most strings on a bass?

Lozenger · #1 05-24-2003, 07:35 AM

how many strings can you get on a bass that hasn`t been tampered with and what is the most strings you have seen?

**watt** · #2 06-01-2003, 01:54 PM

hi,

I got an econo p-bass and made it from a four string to a five w/a new nut and bridge and found the strings too close together and the tension on the neck a little brutal. the 'b' was kind of flabby too. I made it back to it's four string way and sold it. that's my only experience w/a five string - maybe ten or eleven years ago.

on bass, watt

Quote:

Originally posted by Lozenger
how many strings can you get on a bass that hasn`t been tampered with and what is the most strings you have seen?

Subculture13 · #3 06-02-2003, 10:46 AM

There is also the option of going up to a stock 6 string bass (One added low string one added high from a conventional 4 string bass). Many major manufacturers make these (Ibanez, Washburn, etc.) I have even seen a 7 string bass (a Conklin Custom Shop deal). Then the next leap would be to an 8 string, which is only slightly larger in neck width than a 4 string and employs the same basic premise as a 12 string guitar. It is a set of standard strings with a second set of strings for an octave above that is strung slightly above and below the main set. Going above that I have even seen 12 string basses, going yet another additional octave above the 8 string. Giving you a root-octave-2nd octave sound. Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam uses these alot, they are made by Hamer. A Hamer 8 string is how he got the chorusy sound for the intro to Jeremy.

**watt** · #4 06-02-2003, 11:50 AM

hi,

once I played an eight string bass in berlin for a fIREHOSE encore at a gig where a friendly bassist really wanted me to play his machine and it sounded kind of like a piano! we did a cover of public enemy's "sophisticated..." - I think each pair was the root and an octave... I think it was b.c. rich bass.

on bass, watt

Quote:

Originally posted by renfield808
There is also the option of going up to a stock 6 string bass (One added low string one added high from a conventional 4 string bass). Many major manufacturers make these (Ibanez, Washburn, etc.) I have even seen a 7 string bass (a Conklin Custom Shop deal). Then the next leap would be to an 8 string, which is only slightly larger in neck width than a 4 string and employs the same basic premise as a 12 string guitar. It is a set of standard strings with a second set of strings for an octave above that is strung slightly above and below the main set. Going above that I have even seen 12 string basses, going yet another additional octave above the 8 string. Giving you a root-octave-2nd octave sound. Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam uses these alot, they are made by Hamer. A Hamer 8 string is how he got the chorusy sound for the intro to Jeremy.

CJ_Marsicano · #5 06-02-2003, 01:39 PM

I was wondering when 12-strings were going to come up in this thread.

tom petersson from cheap trick's main thunderboom is usually a hamer 12-string - witness "gonna raise hell" on dream police for a loud-and-clear example of t.p. on the 12.

Quote:

Originally posted by renfield808
There is also the option of going up to a stock 6 string bass (One added low string one added high from a conventional 4 string bass). Many major manufacturers make these (Ibanez, Washburn, etc.) I have even seen a 7 string bass (a Conklin Custom Shop deal). Then the next leap would be to an 8 string, which is only slightly larger in neck width than a 4 string and employs the same basic premise as a 12 string guitar. It is a set of standard strings with a second set of strings for an octave above that is strung slightly above and below the main set. Going above that I have even seen 12 string basses, going yet another additional octave above the 8 string. Giving you a root-octave-2nd octave sound. Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam uses these alot, they are made by Hamer. A Hamer 8 string is how he got the chorusy sound for the intro to Jeremy.

Fretless12ver · #6 06-03-2003, 12:11 AM

How about an 18-string? This was made by Vox Humana in the Netherlands. Modulus made one too.

Subculture13 · #7 06-03-2003, 06:35 AM

I was wondering when somebody would make a bass that had octaved strings based off of a 5 or 6 string. It was only a matter of time I suppose.
Crazy!! I'd say you won that little competition. Thanks for the info.

**watt** · #8 06-03-2003, 12:54 PM

whoa,

now this must have one wide neck, huh? damn!

on bass, watt

Quote:

Originally posted by Fretless12ver
How about an 18-string? This was made by Vox Humana in the Netherlands. Modulus made one too.

CJ_Marsicano · #9 06-03-2003, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by watt
whoa,

now this must have one wide neck, huh? damn!

watt,

makes a five-string's neck look like the little bass's, doesn't it?

ceej

**watt** · #10 06-05-2003, 04:12 PM

ceej,

the little bass (eb-3) has a neck about as wide as a regular one, it's just shorter in length. maybe that's what you meant though, huh (length-wise)? width-wise though, these basses w/all the strings must take a new approach to playing them!!!

on bass,watt

Quote:

Originally posted by CJ_Marsicano

watt,

makes a five-string's neck look like the little bass's, doesn't it?

ceej

CJ_Marsicano · #11 06-05-2003, 06:42 PM

watt,

I was actually thinking width. I haven't had the pleasure of trying your little bass yet (then again, I didn't have the nerve to ask when I saw you in Philly!) so I can't say for sure about neck length. The string spacing and relative neck width on my own pentagon thud staff (fender custom shop 5-string j-bass) isn't much different than my other basses but I think my white kramer focus "project mersh" bass (as I call it for certain reasons) has the longest neck.

ceej

Quote:

Originally posted by watt
ceej,

the little bass (eb-3) has a neck about as wide as a regular one, it's just shorter in length. maybe that's what you meant though, huh (length-wise)? width-wise though, these basses w/all the strings must take a new approach to playing them!!!

on bass,watt

floydbass · #12 06-08-2003, 03:34 PM

bill "buddah" dickens plays one of these -a 9 string bass all single strings meaning no octaves

**watt** · #13 06-09-2003, 10:03 AM

hey,

whoa! what are the notes of each string (if you know)?

on bass, watt

Quote:

Originally posted by floydbass
bill "buddah" dickens plays one of these -a 9 string bass all single strings meaning no octaves

floydbass · #14 06-09-2003, 10:07 AM

i have no idea but i would i magine low to high

BEADGBEAD

**watt** · #15 06-09-2003, 10:11 AM

hmm...

what's stopping him from going to a ten string (and get two whole octaves of open strings!)?

on bass, watt

Quote:

Originally posted by floydbass
i have no idea but i would i magine low to high

BEADGBEAD

floydbass · #16 06-09-2003, 10:13 AM

i suppose that the neck is already thick enough i think to stringds would make the neck 1 foot thick near the body if it isint already

**watt** · #17 06-09-2003, 11:42 AM

hmm...

thick being the neck's front-to-back dimension or what I call it's width, outside the high string to outside the low string?

on bass, watt

Quote:

Originally posted by floydbass
i suppose that the neck is already thick enough i think to stringds would make the neck 1 foot thick near the body if it isint already

floydbass · #18 06-09-2003, 02:33 PM

outside high to outside low (width)

**watt** · #19 06-10-2003, 08:18 AM

whoa!

oh man!

on bass, watt

Quote:

Originally posted by floydbass
outside high to outside low (width)

The Mock Turtle Regulator · #20 06-10-2003, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by watt
hey,

whoa! what are the notes of each string (if you know)?

low to high F#BEADGCFBb

here's a pic-