Zon doubleneck Michael

[jvbjr]

Did you ever have that detachable doubleneck built?

[Michael Manring]

We're still working on that bass! Actually, Joe and I had a talk with Bill Bartolini just the other day about the electronics, so we are hoping to move ahead with it in the coming months.

[jvbjr]

Wow, this is a slow moving project, I read about it before my son was born and he'll be three next week.

In Boston there was a guy called Rick Berlin and his bassist did the same idea using two Steinbergers and he had made it a detachable doubleneck himself. He also could/would detach the bottom fretless bass and put one of those mini keyboards on that position.

Hopefully its done before he graduates college.

[lamarjones]

Detachable doubleneck sounds like a really intruguing idea.....

[mheintz]

Attached is one detachable double neck that I came across. See http://interjazz.com/scottstenten/guitars.html.

I think that this is an area ripe for creative solutions. One innovation that I have yet to see (but which may exist) is a double neck where the necks are offset both vertically and horizontally. Let me explain... It strikes me that double necks are good solutions for extended range instruments, fretted/fretless combo necks and tap style instruments. Existing multi-technique instruments like Warr guitar and NS Sticks have the disadvantage of extremely wide necks. Other tap style instruments, like the Stick, are designed only for tapping, require crossed hands with some tunings, and occassionally have electronic cross-talk. The problems with width and cross-talk are eliminated with standard double necks. However, with the necks on a double neck offset in only one direction, the distance between the necks presents its own ergonomic challenges. The solution, it seems to me, is to offset the necks both horizontally and vertically. Of course, this is what keyboard players do all of the time; two keyboards, stacked on top of each other, with the keys offset vertically and horizontally. With the use of one frame, two basses could be securely stacked on top of each other. With modern materials, ala Zon, Moses or BassLab, the detachable basses need not be large, heavy instruments as in the attached picture. I'm picturing much smaller components where the frame with one neck attached might look something like the Moses keybass ( http://www.mosesgraphite.com/cgi-bin/moses/KP-35). The necks could be detached from the frame, thereby allowing fretless/fretted double necks or guitar/bass double necks or other extended range possibilities. The vertical clearance need only be ~5".

[therealting]

The detachable guitars you show were built for Scott Stenten if I remember correctly, and he has a Larson jazz doubleneck and a Klein acoustic doubleneck that are both offset in two axes.





Both very interesting instruments that I wouldn't have a clue how to start playing.

[slowburnaz]

A little off-topic, but in the vein of "interesting instruments that I wouldn't have a clue how to start playing", how about this?:





It would probably be really fun to play, but might be hard to make effective use of (for me, anyway). They should make an electric bass version of one of those... THAT I could dig!

[Steve Lawson]

Slowburnaz,

That's a Harp Guitar - Michael Hedges played one, and there's quite a burgeoning scene (almost all of it inspired by Hedges). I'm sure Michael will have more to say about Hedges playing on it.

I've heard a few people playing them and making a great noise - Muriel Anderson is one, a fabulous nylon strung guitarist, who also plays Harp Guitar - www.murielanderson.com

Tom Shinness is also very good - http://www.tomshinness.com/

http://www.harpguitars.net/players/players.htm - lots of other Harp Guitarists.

Steve
www.stevelawson.net

[Andrew Noury]

I have a recording Hedges made of a Bach piece that really shows off not only his brilliant playing but the harp guitar's possibilities. It's one of the cello suites and around 1:30 into it he hits the low drone strings and it's nothing short of awesome.

[Pedulla?]

Bump out of sheer curiosity.

[TolerancEJ]

The double neck Zon intrigues me as well. Curiouser and curiouser.

Re Playing the Harp guitar, I've never tried one, but was advised that you mainly do not play the open harp strings. They're supposed to resonate on their own with the notes played on the main guitar neck.

[Michael Manring]

Sorry, no news, guys. We are working on some other projects, though...

[jazzlake]

Originally Posted by mheintz

Attached is one detachable double neck that I came across. See Untitled Document.

I think that this is an area ripe for creative solutions. One innovation that I have yet to see (but which may exist) is a double neck where the necks are offset both vertically and horizontally. Let me explain... It strikes me that double necks are good solutions for extended range instruments, fretted/fretless combo necks and tap style instruments. Existing multi-technique instruments like Warr guitar and NS Sticks have the disadvantage of extremely wide necks. Other tap style instruments, like the Stick, are designed only for tapping, require crossed hands with some tunings, and occassionally have electronic cross-talk. The problems with width and cross-talk are eliminated with standard double necks. However, with the necks on a double neck offset in only one direction, the distance between the necks presents its own ergonomic challenges. The solution, it seems to me, is to offset the necks both horizontally and vertically. Of course, this is what keyboard players do all of the time; two keyboards, stacked on top of each other, with the keys offset vertically and horizontally. With the use of one frame, two basses could be securely stacked on top of each other. With modern materials, ala Zon, Moses or BassLab, the detachable basses need not be large, heavy instruments as in the attached picture. I'm picturing much smaller components where the frame with one neck attached might look something like the Moses keybass ( http://www.mosesgraphite.com/cgi-bin/moses/KP-35). The necks could be detached from the frame, thereby allowing fretless/fretted double necks or guitar/bass double necks or other extended range possibilities. The vertical clearance need only be ~5".

I used to play with Scott. He has had some wacky instruments built. I am probably a double neck bass guy but was always afraid of the playability. I want a double 6. The top one similar to the bass I play most of the time but, with a shorter scale and slightly tighter spacing. The top one would be 30" 6 string (EADGCF it's how I have tuned for many years), 14mm or 15mm spacing, with MIDI, Hipshot whammy(awesome). The bottom bass would be a standard 34" fretless 6 EADGCF likely with very heavy strings. Any advice on the angle of the necks coming out of the bodies and stuff would be great.

CHEERS

Check my sites to hear what I do, noisebender and jazzlake both dot coms.

[joesgarage]

Originally Posted by jazzlake

Check my sites to hear what I do, noisebender and jazzlake both dot coms.

hey jazzlake, I gave those sites a look and a listen. Great stuff man! I enjoyed both.

[jazzlake]

Thanks, joesgarage,
I hope to do more. The day gig has been consuming.

[BrianS198]

For Harp guitar, also check out Andy McKee.

Andy McKee - The Friend I've Never Met - YouTube

He rips it up, man.

[Angus]

That song is very clearly derivative (I guess as a tribute) to Michael Hedges' "Because it's there."