Ruby Gamba

mheintz · #1 02-14-2005, 01:32 PM

Just something interesting that I happened upon: The Ruby Gamba, a 7 string electric gamba. http://www.ruby-gamba.com

The removable frets with a channel below the fingerboard are very interesting. Bowing, strumming, chording, fretless, fretted... a very flexible instrument. Now if only they would tune it down an octave.

**Francois Blais** · #2 02-14-2005, 02:16 PM

Very nice instrument!
The string scale is not obvious though!
Do you know what it is?
It may be a bass gamba?

mheintz · #3 02-14-2005, 02:40 PM

I don't know what the scale length is. I believe it is a bass viol, with a tuning from low to high: A, D, G, C, E, A, D. So perhaps my initial suggestion of tuning down an octave is overkill. Tuning it as E, A, D, G, C, E, A would make it an extended range Double Bass viol de Gamba. Now that's a mouthful.

The sound clips are pretty amazing by the way.

mheintz · #4 02-14-2005, 02:41 PM

Oh yes and just for your interest, I found this nice explanation of the different gamba instruments. This is where I first noticed the Ruby Gamba. http://www.dolmetsch.com/musictheory29.htm

mikjans · #5 02-14-2005, 03:43 PM

http://www.atelierdes7cordes.com/recmd.html

Altra-Gamba is another electric gamba, however this one´s semi-acoustic!

Mikael

shortest_straw · #6 06-12-2005, 01:53 PM

If you want to know anything about the Ruby Gamba, send me an email to collinet@ruby-instruments.nl

I am currently the French customer support for the Ruby Gamba, but I provide advice worldwide.

BTW, the scale length is 70cm, so now, you know it and you stop wondering.

Maybe we'll do later on a double bass gamba in E...

Waiting for your messages!

Jean-Baptiste Collinet

Jazz Ad · #7 11-05-2006, 05:25 PM

I bump this old thread because I played the Ruby Gamba last week.
Mind you, I'm mostly an electric bassist and a not-so-very-good upright player.
Still, I felt home on this beast. The short scale was annoying at first but it allows a lot of chording and tuning.
"Frets" consist of tied nylon threads, a bit like gut on a real viol. I'm still not sure if I like them or not but it's a good idea.
Being used to a fretless upright, it feels a bit awkward and you must trust your eyes more than your ears.
Electronics are dead simple, just plug and play.
Bowing is challenging, you touch strings you wouldn't want because of the big radius. As a consequence, you can easily bow 3 strings at once and bring out full chords.

Best of all, it sounds fantastic. A deep tone with a lot of mediums and clear harmonics. Almost like a luth in the higher range. Even 4 string chords are playable. Notes are clearly defined even at the top of the neck.
If you're into soloing you will find fantastic possibilities on this baby.

I'm in love, although I'd like it to go lower. It's expensive but well worth it in my opinion. Very well built.

Jazz Ad · #8 11-08-2006, 04:54 PM

Now with a pic.
Really a lovely concept.

mheintz · #9 11-08-2006, 07:24 PM

Very nice, Jazz Ad. Any chance that you'll take a hit for the home team and buy one for our review-reading enjoyment?

How secure are the nylon frets?

On a similar note, Toga Man is supposedly coming out with a bass version of their electric guitar viol: http://www.togamanguitars.com/guitarviols/index.html