Why would a luthier feel that a 15 string

[JAUQO III-X]

Are the small saddles intentionally gold? I'm thinking about a non-Hamer 12 and might order that bridge.

No their not intentionally gold. I wanted them to be black but they are so tiny, that the machine that spray coats the saddles in general is so strong that it kept blowing the octave saddles away. And their to tine to clamp them in place.


It's the only type of bridge I would use for a 12 string bass.

 

[Ed Goode]

Jauqo III-X, many props to both you and Oscar for the sheer coolness and beauty of that bass!

 

[Hoover]

If given the chance I could use a 15 string on a commercial studio session, in Broadway pit, a GB band, or a traditional jazz combo.

"If given the chance" ...exactly.

In my experience there are a vast number of musical directors and band leaders who would not give you the chance. Some would put a stop to it before even hearing one note, based simply on the appearance of such an unusual instrument. The (slightly) more open minded ones would give you a chance until they heard it, at which point they would pull the plug and ask you to play something more conventional sounding.

I'm not putting a value judgement on their behavior, I'm not saying I condone it, I'm not saying I agree with it... I'm saying that there are a lot of folks who call the shots in whatever little corner of the music industry they work who have a narrower definition of what an electric bass should sound like than we bassists do, and that their opinions not ours determine whether or not we get the gig.

Obviously there are exceptions. The intersection set of "exceptional" and "practical" (or "common sense") is a very small one.

 

[groooooove]

I wouldn't want to do it as just about every part of the bass would be a one-off with little chance of follow up sales where you could recoup the R&D time and effort.

this.

im not a luthier, but have worked with plenty- and thats what they say to some of my crazy ideas. (luckily i got someone to agree to my 33" scale 6 string )

 

[JAUQO III-X]

"If given the chance" ...exactly.

In my experience there are a vast number of musical directors and band leaders who would not give you the chance. Some would put a stop to it before even hearing one note, based simply on the appearance of such an unusual instrument. The (slightly) more open minded ones would give you a chance until they heard it, at which point they would pull the plug and ask you to play something more conventional sounding.

First, I could care less about not being given the chance. I'm not in the business of music to allow people to have control over me. I learned along time ago to create my own musical existence. People in the industry are more open minded to trying different sounds than you believe.


The ones that are open minded I have nothing but respect.

Hoover at this point, I think we should nip this back and forth between us.

Hoover did you read what's in the link below(I posted in post #199)? It touches on my thoughts of using such an instrument as the 15 string bass. And just how some people may perceive such a instrument.

Invalid Link Removed

 

[bjabass]

Why not ask the luthier? He might have many reasons for thinking its a joke. Perhaps someone told him a great 15 string walks into a bar joke the night before?

A 15 string bass walks into a bar and the bartender says "man, you look really stressed". The bass says, "yeah, there's a lot of tension in my neck".

Just saying.

Tadump!

(I really believe that one deserved a rimshot...)

BTW, Between fan frets and more and more strings on a bass(or a guitar for that matter) I'm beginning to think we need some new names for these instruments.

 

[Hoover]

First, I could care less about not being given the chance. I'm not in the business of music to allow people to have control over me. I learned along time ago to create my own musical existence.

That's fine. I applaud your conviction and commitment. You're an individual idiosyncratic artist striving to pursue your own musical vision without compromise. I approve. I like individual idiosyncratic artists striving to pursue their own musical vision without compromise.

But I don't believe for an instant that "common sense" factors in to most of the creative decisions you or other equally impassioned visionary artists make, because by definition "common sense" is common. And if someone is less interested in being an individual idiosyncratic artist striving to pursue your own musical vision without compromise but more interested in being a jobbing bass player, they need to pay attention to the "practical" aspects of the job requirements. Like not having an instrument that will scare the poop out of the guitarist.

People in the industry are more open minded to trying different sounds than you believe.

Some people in the industry are more open minded to trying different sounds; and some people in the industry are less open minded to trying different sounds. Second guessing which type you're going to encounter when you show up to a working gig the very first time would be foolhardy.

Hoover did you read what's in the link below(I posted in post #199)? It touches on my thoughts of using such an instrument as the 15 string bass. And just how some people may perceive such a instrument.

Invalid Link Removed

I did read it, and I agree with it 100%. You yourself said it best: "There is a time and place for such a Bass"

My contention is that the Time & Place for a multicourse extended range bass is rarely going to be the everyday journeyman working jobs that the majority of professional bass players do for a living, and that should be a "practical" consideration for any bassist who wants to work. And that's "common sense".

 

[j-raj]

That Prat 15 was fun to play at NAMM:

 

[JAUQO III-X]

Hoover as I mentioned in the link. I would never take a 15 string bass or a ERB to an audition for anything unless it is requested.


The concept and creation of the 15 string bass came from me because I have a use for such an instrument.



Hey J how did you get my bass? J you've spent some time with the Dean 10 string, what are your thoughts on such an instruments practicality?

 

[spade2you]

No their not intentionally gold. I wanted them to be black but they are so tiny, that the machine that spray coats the saddles in general is so strong that it kept blowing the octave saddles away. And their to tine to clamp them in place.


It's the only type of bridge I would use for a 12 string bass.

LOL, so in other words, I'm stuck with gold hardware, eh?

 

[JAUQO III-X]

LOL, so in other words, I'm stuck with gold hardware, eh?

Yep. I wanted all black saddles as well

 

[David Jayne]

If given the chance I could use a 15 string on a commercial studio session, in Broadway pit, a GB band, or a traditional jazz combo.

Sure you could. But I seriously doubt you will be given the chance. Just sayin.......EDIT: Hoover beat me to it.

 

[Ric5]

Funny comment... considering that most of the prominent "bass wankers" play 4-string.

Actually, some years ago, Tom Petersson mentioned that a 12-string merits a more economical playing approach because it is more technically challenging, plus the tone is so much bigger.

+1

 

[j-raj]

Hey J how did you get my bass? J you've spent some time with the Dean 10 string, what are your thoughts on such an instruments practicality?

I was talking to Oscar at the NAMM show and I got time to spend with a bocote 4 string, that monster headless 12 string fanned fret beast and then I saw the 15 and immediately thought it was yours.

It plays real nice, the E-C tuning was interesting, eventhough I have done that on various 5's I've owned, I would have preferred to play your bass with B-G tuning. I really liked the width of the FB and the access to all of the strings. It was very cofortable to play. The balance was good and I noticed (while sitting) that it didn't neck dive too much.

I saw some italian cat shred on it while jamming with Dyson, Also some cat that played mandolin-like lines with it in the higher registers.

As for the 12/15/18 stringed triple coursers, I'm not personally a big fan. I like 8/10/12 dual course octave basses, especially for fingerstyle playing. My old 10 string Dean that I had 4 years ago was sold to Reginald Veal (Cassandra Wilson, Wynton, Eric Reed, Diane Reeves). I wished I didn't get rid of it.

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

That Prat 15 was fun to play at NAMM:

Looks like you were playing a 5-string and there was some motion blur on the camera

Very pretty.

 

[j-raj]

Looks like you were playing a 5-string and there was some motion blur on the camera

Very pretty.

That could be my girlfriend who took the picture...

Actually, I will attest, it did indeed have 15 strings.

 

[bucephylus]

Interesting bass.

Ignorant question though: I assume the "courses" are tuned in a major triad; so, doesn't that give everything you play a fixed Major kind of tonality? I mean, if I could have anything the courses might have more of a diatonic thing happening; which seems practically impossible. Anyhow, this setup would seem to work against some things to me.

Anyhow, the bass sounds great; interesting to hear all those parallel voices in the bass lines.

 

[12bass]

Generally, the courses are set up as a fundamental, plus two unison octave strings. Some have experimented with fifths and other intervals.

 

[JAUQO III-X]

Interesting bass.

Ignorant question though: I assume the "courses" are tuned in a major triad; so, doesn't that give everything you play a fixed Major kind of tonality? I mean, if I could have anything the courses might have more of a diatonic thing happening; which seems practically impossible. Anyhow, this setup would seem to work against some things to me.

Anyhow, the bass sounds great; interesting to hear all those parallel voices in the bass lines.

I use and have the bass set up as follows. For each standard string there two octave strings.

As 12bass has said. Two unison octave strings.

 

[bucephylus]

I use and have the bass set up as follows. For each standard string there two two octave strings.

As 12bass has said. Two unison octave strings.

Gotcha. Cool.