“I’ve reached goals I wasn’t sure I could achieve, thanks to the people I play with.”
In this edition of Show Me Your Bass, we feature Giovanni M. Ruiu, whose musical journey spans from his early days in Sardinia, Italy, to his current involvement with the bands Concrete Age and Cogas, based in London.
Giovanni began his journey with the bass at the age of 13. He recalls, “At that age, my friends and I were starting to decide which music to cultivate. Most of us were into metal and rock, though some ventured into hip hop and punk. We decided to create a band, and my friends chose me to be the bass player.” Giovanni’s initial exposure to the bass came through the generosity of a friend’s father who lent him a bass to learn on. “I quickly fell in love with this instrument,” he adds.
For many years, playing bass remained a hobby for Giovanni. He focused more on developing his musical knowledge and taste rather than honing his bass skills. “Slowly, the songs I knew increased, and I began to recognise and differentiate various techniques,” he says. His first band, Nergal, primarily played covers, which helped them develop their playing skills. Giovanni took some lessons but made a significant leap when he moved to Rome for university. “I decided it was time to drastically improve and joined the Rome Contemporary Music College,” he explains. There, he studied music formally, discovering the beauty of other genres and styles and diving deep into musical theory.
“Sound is fundamental but comfort is essential.”
Discussing his current gear, Giovanni shares, “The beast I’m using now is an Ibanez EHB1505MS, with Nordstrand pickups, multiscale 35’-34’. It has all the features I need for the style I play, but its versatility allows me to change sound whenever required.” He emphasizes the importance of comfort, noting, “I am not a big guy, so I opted for this bass that perfectly fits my hands. Sound is fundamental, of course, but comfort is essential in my opinion.”
The Ibanez EHB1505MS features a 9-piece Pangapanga/Walnut neck with Graphite reinforcement rods, providing strength and stability. The body combines a Poplar Burl top with a selected lightweight African Mahogany body, offering a warm tone with rich resonance. The fretboard is made of bound Panga Panga and includes off-set Abalone dot inlays, complemented by 24 medium stainless steel frets. The MR5HS bridge has an adjustable string spacing of 18mm, and the bass comes equipped with Nordstrand Custom Big Split pickups in both the neck and bridge positions, offering a passive setup with hum-cancelling construction for a clear, balanced tone. The bass model includes a Vari-mid 3-band EQ with an EQ bypass switch, allowing for a wide range of sound options and passive tone control. Additional features include luminescent side dot inlays for visibility in low light conditions, Schaller S-Locks strap lock pins, and Ibanez custom headpieces. The bass’s ergonomic design ensures comfort whether seated or standing, with a slanted back for better control and a chambered body for a lightweight feel.
Giovanni’s previous bass was an LTD B-5, which he describes as “a more economical but definitely beautiful model.” He customised it with EMG X pickups to enhance its aggressiveness and clarity. Embracing digital technology, he explains, “I use a singular digital pedal for every effect, combined with an analogic distortion for when I need it. I use two combined speakers – Ampeg Portaflex 2×10 + 1×15 – and a Peavy headamp as the base for my digital sound. For recording, I like Neural DSP or Mammoth, using a parallel line for effects alongside a clean one.”
Giovanni’s approach to playing varies with the band he is performing with. “With Concrete Age, I mix metal techniques with ethnic structures and melodies,” he says. “In Cogas, I focus more on metal techniques, especially three-finger style for triplets and sixteenths. I’m not a pick player, but it’s good to know how to use it as another tool in your arsenal.”
Giovanni plays in two bands, Concrete Age and Cogas. Concrete Age, an ambitious project born from Ilia Morozov, blends ethnic music from around the world with thrash and death metal. “The band was born in Russia but developed in London, where I joined as the bass player,” Giovanni explains. His second band, Cogas, is a death/black metal band inspired by a tale of Sardinian vampires. “I take inspiration from the most extreme bass players of metal for this band, like Alex Webster and Jared Smith, but I always strive to create original bass lines that underline my personal style.”
“I remember fondly opening for Nervosa at The Underworld in Camden Town.”
Reflecting on his achievements, Giovanni credits his bandmates for their support and talent. “With Concrete Age, we have made several successful albums and played in festivals like Kilkim Žaibu in Lithuania,” he says. “With Cogas, we are recording our second album, and I remember fondly opening for Nervosa at The Underworld in Camden Town.”
Giovanni concludes with a note of gratitude and a reflection on his role as a bass player. “I’ve reached goals I wasn’t sure I could achieve, thanks to the people I play with. Being a bass player means understanding your role in the music, supporting the whole, and maintaining your duties. I hope to achieve more in the future and thank my bandmates, Ilia Morozov, Boris Zahariev, Davide Marini, Piero Mura, and Davide Ambu, who are my brothers in arms for music.”
We invite you to explore Giovanni’s work with Concrete Age and Cogas.
