Anyone who knows me knows that I'm pretty involved as a bass player in the Saskatoon music scene. Currently I am playing with several local Saskatoon artists including the eclectic fusion guitarist Joel Grundahl,, and the schizophrenic power trio JFKFC.
Starting around 2000, my musical focus moved toward singing and songwriting and the recording of a new CD of original music. This new venture is called Lemming Factory.
Just dug this up from my old cassette archives..... recorded in 1998 by the Joel Grundahl Band, sort of our tribute to King's X. This is hard evidence that I've been known to rock. Just listen to the mega-distorted 12-string bass!
Joel Grundahl Band - Kevy Metal.mp3
In addition to playing, in the last couple of years I have engineered, produced, and mixed projects for various artists, including Old Joe and The Truth Hurts, NewJackShit, Suzanne Paschall, Sam Mitchell, Scott Patrick, and Danny Fortier.
In 2005 I recorded bass tracks on the new Agoraphobia CD by powerhouse Saskatoon vocalist Civil Stevens
For several years, beginning in late 1998, I played bass with talented local Saskatoon power lounge group The Fancy Ladds. The band later morphed into the more avant garde Jesus Las Vegas.
In 1997 I released an album of solo 12-string bass instrumental tunes (the world's first!) called Themes From A Contemplated Life. This unique 12-string bass solo recording is available directly from me. Please contact me via email if you are interested in buying a copy. The price is $20 for a CD, shipping included.
You can download 192 kbps MP3 sample versions of some of my 12-string bass tunes right here!
Kevin Macza - Pinkie Killer.mp3
In 1995/96/97 I recorded several songs for the solo instrumental album by GIT graduate Joel Grundahl called Jambalaya.
Brent Truitt released a CD in 1997 called Bridge City Jam, with Brent on vocals and guitar, John Lisi on guitar, Richard Bazille on drums, Ross Nykiforuk on keyboards, and (of course!) me on my Rickenbacker 4001 bass.
Another local Saskatchewan musician I have worked with is creative guitarist Ley Ward. His atmospheric, textural style combines well with my own. Some time ago Ley released his CD Gauge, which has a track called "Letting Go" featuring me on 12-string bass.
I have also recorded and performed with the
Non Happner's, formed by Northern Pikes drummer
Don
Schmid.
Brent Truitt
The Non Happner's
This is a picture of three of my five basses and Eden bass amplification rig.
On the left is my road-worn 1982 Rickenbacker 4001 (modified with a Badass bridge, and a bass-cut capacitor bypass switch for treble pickup), middle is a 1994 Hamer Chaparral B12L long-scale 12-string, and at right is my gorgeous Pedulla Rapture 5-string. Other instruments which are not shown are my "frankenstein" 8-string bass, Yamaha Pacifica guitar, Yamaha SY55 synthesizer, Eterna EC-12 classical guitar, and a Washburn D12SCE acoustic/electric guitar which comes in handy for songwriting. Also pictured is my Eden WT-500 amplifier, Eden D210XLT cabinet (since stolen and replaced with a better-sounding D210XST), and Peavey 1516 enclosure. I also have an Ampeg SVP-Pro preamp, which provides all the grit that I've been searching for during the last decade and a half.
For the most 12-string bass information available on the web, check out: www.12stringbass.com or www.12stringbass.net.
Get the complete rundown on the Hamer 12-string basses from the Hamer web site!
Tom Petersson from Cheap Trick designed the new Waterstone TP-12 semi-acoustic 12-string bass. I acquired one of these in the fall of 2007 and have found it considerably thicker sounding than the brighter sounding Hamers.Chandler Guitars makes the Royale 12-string basses which have a graphite reinforced neck and custom wound pickups.
Speaking of 12-string pickups.... In 1999, I replaced the EMGs in my Hamer 12 with Lane Poor pickups, using two of the M3.5W wide aperture model. The difference in clarity and definition with these is amazing. The bass sounds so much more natural and acoustic than it ever did with the EMGs. I highly recommend them! To read more about the comparison, click here and scroll down to the last article.
I used to have a beautiful cherry transparent short-scale Hamer 12-string (bought in 1990), much like the one Tom Petersson played on Cheap Trick at Budokan, but I had to sell it in 1996 to pay for the new B12L. Sometimes I wish I still had both, as the Chaparral lacks some of the chiming "harpsichord" overtones of the short-scale while the long-scale seems to have more of a "piano" ring to it.
Having spent many years unsatisfied with muted treble response of the stock Bartolini dual-coil humbucker in my Pedulla Rapture 5, after trying various others, I finally installed a Q-Tuner BL-5. The Q-Tuner is truly a remarkable sounding pickup with a very broad, extended frequency response and features the unique ability to have the pole pieces adjusted (tuned) to one's taste. At the moment, I would have to recommend Q-Tuners as the worthy successor to the excellent-but-unobtainable Lane Poors. Click here for a picture.
Cheap Trick, Yes, Queen, The Beatles, Jellyfish and Radiohead.
My biggest musical influences (as far as bass players go anyway) are Paul McCartney(!), Tom Petersson (Cheap Trick), Chris Squire (Yes), Geddy Lee (Rush), and Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel, among others).
All music and photos contained herein are ©2008 Kevin Macza
