sustainer!

Niff · #1 06-08-2007, 11:37 PM

i like to have pipe dreams.. so i've been planning a custom bass for when i can afford to have one built. now, i'm wondering. is there a bass version of a sustainer such as this available anywhere? or am i gonna have to get one like, custom made?

Ian Perge · #2 06-09-2007, 03:58 AM

Fernandes made a limited number of Bass Sustainers for Peter Steele of Type O Negative when he was an endorsee and I believe there was a Japanese-only release of a "Sustainer Bass" in the late '90s, but I've never come upon one on eBay in over 6 years of searching. I've recently been taking to the guitarist of a very close friend's band who's a near-genius (has a degree in EE, designs and builds his own Mesa-type amp due to the insane cost in Australia) who has some ideas for making a homemade Bass Sustainer, and I'm thinking of trying it out on my "modding" J-bass because I've always loved that sound - not for "traditional" bass playing, but effect-laden parts.

Niff · #3 06-09-2007, 04:20 AM

very interesting. do the old japanese ones and the bass sustainers require a humbucker and a single coil to run like the guitar version? very cool that they actually existed. gives me a challenge for the next time i'm in japan, i'm gonna scour as many music shops as i can for old and rare bass stuff that was japan only.

hmm.. this is getting me thinking. you keep talking to that guitarist guy, and if he manages to make a working one, tell us how it goes.

Jazz Ad · #4 06-09-2007, 04:28 AM

I played a Fernandes bass with a sustainer a long time ago.
Average instrument but the concept was interesting.
I'd contact Fernandes directly to see if they can do something for you.

Niff · #5 06-09-2007, 04:46 AM

do you recall how the pickups were setup? and if it had two switches (on-off two position, and a three position) on it?

i think i might just do that. thanks for the help.

just checking the fernandes site..

why does robert trujillo have a promotional fernandes poster with "sustainer" written underneath? hmm.

Jim Carr · #6 06-09-2007, 05:29 AM

I believe you can get the same effect with some compressors.

I have a tech21 basscompactor that will give infinite sustain. It is not the best compressor in terms of noise, but if you check around on bongomania's reviews, you may find one that does "sustain" very well and is quiet, too.

Niff · #7 06-09-2007, 08:02 AM

yeah but the type of sustain these things give allows you to play around with the harmonics and get natural sustain instead of the false type with compressors. to each their own i guess.

fraternovaeres · #8 06-10-2007, 12:31 AM

Sustainiac makes sustainers that can be built into your bass. www.sustainiac.com You'd want to go with the Stealth Plus.

skiscem · #9 06-21-2007, 08:17 PM

Hey i actually own a fernandes bass with sustainer, i found it on ebay in England, its a fretless and here is a picture.. if anyone wanna know something about the bass just let me know

PilbaraBass · #10 06-21-2007, 08:26 PM

WARNING! IF YOU USE A SUSTAINER IN CONJUNCTION WITH STRING DAMPENERS, THE RESULTING HEAT BUILDUP WILL CAUSE YOUR BASS TO BURST INTO FLAMES!

(not really....but it would be cool if it did....lol)