs into a full
collaboration. The three of us combined probably equals one good songwriter,
but none of us is a genius who just writes everything alone. I love that, because
when one person does everything, the other band members will feel left out.
This way, the whole group is responsible for the material.
How did you cop your great vintage tone?
One of the key ingredients for me is using very
old strings. I’ve never liked the brightness that comes
from putting a new set on my bass. I’ll even go into
Guitar Center to play all their basses and find the
deadest strings, and then I’ll make a deal with the
manager to take those strings and buy new ones for
the bass. I love flatwounds too, and I use those occasionally
in the studio, but for my live sound I use
roundwounds to get that nice bounce.
How does being a multi-instrumentalist
influence your bass playing?
I love to play the drums, piano, and guitar, and
being well-rounded from spending time on multiple
instruments has helped me broaden my writing
and my playing ability on bass. I see bass players on
YouTube who can play a million miles an hour and
pull off insane techniques, and I’m always in awe, but
I would much rather do what I do and try to write
good, simple songs. You can approach the bass in
so many different ways, and there’s never one path
that everyone has to take. BP
Mike Poulin of Defeater knows you can’t be an original if you’re playing what everyone else is. Visit reverendguitars.com to start your journey.
g w

NATURE…ENHANCED
THE SM110
“The Perch”
— Tim Landers
FEATURES
• $699 Street
YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS AT WWW.TRICKFISHAMPS.COM
PRODUCTS | SPECS | DEALERS | ARTISTS | PICTURES

BASS NOTES LINK FACE TECH PLAY LEARN
B
Mark Dresser
BP RECOMMENDS
Alessandro D'amico
Josef Woodard and
Charlie Haden
Conversations With
Charlie Haden [Silman-James Press]
Charlie Haden was an extraordinary musician,
and he had an extraordinary life. His
performing career began at the age of two,
when he sang what he called “hillbilly music”
with his family’s band on their Missouri radio
show. As a teenager, he began to play bass and listen intently to
jazz; when he was 18, he moved to Los Angeles to study music.
The rest, as they say, is history: groundbreaking work with Ornette
Coleman, founding the Liberation Music Orchestra, collaborations
with dozens of musicians in many styles, leadership of Quartet
West, the tribute to his musical roots on the 2008 album Rambling
Boy, and—above all—a lifelong dedication to honesty, social
justice, and “beautiful music.” It’s all here in this collection of 17
interviews conducted over 20 years by veteran jazz journalist Josef
Woodard, who calls it a “verbal companion to the sublime musical
sounds Charlie created.” —Jim Roberts
Mark Dresser Seven
Sedimental You [Clean Feed]
This display of skill in the service of imagination,
brimming with humor and emotion,
is a crowning achievement for veteran New
York upright bassist/U.C. San Diego professor
Mark Dresser. On these seven tunes, Dresser’s distinctive
parts—alongside flute, clarinet, trombone, violin, piano, and
drums—are supportive but nimble, and his writing pulls special
performances from a septet of badasses. Moods range from lyrical
and evocative (“Will Well” and “Two Handfuls of Peace”) to
gorgeous and colorful, sometimes at the same time, as in the title
track. This one’s for those who wonder whether there’s still enthusiasm
and fresh perspectives in jazz. —E.E. Bradman
Puscifer
Money Shot Your Re-Load
[puscifer.com]
While fans are still awaiting the new Tool
album, Maynard James Keenan has remained
prolific with his other outfit, Puscifer, releasing
a remix album to his latest record, Money Shot. While Mat
Mitchell’s menacing lines can be heard all over the album—along
with a stellar contribution from Matt McJunkins—the standout
track comes from Tool bassist Justin Chancellor’s remix of
“Simultaneous.” Chancellor’s legendary tone and intricate playing
steals the show, giving Tool fans something to whet their palettes
with. —Jon D’Auria
Obake
Draug [Rare Noise]
On this slab of heavy sludge, Colin Edwin—
perhaps best known for his stellar work in
Porcupine Tree—keeps the rumble of downtuned
guitars grounded, peeking through the
state-of-the-art fuzz on tunes like “Hellfaced.” Other standouts:
his big and full sound on the title track, his clean and authoritative
take on “Cloud of Liars,” and his huge tone on “Immutable.”
—E.E. Bradman
20 bassplayer.com / march2017

so
LOW
ITHZ
B1000HD Bass Head
• 1000 Watts
• Class-D Power
The Acoustic ® Class-D/Neo Series heads, cabs and
combos are crafted for the discerning bass player who
craves all the legendary power they can get in a sleek,
forward-looking design.
Super-lightweight components drive the Class-D
amplification in every one of our 300, 600 and 1000
watt heads. The matching cabinets boast lightweight
yet powerful custom-voiced neodymium speakers in
a variety of configurations. For convenience, choose
any of our new combos that combine the best of both
worlds, providing all the power and tone that pros the
world over have come to expect from Acoustic — but
without all the heft.
With so many options, you can create your dream
bass rig without breaking the bank. Test drive the
Class-D/Neo Series amps today and experience what
50 years of raw power and tonal excellence is all about.
BN410 Bass Cab
• 800 Watts RMS
• 4x10” NEO Speakers
BN115 Bass Cab
• 500 Watts RMS
• 1x15” NEO Speaker
EXCLUSIVELY AT:
BN6210 Bass Combo
• 600 Watts RMS
• 2x10” NEO Speakers
UNIQUELY
acousticamplification.com

BASS NOTES LINK FACE TECH PLAY LEARN
B
sylvia Massy (with Chris Johnson)
Recording Unhinged: Creative &
Unconventional Music
Recording Techniques [Hal Leonard]
Acclaimed producer/engineer Sylvia Massey has successfully
used her unconventional techniques with folks like
Justin Chancellor, Flea, and Tom Araya, so she definitely knows her way
around bass. The 240-page Recording Unhinged is aimed at producers, mixers,
and engineers, but Massy’s juicy, fun stories make it a blast for anyone interested
in studio magic and hijinx, and it’s packed with useful info. The chapter
on bass includes great perspectives on instruments, DI’s, microphones,
distortion, using guitar amps for bass, as well as a few cameos (such as Lee
Sklar on getting big tone). A cool, practical book by someone who’d no doubt
lead a helluva recording session. —E.E. Bradman
Robert Randolph &
the Family Band
Got Soul [Dare]
It seems that nowadays, Derrick Hodge is all over the
music world, performing, writing, recording, and producing
with a slew of artists from every genre. It should be no
surprise, then, to find him laying down Southern-fried grooves on Got Soul, the
latest album by Robert Randolph and the Family Band. On Randolph’s most
country-based album yet, Hodge cozies up to the backbeat and powers the
music with tight lines and a presence that is tasteful, as always. —Jon D’Auria
Rob van den Broek
The Gibson Bass Book:
An Illustrated Tribute
[gibsonbassbook.com]
As an avid bass player and graphic designer, Rob van den
Broek set out to assemble a coffee-table book that would
cover the history of Gibson basses from the first EB model in 1953 all the way
up to 2015’s ES Les Paul hollowbody. The result is a stunning, comprehensive,
chronological look at the stylistic history of an instrument’s legacy that features
beautiful photographs, a slick layout, and interesting facts about each
model. —Jon D’Auria BP
OVER 250,000 ITEMS
FROM YOUR
FAVORITE BANDS
T - SHIRTS
HOODIES
JACKETS
JERSEYS
TANK TOPS
SWEATERS
LONG SLEEVES
SHORTS
BABYWEAR
HATS
BEANIES
JEWELRY
BACKPACKS
BAGS
POSTERS
COLLECTIBLES
TOYS
FLAGS
PATCHES
PINS
BUTTONS
STICKERS
WALLETS
KEY CHAINS
DVDS
VINYL
AND MORE
For a free catalog, visit rockabilia.com, call or write:

Raise Your Voice
A New Series I Elevated Features I Limitless Possibilities
©2017 Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. FENDER.COM

NEW GEAR LINK FACE TECH PLAY LEARN
N
NEWGEAR
Bergantino
Reference 112 Bass Guitar
Loudspeaker
Armed with a custom phase-coherent crossover
and tweeter control, Bergantino’s new 8Ω,
44-pound 1x12 is a ported, Baltic birch plywood
cabinet that handles up to 350 watts and has a
frequency response down to 40Hz.
Direct $850
Contact bergantino.com
Dunlop
MXR Sub Octave Bass Fuzz
An unholy combination of the growl section of
MXR’s Bass Octave Deluxe with a long-forgotten
fuzz circuit, the Sub Octave Bass Fuzz features
tone controls and two switchable voices for the
fuzz section, a separate dry volume control, and
three separate output level controls for fuzz, sub
octave, and dry signals.
Street $200
Contact jimdunlop.com
Aguilar Amplification
Limited Edition SL 112 and SL 410x
cabinets
Aguilar is offering a limited run of cabinets—250
SL 112 1x12s and 100 SL 410x 4x10s—with this special
“Antique Ivory” finish, each boasting a Limited
Edition 2017 label on the crossover and a numbered
certificate of authenticity.
Street (SL 112) $750; (SL 410), $1,350
Contact aguilaramp.com
Morley
Limited Edition Chrome Cliff Burton
Tribute Power Wah Fuzz
Morley pays homage to Metallica bass god Cliff
Burton with a 500-unit reissue of his beloved
Tel-Ray Morley Power Wah Fuzz that’s finished in
chrome, like the original. Like last year’s silver Burton
PWF, it features separate fuzz and wah effects,
a wah level control, fuzz level and intensity controls,
and a modern/vintage switch. Bonus: Cliff’s
dad, Ray Burton, will sign some of the units.
Street $250
Contact morleypedals.com
24 bassplayer.com / march2017

26 bassplayer.com / march2017

Island
Dreamer
Oskar Cartaya’s
Journey From The
Tropics To The Top
Faced with invitations to play
at bass events on opposite coasts on the
same weekend, most musicians would pick
one and beg off the other. Not Oskar Cartaya.
He hopped a plane from Los Angeles
to New York, where he put together
and rehearsed a band to perform at La
Bella’s annual Lords of the Low End concert.
He then got up at 4 AM for a flight
back to L.A. for his afternoon clinic performance
with his nine-piece band, Oskar
Cartaya & the Ricannection, at Bass
Player LIVE! 2016. That’s business as
usual for the charismatic Cartaya, whose
spicy grooves and tireless work ethic have
taken him from the dangerous jungles of
South America with Willie Colón to musical-directing
sold-out tours for Jennifer
Lopez. This time, however, Cartaya is
doing it for himself. With his solo artist
side at last coming into focus, Oskar has
released Bajo Mundo, a 13-track album
featuring robust, melodic compositions
set to sizzling south- and north-of-the-
Equator feels, plus guest turns by Stanley
Clarke and Marcus Miller. Central to
the journey is Cartaya’s bravura bass work,
be it improvised rhythmic counterpoint
on Baby Bass, hard-plucked bass guitar
heads, singing fretless flights, or timbrerich
tumbaos on upright.
Born in New York City on May 19,
1963, Oskar moved with his family to
Puerto Rico when he was six, to be raised
in “la Ciudad Progresista” (the progressive
city) of Bayamón. Though not from
a musical household, Cartaya got a guitar
and lessons at age nine, only to become
obsessed by bass a year later. “I don’t
remember the attraction, but I sawed off
my mom’s broom handle, taped it to the
bottom of my acoustic guitar and played it
like a standup bass.” A Les Paul-style electric
bass came next, followed by upright
By Chris Jisi
bassplayer.com / march2017 27

CS
Oskar Cartaya
training when he enrolled in the island’s prestigious Escuela
Libre De Musica, in the eighth grade. From there he was on the
fast track: rising through the local island scene, moving out to
Los Angeles to study and teach at Musicians Institute, returning
East to create a rumble as he climbed the ranks in New York City,
and finally moving back to Los Angeles, where his career file has
been ever-broadening. A peek at the 53-year-old’s resumé runs
the gamut from Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Spyro Gyra, Arturo Sandoval,
and Herb Alpert to Steve Winwood, Robbie Robertson,
Christina Aguilera, Andraé Crouch, and All 4 One, with a steady
flow of musical directing, producing, and film-scoring projects.
Bajo Mundo is front and center for Cartaya now, and that’s where
Bajo Profundo
Oskar Cartaya’s bass is his plucking passport as he
journeys through Bajo Mundo delivering deep-seated world grooves,
muscular melodies, fretless lyricsm, and upright girth. Example 1 contains
the bass melody (written in half-time) of “Para Ti Latino,” at 0:20. Maintain
a flowing sense, and let both notes ring at the end of bar 4 and start of bar 5.
Example 2 shows the main four-bar phrase of “Trucky Paco,” first heard at
0:28. To match the horns on the unison lick in the second ending, think of it
as two breaths—the first six notes and the last two.
Example 3 has Cartaya’s solo at the 3:38 mark of “Flamencocho,” which is
written in four but felt in 6/8. In trading ideas with flamenco dancer Manuel
Gutierrez on the track, Oskar plays a typical Flamenco rhythm for his descending
arpeggios in bar 2. Remember to lay back for the final two descending phrases.
Example 4 features three excerpts from Cartaya’s Baby Bass line on “Get Up.”
The first two measures have the basic boogaloo bass line. The second two are an
improvised step-away at 1:59—lay back on the quarter-note triplets. The last
two show Oskar’s variation of the bass line (complete with the G harmonic)
heard in the outro, beginning at 4:14. Finally, Ex. 5 contains four bars of the
bass melody of “Tum Tum,” at 0:24. Not wanting to overdub a second part,
Oskar keeps the bass line going in-between the melody, in bar 2 and the start
of bar 3. Be aware of laying back on the melody but locking in the bass part.
Plena feel
= 120
Dm
E7
A7
Dm2
Dm
D7b9
Gm7
Abdim7
3
Ex. 1
4
7 7 9 10 9 12 10 9 9
7 8 7 6
12 11
A7 A7/G Dm/F A7/E Ebmaj9#11
S
12 7 7 8 7 10 8
8 7 7 10 9 8
8 6 9 710 9 7
S
7 6 9
0 10
9
5
8
7
8 7
8 7
6
Ex. 2
Latin funk 1. 2.
= 124
C7 Bb7 C7 Bb7 C7 Bb7 F#7b5 C7 Bb7 F#7b5
3 3
3 3
3 1 3 1 3 1
2
2 2 0 0 3 1 3 1
2
S
(14)
H
H
7 8 10 7 10 87 11
28 bassplayer.com / march2017

we began our wide-ranging discussion, on a Christmastime call
from Bayamón, with the sound of the native coqui frogs chirping
in the background.
What was your concept for the album?
I describe Bajo Mundo as taking an imaginary trip around the
world with my bass and my backpack. When I started writing for
it, I realized I was mixing my influences, so rather than try to be
authentic in each style I was covering, I decided to do my take on
them—like a chef utilizing different flavors. But what I did do was
hire musicians who knew the traditional rhythms of these various
styles, and they helped me apply them to my arrangements.
Flamenco-
Latin
= 132
Cmaj7 Bm7 E7 Am7 Abm7
Gm7 C7 Fmaj7
Em7
Lay back
Am7
Dm7
G7
Ex. 3
3 3 3 3 3
15 14 16 17 14 14 12 14 17 13 12 9 10 12
11 8
3 3 3
9 11
10 7 8 10
7 8 10 8 710 910 1112 9 10 12
10 7 9 7 10
3
Boogaloo
feel
= 144
C7 Bb7 C7 Bb7
3
Ex. 5 Ex. 4
5
Med. funk
4
= 96
C7
3
9
2
3
8
3
12
0 1 3
10 10
8
Em
Bb7
1 1
10 7
P
T T
H PO PO H H
9109 8 9
Em7
12
9 10 11
0
0 0 1 2 3 10
P
PO
9
8
0 0
T
S
9 5
T
Cmaj9
T
0 0
9 12
3 3
8
7 10
Em(maj7)
6
5 8 7
3
8 0
P T T T T T
H H H
0 0 5 7 0 0 0 0
H POPO
9109 8 9
P P P
14 13 12
T T H
P PO T
9 10 11
9 8
S
9 7
bassplayer.com / march2017 29

CS
Oskar Cartaya
My goal is to both engage and challenge the listener along this
global journey. The album title has dual meanings: In addition to
the literal translation of “bass world,” the term el bajo mundo refers
to the underground or underworld and the mysterious, unsavory
characters who populate it.
How would you describe the role of the bass on the record?
I’ve found as a composer you view the instrument differently.
I have the liberty of figuring out how dominant or how subliminal
I want the bass to be. Taking a cue from all the great bassist–composers,
I’ve learned that the stronger you make the foundation,
the more you can put on top of it. That said, the bass speaks on
all different levels on the album, from front-and-center to deep in
the pocket, and that’s the blessing of being in charge.
The opener, “Truky Paco,” has that sense of being built
from the bottom.
Exactly. That came about while I was practicing and my two
dogs started playing and running about wildly. I tried to mimic
their movements with notes, and that’s where the core rhythm
line came from, and I wrote upper melodies for the horns from
there. Then I went in the studio with [drummer] Chris Coleman,
told him what I was looking for, and turned him loose. Later, I
added the flavors of Latin percussion and the violin playing steady
16ths, hillbilly-style.
“Gafieira” and “Flamencocho” have a Brazilian and
flamenco flavor, respectively.
“Gafieiera” was a tune I had in my head, with wordless vocals
and Brazilian guitar-like comping, which I did on bass. The rhythm
of the track—a batucada, which is a type of samba—was created by
percussionist Alberto Lopez, who is Colombian but is an expert on
Brazilian rhythms. The song got its title from legendary engineer
i INFO
LISTEN
Bajo Mundo [2016, Bajo Mundo Music]; My Music, My Friends, My Time [2004, O.Y.E.]; Carlos Rodgarman, The Rodgar
Band [2016, Rodgarman Music]; Humberto Ramirez & Oskar Cartaya, Lifetime Friends [2015, Nilpo Music]; Herb Alpert,
Passion Dance [1997, Almo Sounds]; Spyro Gyra, Fast Forward [1990, GRP]
EQUIP
Basses Sadowsky 1989 J-Style, Metro
UV70, and NYC Will Lee; fretless
Mayones Patriot 5-string; Kala California
Acoustic/Electric U-Bass; Sire
V7 5-string; Ampeg and Zorko Baby
Basses; Lemur Stanley Clarke prototype
acoustic bass (with Thomastik
Spirocore Solo S43 strings, Gage Realist
pickup, and German-style bow)
Strings La Bella RX Stainless Steel
and Nickel-Plated (.045–.105)
Amps Aguilar AG 500 or Tone
Hammer head with SL 112 or SL 410X
cabinet
Effects Assorted Dunlop and Aguilar
pedals, Xotic X-Blender
Other Hipshot XTender (on all
4-strings), Reunion Blues, Gruv Gear,
GoGo tuner, D&A guitar stands
Recording Bajo Mundo REDDI Tube
Direct Box to Manley 16x2 Tube
Mixer to Manley Variable Mu Limiter/
Compressor
JESSE VENDETTA
30 bassplayer.com / march2017

Jon D'Auria
Moogie Canazio, who mixed the album. He said it
reminded him of the sounds in a gafieira, which are
speakeasies in his native Brazil.
Credit for “Flamencocho” goes to my beautiful
wife, who makes an amazing half-flan/half-cake dessert
called a flancocho. When I brought a piece to my
friend, the great flamenco dancer Manuel Gutierrez,
he tasted it and jumped up in joy and started
doing some serious flamenco moves! That gave me
the song idea. I had my bass with me, so we started
working on it. Afterward he said, “I want to change
my artistic name to Flamenco-cho.”
“Mateo’s Lullabye” and “Alma Gemelas” feature
your fretless playing.
The lullabye, named for my son, came to me the day
my wife told me we were going to have a baby. Originally
I envisioned just the toy piano you hear at the
start, and fretless. Then I felt it was asking for more,
but I was too attached to the piece to do it justice. I
called my friend Franky Suarez, who writes for the
symphony orchestra in Puerto Rico, and he created a
beautiful arrangement with strings and French horns.
“Alma Gemelas” means twin souls or kindred
spirits, which is how I feel about pianist Carlos Rodgarman—I
co-wrote this with him, and he included
the same version on his excellent upcoming album,
The Rodgar Band. The piece is like a classical work,
where it’s all about the interpretation of the melody.
I used my fretless Mayones Patriot on both songs;
it has a semi-hollow body with magnetic and piezo
pickups that you can blend, all of which give it a
unique, singing tone.
You reach for your Kala U-Bass, your Baby
Bass, and your upright on “Los Del Sur,” “Tumbao
Cachao,” and “Get Up.”
“Los Del Sur” is my anthem for young immigrants,
utilizing various South American rhythms. It was
inspired by a news story in which homeless children
from across Latin America were bused to Arizona
only to face picketers and opposition. I couldn’t find
a bass that sat in the track right until I thought of
my U-Bass, and it fit like a glove. “Tumbao Cachao” is
dedicated to the one and only Cachao. The melody is
typical of him, zig-zagging through the rhythms and
the clave and tying them all together like a needle
and thread. I played my prototype Lemur Stanley
Clarke upright, which was a gift from Stanley. “Get
Up” is a live party track, to close the album on a high
note. It has a boogaloo groove, which was the mix
of Latin and soul music that was happening in the
’60s, before salsa arrived in the ’70s.
Stanley guests on bass guitar on “A La ’70s.”
What can I say about Sir Stanley? He’s the Lord
of the Low Frequencies, and he’s been such an
important mentor to me in and away from music.
That song started with the little Stanley-like phrase
that opens the track, and it built from there into
a tribute to the early days of fusion. I asked Chris
Coleman to channel Billy Cobham for his part, and
it was fun adding all the keyboard sounds of the
bassplayer.com / march2017 31
WW_CS_LTD2017_2,375x9,75_USA.indd 1 08.01.17 11:52

CS
Oskar Cartaya
Cartaya with
Bobby Valentín
(L) and Junior
Irizarry (R)
era. I told Stanley I had written a track for him to play on, but
first I sent him “Tumbao Cachao” to check out because he’s a big
fan of Cachao. He dug that, so then I sent him “A La ’70s.” When
he got off the road he came by, threw down his solo in no time,
and said, “Let’s go eat!”
“Tum Tum” pays homage to Marcus Miller and also features
him.
In addition to being a pivotal bass stylist and composer with
unparalleled musical versatility, Marcus to me defines what a true
artist is, and that’s someone who makes the very complex seem
so simple and easy that it entices you to try it, and then you realize
how difficult it is to do! I came up with the melody for “Tum
Tum,” and I wanted something with an eerie sound to double me
playing it, and it hit me: Marcus on bass clarinet! The bridge is a
nod to his writing style, and his influence on my playing is evident
throughout. As I always say, we borrow from everyone else
to create our own musical persona.
Both “Bomballenato” and your new version of your
Spyro Gyra hit, “Para Ti Latino,” have elements of your
native Puerto Rico.
Bomballenato is dedicated to and features my musical godfather,
[saxophonist] Justo Almario; we call him the Latin Coltrane.
The groove is a marriage of bomba and vallenato. Bomba is a traditional
music of Puerto Rico that draws from the island’s Spanish,
African, and native Indian cultures, and is based on the creative
conversation between the drummers and the dancers. Vallenato
is a folkloric music from the Valle Dupar region of Colombia. Then
I used my Sadowsky Metro to bring in the Western elements, like
funk slapping and my double-thumbed melody. For “Para Ti,”
I wanted to cover it differently and reflect my roots, so I did it
in “bomba y plena,” two of the most popular traditional Puerto
Rican music styles. And I have a Puerto Rican cuatro [a 5-stringed,
violin-shaped guitar] doubling my bass melody. I used my main bass,
my black 1989 Sadowsky, which is also on the Spyro Gyra version.
Who were your key early influences?
Three local players defined my formative years. The first was
Bobby Valentín, the bassist for the Fania All-Stars, the superband
of salsa. He had a Gibson Ripper and he was known as “El
Rey de Bajo”—the King of the Bass. Then there was my cousin,
Edwin Morales, who is still one of the most swinging Baby Bass
players on the island. I used to go to his gigs when I was 15 and
help carry gear, and at the end of the night, he’d let me play on
a tune. Last is Junior Irizarry, who was the top bassist on the
island. I used to stalk him, showing up wherever he played, and
he became a great friend and teacher. When I was 17, he quit the
house band at the best hotel on the island, and because I was sitting
behind him most nights, I got the gig. So there I was making
top dollar and buying a car while still living at home and going
to high school. One day Junior came to me with an application
to Musicians Institute, and he said, “This is where you’re gonna
go.” I was stunned, but he said, “You’ve reached your peak on the
island. You’ll spend the rest of your life doing gigs like this, and
trust me, it’s not going to satisfy your soul.” So we filled out the
application on the spot, I sent an audition tape, got accepted, and
I left for L.A. in September 1982.
What was the experience like?
It was life-changing. I had become aware of Stanley and Jaco
while still in Puerto Rico, and I had read a Guitar Player interview
with Abraham Laboriel that was particularly inspiring, but hearing
teachers like Jeff Berlin, Bob Magnusson, and Tim Bogert
play in person was a whole new world for me. I could read well,
but at first I struggled in areas that were new to me, like playing
a blues! I learned quickly, though, and by the time I graduated, I
began as an instructor the next week. I also got to play regularly
with important role models like Abraham, Justo Almario, and
Alex Acuña. Still, I decided L.A. wasn’t for me, so I headed back
to Puerto Rico in 1984, with the idea of stopping in New York for
the weekend. Well, that turned into a ten-year stop!
How do you reflect on your New York days?
It was a great period. I re-connected with one of my childhood
idols, Latin bass legend Sal Cuevas, who introduced me around and
schooled me about players like James Jamerson, Chuck Rainey,
Ron Carter, and Eddie Gomez. I met fellow bassists Rubén Rodríguez
and Gene Perez, and we became an interchangeable trio on
gigs and sessions. Within six months I was working with Willie
Colón, Tania Maria, and Jorge Dalto. As a kid, I was always the one
who put together music for the bands I was in, so that morphed
into writing, arranging, and producing opportunities. Before I
knew it, I was in charge of records for Willie, Celia Cruz, and two
for Hector Lavoe. Then I auditioned for and spent five years with
Spyro Gyra, which established me on the mainstream scene and
32 bassplayer.com / march2017

CS
Oskar Cartaya
led to my producing Two Amigos for GRP in 1990, with [flautists] Dave Valentin
and Herbie Mann.
What brought you back to Los Angeles, where you’ve remained ever since?
A relationship I was in ended, so in late 1993 I came to L.A. just for the weekend,
but when I called friends, they had gigs and sessions for me. My car sat at
JFK for three months. Even the Northridge earthquake didn’t dissuade me! I
went back to New York and got my stuff and moved to L.A. in early 1994. Soon
after, Herb Alpert called me to write and produce his Passion Dance album, and
I’ve had the tremendous good fortune to remain busy to this day.
How have your roots in Latin bass impacted your overall style, and
what insight can you share?
I think of the instrument as a melodic drum, which is the traditional concept.
In Latin bass, your rhythmic sensibility comes first. That’s primarily how
you create a push-and-pull tension in the music, although you can accomplish
it melodically, too. When I play other styles, I may draw from that knowledge
and move something over by an eighth-note, and the band will react. That’s no
different from an Anthony Jackson or Charlie Haden bringing their R&B or jazz
knowledge to the Latin gigs they’ve done, contributing something new to the
genre in the process. But I’ve worked hard to learn other styles authentically,
as well. My list of credits proves I can play bass in any language, and that’s what
all bassists should strive for.
Victor Wooten AD 17.qxp_Layout 1 1/18/17 I do 11:28 have a AM tip Page I like to 1 share when I’m asked how to play bass in a Latin
rhythm section, where so much is going on: Think of all the percussion
instruments as part of an elaborate drum kit—
the congas are the bass drum, the timbales can
be the hi-hat, the bongo cowbell the snare, and so
on. In other words, listen to and play to the overall
groove as a whole, just as you play to a drum kit
without consciously breaking down and following
each part of the kit individually.
Any other thoughts or words of advice?
I’ve always taken immense pride in my heritage
and in helping to set a precedent for others with
similar backgrounds to follow. I can remember sitting
on my porch as a kid and playing along with
records by artists whom I would eventually get to
work with. I’d like any young bassist in any rural town
anywhere in the world to know that you can do it,
too. Limitations only come from within, so dream
big. In everyone’s career, luck and talent will meet
at some point. The key is to be as prepared as possible
on the talent side so you can take advantage
when that moment of luck and opportunity arrives.
Having this album project come together, I feel like
I’m entering another period of good fortune, and
I’m going to make the most of it. BP
Berklee Summer Programs:
VICTOR WOOTEN BASS WORKSHOP
Friday, June 16–Sunday, June 18, 2017
Victor Wooten, a bass virtuoso who has won five Grammys, and renowned longtime
collaborator Steve Bailey, Bass Department chair at Berklee College of Music, will help
you make your bass lines groove like never before as you learn cutting-edge concepts
from Berklee and the Victor Wooten Center for Music and Nature.
berklee.edu/summer

© 2016 PRS Guitars / photo by Marc Quigley
Gary Grainger Bass
These basses were designed over
several years with Gary Grainger
and input from many other artists
and sound engineers with the
goal of creating a solid foundation
that is versatile enough to deliver
stage. The EQ section gives you
unprecedented tonal control and the
radiused pickups provide balanced
string attack and a fat, clear sound.
Grainger 4 and 5-string basses visit
www.prsguitars.com

36 bassplayer.com / march2017

Back To
Basics
Fretless Metal Master
Steve DiGiorgio
Embraces Frets On
Testament’s Latest
According to Steve DiGiorgio, recording Testament’s
latest metal masterstroke, Brotherhood of the Snake, was a quick studio session,
but it wasn’t the easiest. “There was some suffering,” he reveals. “I don’t
mean that in too profound of a way—some of the guys wanted to work on
it and live with it, but there just wasn’t any time. Some people are used to
taking their time and trying unlimited ideas, and they were a little out of
their element. It caused a lot of tension.”
Along with the addition of DiGiorgio—who re-joined in 2013—that tension
translates into Testament’s most muscular-sounding effort in years.
Ripping heads off straight out of the gate on the opening title track, and
following through with tunes like “The Pale King” and “Seven Seals,”
Testament’s no-holds-barred brand of classic, old-school thrash runs rampant
throughout Brotherhood of the Snake. And DiGiorgio is clearly in his element:
His fierce, fluid playing and gutsy tone tie together the bombastic elements
of the band’s virtuosic lineup (Alex Skolnick and Eric Peterson on guitars,
Gene Hoglan on drums, and lead singer Chuck Billy) in a supremely tight and
unified way. It is the result of DiGiorgio’s conscious effort to set aside his
own personal sound in favor of what he dubs the “Testament bass sound.”
DiGiorgio’s fretless skill set has been influencing players ever since his
Sadus demos started getting passed around in the late ’80s amongst burgeoning
yet soon-to-be famous bassists like Cannibal Corpse’s Alex Webster.
Steve helped define the death metal genre with the landmark Death albums
Human [1991, Combat] and Individual Thought Patterns [1993, Combat] as
well as Control Denied’s The Fragile Art of Existence [1999, Nuclear Blast],
and he has remained extreme metal’s go-to fretless bassist ever since. But
By Freddy Villano
Photograph by MARTINE PETRA
bassplayer.com / march2017 37

F
Steve DiGIORGIO
simply marks a significant shift in his own philosophy, which is
all about going back to basics.
on Brotherhood of the Snake, DiGiorgio set about on a different
task. Wielding little more than a stock Rickenbacker 4001, he
challenged himself with assimilating into the Testament sound
with a more nuanced, straight-ahead approach that favors groove
over glissando.
DiGiorgio first played with Testament in 1998 (replacing original
bassist Greg Christian), and remained with the band until
2004. During that time, he recorded The Gathering, a pivotal
Testament album. Snake may prove to be another milestone in
Testament’s decades-long career—but for DiGiorgio, the album
You’ve been a session player for decades. Was it challenging
to cut a record in such a short time frame?
I was in my element. I didn’t mind that we didn’t have a ton
of time to try a lot of stuff. Showing up and learning somebody’s
material, recording it and getting a great take, adding your own
flavor to make it sound interesting, and doing it all in a convincing
way to make it sound like you’ve known it for years, is a trait
of a session guy. This record was a familiar process for me. And a
band like Testament has a formula. They’ve been doing this for
27 years, so it’s not really time for a band like this to experiment
and try new things. You have to be loyal to the fan base that put
you where you are.
Were any of the songs particularly challenging?
Not technically. There’s nothing over the top on the album
that’s challenging physically to play. My challenge was in getting
the proper tone and finding that pocket that I describe as the Testament
bass sound.
What is the Testament bass sound?
When we recorded The Gathering in 1998, we didn’t really know
each other well, and I showed up with my fretless Carvin 5-string
and just played the way I play. We got through the session, and
the band was happy. But this time I decided, like any good session
player should, to assimilate to the project—that old chameleon
type of thing where you change your color to match your
surroundings. I decided my challenge was going to be, “How can
I fit in even better?” I wanted to play that Testament bass role.
So, how did you go about figuring that out?
I got out all of my bass guitars in my little studio, plugged in
one right after another, and played the same riff on each bass with
all these separate tracks going down in a line. Then I listened back
to how each one reacted within a song. I decided on this 1978 Rickenbacker
4001—completely stock. There’s not one modification
on this bass. It’s a totally passive, regular fretted 4-string, an oldschool
bass. But its tone had the right amount of pop and enough
meat in the middle to fill in.
Did you adapt your playing as well, or was it just about
the bass?
I had a little help from the engineer, but I did work on the
touch of the strings. I’m a heavy hitter, and my problem, a lot of
the time, is spiking out the sound wave when I’m recording. In
the old days, when you could crush a needle it was no big deal,
but nowadays [recording digitally], to get a nice, solid wave, I had
to learn to calm down my attack when recording. We nicknamed
it “self-compressing.”
Being a studio guy, that sounds like something you would
have figured out a long time ago.
Maybe it’s a “duh” moment for some people, but I’ve played more
in extreme or technical music, and sometimes you don’t have time
38 bassplayer.com / march2017

F
Steve DiGIORGIO
to think about such things because you’re up against
challenging riffs and polyrhythms. The technique is
just about getting it done. Whereas with Testament,
there are long passages of riffs that aren’t so difficult
to play in a technical sense, but they are difficult
to play convincingly, and that’s what I mean by
playing the Testament bass role—having the right
attack, the right tone, and the pocket.
Did you record direct or through an amp?
We had two direct signals. We kept one completely
plain for any opportunity to re-amp, and one
was dirty with a Darkglass B7K to give it that grind.
I also have this little EBS MultiComp that I love to
record with. It doesn’t change your sound; it’s like
a medium-level loudness button that brings out the
good sounds without really changing anything. It’s a
nice subtle addition. The recording engineer also ran
it through a Kemper [profiling amp] so that we could
mess with the EQ for a room sound. Overall, I got
a nice, passive bass sound with a controlled attack,
but it took a while to get there. It was back to basics.
Do you employ two- or three-finger plucking-hand
technique?
I would say I’m a three-finger player. I only know
because of my calluses! But really, it’s like a fourbarrel
carburetor; if I don’t need the other fingers,
I don’t use them. I just use one, and when I need to
shift a gear, I’ll use two, and so on. I’m not a slap
player, but I also use the side of my thumb to punch
out accents while the other fingers are going. I’m bad
at analyzing my technique. Sometimes it’s better if
you just let nature take its course. Just play and let
it come out. I’m a “Get it done by any means possible”
kind of guy.
Testament seems like it’s on tour constantly.
Are you traveling with backline or
profiling amps?
I have rigs on both continents, but Carlos, my
bass tech, knows the Kemper inside out and he’s
profiled my EBS amps. We went to South America
i INFO
LISTEN
Testament,
Brotherhood of
the Snake [2016,
Nuclear Blast]
EQUIP
Basses Fretless Ibanez BTB Custom
5-string, Rickenbacker 4001
Amps EBS Fafner II heads, EBS
NeoLine & ClassicLine cabinets
Strings Dunlop Super Bright (.045–
.130)
Effects
Darkglass B7K
Microtubes
Analog Bass
Preamp, EBS
MultiComp
Bass
Compressor
40 bassplayer.com / march2017

800-545-8813
www.basscentral.com • sales@basscentral.com
500 BASS GUITARS IN STOCK!
• Alembic
• Dingwall
• Elrick
• F Bass
• Fender
• Fodera
• G & L
• Godin
• Groove Tools
EUB’S
• Azola
• BSX
• Hofner
• KSD
• Ken Smith
• Lakland
• Lakland Skyline
• MTD
• MTD KZ Series
• Mike Lull
• MusicMan
• Eminence
• Kydd
• Pedulla
• Renaissance
• Roscoe
• Sadowsky
• Spector
• Status
• Warwick
• Yamaha
• Zon
• NS Design
GUITARS
• Musicman • Fender Custom Shop • Alembic
EFFECTS PEDALS
• Eventide
• Dark Glass
• Sans Amp
• EBS
• MXR
• Pigtronix
• Radial
• Suncoast
Preamps
STILL IN THE BOX! 100’S OF
AMPS, CABS IN STOCK!
• AccuGroove
• Acoustic Image
• Aguilar
• Alembic Preamps
• Ampeg
• Bag End
• Bergantino
• Demeter
• EBS
• Eden
• Epifani
• Euphonic Audio
• Fender
• GK
• Hartke
• Mackie
• Mesa Boogie
• Orange
• Phil Jones
• QSC
• Schroeder
• Tech 21
• TC Electronics
• Valve Train
#1 DEALER / LARGEST STOCK OF:
• MusicMan
• Warwick
• Lakland
• Spector
• Alembic
• Fodera
• MTD
• NS Design
• Eden
• Dingwall
AND MORE!
GREAT PRICES! LESSONS!
EXPERIENCED STAFF!
WORLD’S LARGEST INVENTORY!!! BUY/SELL/TRADE
WORLDWIDE SHIPPING • QUALITY BASS GEAR
basscentralblog.blogspot.com • Look for us on Facebook

F
Steve DiGIORGIO
and it felt like I had my EBS amp with me. We use
in-ear monitors and don’t rely on the cabinets or
wedges, so if my bass tone sounds like me in my
ears, I’m set to play, and I’ll just leave it to the
front-of-house guy to let everyone hear it the way
they’re supposed to.
You were heavily influenced by Jethro Tull’s
Dave Pegg. That seems a bit unconventional.
THE
LOGICAL
EVOLUTION
OF BASS
TECHNOLOGY
WILLCOX SABER VL5 | TRANSPARENT NATURAL
High quality woods and components, acoustically
advanced design and boutique craftsmanship, combined
with industry exclusive LIGHTWAVE OPTICAL PICKUPS,
creates an instrument like nothing you’ve ever played
before. Powerful and concise low end. Clear, sustaining
highs. A vocal and detailed midrange... the true voice of
the instrument at your fingertips. Come and HEAR THE
LIGHT for yourself.
Learn more at willcoxguitars.com/bassplayer
It’s funny because if you look at his entire body
of work, someone might be like, “I don’t get it.” The
music is cool and you can tell he’s proficient, but his
playing with Tull on A and Broadsword and the Beast
is amazing. Maybe it was the period, or the songs
they had written, but that’s the only time he’s ever
really stood out. The sound of his fretless on those
albums brought me into that world.
Most people cite Jaco when it comes to
fretless.
How can you not appreciate his work? But I’m a
latecomer to Jaco—I didn’t start there. Dave Pegg
was my main fretless influence in a context that you
wouldn’t really expect to hear it. When you hear
Gary Willis or Percy Jones, their playing is 20 times
better than Pegg’s on those Tull albums—it’s killer,
but it belongs there. With Pegg, it was unexpected,
and that’s what drew me in.
Playing fretless in metal bands gives you a
distinct flavor.
That’s usually where I lean with anything. Early
on I realized it’s pointless to try to be the best at
anything, because there’s no such thing. But you can
always be different in some way. You can always have
some small identifying factor that makes you “you.”
I’m always looking for something to keep me a little
different from the regular flow of everyone else.
Who are some of your other influences?
The list of players who influenced me, created me—
the building blocks that I could stack together—is
huge: Geddy Lee, Chris Squire, Geezer Butler, Steve
Harris. I’m not exclusively channeling early-’80s
Jethro Tull. I listened to Stanley Clarke a lot, right
before my friends turned me on to metal. I’d listen
to Return To Forever, take off my headphones, pick
up my bass, and start playing Sadus riffs to thrash
beats. You have to be a sponge and soak up all the
drops of these different players. When you squeeze
it, “you” come out.
You mostly play an unlined fretless bass.
Has that helped you develop your intonation?
Obviously when you’re working on your intonation,
your ear is developing automatically. I don’t
wrap around and look at the front of the fingerboard
too much. I rely on the side markers visually.
I guess you rely on the ear for intonation,
and sight to check yourself?
Yes, but the one thing that applies overall is
muscle memory. When you do something so many
times, the stuff just ends up in the right place. Now,
it’s not always going to be perfect. If I play a whole
song without looking at my left hand, I will hit wrong
notes. If I play a whole song without being able to
hear what I’m playing, I will hit a lot of wrong notes.
So, obviously, you need those senses, but you don’t
have to strain the ear or keep your eyes locked on
your hands if the muscle memory is there. It’s the
oldest, most boring cliché, but it always goes back
to practice, practice, practice. When you do something
so many times, you just get better at it, and
you can’t replace experience with anything else. BP
42 bassplayer.com / march2017

NEW
D-800+
On the heels of our Award-Winning SUBWAY® D-800 comes the upscale D-800+! This model
joins the Line with two sweepable MIDS, a BRIGHT Voicing, Adjustable HI-PASS Filter with a 30Hz –
150Hz range, and an Effects Loop. In our popular SUBWAY Cabinet Line we unveil the New ultra-lite
2x10. And now the magic expands to the Desktop or the Floor in our New SUBWAY Bass DI-Preamp.
SUBWAY®
5.5 lb. D-800 and
6.3 lb. D-800+ deliver huge
tone in a compact format.
New BASS DI-PREAMP
direct-in solution.
New 2x10 CABINET
joins the 1x12 and 1x15
ultra-lite Subway Series.
Visit subway.mesaboogie.com or your local MESA ® Dealer to experience the SUBWAY Line today!
© 2016 MESA/Boogie Ltd.

SOUNDROOM LINK FACE TECH PLAY LEARN
S
Soundroom
Bergantino B|AMP
By JONATHAN HERRERA |
In my years at Bass Player, I’ve met most of
the minds behind the gear we know, love, and use. The passion
of most of our craft’s technical types is no less intense than our
own for playing, and being aware that Person X, Y, or Z in the
manufacturing community reads my BP writing has often helped
me maintain a high level of rigor and detail. (At least that’s my
intent; I’ll leave it up to you to decide if I succeed.) Of the many
clever engineers and luthiers I’ve encountered, few have been as
consistently impressive as Jim Bergantino. The amp side of the
bass market is rife with imitation; best practices emerge, largely
because of an innovative few, and then some manufacturers debut
products that leverage those innovations, regardless of their philosophical
commitment to the design ideas they embody. Bergantino
has always been different, as my many long discussions with
him discussing amp and speaker technology evince. He’s fiercely
committed to his design principles, deeply knowledgeable in audio
electronics, and unafraid to introduce designs that buck trends, if
that’s where his muse takes him. After dipping his toes into the
amp world with his IP series of powered cabinets, Bergantino is
all-in with the B|AMP, an innovative lightweight head that capitalizes
on the flexibility of digital audio to solve some vexing
engineering challenges.
On power-up, it’s obvious that the B|AMP is different from
the typical bass head. A large LCD display illuminates above the
row of four rotary encoders, each knob labeled with its current
function. This is a clue as to the Bergie’s key differentiating feature:
Rather than rely on analog components for preamp duties,
the B|AMP incorporates a digital signal processor (DSP) chip,
meaning the signal goes through an analog-to-digital (AD) converter
after the input, is processed in the digital realm, and then
converted back to an analog signal before it hits the power amp.
DSP is exponentially more powerful, precise, and versatile than
44 bassplayer.com / march2017

The B|AMP has an impressive amount of connectivity considering its diminutive size.
S
SPECIFICATIONS
any equivalent analog circuit, so the benefits of
integrating it into a bass head are significant. But
rather than try to stuff the kitchen sink into the
amp, Bergantino initially sought to use DSP to
improve a rig’s fidelity. As a long-time speaker
designer, Bergantino is well aware of the lumpy
frequency response of the average bass cabinet.
In fact, his IP-series cabinets utilized similar DSP
to mitigate this uneven response with a counteracting
EQ curve. The same principle applies
with the B|AMP, and although the head flexes
its DSP muscles in other ways, it’s the pursuit
of flat speaker response that lies at the core of
Bergantino’s concept.
In order to achieve this flatness, the frequency
response of a given speaker cabinet must be
known. Only then can a complex EQ curve that
counteracts the dips and peaks be applied to a
signal. For understandable reasons, Bergantino
limits these “Profiles” to cabinets of his own
design. If you’re not already a Bergantino cabinet
user, the Speaker Profile feature is unavailable.
Not to worry—the head works beautifully
regardless, and Bergantino says the Speaker
Profiles often work well for cabinets from other
manufacturers that match the speaker configuration
of a similar Bergantino cab.
The B|AMP’s DSP-powered features aren’t
limited to speaker-compensation curves, though.
For example, the head’s EQ is substantially more
versatile than most, and thanks to the use of
rotary encoders (also known as “soft knobs”) instead
of potentiometers, its user interface is flexible
enough to accommodate a deep feature set.
Each EQ filter includes a selectable array of relevant
frequency centers and wide, medium, and
narrow Q (bandwidth) settings. Additionally, a
bright filter includes user-control over its center
frequency and gain amplitude. To further
aid tone shaping and avoid power-robbing nearsubsonic
frequencies from muddying up tone, a
variable highpass filter is included. Even more
interesting is the B|AMP’s variable feedback
filter, which seeks to notch out a problematic
frequency with a narrow-Q filter. Rather than
sweep through the frequency spectrum to find
the offensive resonance, the feedback filter
aligns its frequency centers according to the
fundamental frequencies of musical notes. That
way, a player who consistently gets feedback by
playing a low G, for example, will easily be able to
identify and notch out the offending frequency
(49Hz, in this case).
The B|AMP’s DSP engine also allows for the
SPECS BERGANTINO
Bergantino B|AMP
Street $1,200
Pros Extremely versatile; robust and muscular
power; sweet and musical tone
Cons Onboard fuzz effect is just okay;
slightly self-noisy at idle
Bottom line By thoughtfully integrating
DSP into a hi-fi bass amp, Bergantino has
essentially created an entirely new product
category.
Power rating 800 watts @ 2.67Ω or 2Ω;
700 watts @ 4Ω
Preamp Solid-state DSP-based
Power amp topology Class D
Power supply Switchmode
Input impedance 1MΩ
Outputs Two parallel Speakon speaker, q"
effects send and return, XLR balanced line
out, q" headphone
Inputs q" instrument, r" aux
Tone controls (All frequency centers
adjustable) bass ±9dB @ 40Hz–120Hz;
lo-mid ±9dB @ 150Hz–800Hz; hi-mid ±9dB
@ 600Hz–2kHz; treble ±9dB @ 2kHz–9kHz
Weight 6.5 lbs
Made in USA
Contact bergantino.com
bassplayer.com / march2017 45

SOUNDROOM LINK FACE TECH PLAY LEARN
S
inclusion of some useful effects, although don’t expect the kind
of comprehensive suite available on purpose-built DSP-based
multi-effect units. While future firmware updates may expand
its offerings, the thoughtful selection of three different types of
distortion (overdrive, distortion, and fuzz), each of which
includes variable drive and volume, is a nice addition. Also welcome
is the B|AMP’s variable ratio compressor (VRC), a
clever implementation that alters its ratio in real-time to best
enhance a bass’ dynamic output. As with most of the B|AMP’s
special features, the VRC setting is storable in one of two available
memory slots for instant recall. And while I was initially disappointed
to discover that the amp does not include a footswitch
to engage its effects, Bergantino assures me a Bluetooth-based
footswitch is in development.
The B|AMP system enhances the head’s I/O versatility, too.
The stereo r" aux input can double as a secondary input for anyone
who doubles with two basses or a synth, and since it has its
own gain knob, a player can mix the levels to suit their needs.
Additionally, the head’s DI output features pre/post-preamp selection,
as does its q" tuner output.
Sound
Given my word count thus far, it’s clear that the B|AMP is as
full-featured a bass head as there is, but none of that matters
if it doesn’t sound good. To test the head I used a variety of
cabinets, including Bergantino’s own HT-322 and HDN-212
models, as well as appropriate-size cabs from Aguilar, Ampeg,
Epifani, and Barefaced Audio. I used the head on a couple
medium-sized gigs and tracked with it in my Bay Area studio,
Airship Laboratories.
Anxious to check out the B|AMP’s marquee feature, I hooked
up my Bergantino cabinets in succession. Loading the profile into
the head requires downloading a small file from Bergantino’s
website to a USB thumb drive, ensuring it’s FAT32 formatted,
which is the PC standard. As a Mac user, I initially had a little
trouble with transferring files to the B|AMP, as the instructions
in the owner’s manual and online were a bit unclear—look for
revised instructions accompanying future firmware updates.
Once installed, I fired up the Bergie cabs, first without the
Speaker Profile engaged. I played a bit, tried to lock the sound
in my mind, and switched in the profile. The resulting sound was
indeed different, although hard to quantify, and surely variable
depending on the cabinet in question. The “profiled” settings
made each slightly brighter, with a touch less upper-midrange
response and a deeper bottom. While evaluating which was better
is entirely subjective, there is something comforting knowing
that the tone emanating from the speaker is as flat as possible—
it certainly makes evaluating the differences among basses more
confidence-inspiring. The Bergantino cabinets were already superb,
so it wasn’t like the un-profiled sound was a disappointment
to begin with.
Through the Bergantino cabs and the others, the B|AMP revealed
its phenomenal power, authoritative transient response,
rich and smooth midrange, and seemingly limitless endurance.
It sounds awesome, and don’t let its DSP brain fool you: There
is nothing digital-sounding about its essential tone. Each of the
EQ filters proved effective, and the additional versatility that the
DSP affords made fiddling with the tone filters all the more inspiring.
Whether I was going for a blended-pickup bright sound,
a dull P-with-flats tone, or a bridge-pickup/no-tone vibe, the
B|AMP was consistently musical and rewarding, never running
out of breath. The VRC is a nice added bonus, too. The smoothsounding
compressor added just enough bounce and sheen to
my fingerstyle lines.
I have two small gripes with the B|AMP. First, the distortion
effects are just okay. I thought overdrive worked well, with nice
dynamic sensitivity, but distortion and fuzz were not quite
up to the standard set by many outboard stompboxes. Fuzz, in
particular, seemed to cause my signal to fade out unnaturally as
a note decayed, as if a noise gate were abruptly crossing a threshold.
I also thought the head had slightly more self-noise than
others I’ve tested set at similar output levels.
The B|AMP is a legitimate step forward for bass amps. Instead
of cramming a bunch of middling bells-and-whistles into his DSPbased
head, Jim Bergantino continued the well-earned reputation
for excellence he’s long enjoyed. Whether or not you make use of
the B|AMP’s innovative features, the head’s versatility and superb
tone make it one of the best amps on the market. BP
46 bassplayer.com / march2017

SOUNDROOM LINK FACE TECH PLAY LEARN
S
Danelectro D64
By JONATHAN HERRERA |
Danelectro is one of the rare bass brands
that’s associated with a definitive instrument and sound, one that
has proved its worth on countless hit records. Its baritone guitar,
first released in the late 1950s, became an indispensable facet of
the nascent rock and country genres, often doubling an upright or
electric bass in a style dubbed “tic-tac” bass. This early success—coupled
with Danelectro’s singular construction from synthetic materials,
not to mention low prices—has made the brand’s signature
quirky twang and jet-age look an iconic part of the pop aesthetic in
the decades since. Dano’s latest bass, the D64, is in the spirit of the
company’s iconic products: eccentric, but broadly useful.
If the D64 looks familiar, that’s because it is essentially a copy
of a cult-favorite instrument of the ’60s, the Mosrite Ventures
bass, so named because of a sponsorship agreement with “the band
that launched a thousand bands.” The unusual design is vibey and
bizarre, looking somewhat like a Fender Strat turned upside down
and then injected with a small hit of (period appropriate) LSD.
Unlike the Mosrite, the D64 is a full-scale instrument, although
it’s otherwise pretty similar. The hardware quality is decent, and
while the “top-hat” tuners don’t feel especially robust, they do the
trick and look the part. The electronics design and pickup placement
is appropriately countercultural. The passive system utilizes
a 3-way switch to govern pickup selection and a push/pull tone
knob to engage the bridge pickup’s coil split. The pickups consist
of a humbucking dual “lipstick” in the bridge and a big P-90-
esque single-coil in the neck. Dano’s “lipstick” pickups sound sharp
and edgy, with a good midrange bite, and the coil-splittable version
on offer in the D64 is well matched to the bass and its likely
players—rockers who want to cut. (Trivia: Danelectro “lipstick”
pickups originally used war-surplus lipstick containers, hence
48 bassplayer.com / march2017

S
SPECIFICATIONS
the name.) The neck pickup is the perfect foil to
its aggro bridge partner. It sounds soft, woolly,
and hollow—a nice first step in getting the kind
of thwonk that characterized a lot of groovy ’60s
tones. Peeking behind the big pickguard revealed a
fairly messy installation, although there was nothing
that impeded the bass’ function.
Our D64 had excellent playability and only
exhibited a small bit of neck dive, due in part to
the lightweight headstock hardware. Construction
and fit-and-finish was average for the price;
as I’ve said before, these days of CNC-machined
instruments mean that egregiously terrible build
quality is virtually extinct. Overall there was nothing
to prevent the bass from lasting many generations,
given proper maintenance.
Dano Sound
For some reason, I was less inclined to test the
D64 with my usual suite of high-end reference
gear than I was to turn to the vibier amps in my
collection. Not to say it sounded bad with the hi-fi
stuff, it’s just that I imagined the typical player of
a high-personality bass like the D64 would be open
to making the amp a part of the fun. I plugged the
D64 into my vintage Echolette M40, an all-tube
German PA that I repurposed for bass amp duties.
Cool combo! The plush envelope and grind of a panting
all-tube head was just the ticket for the Dano,
especially with the high-output bridge pickup in
the mix. With a Fender Bassman reissue, I was able
to coax deliciously warm and woolly tone out of
the neck pickup—an excellent studio sound for a
vintage-style soul or R&B cut. Plugged into a Neve
DI, I explored the D64’s recording prowess more
thoroughly. It sat well in tracks, especially when I
enhanced its already florid midrange with a touch
of grit courtesy a Darkglass Microtubes pedal.
The D64 isn’t for everyone, but the players who
get it will absolutely find a ton of use for the instrument.
While it’s a departure from Danelectro’s own
rich heritage, bringing back a well-made and solidsounding
instrument from rock’s childhood could be
just the thing for modern-day hep cats. BP
SPECS DANeLECTRO
Pros Perfect look for a surf band; solid construction;
lovably quirky tone with surprising
diversity
Cons Mildly messy electronics installation
Bottom Line This rehash of a ’60s classic
hits all the right notes.
Construction Bolt-on
Body Cyprus
Neck Maple
Neck width at nut 1y"
Fingerboard Rosewood
Frets 21
String spacing 19mm
Tuners Kluson-style
Bridge Adjustable stop-tailpiece
Pickups Bridge, Danelectro dual-lipstick
humbucker with coil-split switch; neck,
vintage-style single-coil
Scale length 34"
Controls Volume, tone, 3-way pickup selector
Weight 8.0 lbs
Made in China
Contact danelectro.com
bassplayer.com / march2017 49

W
WOODSHED LINK FACE TECH PLAY LEARN
WOODSHED
Jazz Concepts
Adult Tempos
Playing A Ballad Like Scott LaFaro
By John Goldsby |
Slow ain’t easy. Most baSSists first learn to groove on medium
tempos. Then, after their chops improve, they tackle fast bass lines and solos. Learning
to play a beautiful ballad with solid time and just enough space is often the last skill they
develop. That’s why jazz players call slow ballads “adult tempos.”
Scott LaFaro earned his reputation as a bass genius by playing soloistic flurries up
and down the neck while interacting musically with his bandmates. His work with the
Bill Evans Trio was brief (1959–61), yet it changed jazz ensemble playing forever. We
seldom talk about LaFaro as a brilliant ballad player, even though he pioneered the art
of playing open, freely interpreted time at achingly slow tempos. This month, let’s look
and listen to LaFaro playing a simple ballad, and see what we can learn about the art
of playing low and slow.
“Blue in Green” was first recorded on Miles Davis’ milestone jazz album Kind of Blue
[1959, Columbia, Paul Chambers on bass]. Davis and pianist Bill Evans were originally
listed as co-composers of the gorgeous tune with its luxurious harmony, although in 2002
the Davis estate finally gave Evans full composer credit. Evans also recorded the ten-bar
ballad on his milestone trio album Portrait in Jazz [1959, Riverside], with LaFaro on bass
and Paul Motian on drums.
Find a quiet five minutes and 25 seconds, and listen to “Blue in Green” from the Bill
Evans Trio. Now that your pulse has calmed and you’ve languished in the sound of the
trio, listen again—this time focusing on LaFaro’s bass line [Ex. 1, take 3 from the 1959
session]. In the first two ten-bar choruses, LaFaro plays whole-notes, laying a foundation
for Motian and Evans to frame the sparse melody and form. This is an example of
perfectly improvised orchestration. Evans floats through the melody while sparsely
fleshing out a few chords; Motian plays light but steady quarter-notes with almost
no embellishment; LaFaro underpins the piano and drums with perfectly placed, fullbodied
notes.
LaFaro plays the first two choruses exactly the same, his fat whole-notes cushioning
the collective sound. In the third chorus (bar 11), the trio moves into double-time. There
are two types of double-time that jazz rhythm sections use:
1. Implied double-time: The harmonic rhythm (the movement of the chord progression)
remains the same, but the bass and drums and possibly other instruments imply a
tempo twice as fast as the original tempo. The feeling is illusory, because the underlying
tempo (the movement of the harmony) is not faster. This type of double-time is often
described as a double-time feel.
2. Double-time: The harmonic rhythm doubles along with the rhythmic feeling. In other
words, the pulse and the harmony move along twice as fast. This type of double-time is
often described as a real double-time.
On “Blue in Green,” the trio moves into real double-time in bar 11, after the first two
CONNECT
Listen
JOHN GOLDSBY
i
INFO
Check out John’s
new video lesson
series, The Upright
Bass Handbook.
More info at
truefire.com and
johngoldsby.com.
Bill Evans, Portrait
in Jazz [1959,
Riverside]
• Listen to Scott
LaFaro support the
Bill Evans Trio on
“Blue in Green.”
• Revisit John
Goldsby’s Bass
Player feature
on Scott LaFaro,
“Game Changer:
How Scott LaFaro
Rewrote the Rules
of Jazz Bass.”
• Tom Reney at
New England Public
Radio takes a look
at the life and work
of Scott LaFaro.
bassplayer.com/
march2017
50 bassplayer.com / march2017

melody choruses. All three musicians double
the rhythmic pulse and the harmonic rhythm
from the third chorus onward. The tempo of the
first two melody choruses is 64 bpm; the third
chorus doubles to 128 bpm, when Evans begins
his improvised solo. Starting in the third chorus,
the feeling of the groove is like a medium-swing,
and the chords move by twice as fast as in the
first two melody choruses (bars 1–10).
In bars 13, 17, and 20, LaFaro leaves out
the downbeat—beat one—which establishes an
open, interactive feeling. In bars 13, 14, and 20,
LaFaro uses quarter-note triplets, creating the
illusion of stretching the time. Listen to how
the three musicians interact, complement, and
push each other. The Bill Evans Trio was famous
for their open, communicative way of playing
a groove; they didn’t just pump out the traditional
soloist-on-top-of-bass-and-drums style
that had been used in jazz for decades.
The beauty of LaFaro’s ballad playing lies
in his ability to listen and play the appropriate
part. LaFaro doesn’t always break up the time
and play a lot of notes. He plays what is appropriate
in the moment. In the first two melody choruses,
he hypnotizes us with minimalism—the
fewest notes he could play and still outline the
harmony. In the following choruses, he steps
out and provides the perfect commentary to
Evans’ solo.
LaFaro was a brilliant technician and bass
soloist. He was also a consummate team player,
and will be remembered for his supportive playing
in one of the greatest jazz piano trios. Talking
to Marian McPartland on Piano Jazz [1979,
NPR], Bill Evans said, “I choose the people in
the trio as responsible musicians and artists. I
can give them that kind of freedom and know
they’re going to use it with discretion.” BP
Floating ballad feel
= 64
Gm6 A7 Dm7
Db7 Cm7 F7 Bbmaj7 A7 Dm7 E7 Am7 Dm7(add11)
(straight
eighth)
3 5
5 4 3
1
1
5
5
0 5
5
Double-time
21 Gm6
= 128
A7 Dm7 Db7
3
Cm7
F7
3
Bbmaj7
3
A7
Ex. 1
swing eighths
3 3 5
9 10
0
0 4 3
3
2 1 5 3 3 2 5
27
Dm7
E7
Am7
Dm7(add11)
3
0
9
10
0
9 10 12
0
0 4 5
9 10 9 7
0 5
3 1
bassplayer.com / march2017 51

WOODSHED LINK FACE TECH PLAY LEARN
W
R&B Gold
Early Motown
Show Me The Money
By Ed Friedland |
Continuing our look at the early days of Tamla/Motown records, let’s examine
what is widely considered to be the fledgling label’s first monster hit, “Money (That’s What I Want)” by Barrett Strong. Recorded
in August 1959 at the brand-new “Hitsville, USA” Studio A, “Money” is one of the most important tunes in pop-music history,
and not only as a launch pad for the Motown legacy; its raw sonic palette and unbridled energy (traits that were eventually
refined out of the Motown sound) paved the way for burgeoning rock & rollers. Originally released on Tamla in ’59,
the song achieved wider recognition from its 1960 release on Anna Records, which was owned by Tamla owner Berry Gordy’s
sister, hitting #2 on the Hot R&B Sides chart and #23 on Billboard’s Top 100. The song has endured in its original form, and
through myriad cover versions (most notably by the Beatles), because of its universal sentiment and its hard rocking groove.
But through the years, like anything that involves big money, there has been substantial controversy surrounding its origins.
Officially, the song is credited to Berry Gordy and Janie Bradford, but in a 2013 New York Times interview, Strong claims
to have written the signature piano riff: “We were doing another session, and I just happened to be sitting there playing the
piano,” he recalled. “I was playing ‘What’d I Say’ by Ray Charles, and the groove spun off that.” The Times continues, “As Mr.
Strong was polishing the riff, the recording engineer, Robert Bateman, recalls becoming increasingly animated: “And when
I get excited, the very first thing I do is call Berry.” Confirming Strong’s claim of musical authorship, Bateman states that “it
all emanated from Barrett Strong.” And, in fact, the initial 1959 filing with the United States Copyright Office listed Barrett
Strong as an “author of words and music” along with Berry Gordy, and Janie Bradford (who was a clerical worker for the
company whose signature appears on the form). However, in 1962, Gordy’s publishing company, Jobete, filed an amended
copyright removing Strong’s name as an author. Under the law, Strong had three years to contest this, but as Times author
Larry Rohter points out: “The United States Copyright Office, a division of the Library of Congress, does not notify authors
of changes in registrations, and until recently the only way to check on any alterations was to go to Washington and visit the
archives personally.” Gordy’s lawyers have asserted that Ms. Bradford had “erroneously listed Mr. Strong as one of ’Money’s’
co-writers” in 1959, because “she was inexperienced and confused about the ‘authorship’ section’ ” of the copyright form, and
that “when the mistake was discovered, it was rectified.” In the history of recorded music, there are many examples of record
labels screwing over artists, writers, and performers—whether this is another one has yet to be determined.
Another element to the puzzle focuses on the lyrics. In 1960, famed Detroit-based bluesman John Lee Hooker released
a song entitled “I Need Some Money” on his album That’s My Story: John Lee Hooker Sings the Blues on the Riverside label.
Despite Hooker’s radically different signature approach to the song, there is no mistaking the lyrics to be the same as the
Tamla recording. There have been claims that Hooker was performing this song around Detroit for years prior to this recording,
and for this first release, he is listed as the author. Add to the mix that for a while, Hooker and Strong both worked on
the same assembly line in Detroit, and it’s easy to imagine how the lyrics might have found their way into the Tamla studios.
While I have read that Hooker took Berry to court and lost, I found no hard evidence of this online. But it’s worth noting
that when Hooker recut an electrified version of the song in 1966 for the Impulse label, Berry Gordy was listed as the author.
For us bottom-dwellers, the most compelling mystery about “Money” is determining who actually played bass on the track.
Many have speculated that it could be James Jamerson, as he was already active in the Tamla studios. The song was recorded
on electric bass, and while I suspect it may have been too early for Jamerson’s eventual migration to the instrument, a close
listen to the track leaves me with the opinion that it was not him. The tone is garbage, the line is played inconsistently, there
ED FRIEDLAND
i
INFO
Ed Friedland is
currently touring
with Grammy
Award winners
the Mavericks,
and living outside
of Nashville,
Tennessee.
edfriedland.com
52 bassplayer.com / march2017

are intonation issues, and the groove is barely present
(other than that, it’s great!). Jamerson was
already an accomplished musician, as witnessed
by his earlier tracks at the studio, and the performance
exhibits none of the traits that put him at
the top of last month’s Greatest 100 Bassists of
All Time. In a video interview with Tom Meros,
Strong recalls the day of the session and offers an
account that sounds like a Cinderella story. He says
the bass and guitar parts were performed by two
white kids that just got off the bus from Cass Tech
High School. They supposedly walked up to the
studio and asked if they could sit in. While seemingly
improbable, this is Barrett’s recollection, and
the bass performance certainly sounds bad enough
to be the work of an unknown kid off the street.
One wrinkle to the story is the crediting of a
certain Eugene Grew as the guitarist on the track.
The Times article states that “the guitarist on the
‘Money’ sessions was Eugene Grew, who recalls
taking musical direction from Mr. Strong. ‘We sat
there, practicing, and Barrett said, “Do this,” and,
“Do that,”’ Mr. Grew said in an interview here. ‘“It’s
a real simple figure, over and over.” Barrett showed
me what to play and then Berry came by.’” More
research turned up a 2012 post on a forum called
soulofdetroit.com, attributed to Eugene Grew
(written in all caps), that claims: “I was that white
guy playing the only guitar on ‘Money.’ I probably
was 21 years old or so. I lived a couple miles from
Hitsville. The trio I was with went to tryout for
Gordy. He took me aside and asked if I would be
interested in doing sessions. My first of many was
‘Money.’” The poster makes no mention of who the
bass player was, although he offered this: “I have
no recollection who else was on it. James Jamerson
had an upright bass, it could have been him.”
Considering the track is played on electric bass,
this line of thought has little basis, but chalk it up
as another unsolved piece of the “Money puzzle.”
I had the good fortune to get in touch with Janie
Bradford, the Tamla/Motown secretary credited as
co-writer, and asked about the session personnel.
Her response: “The story of the two white guys has
been circulating for many years, but no one that I
checked with from back in the day can confirm it,
nor had anyone heard mention of their names.”
The mystery continues.
While I’ve been harsh about the “Money” bass
playing, its rawness contributes to the overall live and
loose feel, and if you can appreciate the performance
as a work of art, it’s perfect. “Money” stands out as
the first major hit for the label, but it’s also unique
in its almost punk-like abandon. This performance
seems a more likely predecessor to Detroit-area acts
like Iggy & the Stooges, or the MC5, than the slick,
polished production machine that cranked out hits
by the Supremes, the Miracles, or Marvin Gaye. Let’s
take a look at some of the parts played by the mystery
man. The song is a 12-bar blues form in F, and
the piano intro riff covers the first four bars of the
form. The tonal center established by the unchanging
piano riff causes momentary confusion when
the bass comes in on the IV chord—it sounds like a
mistake, but once your ear recognizes that the bass
starts at bar 5, it makes sense. He plays through the
rest of the form using a classic tresillo rhythm using
the triad, as shown in Ex. 1—notice the chromatic
slide up to the 3rd when playing the V chord. The
following verses have stops on the downbeat for
the first four bars, then picking the line back up at
the IV chord as shown. Example 2 shows a slight
= 134
Bb7
F7
Ex. 1
6
0 3 0
0 3 0
0 1
1
0 3 0
1 3
1
1
C7 Bb7 F7 F7
0 3
3 6 7
5
7 1
0 3 0
1
0 3 0
1
3
0
3
3
Bb7
F7
Ex. 2
3 1
3 1
1 3 1
1 3
0
3
1
0 3 0
bassplayer.com / march2017 53

WOODSHED LINK FACE TECH PLAY LEARN
W
variation in bars 5 and 6. It’s not wrong to alter
the line—but modern standards would demand
a more consistent approach on a song like this.
Example 3 is similar to one of the full choruses
played without stops at the end of the song.
Ex. 3
7
F7
1
0 3 0
1
Unfortunately, my best efforts did not solve
the mystery of the “Money” bass player, but the
search for truth always has its own reward. As
we look ahead at more of Tamla/Motown’s early
output, we will hear more from Jamerson and
0 3 0
1
0 3 0
1
0 3 0 1
F7 C7 Bb7 F7
1
0 3 0
1
0 3 0 3 6 7
5 7 1
0 3 0
examine the developments in his playing. The
effect of Jamerson’s gift on Motown, and the
whole of popular music, cannot be overstated.
In the realm of R&B Gold, Jamerson had the
Midas touch. BP
Bb7
1
0 3 0
0 3 0
1
1
0 3 0
0 3 0
54 bassplayer.com / march2017

TRANSCRIPTION LINK FACE TECH PLAY LEARN
?
TRANSCRIPTION
The Yardbirds’ “Lost Woman”
Paul Samwell-Smith’s Complete Bass Line
By Stevie Glasgow | Michael ocHs Archives / Getty Images
While the Yardbirds are rightly famed for having kickstarted
the careers of three British guitar legends—Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck,
and Jimmy Page—the band was far more than a mere nursery for six-string
superstars. Their freewheeling mid-song interludes (dubbed “rave-ups”), deft
combination of blues and harder-edged sensibilities, and willingness to engage
with non-mainstream ideas such as Gregorian chant exerted a powerful influence
on their mid-’60s contemporaries and presaged many developments in
the worlds of experimental and heavy rock. In its heyday, the group enjoyed
success on both sides of the Pond with such hits as “For Your Love,” “Heart
Full of Soul,” “Shapes of Things,” and “Over Under Sideways Down.”
Like many other low-enders, the band’s founding bassist, Paul Samwell-
Smith, started out as a guitarist. “When the Yardbirds started, under the
name of the Metropolis Blues Quartet, [Yardbirds vocalist/harmonicist] Keith
Relf was playing guitar, and playing rather well, so I volunteered to play the
bass—well, someone had to!” he says. The Surrey, England-born musician
cites Ricky Fenson of the Cyril Davies Band as an early influence. “He blew my
mind when I watched them play … I copied much of his style, as did others,
including Bill Wyman.”
The Yardbirds’ first studio album, Yardbirds [1966, Columbia]—a.k.a. Roger
the Engineer and released in the States as Over Under Sideways Down—opens
with “Lost Woman,” a lively, riff-based number that features a prime example
of the band’s celebrated rave-up style. Samwell-Smith recalls: “I used my
Epiphone Rivoli bass, a short-scale model which I used for everything, and
which made it easier to play chords. In fact, I found it easier all around to reach
the notes—those long-scale Fender Jazz models sounded fantastic, but they
scared the shit out of me. I used black nylon tapewound strings to reduce the
friction, as I played a lot of chords and slid up and down the fretboard a lot.
I found with wire-wound strings I’d wear my fingers down.” Paul—who also
served as the album’s co-producer—believes the song was likely recorded live
in one take, with the bass sound captured using a miked Marshall rig comprising
an amp and a four-speaker unit.
Following a hi-hat countoff, the bass announces the song’s foundational
hook: a bobbing pick-plucked riff built around the G minor pentatonic scale.
This riff continues through the guitar-free intro and verse (letter A), accompanied
by drummer Jim McCarty’s throbbing tom-tom ostinato and Relf’s vocals.
Samwell-Smith changes tack for the chorus at B, deploying root-5th power
chords (enlivened by an occasional 6th) throughout
bars 10–12, while adding beat four color to the
C and D chords with a minor-3rd-to-major-3rd halfstep.
“These are the classic Jimmy Reed-type blues
chords, which I used a lot,” he notes.
Following a repeat of the verse (C) and chorus
(D), the song segues into the rave-up section at letter
E via the pivotal D7#9 chord in bar 25. Here, the
bass, harmonica, and a single guitar hammer out
a snappy unison line. Dig how Paul duplicates the
bluesy bends of the guitar and harmonica throughout
this section. “That was me just trying to be a
guitar player, yet again.” The unison line continues
through F, this time bolstered by guitarist Chris
Dreja’s 16th-note G’s. At letter G, Paul drops to a
low, 3rd-fret G, heralding a slow, whole-note climb
up the G minor pentatonic scale that extends into
bar 53 under Relf’s wailing harp solo and Jeff Beck’s
off-the-cuff axe-work. The momentum builds further
through section H, which features a doubletime
cousin of the two-bar unison phrase heard
in E and F. Samwell-Smith takes over Dreja’s hypnotic
16th-note G’s at letter I, gradually adding in
the 5th and octave above, as the rave-up—now a
thick morass of crashing guitars, feedback, wailing
harmonica, and throbbing bass—careens toward
an abrupt climax in bar 83. This is followed by a
return to the main riff at J, and a recap of the verse
(K) and chorus (L) before closing out over a raucous
G9 chord in bars 97–98.
Regarding the band’s celebrated, slow-build
interludes, Samwell-Smith explains: “It was something
we always did in our live performances, so it
was easy to agree on the basic shape of the improvised
part and make it up on the spot. It all relied
on eye contact to indicate when the rave should
56 bassplayer.com / march2017

end and the riff come back, which was usually me,
since I had to get back to the riff double-sharp.”
Samwell-Smith quit the band shortly after finishing
the Yardbirds album to pursue a career as a
producer, later working with such artists as Carly
Simon, All About Eve, Cat Stevens, and Jethro
Tull. “I was so tired of touring endlessly, always
traveling for hours to a gig miles from anywhere.
Making the album was a brief period of sanity
for me; I think we spent five consecutive days in
the studio, and I loved it. It was definitely what I
wanted to do. So when we finished the album and
went back on the road, I realized that I had to change my job.”
In the mid ’80s, however, Paul teamed up again with Yardbirds founding
members Dreja and McCarty to form Box Of Frogs, which recorded two bluesrock
albums featuring a host of musical buddies, including Beck and Page. In
1992, Samwell-Smith and the other Yardbirds were inaugurated into the Rock
and Roll Hall of Fame. A modern incarnation of the band continues touring
and recording today, helmed by McCarty.
Now 73, Samwell-Smith remains musically active. “I just finished co-producing
the latest Cat Stevens album, to be called The Laughing Apple, which was
an amazing treat,” Paul enthuses. “He’s in such good form, reminding me of
our work on our early albums together. Some things don’t change, and working
with such great talent is always a joy.” BP
bassplayer.com / march2017 57

TRANSCRIPTION LINK FACE TECH PLAY LEARN
?
“Lost Woman”
7
12
N.C.
= 122
Intro
A
10
12 10 12 10 13 10 13
9 10
12 10 12 10
10
13 9 10
10 13
Transcription by Stevie Glasgow
D Dsus D N.C.
7
5
B
12 10 12 10 13 10 9 10 13
C Csus C Csus C
12 12 14 12
10 10 10 10
12
10
12 14
13 14 10 10
12
10
12
10
13 14
14
12
16
12
14
12
14
12
15 16 12
14 10
12 10 12 10 13 10 13
9 10
12 10 12 10 13 10 13
9
16
C
D
C
Csus C
10
12 10 12 10 13 10 13
9 10
12 10 12 10 13 10 13
9 10
7
5
12 12 14 12
10 10 10 10
12
10 13 14
21
Csus C D Dsus D N.C. D7#9
12 14
10 10
12
10
12 14 16
10 13 14 12 12
14
12
14 14
12 15 16 12
12 10 12 10
10
13 9 10
10 13
12
Lost Woman
Words and Music by Jeff Beck, Christopher Dreja, James McCarty, William Relf and Paul Samwell Smith
Copyright (c) 1966 B. Feldman & Co. trading as Yardbirds Music Co. Copyright Renewed. All Rights Administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC,
424 Church Street, Suite 1200, Nashville, TN 37219 International Copyright Secured All Rights Reserved. Reprinted by Permission of Hal Leonard LLC.
58 bassplayer.com / march2017

THIS CAN REBUILD A COMMUNITY.
At the D’Addario Foundation, we believe the most effective
instrument for creating lasting, positive change for children
and their communities is music education. That’s why we
work with over 200 successful, diverse community-based
programs to help bring music to kids who may never have
access otherwise. And 100% of your donation to the
D’Addario Foundation goes directly towards giving music
education to children. So every dollar you give makes a real
difference. Learn more at daddariofoundation.org

TRANSCRIPTION LINK FACE TECH PLAY LEARN
?
N.C.
26 E
33
40
13 13 10 13 10 13 15
B 1w
13 (16)
F
13
B
10 13 10
10 (15)
13 13 13 3 6
B
13 (15)
B
13 13 10 13 10 13 13 10
10 (15)
13 13 13 10 13 10
13 13
G5 G/Bb C5 G5/D G7/F G G/Bb C5 G5/D
G
3 5 8 10
8 10 12
51
G7/F
G
6x
N.C. [G]
H
10 12
10
8 10 10 10 10
8
10
8 10 10 10 10 10 8 10
8
66
8x
I
8x
12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
82
N.C.
J
12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12
12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12
12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
10
12 10 12 10 13 10 13
9
60 bassplayer.com / march2017

Got Funk?
Step up your
funk chops and
enhance your
playing with
8 interactive
lessons on
iphone, ipad or
online for
only $14.99!
The first lesson
is FREE!
Single lesson purchase available
Get our latest instructional bass product
How To Play Funk Bass – Learn to play anytime, anywhere!
guitarworldlessons.com/howtoplayfunkbass
or download Guitar World Lessons from the App Store now

TRANSCRIPTION LINK FACE TECH PLAY LEARN
86
93
96
?
12
10
N.C.
10
14
10
12 10
12
10
12 10
K
10
13
12 10 12 10 13 10 13
9 10
Csus C D Dsus D
12
10
13 14 12
14 16
12
10 13
9 10
poco rit.
12 12
14
12
G9
12
10
14
12
L
15 16 12
14
12
10
C
12 14
10 10
12
10
Csus C
12
10
13 14
GREAT READS FOR BASS PLAYERS!
Bass Player
Presents
THE
FRETLESS
BASS
by Chris Jisi
Backbeat Books
This book collects the best Bass Player interviews,
lessons, and gear and maintenance guides into
one smooth-reading compilation.
00331928 ...................................................................... $19.95
THE BASS
HANDBOOK
by Adrian
Ashton
Backbeat
Books
This new, revised edition will help you master the
instrument and make it your own. The book-and-
CD package includes a step-by-step guide to
playing and offers practical guidance on reading
both tab and standard notation.
00119655 ..................................................................... $29.99
Free U.S. shipping on orders of $25 or more!
Least expensive method applies. Use promo code MDBSP at checkout.
THE
RICKENBACKER
ELECTRIC BASS
50 Years as Rock’s
Bottom
by Paul D. Boyer
Hal Leonard
Lavishly illustrated with archival shots, this is the
first book to trace the history of the iconic guitar.
00333679 ................................................................... $24.99
musicdispatch.com
800-637-2852
62 bassplayer.com / march2017

BILLY SHEEHAN SIGNATURE MODEL
Shredneck
Available now
Billy Sheehan Signature Shredneck models feature a
maple fingerboard with a fingerpicking route with white
pearl pickguard material on the headstock/body. The
Distinct styling of these necks are modeled after his
signature style and look.
MSRP: $149.99
www.shredneck.com
BASS SPOTLIGHT
To advertise in
Bass Player's
Spotlight or Showcase
CONTacT:
National Specialty Sales Representative
Jon Brudner
jbrudner@nbmedia.com
(917) 281-4721
Bass SHOWCASE
Don’t miss your cue...
with the VoxGuard VU !
www.primacoustic.com/voxguard
SamAsh_BP_8thH_SEP16.indd 1
bassplayer.com / march2017 63
9/8/16 3:03 PM

Bass SHOWCASE
64 bassplayer.com / march2017

assplayer.com / march2017 65
Bass SHOWCASE

D
By Jim Roberts
Douglas Castro Of
Darkglass Electronics
Jim Roberts was
the founding editor
of Bass Player and
also served as the
magazine’s publisher
and group publisher.
He is the author of
How the Fender Bass
Changed the World
and American Basses:
An Illustrated History
& Player’s Guide (both
published by Backbeat
Books/Hal Leonard).
Growing up in Chile, DouGLAS
Castro aspired to be a professional bass
player. “I realized that making a living
playing music would be challenging, so
I decided to study electronics,” he says.
“My idea was that I could repair my gear
and also make gear for other players.” His
initial product concepts culminated in
the Microtubes B3K CMOS Bass Overdrive
and B7K Analog Bass Preamp; he
built the first pedals in his living room
with the help of his brother, getting a
foothold in the effects market.
As he learned more about electronics,
Douglas discovered that designing and
building products for other bass players
was as gratifying to him as playing
music. Then, at the age of 21, he moved
to Helsinki, Finland, where he had spent
a year as a high-school exchange student.
“I had enough money to live for about
a year,” he says. “I was renting a workspace
in 5by5, a recording studio owned
by Matias Kupiainen from Stratovarius.
Those guys really helped me out a lot. It
was tough at first, but it was great. I had
to learn how to deal with the pressure
and to develop the relentlessness that it
takes to grow and run a business.”
The Darkglass B3K was a hit right
from the start. In a Bass Player review,
Jonathan Herrera called it “super-hip”
and stated, “Of the many, many overdrive
pedals that have come across my
desk, the B3K is among the most tubelike
I’ve bumped into.” The B7K has also
been well received, and more products
have followed, including the Duality
Dual Fuzz Engine, the Vintage Deluxe,
and such variations as the Microtubes
B7K Ultra and the Vintage Ultra. Their
widespread acceptance is evident at the
Darkglass website, where the Artists
page displays photos of more than 100
bass players.
In the past year, Darkglass took a big
step with the introduction of the Microtubes
900, an amp head with a Microtubes
analog preamp and 900-watt Class
D power module. “We showed an early
prototype at NAMM in January [2016],”
Douglas says, “and we released the final
version in September. It took a couple
of years of hard work by a full team—
but the reception has been amazing.”
Douglas is planning to produce
speaker cabinets matched to the Microtubes
900 head and is considering other
ways to expand the Darkglass line. “I’ve
hired more engineers, and we’re diving
into some cool stuff. I’m always thinking,
What will people need? How can we
get there, not in ten or 20 years but in
one or two years? My focus is on building
the next generation—and thinking that
way has opened my eyes to what could
be accomplished with the right team.”
Looking down the road, Douglas
says he wants to “build a company based
on excellence, focusing on constantly
improving every aspect of the operation,
and let growth take care of itself.
I would like the company to be as big as
it can be as long as it doesn’t compromise
our values.”
Central to those values is customer
service. Douglas spends a great deal of
time listening to and evaluating feedback,
not only from such well-known
artists as Tony Levin and Bryan Beller
but also the working musicians who contact
him directly or engage in online conversations
about Darkglass products. “I
think it’s important to listen to users,”
he says. “I have to trust my instincts
when I’m designing, but once a product
is out, it’s helpful to listen to what
the people who are buying it and using
it with their bands and in their studios
have to say. I’m as active as I can be in
forums, learning how to improve our
products. It’s the regular users who give
us the most valuable feedback—and when
something comes out and people really
love it, it feels amazing.”
For more about Darkglass Electronics,
go to darkglass.com. BP
66 bassplayer.com / march2017

Introducing The
ELF Bass Amplifier
Ultra Compact Bass Amplifier
Actual Size!
Small enough to fit in your back pocket, the ELF’s remarkable size and incredible power make
it one of the most portable, gig-worthy bass amplifiers ever made. It’s an ideal solution for any
bassist who is concerned with size and weight, with no compromise in tone or performance!
The ELF takes the lightweight/small
size paradigm to a whole new level.
Learn more at traceelliot.com.