NorCal Bassix reviews the Dual

Wade, over at NorCal Bassix was kind enough to do a review of our M80 Dual Bass case. NorCal Bassix provides some of the best reviews for bass players because they are reviewed by players. Here's a little about what Wade had to say:

"I was very impressed with the construction of the M80. Solid neck support and thick padding built to withstand a horizontal drop. Plenty of headstock room for even a 6 string bass. The M80 also features ABS impact molding in the outer edges to insure that your bass has the same protection as a hard case. Rubber molded bottom, that is made of the same material as Navy Seal rafts. Did I mention that everything is held in with steel rivets?"

4 New Products :: Introducing Civilian Series

Those of you on our mailing list already know this (and those of you not on our list, you can sign up here), but the Civilian Series is now live!


This series started with the Die Cut Wallet and expanded to include a few other essentials. The design process took us through the US, Tokyo and Singapore earlier this year, where we tested prototypes on unsuspecting players. Now we feel the products are ready to unveil. Let us know what you think: preview Civilian Series


Those twittering among us, help us spread the word:

Gobble Gobble!

This bird will see many a table in the USA. Many many people will be consuming large portions of this poultry and will succumb to it's sleepy tryptophan amino acid. We think the drowsiness might be because of the scoop of mashed potatoes that you shouldn't have had. Then you'll probably hear stories about how Uncle Gary pulled off pranks on Dad and how Mom used to bring a different guy home every Thanksgiving when she was younger.



A nice afternoon of "touch" football gets a little violent when your cousin decides to pull his Dick Butkus impersonation on you and also tries to apply the headslap on you. You know the one where Deacon Jones used on linemen before it got banned. Things get even more testy when your other cousin joins in and decides to start a dogpile on your bum knee, the one you had illegally repaired in Tijuana when you got a tipsy on the roof of that hotel while on vacation during spring break. The one Mom doesn't know about.

This all before the meal even starts. But while you are at the dinner table, you look around. Your younger sister and her husband give everyone the good news...expecting! You see the glow in your parents eyes as hugs go all around. You think about your grandparents and how proud they would be. You are thankful. And everyone gathers around for a thankful prayer before the meal. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

3 albums @ MONO headquarters!

Here we go again. We rotate music all the time...it's just something we love to do!

1. Broken Little Sister - Memories, Violet & Demons
This Japanese trio is getting serious playtime here at HQ. They have the perfect blend of dream pop and shoegaze. This stuff is addicting, I'd recommend taking in a little at a time. Find them here for examples!



2. The Roots - How I Got Over
Need to give our boys a shout out. This disc is what it is. The business of a band that has taken it's craft a step higher. They have a gig everyday of the week, yet they churn out stuff like this AND have time to back up John Legends newest? Props.



3. Pomegranates - One Of Us
Great music coming out of Cincinnati. These guys are great!

Pomegranates - "Create Your Own Reality" by Afternoon Records

Movin' on up!

I can't believe Thanksgiving is next week which means that NAMM 2011 is right around the corner. Every holiday season is a reminder of the big event that MONO has been a part of since 2007. This will be our 5th NAMM and every year we've been downstairs. We love it down there, the floor opens up a bit early so a lot of the dealer and distributor traffic flows into our hall. This year we decided to expand. WE WILL BE UPSTAIRS!

We are in Hall D this year at Booth #3382. Mark that down, we want to see everyone! And don't forget NAMM, where bluetooth mullets happen.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart @ the Independent

Brooklyn is churning out some great music. It's a treat to meet up with such an awesome band, but even more awesome when part of that band is also The Depreciation Guild. There's something so catchy about their pop tunes. How can you not enjoy listening to something that makes you feel so good.

Random MONOplayer Sighting

This one comes from our friends back East (East Coast, that is). Great shot of the M80 Acoustic Case at Philly airport. Looks like his drummer is not hip to MONO yet. Hope he discovers this.

Things that make you go hmmmmm...

We've met up with tons and tons of touring musicians these past few years at MONO. We go to some of the most popular venues in San Francisco to check out everyone from Talib Kweli to Johnny Marr. There are still a few questions we have for these artists that might not be "conversational" centerpieces.

Here's our list:

1. We see you on stage. It is quite hot up there. You sweat like a freaking pig. Where do you put those sweaty clothes when you're done with your show? Do you have a hamper onboard your tour bus? Laundry run for the tour manager? Does it wait until you get back home???



2. Everyone wants to know if this rule applies to ALL TOUR BUSES. Number 2 is NOT allowed in the bus commode.



3. Least favorite bandmate to travel with. This one can get really touchy.

The Smashing Pumpkins - Teargarden by Kaleidyscope

Billy Corgan is now Smashing Pumpkins. Maybe we all knew this. There were rumors about how he would spend the majority of the time tracking all the instruments minus the drums. You know Billy had the final say in every single Pumpkins track from their start.

This recent incarnation of the Pumpkins finds Billy without Jimmy at drums. A sad day it was when those two parted. After everything that they went through together, from the drug addictions to the rocky relationships. The abuse must have taken its toll, but as they say, the music must live on. Billy has now partnered up with a 20 year old drummer in Mike Byrne. Nicole Fiorentino now replaces Ginger Reyes at bass, and Jeff Schroeder at lead guitars. Jeff can hold his own after his stint with The Lassie Foundation, a favorite of mine.

Teargarden, their newest effort is being released 1 track at a time. And they are completely free! Only Corgan could do this.

Friday funnies.

You've got to admit this bird has some moves.

Gear we like: GASing for more...

Continuing our series of gear that we want to possess. These one's come from Daniel, founder/designer of MONO.

1. Yamaha Manu Katche Signature Jr. Kit:

Shells are made from mahogany to give a loud but warm tone. This isn't just a smaller kit for kids, it's definitely one of those kits that can give you a ton of versatility. Especially if you are using triggers and also gigging drummers who need the space. It's a super compact kit.

Sizes:

* Bass-Drum 16"x16"
* Tom 10"x7"
* Floor Tom 13"x13"
* Snare 12"x5"

2. ZT Club Amp:

ZT has raised the bar in solid state amps. The first time I heard about their products it was the Lunchbox that caught my attention. I thought it sounded great, but would be a little weak on stage. The Club totally gets it there. It's got a 12" driver and a whopping 200 watts of clean output at 130dB. It's light at 22 pounds so no more hand trucks or broken backs at the club.