New Gittler Basses!

[7bridges]

I think this is pretty cool. Problems it appears to solve (just based on the video): it weighs around three pounds. It doesn't react to humidity or temperature (not sure about this). It is nearly unbreakable. The frets do not wear. You can probably travel (fly) easily with it, assuming TSA is cool with it.

My minor issues: It looks to me as if the cut ends of the strings can jab your thumb or wrist at the lowest position. I hate zero frets. I occasionally like to wrap my thumb around to fret the E string, though I hear that's a no-no. As was mentioned above, it might be hard to do that. I like to play un-amplified at home, something that may not work with this bass. You are basically stuck with the stock pickups and electronics.

I am curious as to the street price.

 

[Gaolee]

It looks...interesting...I guess.
I'm not sure "what problems it solves" for me to get me to move away from my Sadowsky, Nordy, Alleva or Valenti though.

I don't even get that far into boutique. So, the chances of a Gittler in my herd are about zero. I really want to play one, just to find out how you actually do it.

 

[vmabus]

Oh. I thought it said "Glitter basses."
nevermind...

 

[mdogs]

It kinda looks like a bundle of tent poles, but interesting just the same. Are they awkward to play? I can't imagine playing something without a fretboard.

TL;DR...can't stand the heat, don't post the thread...

 

[rsm]

Butt ugly comes to mind.

Some snarky retorts come to my mind

 

[mongo2]

Butt ugly comes to mind.

There isn't enough there to be ugly.

 

[rsm]

@Chef Solves the problem of using wood.

IMO



Nothing like the sound and feel of titanium IMO/IME

Similar to Steinberger composites, for solid body electric basses it makes me question "tone woods".

 

[Rumblefisher]

Anyone else read this as "New glitter basses"?

 

[mdogs]

I thought Gary Glitter was in prison, not making basses...

 

[higain617]

I don't think it's ugly, but certainly different. H.R. Giger would have approved. I'd like to try one out.

 

[jd56hawk]

I think this is pretty cool. Problems it appears to solve (just based on the video): it weighs around three pounds. It doesn't react to humidity or temperature (not sure about this). It is nearly unbreakable. The frets do not wear. You can probably travel (fly) easily with it, assuming TSA is cool with it.

My minor issues: It looks to me as if the cut ends of the strings can jab your thumb or wrist at the lowest position. I hate zero frets. I occasionally like to wrap my thumb around to fret the E string, though I hear that's a no-no. As was mentioned above, it might be hard to do that. I like to play un-amplified at home, something that may not work with this bass. You are basically stuck with the stock pickups and electronics.

I am curious as to the street price.

$4,995 for the classic model and $5,995 for the armed forces special edition with built-in compass and night-vision scope.

 

[rogerbmiller]

NAMM: Not Available Maybe May?

 

[Gaolee]

@Chef Solves the problem of using wood.

IMO



Nothing like the sound and feel of titanium IMO/IME

Similar to Steinberger composites, for solid body electric basses it makes me question "tone woods".

I'm still wondering how you play it. For instance, how do you make a bar chord on the guitar version? Does it work like a regular neck, or is the technique radically different?

 

[Lo-E]

I played one of Alan Gittler's guitars (when he was still calling himself Alan Gittler) sometime in the late 1980's, when his shop was still in NYC. It was a fascinating piece of technology, but I honestly didn't care for how it felt to play and it sounded lifeless to my ears. While it's true that it is durable and impervious to weather changes, I found it very difficult to connect with an instrument with no resonance and the cold feel of a machine. When added to the fact that it required some serious re-thinking of technique, I decided it wasn't for me (my lack of funds helped that decision, but I wasn't interested in owning one anyway ).

That was many years ago and I'm a much more experienced and versatile musician than I was then. Would I find a Gittler easier to accept now? Would I like a bass version? I can't say for sure, but I suspect many of the things that bothered me about it then would bother me still.

Incidentally, After Alan Gittler changed his name and moved to Israel, he continued to make musical instruments.... out of wood.

 

[gidbass]

Not for me, but i think that it is bad a$$!

Love to see innovators pushing the status quo...

 

[rsm]

I'm still wondering how you play it. For instance, how do you make a bar chord on the guitar version? Does it work like a regular neck, or is the technique radically different?

It's actually not bad at all, nor is it very different. Barre chords are no problem. At first it was awkward as I was focusing on my thumb position on my fretting hand (left). I started playing a few songs strumming chords, a few fills (about an hour), took a break, and played it again (3-4 hours) this time also practicing my singing and I found after about 3-4 hours (first day I got it), my left hand adjusted to playing quite naturally. Sliding up and down the neck took a bit longer while playing leads, but sliding chords up and down wasn't tough at all. FWIW, I more of a rhythm guitarist than lead these days.

All in all, I'd say about 5 hours of playing time was all it took for me to get comfortable with it like any other guitar I own. I found the less I thought about it being different and the less I thought about how I was playing it, and the more I just played guitar as usual, the easier it was. It seems my hands just "played guitar" as usual.

To me, YMMV, it sounds amazing, lightweight, and the feel of titanium is "nice" feels smooth, and my hands just glide over the surface.

I've never been to NAMM, but hopefully a few members here get a chance to try these out at NAMM.

 

[jmetcher]

That looks completely and utterly awesome. Fark. Jonesing pretty hard here...

As cool as these are (and as much as I want one) I think I'll make my own, rather than pay $5000 for one. I love the idea, but I just don't understand why they're so expensive.

They're machining titanium into a low-production-run instrument. I don't understand how it's that cheap. Now, the welded beryllium version - I bet that one will be pricey

Nobody's going to play Mustang sally on THAT thing

It would actually be pretty damn funny watching the thumb-over brigade trying to play the fretted version.

 

[Red Planet]

Well this is sort of OT. Last year my company was asked to build some prototype bones screws that are normally titanium out of blended material of 50% molybdenum and 50 percent rhenium. It was some super super expensive material and really difficult to machine. The end result was a bone screw that was twice the strength and half the size. Very interesting stuff.

I find thsee instruments quite interesting, prolly a smaller population would have interest but you can turn a profit making high end instruments at smaller quantities. Really once you get past the machining R&D you can get quite good at the manufacture as you go by tweaking speeds, feeds, and tooling. We once had to make a bunch of small fittings out of Alloy 625 and was quite difficult to get going but once we got it figured out we spit out 20,000 of those things quickly.

I agree no need for dissing this unique instrument and maybe the OP should just let the negative comments go though its quite difficult for me to do as well. I usually end up with at least a warning. It seems some folks are real artful at dishing out just enough punch without getting in trouble and when you try to defend yourself you get in trouble (not saying you did). Just let the drive byes go and concentrate on the cool stuff about these instruments.

As far as someone being excited about something and talking about it.... well isn't this a gear forum? Should we all just go home? Interesting I recently started a thread about a cool booteek instrument and it go no response so a couple days later I changed the thread to "list your favorite P bass" and the thread is still going. Its all good my thread change was just an experiment. TB can be quite clicky and you can watch the same things over and over. It's just us humans though.

I applaud a builder that wants to stretch out into new directions while most are wanting the same ol thing.

 

[Phildevoid]

Heil Gittler! As long as he builds guitars, and avoids world domination, we should be good. Looks stunning! Id fear if i had a beard it would get tangled in it though.

That has to be one of the funniest play on words I have seen is a long time. Thanks for the laugh.

 

[rsm]

@Red Planet Thanks for this post, I have many of the same opinions. I'm happy there are people out there trying to do new things with the instruments we've spent a good portion of our lives and passion (and cash) devoted to learning and expressing ourselves.

As a guitarist, I see the writing on the wall and guitar is not the preeminent instrument it once was in many popular / current genres. Drums and bass have also been impacted in the new music...I recently upgraded my Push to the new Push 2, though I'm still hanging on to my guitar / bass hopes and interests. I've thought about abandoning both guitar and bass for my Push many times, things like the Gittler and digital modeling stopped me.

Before I ordered my Gittler Classic guitar, I called the number and spoke with the owner. I'm not going into details here about the conversation, suffice to say that I placed my order as soon as we finished that conversation. Again, I'm not affiliated with the company, only a satisfied customer...seems this is worth repeating here. FWIW, I work in the computer software industry, primarily in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) area, in private sector (commercial, non-government)...nothing related to the music industry. However, if you are using a mobile phone anywhere in the world to do anything else besides making a phone call, you're welcome

Not directed at anyone, but I think Gittler is going to continue to push their technology as long as they can. Call me a proponent, fanboi, shill, promoter, whatever... I spent my hard earned cash on an instrument that intrigued me, that captured my imagination, and my fascination with the combination of art, science, engineering. Based on my experience with the Gittler Classic Guitar, if I can, my intention is to purchase a 4-string fretless Gittler, someday; it may not be next year, it may not be in 5 years, but it is at the top of my gear list now. I have a bunch of gear to sell, even my motorcycle if needed. Rics are my favorite, but since the original composite Steinbergers, nothing has intrigued me more than these Gittlers.


YMMV.

Edit: I find the "Heil..." comment distasteful. YMMV. Seems this is amusing to some, especially since Gittler was Jewish. I'll just add:

אני צריך לחיות כל עוד לראות סוף לאנטישמיות.

Perhaps, when 6 million plus of "your people" are systematically annihilated, some perspective will be gained, or not? I'm guessing you find jokes about 9/11 amusing too?

Peace.