Chambered 8 string multiscale bass

[ninefingerbass]

Ok here is a design that I've been working on and wanted to turn to reality. Specs are below:

8 strings : E-A-D-G-C-F-Bb-Eb
- Fanned fretboard= 30" bass side 26" treble side
- 9 pc. Bolt-on neck
-3 strips Bubinga/ 2 stringers Wenge/ 4 spacers Maple
- Bookmatched, carved Spalted Maple over Chambered Wenge back
- Sperzel locking tuners = open gear guitar tuners, D tuner for low E string
- Black hardware
- Gibson style, floating bridge custom made
- Custom wound neo pickup(s) with cover(s) to match top
- Audere preamp ( possibly separate high and low string run to 2 output jacks)
- Midi/piezo installed, RMC
- 26 fret Scalloped fretboard cocobolo heartwood
- Tusq or wood nut

So far that's what I have now but more to come, this project is a work in progress since there is alot going on and not much is concrete but what is I'll post pictures shortly.


What do ya'll think?

And the builder is Ray Simonetti so you guys know.

[ninefingerbass]

Here is the wenge body back.

[prophetdaniel2]

I love that shape!

[ninefingerbass]

More pictures, neck being glued and clamped and top spalted maple top. It's getting prepped to be cut and glued.

[ninefingerbass]

Originally Posted by prophetdaniel2

I love that shape!

Thanks!!

[ninefingerbass]

So the bookmatched tops are in and I have 4 to choose. What are your guys thoughts and opinions.

[ninefingerbass]

number 3 and 4.

[Essen]

I like #2.

[natw42]

Originally Posted by Essen

I like #2.

Definitely.

Oh and subbed

[Nasty Nate]

Originally Posted by Essen

I like #2.

+1. subbed. this is gonna be a crazy monstrosity (in a good way)

[xmaddogx]

I like #4 and I Love that shape.

[Ben Lesser]

I dig the second one the most, and that body shape is killer, as is the headstock.

[calmb4tehpwn]

Putting in a vote for #2. I've always thought slalted maple looks best when its not figured, and 2 really shines, without being showy in a pretentious way, or just going over the top.

#2 is what I would choose.

[ninefingerbass]

After some careful thought, I chose number 2. For many reasons but I really love the way it looks, it has depth and character. Here are more pics with the wenge body and top and neck and body. I'm really loving the colors and the way it's coming out.

Thanks for the kind words from all of you. My designs are different as I like to stay away from the norm. I have some more radical and organic designs in my pad that eventually I'll be making into instruments.

I'll keep updating as soon as the luthier updates me.

[JoelFT]

Ray is a great dude. He'll build you a beauty of a bass. Are you getting his wooden bridge and pups? His humbuckers are some of the best I've ever heard. Even though I have an Audere in my Simonetti I tend to just use the coil switches and blend knob for the majority of my tone shaping. The preamp is almost overkill (almost).

EDIT: I just went to Ray's website and just got all my questions answered. Pretty freakin cool. And, I've always loved your six string.

[ninefingerbass]

Ray and I have been staying in touch since my first build! He really is a great guy. I had the chance to pick up my bass and it was great to meet him in person.

And thanks for compliment on the bass! I love that bass! For the electronics, I'm getting an Audere too and Neo pick ups that he's winding, including a piezo/midi installed in the bridge too.

[JoelFT]

Ray built my bass about ten years ago. It's always fun hanging out in his garage which is like bass heaven.

I just had him "groovify" my bass a couple of months ago. He yanked out the old EMG stuff and added his Neo pups with an Audere pre. Also, he completely refinished the bass, re-leveled the finger board and added stainless steel frets. It plays so much better than even when it was new. My bass is the first one you see on the homepage with the block pup cover. We call it the Bone Bass.

I am now contemplating a new build. The biggest obstacle right now is deciding how many strings I want . As far as wood goes, I assume you have a piece of that spalted maple left? I love it and might have to ask Ray to reserve it for me.

I'll be watching your build thread closely. Fun stuff here.

[FerK]

Mr. Simonetti seems to be as excited as you are about this beauty, as he posted the chronicle in his website: Simonetti Custom 8 string build

[ninefingerbass]

Originally Posted by JoelFT

Ray built my bass about ten years ago. It's always fun hanging out in his garage which is like bass heaven.

I just had him "groovify" my bass a couple of months ago. He yanked out the old EMG stuff and added his Neo pups with an Audere pre. Also, he completely refinished the bass, re-leveled the finger board and added stainless steel frets. It plays so much better than even when it was new. My bass is the first one you see on the homepage with the block pup cover. We call it the Bone Bass.

I am now contemplating a new build. The biggest obstacle right now is deciding how many strings I want . As far as wood goes, I assume you have a piece of that spalted maple left? I love it and might have to ask Ray to reserve it for me.

I'll be watching your build thread closely. Fun stuff here.

I think that bass is awesome! It's truly unique and stands out too, I like thsoe kind of instruments.

You can ask Ray about the top; personally I'm ok with sharing. It's a great piece and has lots of character too! and for strings, when I got my 6 made, I hardly played 6 string bass. After nearly 5 years of playing that bass I developed my playing to more chordal/melodic/solo bass playing where I figure if I got a 7 string I'd want more so I opted for 8. 9 I think it too much and after fooling around with ERBs in the past few years I'm really certain that one can accomplish alot with 8 strings. Half the videos I see of people playing 9, 10, 11 + string basses only using about 6-8 strings, if not less. Just my two cents.

@Ferk, I saw that link, thought it was pretty cool that he's documenting it from the very beginning. Now when she is older I can show her pictures of how she was concieved and born. ;-)

[ninefingerbass]

Originally Posted by JoelFT

Ray built my bass about ten years ago. It's always fun hanging out in his garage which is like bass heaven.

I just had him "groovify" my bass a couple of months ago. He yanked out the old EMG stuff and added his Neo pups with an Audere pre. Also, he completely refinished the bass, re-leveled the finger board and added stainless steel frets. It plays so much better than even when it was new. My bass is the first one you see on the homepage with the block pup cover. We call it the Bone Bass.

I am now contemplating a new build. The biggest obstacle right now is deciding how many strings I want . As far as wood goes, I assume you have a piece of that spalted maple left? I love it and might have to ask Ray to reserve it for me.

I'll be watching your build thread closely. Fun stuff here.

I think that bass is awesome! It's truly unique and stands out too, I like thsoe kind of instruments.

You can ask Ray about the top; personally I'm ok with sharing. It's a great piece and has lots of character too! and for strings, when I got my 6 made, I hardly played 6 string bass. After nearly 5 years of playing that bass I developed my playing to more chordal/melodic/solo bass playing where I figure if I got a 7 string I'd want more so I opted for 8. 9 I think it too much and after fooling around with ERBs in the past few years I'm really certain that one can accomplish alot with 8 strings. Half the videos I see of people playing 9, 10, 11 + string basses only using about 6-8 strings, if not less. Just my two cents.

@Ferk, I saw that link, thought it was pretty cool that he's documenting it from the very beginning. Now when she is older I can show her pictures of how she was concieved and born. ;-)