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10 string octave bass

#6
Coming ridiculously late to the party here, but found this thread when googling "10 string bass" and thought I'd add my modest contribution. I made my first 10-string years ago by customising a 5. All it took was rebuilding the headstock and modding the bridge. It sounds awesome and has long been my favourite go-to instrument - it's the transparent body one of the left. And then just recently I had an urge to make a "rat axe" - something that looks sketchy but plays well, and the result of that is the semi-hollow body on the right. If you want a really good 10-string and you have the funds then you should consider keeping a luthier in work, but if you want a budget build, it's not that difficult. FWIW, I tend to play these with a touch of valve distortion, and occasionally a wah pedal in front of that for an early 70s John Whetton/King Crimson sound.
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#8
Here's a custom 10-string built by my buddy Keith Horne. It's the second one he built. The first one, which is purple, was built for Jeff Pilson (Foreigner, Dokken), who is a long time 10-string player. Jeff has at least one Dean 10 in his collection, and he says Keith's 10-string is the first one that he really likes the sound of.

I machined up the special bridge, tailpiece, aluminum pickguard, and other hardware or it. I also made the special pickups. A 10-string is a lot of work to build. But it's an amazing instrument.

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#10
MrW said:
Coming ridiculously late to the party here, but found this thread when googling "10 string bass" and thought I'd add my modest contribution. I made my first 10-string years ago by customising a 5. All it took was rebuilding the headstock and modding the bridge. It sounds awesome and has long been my favourite go-to instrument - it's the transparent body one of the left. And then just recently I had an urge to make a "rat axe" - something that looks sketchy but plays well, and the result of that is the semi-hollow body on the right. If you want a really good 10-string and you have the funds then you should consider keeping a luthier in work, but if you want a budget build, it's not that difficult. FWIW, I tend to play these with a touch of valve distortion, and occasionally a wah pedal in front of that for an early 70s John Whetton/King Crimson sound.View attachment 3865373
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I see you just joined this past Friday, so if no one else has said it let me be the first...Welcome to TALK BASS!!!
 
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#12
B-Mac said:
I see you just joined this past Friday, so if no one else has said it let me be the first...Welcome to TALK BASS!!!
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Thanks B-Mac! It's good to be among fellow bass-players - and in the freaky multi-course part of the room too ;-) Anyone interested in seeing a home-made spalted beech top, flying-V 12-string?
 
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#13
Bruce Johnson said:
Here's a custom 10-string built by my buddy Keith Horne. It's the second one he built. The first one, which is purple, was built for Jeff Pilson (Foreigner, Dokken), who is a long time 10-string player. Jeff has at least one Dean 10 in his collection, and he says Keith's 10-string is the first one that he really likes the sound of.

I machined up the special bridge, tailpiece, aluminum pickguard, and other hardware or it. I also made the special pickups. A 10-string is a lot of work to build. But it's an amazing instrument.

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That is a gorgeous machine! So what's going on with those pickups? Some weird humbucker arrangement..?
 
#14
MrW said:
Sweet! Is that the Dean?
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That is the Dean Edge Hammer 10 string.

I searched high and low and long for one. Found it using CL Tempest.

It is signed by both Elliot Rubinson and Dean Zelinsky (shortly before he left Dean in 2008) and verified by Armadillo Music

I’m not a five string player and basically noodle with it as I do with my other fivers plus I play with a pic.

I like how it makes my windows rattle in my old house :)
 
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