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.’
Bass Videos
Interview With Bassist Erick “Jesus” Coomes
Bassist Erick “Jesus” Coomes…
It is always great to meet a super busy bassist who simply exudes a love for music and his instrument. Erick “Jesus” Coomes fits this description exactly. Hailing from Southern California, “Jesus” co-founded and plays bass for Lettuce and has found his groove playing with numerous other musicians.
Join us as we hear of his musical journey, how he gets his sound, his ongoing projects, and his plans for the future.
Photo, Bob Forte
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Visit Online
www.lettucefunk.com
IG @jesuscsuperstar
FB@jesuscoomes
FB @lettucefunk
Bass Videos
Working-Class Zeros: Episode #2 – Financial Elements of Working Musicians
Working-Class Zeros: Episode #2 – Financial Elements of Working Musicians
“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
Bass Videos
Tour Touch Base (Bass) with Ian Allison
Ian Allison Bassist extreme…
Most recently Ian has spent the last seven years touring nationally as part of Eric Hutchinson and The Believers, sharing stages with acts like Kelly Clarkson, Pentatonix, Rachel Platten, Matt Nathanson, Phillip Phillips, and Cory Wong playing venues such as Radio City Music Hall, The Staples Center and The Xcel Center in St. Paul, MN.
I had a chance to meet up with him at the Sellersville Theater in Eastern Pennsylvania to catch up on everything bass. Visit online at ianmartinallison.com/
Bass Videos
New Gear: Spector Woodstock Custom Collection Volume II
Spector Launches Woodstock Custom Collection Volume II…
Spector Musical Instruments expands their celebrated Woodstock Custom Collection with the Volume II series – a breathtaking series of 12 handcrafted, one-of-a-kind bass guitars, each one masterfully designed by members of the Spector team. Crafted in the Spector USA Custom Shop in Woodstock, New York, these works of art go beyond musical instruments and expand the boundaries of Spector Bass design.
Spector’s iconic design lays the foundation for the Volume II collection. Each bass showcases a unique vision, including the selection of tonewoods, electronics, captivating finishes, and intricate design details. The collection highlights Spector’s commitment to craftsmanship and artistry and the individual people and stories that make up the team.
“The Woodstock Custom Collection was such a huge success, and we had so much fun with it that we couldn’t wait to do it again,” said John Stippell, Director – Korg Bass Division. “With Volume II, we’re expanding on everything we learned from the first collection, as well as pushing our design and Custom Shop team even further. These basses are a testament to the inspiring talent, creativity, and skill of every person on the Spector team. I’m excited for all of these basses and love how they tell the unique stories of all involved.”
Visit online at spectorbass.com/
Bass Videos
New Gear: The Dingwall John Taylor Signature Model
Dingwall John Taylor Signature Model…
After playing a limited edition Dingwall live with Duran Duran, John Taylor has launched his
Dingwall Guitars production model, loaded with a Rupert Neve Designs preamp and
Rio-inspired graphics.
Dingwall’s major launch for 2023 was the limited edition Rio Dream Bass, featuring an
innovative Rupert Neve Designs onboard preamp. A year later, the range has been bolstered
with the Canadian company now offering unlimited access to its continued collaboration with
John Taylor of Duran Duran.
Dingwall CEO Sheldon Dingwall says the basses are a response to Taylor’s upfront bass style.
“John’s bass playing with Duran Duran really imprinted on me how a bass should fit into a band mix. The combination of tastefully busy syncopation, his punchy tone, and tight performance immediately drew my ear. His basslines have always had a special combination of energy and elegance.”
The John Taylor Signature model follows the formula of the limited edition Rio Dream Bass,
combining a lightweight Nyatoh body with three neodymium pickups to produce what Dingwall deems “wonderful playability and tones that display a rare clarity and refinement.” The JT Signature model also updates the Rio Dream Bass with a range of new colors; Metallic Black, Primrose, Cranberry and Seafoam Green, as well as a new 5-string variant.
Other specs include a bolt-on Maple neck, a Pau Ferro multi-scale fingerboard with the ‘Rio Eye’ inlaid at the 12th fret, and Dingwall’s new ‘Minimalist’ bridge. The headstock sports lightweight tuners and a Rio-inspired graphic that complements the body stripes, designed by longtime Duran Duran collaborator, Patty Palazzo.
Finally, an onboard preamp designed and configured in collaboration with Rupert Neve Designs, whose studio consoles have long represented the pinnacle of high-end audio engineering, promises a clear voice that balances punch and sustain. “Duran’s breakthrough single, the title track from 1982’s Rio, was originally recorded on a Neve console, so the history was already there,” says Sheldon. “But the team at Rupert Neve Designs absolutely nailed the tone.”
Like the Rio Dream Bass, the JT Signature has also been configured to Taylor’s own personal
specifications. “It all started when I was in Toronto about six years ago,” says Taylor. “A friend
showed me a Dingwall bass on his phone. I loved how it looked and immediately said to my
tech, ‘You’ve got to reach out to these guys!’”
For further information on the range options, head to dingwallguitars.com
Interview With Bassist Erick “Jesus” Coomes
Working-Class Zeros: Episode #2 – Financial Elements of Working Musicians
Tour Touch Base (Bass) with Ian Allison
New Gear: Spector Woodstock Custom Collection Volume II
