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New Mike Adler TWELVE STRING BASS????

#23
Dave Grossman said:
I don't know ... I think anything with more than 11 strings is overkill.

- Dave
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OK, THAT just launched Coke out my nose (and boy, does that sting :eek: ).

I gotta' admit, I play all 5 and 6 strings myself (almost never touch a 4 anymore) and was very suportive of 7, 8, even 9 strings (especially to go lower rather than higher), and have heard Garry Goodman's stuff and he's a phenomenal talent.......

.....but this is starting to border on the ridiculous.

An instument like that is 80% worthless on 99% of real world gigs (assuming you're being hired as a "bassist"). In fact, I would venture to say an instrument like that (and how the person that owns that kind of instrument would want to play it) would cost you a fair amount of gigs.

Do we really have to take it this far to prove to the world that we do play a real instrument?
 
#25
jusplayinmybass said:
I don't think Gary is worried about being hired for gigs. People that venture into this kind of territory tend to make their own work as artists as well as have people that trust that they will do the job no matter how many strings they have. B Easy


Myron
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True, they're probably not looking to market such beasts to the masses. Just build it so you can say "I did it".
The point I'm making is : What's the point of making an instrument that is so massive you are now going deep into the ranges of other instruments that basically perform the same function? I mean, aren't we suposed to perform the function of a bassist, not a guitarist?

Let's make a 7ft. flute! Or more apropriately, a flute welded to a tuba.:p
 
#27
PhatBasstard said:
True, they're probably not looking to market such beasts to the masses. Just build it so you can say "I did it".
The point I'm making is : What's the point of making an instrument that is so massive you are now going deep into the ranges of other instruments that basically perform the same function? I mean, aren't we suposed to perform the function of a bassist, not a guitarist?

Let's make a 7ft. flute! Or more apropriately, a flute welded to a tuba.:p
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I see your point, but i don't see why instruments can't be in the same range and co-exist. I mean, the low E on a guitar is the same E as the 2nd fret D string on a bass. And piano plays in the bass and guitar range. But you often see all 3 instruments on stage together. In an orchestra, there is tons of overlap as far as range goes. But it's cool because they have different tones. I'm sorry but a bass played up high isn't going to sound like a guitar. There are too many differences in timbre. i don't see what the problem is. B Easy

Myron
 
#29
jusplayinmybass said:
I see your point, but i don't see why instruments can't be in the same range and co-exist. I mean, the low E on a guitar is the same E as the 2nd fret D string on a bass. And piano plays in the bass and guitar range. But you often see all 3 instruments on stage together. In an orchestra, there is tons of overlap as far as range goes. But it's cool because they have different tones. I'm sorry but a bass played up high isn't going to sound like a guitar. There are too many differences in timbre. i don't see what the problem is. B Easy

Myron
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You kinda' missed the "perform the same function" part.;)

And I'm sorry, but even my lowly 6 can sound very guitar like in the upper register, especially when I'm chording. I've heard tons of extended range (upwards) "bass" :hmm: that is nearly identical in timbre to guitar.
 
#32
PhatBasstard said:
And I'm sorry, but even my lowly 6 can sound very guitar like in the upper register, especially when I'm chording. I've heard tons of extended range (upwards) "bass" :hmm: that is nearly identical in timbre to guitar.
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Yeah, I´m with you on that one. Although we bassists like to think there´s a HUGE tonal difference ("they´re not even on the same planet!"), I´d venture to say 99% of people don´t hear it or care about it. It´s like babies: everyone thinks theirs is the most beautiful, but to my eyes they all look the same ;).

That´s not to say that ERB´s don´t have their place in good hands. But they´re not likely to become mainstream anytime soon IMO. And that, of course, is fine - I´ve never liked the mainstream anyway. 12 strings does sound like a bit much, though. Pushing the boundaries of luthiery is fine, but I just hope the music doesn´t get lost...

And BTW, about the strings. Perhaps the 12 isn´t tuned in 4s? Maybe some of the strings are tuned in major thirds (like the B string in guitar) or something? Heck, tune them in seconds - you could add at least ten strings then :D
 
#33
Maybe Mr. Goodman or Jauqo could give us a clue about the Adler 12?

Maybe they're all having a joke on us and the bass is really just a standard 12 with two octave strings per string.

I thought 11 strings would be the maximum you could go. Maybe with a different tuning, though, like CoolHat said, but I'm not sure about the validity of an instrument tuned in thirds, for example.
 
#36
Atomic-Hedgehog said:
the only 12-string basses i've seen are with 4 trippled strings, i believe Hamer makes one... *shrugs*
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Yes indeed they do... Here's mine.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Hamer also make a couple of other models these days. they were the first to produce a 12er, at the request of Tom Petersson of Cheap Trick. :bassist:
 
#38
the ombudsman said:
Maybe Mr. Goodman or Jauqo could give us a clue about the Adler 12?

...like CoolHat said, but I'm not sure about the validity of an instrument tuned in thirds, for example.
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Maybe strings being tuned in different intervals allows for a greater sonic pallet when using percussive harmonics?









Groovecenter said:
Haha... I wonder how many talkbassers get that one
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:D


....apparently after 1 minute shy of 2 hours.... not many.

(fluba tootin)
 
#40
j-raj said:
Maybe strings being tuned in different intervals allows for a greater sonic pallet when using percussive harmonics?










:D


....apparently after 1 minute shy of 2 hours.... not many.

(fluba tootin)
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Heh--they're just too busy scrounging for some Cheetos, or something. :D

I'm not impressed by a 12 string. If it's not at least a 24 string, then you're just treading water at this point. :bassist: ;)
 

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