Bass Videos
Meet Uli Salm, the World’s No. 1 Bass Collector
Meet Uli Salm, the world’s No. 1 bass collector, located in Hamburg, Germany.
Uli Salm has a collection of 850 bass guitars and holds the certified world record for the biggest bass collection.
Bass overload
He says, ‘My motivation has always been my love for bass, not for the record.’ As of late, Uli added five BITE basses to his collection, a sixth one is in the pipeline.
New kids on the block
BITE founder Wolfgang reveals, ‘Repeat offenders like Uli are generally the greatest recognition for a bass builder. Nobody would order a second custom bass if they weren’t 100% happy with their first one. We are very grateful for so many persistent customers. We’ve built up to seven basses for one customer, and we only started building basses in 2019. Uli tops it all. With 850 basses in his backroom, he’s the one guy in this world who knows what to appreciate in a bass. And he actually plays our basses in his shows!’
As a bassist, Uli Salm has published over 100 records with his own bands, Rudolf Rock & Die Schocker feat. Susi Salm and Leinemann. He played with Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bill Haley and other greats of US and German rock music.
Uli about BITE, ‘I’m always on the lookout for basses that delight my heart. BITE has caught my attention some time ago. Their brand name and bite mark on the headstock shout it loud: Our sound bites through the mix! Made me curious but sceptical. I tentatively ordered a first one on Reverb and was speechless. That sound, that power, way better than expected. And every single bass that came afterwards gave me the same experience, not a single disappointment in five basses. Those guys give me great pleasure & gained a new fan.’
Wolfgang explains, ‘We hear this a lot from our customers and we’re so grateful for every feedback. Standard passive bass pickups average ard. 300 millivolts output. Benchmark high-output pickups can generate up to 700 mV, ours up to 1000 mV, all purely passive, no active electronic sound doctoring, BITE basses have no battery compartments. Why does output matter? Our initial product development tests with the Bass Department at the University of Music & Performing Arts in Vienna confirmed that there’s one primary sound preference that bass professionals have in common: assertiveness. They want their bass to be heard through the band mix. This is not always easy since bass frequencies tend to be drowned out by higher ones but it became the ambitious goal of our own pickup development: We wanted our basses to be strong and powerful, well-defined, not muddy. And that’s the origin of our brand name, basses that bite through the mix.’
Over 100 of Uli Salm’s basses are on display in his Zwick – Home of Roll ‘n’ Roll event restaurants in Hamburg and the rest is kept in a safe and temperature-controlled location. His collection includes vintage rarities, such as a ’53 Fender Precision and ’61 Fender Jazz, and also many exclusive premium brands, 18 Jens Ritter basses alone.
The venerable forefathers, from left:
- ’53 Fender Precision, built by legendary Fender worker Tadeo Gomez, all original
- ’56 Fender Precision of Chuck Berghofer (Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, member of legendary Wrecking Crew session musicians in LA), all original except refin 1973 in Fender factory. (2-minute interview: facebook.com/watch/?v=544449172853642)
- ’59 Fender Precision, all original, maybe very old refin
- ’61 Fender Jazz, stack knob, all original, maybe very old refin
The who’s who of rock music, when in Hamburg, see it as their duty to visit Uli and his collection. This includes ACDC, Aerosmith, Rod Stewart, ZZ Top, Shirley Bassey, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Freddie Mercury, Status Quo, Bon Jovi, to name just a few. The other day, Darryl Jones, who’s been touring with the Rolling Stones for 30 years, dropped by to give Uli two of his basses from the last Stones tour … another day in the life of Uli Salm.
Uli Salm with Rolling Stones bassist Darryl Jones
Uli’s bass collection started back in 1963, when he got his first Fender Precision from his parents at the age of 14, and it kept growing ever since. Uli’s excuse, ‘They keep multiplying by themselves, must be hatching somewhere in the back.’
Spector, a leading authority in bass guitar design, unveils new additions to its product line: Euro CST, Euro LX and Euro LX Bolt On basses.
Euro CST:
The Euro CST introduces all-new tonewoods, electronics, and finish combinations never seen in the Euro Series, drawing inspiration from Spector’s Woodstock, NY-based Custom Shop. Each Euro CST instrument is meticulously crafted using premium materials, featuring a striking, highly figured Poplar Burl top, a resonant European Ash body, and a 3-piece North American Maple neck paired with an Ebony fingerboard adorned with laminated Abalone Crown inlays.
Euro CST basses are equipped with a lightweight aluminum bridge for precise and reliable intonation. Premium active EMG X Series pickups deliver the exceptional clarity, attack, and silent operation that defines the Spector sound. These basses also feature the all-new Spector Legacy preamp. Developed in collaboration with Darkglass Electronics, this preamp captures the classic “Spector growl,” heard on countless iconic recordings, with added versatility.
Euro CST basses are available in 4- and 5-string models in four distinct high gloss finishes: Natural, Natural Black Burst, Natural Red Burst, and Natural Violet Burst.
Euro LX and Euro LX Bolt-On:
The Euro LX offers all the features that have made the Spector name famous around the globe. Inspired by the iconic NS-2, Euro LX basses feature a fully carved and contoured body, high-grade tonewoods, and professional-grade electronics and hardware. For the first time ever, players can now choose between neck-thru and bolt-on construction in the Euro LX range.
Each Euro LX bass, regardless of construction, is crafted using premium materials, including a European Alder body, figured European Maple top, and a 3-piece North American Maple neck combined with a Rosewood fingerboard for strength, stability, and sustain. Euro LX basses are then outfitted with a lightweight, aluminum bridge for spot-on, reliable intonation. Premium active pickups from EMG provide the exceptional clarity, attack, and silent operation that Spector is known for. Like the Euro CST basses, these instruments also feature the all-new Spector Legacy preamp.
The newly revised Euro LX range is available in four distinct, hand-rubbed stains, including Transparent Black, Natural Sunburst, Haunted Moss, and Nightshade. Each of these colors features a durable and comfortable matte finish.
John Stippell, Director, Korg Bass Division, remarks, “I’m thrilled to announce the latest additions to the renowned Euro Range. The CST Series, our new premium offering, features new and unique wood combinations and unprecedented features. The beloved LX Series is now better than ever with the introduction of Bolt-On models, vibrant new color options, and the all-new Spector Legacy Preamp, delivering the classic Spector tone with unmatched precision.”
For more information, visit spectorbass.com.
Future Impact V4 Guitar & Bass Synth Now Available in the U.S….
The Future Impact V4 is an incredibly versatile pedal with an exceptionally wide range of sounds. In addition to producing synthesizer sounds such as basses, leads and pads, it can function as an octaver, chorus, flanger, phaser, distortion, envelope filter, traditional wah-wah, tremolo, reverb, etc., and even has a built-in tuner. It can also drive external synthesizer gear via the optional CV/Gate. As such, it can potentially replace an entire pedalboard of dedicated single-effect pedals.
The very powerful signal processor of the Future Impact V4 is able to replicate the various oscillator, filter, amplifier and envelope generator blocks found in classic synthesizers. In addition, it contains signal processing blocks more traditionally used for processing the sound of an instrument such as a harmonizer block and audio effects such as chorus, distortion and EQ. These architectures complement each other in a very flexible way.
Check out this short video with new sounds:
The Future Impact V4 has a completely new hardware platform with numerous enhancements, some of which are:
– 32-bit ultra-low-noise analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters
– New app-based software architecture
– Vastly advanced pitch tracking based on 30+ years of experience
– Hard Sync between oscillators to open new sonic worlds
– On-pedal edits that can be saved into program memories
– Total compatibility with all previous Deep Impact and Future Impact patches
Setting the standard for the bass guitar synth pedals since 2015, together with an enthusiastic community and long line of great artists, the Future Impact V4 is the guitar synth platform for the next decade.
For more information, visit online at pandamidi.com/bass-guitar-synth
Exclusive U.S. distribution by Tech 21 USA, Inc
If you are an electric bass player, this is an exciting time to be alive as this relatively new instrument evolves around us. Some creative individuals have taken an active role in this evolution and made giant leaps in their own direction. Lee Barker is one of these inventive people having created the Barker Bass.
Fortunately, Lee is also an excellent writer (among so many talents) and has recently released his book “Plausible Gumption, The Road Between a Christmas Toolbox and The Barker Bass”. This book is a very fun read for everyone and shares a ton of details about Lee’s life in general, his experiences as a musician, a radio host, and a luthier. Now I am fortunate to have the great opportunity to gain even more insights into this renaissance man with this video interview.
Plausible Gumption, The Road Between a Christmas Toolbox and The Barker Bass is available online at Amazon.com
Bass Videos
Working-Class Zeros: Episode #4 – Boutique and Vintage Basses, Dress Code for Summer Gigs
Here is episode 4 of WCZ, we discuss boutique and vintage basses in the working-class gig world, as well as navigating the heat and dress code for outdoor summer gigs. Plus another installment of ‘Sure it’s awesome but, is it necessary?’
“These stories from the front are with real-life, day-to-day musicians who deal with work life and gigging and how they make it work out. Each month, topics may include… the kind of gigs you get, the money, dealing with less-than-ideal rooms, as well as the gear you need to get the job done… and the list goes on from there.” – Steve the Bass Guy and Shawn Cav
Ibanez & Graph Tech Launch Revolutionary Multi-Scale Bass with Cutting-Edge Tuning Technology.
Ibanez Bass, renowned for pushing the boundaries of innovation in the music industry, is proud to announce an exciting collaboration with Graph Tech Guitar Labs, pioneers in instrument technology. Together, they introduce the revolutionary SRMS725 5-string Multi-scale Electric Bass and SRMS720 4-string Multi-scale Electric Bass featuring Graph Tech’s cutting-edge Ratio® Machine Heads.
The SRMS725 & SRMS720, part of the esteemed Bass Workshop series, represent a fusion of unparalleled craftsmanship and state-of-the-art engineering. Boasting a mesmerizing Blue Chameleon finish, this instrument embodies elegance and performance.
At the heart of this collaboration lies Graph Tech’s Ratio Machine Heads – a game-changer in the world of bass tuning. Unlike traditional machine heads, (which use a single gear ratio for all strings, such as 20:1) Ratio® Machine Heads employ a calibrated gear ratio for each string position. Why? Every string reacts differently to tuning adjustments, making the Low E or B on a bass hard to dial in the tuning because they are so sensitive to any adjustment. Fine-tuning where you need it. With every string having the same feel and response, players experience unparalleled control over their instrument’s tuning, resulting in a predictable, precise tuning experience with the musician in total control. 1 turn = 1 tone on every string. This same feel and response carries over to ratio-equipped electric and acoustic guitars.
“We found RATIO® machine heads to be extraordinarily accurate, and we were particularly impressed with how easy drop tuning is with them, especially when dropping to D on the fourth string and to A on the fifth.,” says Ibanez. “This characteristic makes RATIO® tuners incredibly well suited for hard rock and other heavier sounds, so we thought they’d be a perfect match for our SRMS720 and SRMS725 basses. We’re also aware that Graph Tech is entirely committed to continuous product innovation, which fully aligns with our philosophy at Ibanez. .”
“Innovation has always been at the core of Graph Tech’s philosophy,” says Dave Dunwoodie, President at Graph Tech Guitar Labs. “With Ratio® Machine Heads, we’ve reimagined the tuning experience, providing musicians with a tool that enhances their creativity and expression. Teaming up with Ibanez to bring this technology to the SRMS725 & SRMS720 represents a milestone in our journey to redefine industry standards.“
Gear News: Future Impact V4 Guitar & Bass Synth Now Available in the U.S.
Interview With Barker Bass’s Inventor and Writer Lee Barker
Working-Class Zeros: Episode #4 – Boutique and Vintage Basses, Dress Code for Summer Gigs
Gear News: Ibanez & Graph Tech Launch Multi-Scale Bass with Cutting-Edge Tuning
Album: John Entwistle, Rarities Oxhumed – Volume Two
July 15 Edition – This Week’s Top 10 Basses on Instagram
Gear News: Future Impact V4 Guitar & Bass Synth Now Available in the U.S.
Gear Review: Joyo Monomyth – A Versatile Modern Bass Preamp
Luthier Spotlight: Garry Beers, GGB Basses
