Multi course bass questions

I will try to answer your questions

1.
I personally prefer the fundamental upwards towards me(octave strings facing toward floor) This setting seems to work best for me especially when I thump and pluck.

2.
I only use round wounds becasue of their brightness.

3.
I use fingers and a pick just depends on the song and what type of sound I'm going for.

4.
My fretless Warrior(which was the worlds first 15 string bass made). was fretless and of course freltess is possible. I see no cons just comes down to the users preference.

5.
As far as alternate tunings go, I pretty much stick to standard tuning.

6.
I prefer my group of threes to be between 18 to 19 mm at the bridge.


Here's a tune where I'm playing a fretless Warrior 15 string bass.

 

You're very welcome.

 

I'll play.
1. Fundamental towards floor octave on top. ( I think you want that reversed if you play with fingers...I don't I only use pick)

2. Only rounds. Comes as set.

3. Only a pick (on multicourse... typically fingerstyle on regular basses)

4. Fretless? Dunno. I play fretless, but never on a multicourse bass. I'd be really reluctant to buy a bass like that unless I had some cheap experiments first!

5. Never do alternate tunings on the bass. Never tried it.

6. String spacing is never a big deal for me and I just use what came on the bass.

My big problem is I only own an 8 string which I wish was a 10 string! It doesn't get a lot of use because it's sort of a specialized (but very cool) sound. Maybe if it were a 10 string I'd play it more.

 

1. Octave strings below (Ric style) or above fundamental (every other multicourse)? Pros /cons?

I have 2x8 strings, one is fretless and one 12 string. All have high string on top. I play mostly pick but sometimes fingers. Never played bass string on top. I think with finger style the octave on top works better.

2. Comments on strings... Flats, rounds, mixing (flats for one course rounds for the other), mixing brands of strings?

I play all rounds on all basses. But flats might sound cool. The fretless shipped with flats on the bass strings. Replaced the day I got it.


3. Do you play finger style or use a pick?

Both but nearly always pick on the 12 and nearly always fingers on the fretless.

4. Is fretless possible? Pros/cons?
Yup. Have one. I love the sound.
Here is a rough sample of the sound. High up the neck is really really hard to get intonation. The angle of your finger will make a big difference in the intonation of the root/octave. It's hard.
https://m.soundcloud.com/scott-karch/karchfretlesseight


5. Results from alternate tunings... For example, tuning the octaves to the 5th of the fundamental, how has this worked for you?

Haven't tried


6. What string spacing have you found works best for you?

I have never worried about string spacing on any basses. So can't help you there.

 

1) Octave up (towards me)
2) Rounds, just because I like the brightness. It works best in filling in the sonic space in the songs I use it for. That said, I haven't tried flats, or mixing them....
3) Both, depending on the song, of course. Also, using a downward thumb instead of an upward finger will give you a different sound. Experiment!
4) Don't know about fretless. Never tried one, but I'd like to!
5) Again, never tried it. Don't have a lot of faith in how in-tune it would stay/sound given the 12- tone scale we use.
6) Truthfully, I haven't measured my Washburn 2802. It feels "normal". <

Let us know how your 10er works out if you go for it.

TIA!

 

1. Octave strings below (Ric style) or above fundamental (every other multicourse)? Pros /cons?
- I've only ever used the octave above setup, so I can't really compare...but it certainly seems to work fine & make sense to me.

2. Comments on strings... Flats, rounds, mixing (flats for one course rounds for the other), mixing brands of strings?
- I've only ever used roundwounds...admittedly because that makes it very easy to buy strings for the bass: D'Addario XL-8s are almost always in stock at any large music store.

3. Do you play finger style or use a pick?
- both...as well as slapping, punching, hitting it with sticks, etc. But mostly finger-style.

4. Is fretless possible? Pros/cons?
- I've never owned one, but I've seen a few. Listen to Mark Egan's solo albums.

5. Results from alternate tunings... For example, tuning the octaves to the 5th of the fundamental, how has this worked for you?
- The only time I ever experimented with alternate tunings was for an avant-garde project where I had the E and D pairs tuned to Major 7ths and the A and G pairs tuned to minor 9ths...and then I played a lot of dyads and chords. Instant mayhem.

6. What string spacing have you found works best for you?
- Couldn't tell you string-to-string or pair-to-pair measurement, but the necks have always been modeled on a standard 4-string width.

 

I'd say yes. Make an educated guess and embrace the result. I'm sure it will be fantastic. Please follow up.

I love the fret less sound. It's great. But if you play further up the neck getting the same note on both strings gets really hard. If you stretch your ring finger or pinkey for a note. The angle your finger is at will make it hard to put pressure across both strings and the result is a slightly different note for the strings. You may be able to pull it off but I can't. That being said I love the sound of fretless 8 string. But wouldn't want it for my only 8 string.

If you're in Chicago you can try mine out.