“I just was impressed that my idea of a signature amp was so well received by the company. I’ve been with a lot of companies, but this was just like, ‘Oh really? What would you do? What would you incorporate into a signature?’ Next thing I know, I was on a Zoom call with a dozen people from Laney, and we were going over the things that would be a dream for me. And they’ve been incorporated into this amp.” – Nathan East
Nathan East is one of the most recorded and respected bassists of all time. From his iconic work with Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, Daft Punk, and Toto, to his role in Fourplay, Nathan’s playing has shaped the sound of modern bass. When it came to designing his own signature amp, he turned to our team at Laney, a company whose bass roots run deep, dating back to Lyndon Laney, bassist for Band of Joy with Robert Plant and John Bonham. A deep connection that is part of the reason Laney amplifiers are so popular.
“I just was impressed that my idea of a signature amp was so well received by the company. I’ve been with a lot of companies, but this was just like, ‘Oh really? What would you do? – Nathan East
The DIGBETH Bass amplifier series pays homage to Digbeth, Birmingham, the birthplace of Laney Amplification—a city that has played a major role in shaping British music. This historical connection to bass and rock music is carried into the DB-EAST, blending the craftsmanship of a legacy brand with modern innovation for today’s touring bassist.
“Every night, I just feel good to know that after all these years, there’s an amp that reproduces the sound that I love so much—simple as that.”
That amp is the Laney DIGBETH DB-EAST—a 1,000-watt powerhouse designed for unparalleled flexibility, tone shaping, and professional performance.
Watch Nathan East present his Laney DIGBETH DB-EAST Nathan East Signature Bass Head designed, developed and crafted in the Black Country Customs workshop.
“I’ve waited 40 years for this!’
Most bass amps have one input. The DB-EAST has two, allowing bassists to switch seamlessly between instruments—electric bass, upright bass, active or passive—without needing an A/B box.
“Every amp only has one input—why? I’ll never know. But this has two and two separate outputs so that the front-of-house engineer or anyone mixing the room can have each instrument separately. I use the electric bass and the upright bass most of the time on my gigs, so this is a perfect solution.”
The DB-EAST builds on Laney’s DIGBETH legacy with a switchable and blendable preamp section that allows players to mix the warmth of tubes with the clarity of FET circuits making it exceptionally versatile.
“This thing is so musical. When I’m on stage playing, it doesn’t feel like an electronic piece of gear or a set of tubes”
Bassists need detailed control over their tone. The DB-EAST features a 3-band EQ with a parametric mid-section and Laney’s innovative Tilt function, letting players quickly shape their sound for any genre or performance setting.
“Let’s start with the funk setting—where I like to scoop the mids. This is sort of the setting I use when it comes to a little bit of funk.”
“For jazz, I tilt to add a little more bass, boost the mids a bit, and add some bottom—it just gives me that yummy jazz sound.”
“For my upright, I flick a little switch and I’m there. I like this tone—it’s warm, I add a little bottom, and it really amplifies the sound of the bass. Beautiful, warm, rich, thick—all the qualities we love.”
The DB-EAST is LA·IR-equipped, meaning it comes pre-loaded with Nathan’s favourite cabinet impulse responses and allows players to store, load, and swap IRs for ultimate control over their live and studio sound. We actually talk about the major benefits of the LA·IR technology here!
“The DB-EAST is LA·IR-equipped and comes loaded with two of my favourite IRs—the 2x12s and the 4x10s. But using the free LA·IR app, you can load any impulse response that you’d like into the amplifier head and use it for the gig.”
For studio musicians and live performers alike, the USB-C connection makes direct DAW recording effortless.
With the DB-EAST, you can plug it straight into a DAW and record directly. No noise, no hassle—it’s just clean and easy.
“We now have twice the power, twice the inputs, twice the magic!”
At 1,000 watts, the DB-EAST is built for stadium stages, intimate jazz clubs, and everything in between. Dual 500-watt Speakons allow for independent power distribution, ensuring full, consistent tone across any setup.
“The DB-EAST is a 1000-watt head. We have the master volume, and I was very familiar with it from what I was using in the DB500. It also comes equipped with Laney’s advanced impulse response.”
For a touring bassist of this calibre, power and stage presence are key. The 1,000 watt headroom of the Laney DB-EAST gives you clear, articulate low-end anywhere, from small clubs to stadiums. Unlike lower wattage amps that need to be cranked – often leading to unwanted compression or distortion – the DB-EAST gives you full-bodied tone at any volume. Dual Speakon outputs let you split power to two cabs, so you get a balanced stage mix and wider sound dispersion, whatever the setup.
For Nathan East, who plays arenas like Tokyo’s Nippon Budokan, London’s Royal Albert Hall and Madison Square Garden, the DB-EAST is reliable and flexible on the road. The dual outputs also give redundancy in case a speaker fails and the ability to split power for different configurations – ideal for pro-level musicians. Whether laying down smooth jazz grooves or powering a stadium show with Eric Clapton, the DB-EAST gives Nathan’s sound clear, powerful and dynamic sound every night that he can rely on.
Nathan East will be showcasing the DB-EAST during Eric Clapton’s 2025 tour. The tour kicks off in April with multiple performances at Tokyo’s Nippon Budokan, followed by European dates in May, including shows at Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena and London’s Royal Albert Hall. In September, the tour continues across the United States, with stops at venues such as Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, Cleveland’s Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center, Boston’s TD Garden, New York’s Madison Square Garden, and Uncasville’s Mohegan Sun Arena. For a complete list of tour dates and venues, visit Nathan East’s official tour page HERE: https://nathaneast.com/tour/.
Expect to hear this amp powering some of the most legendary performances in music.
“After all these years, I finally have an amp that reproduces the sound I love so much.”
Available Now! For more information, click here to see the Laney Digbeth BCC DB-EAST bass amp.