Question for luthiers:
Summary: What's the feasability of converting a wide spaced 6 string (fretted) bass into a quite narrowly spaced 7 string?
Background: I just bought a Conklin Groove Tools (Korean budget line) GT-7 seven string bass.
I wanted to try 7 string to see if my idea of tuning it like a guitar plus a low B works for me. (B E A D G B E) It does! I love being able to grab guitar chord voicings up the neck.
But the GT-7's low B is not happening -- not to my satisfaction. And the tuning at the top of the neck is poor. Of course the hardware and electronics are pretty "budget", too. It's fine for what it is -- a starter ERB; but to me it's obvious it's built to a price. Even if I threw a bunch of upgrades at it, the pitch focus of the low B would probably never satisfy me.
I've been thinking about ordering a higher end 7 string. But the price of getting what I want is daunting; as would be the build's waiting period.
Then the idea of converting a wide-neck 6 string occurred to me.
A lot of fine 6's turn up in the classified at good prices; and of course there's no build time, just a repair/mod time.
My math:
On a 19mm-at-the-bridge 6, the distance between outer string centres should be 19 x 5 spaces = 95mm.
To redistribute that space between 7 strings: 95mm / 6 spaces = 15.83, or:
Just under 16mm string spacing at the bridge.
It just so happens that I like very tight string spacing!
The considerations I've thought of are:
1) - Is there enough space to put an extra tuner on the headstock;
2) - Are the pickups the type with even horizontal sensitivity -- i.e. blade type rather than pole-piece; and
3) - What bridges are available for that tight spacing; and are there issues retrofitting over the rout for the old bridge. (Possibly 7 separate bridge-per-string units, if necessary? Like the higher end Ibanez' have.)
Just so you know: Although I really appreciate the look of a beautiful bass, for my own working instruments I don't care if it looks flawed or butchered. No problem if the bridge or extra tuner or a pickup swap creates gaps or exposed routs. For me, my basses are musical tools.
Many thanks in advance for any feedback, ideas, or suggestions!
- Peter
Summary: What's the feasability of converting a wide spaced 6 string (fretted) bass into a quite narrowly spaced 7 string?
Background: I just bought a Conklin Groove Tools (Korean budget line) GT-7 seven string bass.
I wanted to try 7 string to see if my idea of tuning it like a guitar plus a low B works for me. (B E A D G B E) It does! I love being able to grab guitar chord voicings up the neck.
But the GT-7's low B is not happening -- not to my satisfaction. And the tuning at the top of the neck is poor. Of course the hardware and electronics are pretty "budget", too. It's fine for what it is -- a starter ERB; but to me it's obvious it's built to a price. Even if I threw a bunch of upgrades at it, the pitch focus of the low B would probably never satisfy me.
I've been thinking about ordering a higher end 7 string. But the price of getting what I want is daunting; as would be the build's waiting period.
Then the idea of converting a wide-neck 6 string occurred to me.
A lot of fine 6's turn up in the classified at good prices; and of course there's no build time, just a repair/mod time.
My math:
On a 19mm-at-the-bridge 6, the distance between outer string centres should be 19 x 5 spaces = 95mm.
To redistribute that space between 7 strings: 95mm / 6 spaces = 15.83, or:
Just under 16mm string spacing at the bridge.
It just so happens that I like very tight string spacing!
The considerations I've thought of are:
1) - Is there enough space to put an extra tuner on the headstock;
2) - Are the pickups the type with even horizontal sensitivity -- i.e. blade type rather than pole-piece; and
3) - What bridges are available for that tight spacing; and are there issues retrofitting over the rout for the old bridge. (Possibly 7 separate bridge-per-string units, if necessary? Like the higher end Ibanez' have.)
Just so you know: Although I really appreciate the look of a beautiful bass, for my own working instruments I don't care if it looks flawed or butchered. No problem if the bridge or extra tuner or a pickup swap creates gaps or exposed routs. For me, my basses are musical tools.
Many thanks in advance for any feedback, ideas, or suggestions!
- Peter
