Extended Range Basses (Bassists)

[LajoieT]

Y'know, the DudePit has a "Four Bangers Forever" forum with a very active and vocal membership. Why shouldn't TB do something similar in addition to a "6 and up" forum?

And those of us with open minds and diverse collections can surf them all. It's all good.

I don't think we shoud divide up the forum just becuase of a few pinheads.

 

[chucko58]

People are entitled to their opinions. If we need a separate forum so the ERB'ers can feel safe, why shouldn't we extend the same courtesy to the 4-string set?

 

[embellisher]

I don't think we shoud divide up the forum just becuase of a few pinheads.

I agree. 95% of us can be very mature, and accept the fact that some people need 10 or 11 strings to get the music they hear in their head out for other people to appreciate.

And a fair amount of us play four stringers and ERBs.

When you see somebody acting like a bigot or an idiot, report the post. One of us Mods will take care of it.

 

[Raven]

<rant> I'm not trying to stir things up, but everytime I see someone post "Jaco only needed 4 strings" it infuriates me.
First off, for those who beleive that, did you personally know the man? Secondly, Jaco was murdered in 1987, ERB was basically unheard of back then.
FWIW, I knew Jaco in Miami when he was playing bass for Wayne Cochrane and the C.C. Riders, long before he became famous. I even took lessons from him... he was my friend.
If Jaco were alive today, I can almost guarantee he would be one of the bassists out there pushing the envelope of ERB and what playing bass is all about. Remember, he was one of the groundbreakers who helped to redefine the role of bass guitar. </rant>

 

[sargebaker]

wow according to the pole I'm an ERBist my vote goes for 7 though.

 

[oversoul]

<rant> I'm not trying to stir things up, but everytime I see someone post "Jaco only needed 4 strings" it infuriates me.
First off, for those who beleive that, did you personally know the man? Secondly, Jaco was murdered in 1987, ERB was basically unheard of back then.
FWIW, I knew Jaco in Miami when he was playing bass for Wayne Cochrane and the C.C. Riders, long before he became famous. I even took lessons from him... he was my friend.
If Jaco were alive today, I can almost guarantee he would be one of the bassists out there pushing the envelope of ERB and what playing bass is all about. Remember, he was one of the groundbreakers who helped to redefine the role of bass guitar. </rant>

Or he could also be a cranky old timer calling every 5 stringer and beyond a Freak and chasing him with a torch!

 

[Stewmc5222]

<rant> I'm not trying to stir things up, but everytime I see someone post "Jaco only needed 4 strings" it infuriates me.
First off, for those who beleive that, did you personally know the man? Secondly, Jaco was murdered in 1987, ERB was basically unheard of back then.
FWIW, I knew Jaco in Miami when he was playing bass for Wayne Cochrane and the C.C. Riders, long before he became famous. I even took lessons from him... he was my friend.
If Jaco were alive today, I can almost guarantee he would be one of the bassists out there pushing the envelope of ERB and what playing bass is all about. Remember, he was one of the groundbreakers who helped to redefine the role of bass guitar. </rant>

well said (written), Tommy!

 

[knuckle_head]

Or he could also be a cranky old timer calling every 5 stringer and beyond a Freak and chasing him with a torch!

Pitchforks all around - they're on me!



* too bloody funny *

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

I agree. 95% of us can be very mature, and accept the fact that some people need 10 or 11 strings to get the music they hear in their head out for other people to appreciate.

And a fair amount of us play four stringers and ERBs.

When you see somebody acting like a bigot or an idiot, report the post. One of us Mods will take care of it.

Not to mention the fact that if someone wants to act like an ass and post the "Jaco only needed..." comments, there's nothing stopping him from going into the 7+ forum and doing it anyways.

I guess it's a moot point though, as there's going to be a 7+ forum added soon anyways. Let's wish it good luck.

 

[Bernie Connors]

Not to mention the fact that if someone wants to act like an ass and post the "Jaco only needed..." comments, there's nothing stopping him from going into the 7+ forum and doing it anyways.

Yeah, but I believe that the mods in that forum are going to be alot more harsh on that acitivity since it's a forum devoted to ERB.

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

Or he could also be a cranky old timer calling every 5 stringer and beyond a Freak and chasing him with a torch!

Well, seeing as how his son plays a seven-string, that's not too likely

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

Yeah, but I believe that the mods in that forum are going to be alot more harsh on that acitivity since it's a forum devoted to ERB.

I hope not. Rules are rules, and they should be equal and the intolerances for breaking them should not be greater in one forum than the others.

 

[Bernie Connors]

I hope not. Rules are rules, and they should be equal and the intolerances for breaking them should not be greater in one forum than the others.

I agree. But I think people get away with it more in this forum than they would in the ERB forum. Especially since most of the members that post in basses are non ERB'ers and it would be the opposite in the ERB forum. Being a forum devoted to one topic, I think the chances of someone going into a thread to cause trouble is less likely.

 

[cassanova]

I'm going to say it has to only have 5 strings to be considered extended range.
My reasoning is even though 5 strings are increasing in popularity and are used by many players, they still are not the traditional range of the bass guitar.

The amount of players using one is not what makes it an extended range instrument. You have the same note choices as you would on a 4 string bass but the pitch of them is lower, thus it is extending the range of the instrument itself.

 

[Gregory Bruce Campbell]

Yah, folks are not going to get away with coming into an extended range forum...

Slam ERB and get away with it...

Rules or not, it's the law of the jungle

we would get eaten alive if it were the other way around...

for ERBs we just have a bigger bass... and we all still love 4s but 4 bangers hate us because it threatens their man hood...

this why there is a difference between a 4 string specific forum, and an ERB...

IMO a 4 string forum is pretty rediculous and redundant...

It would be like putting on a white, heterosexual, male parade

 

[Bernie Connors]

It would be like putting on a white, heterosexual, male parade

hahahahaha, exactly...

 

[oversoul]

Well, seeing as how his son plays a seven-string, that's not too likely

*Jaco staring from a cloud*
"My son!!!!!! What you have you done to him!!??????"

 

[Discgraham]

I voted for 7+ just because I think since it's called a Bass GUITAR and guitars typically have 6 strings, a bass should have 6 strings max. When you add more strings, it turns innto a different instrument. I'm not knocking it in any way, but it goes well beyond the range and capability of a bass guitar. I know there are 7+ string guitars too, but I'm just saying when you start getting over 6 string, you open doors to whole different types of music!

By the way, 6 string basses have been around forever! Just look at the Fender VI.

This particular bass is from 1961!

By the way, the Fender VI is a pretty sick instrument too! 30" scale, Trem, tiny body. This thing would be a sick Bach-Tapper!

 

[Stewmc5222]

By the way, 6 string basses have been around forever! Just look at the Fender VI.

This particular bass is from 1961!

By the way, the Fender VI is a pretty sick instrument too! 30" scale, Trem, tiny body. This thing would be a sick Bach-Tapper!

yeah, Jack Bruce played one for a while with Cream and got this amazing tone from it!

from the lows,

Stew

 

[_Unregistered_]

Some might consider the Fender Bass VI to be a "baritone guitar", but I would term it more correctly (IMHO) to be a "bass guitar". It is tuned exactly like a standard guitar, but only an octave lower.

Modern 6 strings are usually tuned BEADGC, thus I would make the distinction of calling those a "contrabass guitar" (this is what the pioneer of the instrument, Anthony Jackson called it).

My best shot at logical nomenclature thus would be:

4-string EADG - Electric Bass
4-string BEAD - Electric Contrabass
4-String F#BEA or C#F#BE - Electric Subcontrabass or "ERB"

5 string EADGC - 5-string Electric Bass
5-string BEADG - 5-string Electric Contrabass
5-string F#BEAD or C#F#BEA - 5-string Electric Subcontrabass or "ERB"

6-string BEADF#B (B1, not B0) - Baritone or "Drop 6" Guitar
6-string EADGBE - Electric Bass Guitar
6-string BEADGC - Electric Contrabass Guitar
6-string - F#BEADG or C#F#BEAD - Electric Subcontrabass Guitar or "ERB"

...and so on, to include like variations on 7,8,9,10 and 11-string basses.

Essentially, if its lowest note is a conventional bass' E (E0), it's a "bass", if it's in-between a standard guitar and a bass, it's a "baritone". If its lowest note is a B below a standard bass (B0), then it's a Contrabass, if it's an F# or C# below that, then we're into "extended range" or subcontrabass territory.

Anyone buying this?? It is kinda logical, and respects the nomenclature that was coined and is currently in use by the pioneers of each respective genre of basses...