worried about tuning? sheesh! you sissymarys! they do build these things to stay in tune, you know? just takes a little while longer.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Why would a luthier feel that a 15 string
- Thread starter JAUQO III-X
- Start date
Awesome.
It took me a while to realize I have to weed out the stuffy techs from the truly inspired and talented techs out there. I now employ three techs, each with his own area of expertise, to help me maintain my collection of over 100 guitars, basses, mandolins, ukuleles, banjos, dobros, etc.
I can't wait to see (and hear) the 15-stringer.
It's actually not that hard. Hipshot makes one. That's what Kevin Brubaker used on the 12 he made. Then again that was 12 singles.
Now strings OTOH are a bear.
And there's always monorail bridges or back in the day Wilkinson could do a custom plate that would accept whatever number of string saddles you wanted.
The 12-string bass I had my friend at Electrical Guitar Company make has a Schaller bridge. I bought it from Warmoth. It's made to be an 8-string or 12-string bridge; the saddles need to have their grooves cut by your luthier.
Here's a picture of the bridge on my 12-string:
There are 4 main saddles on the bridge. Each saddle has two independently adjustable saddles on it, so once you get the strings intonated with each other (by using the actual saddles the strings sit on), you can then adjust them together using the main saddle they are on so you can intonate that course of strings with the other groups. All my strings are dead on from "the factory"; I've never had to adjust them.
They did? Wow, didn't know that. I should have bought more than one...
Here's a close-up shot of the bridge that I just took with my cellphone:
Here's a close-up shot of the bridge that I just took with my cellphone:
Chris (BadComrade) you know I love that 12 string.
Guys you have to see it in person. It is truly a work of art.
Guys you have to see it in person. It is truly a work of art.
The 12-string bass I had my friend at Electrical Guitar Company make has a Schaller bridge. I bought it from Warmoth. It's made to be an 8-string or 12-string bridge; the saddles need to have their grooves cut by your luthier.
Here's a picture of the bridge on my 12-string:
There are 4 main saddles on the bridge. Each saddle has two independently adjustable saddles on it, so once you get the strings intonated with each other (by using the actual saddles the strings sit on), you can then adjust them together using the main saddle they are on so you can intonate that course of strings with the other groups. All my strings are dead on from "the factory"; I've never had to adjust them.
Can you explain the electronics on this 12'ver?
Passive electronics. Kevin hand-wound the pickups. They have lots of Alnico V magnets in them. There are 4 volume knobs (I never use tone knobs). The switches directly under the volume knobs are on / off switches for the pickups. The toggles between those on / off switches are coil taps for the 2 guitar pickups. The bass pickups go to an output jack, and the guitar pickups go to another. The middle toggle allows me to route the guitar pickups to the bass output jack, in case I want to use one amp instead of a separate bass amp and guitar amp. Thing sounds WAY cooler through two amps than one, though.
back in about 98 or 99 I called a luthier about building a 4 string tuned f#B,E,A...he didn't want to do it either, was concerned about getting strings and amplification...now we got the Warwick Dark lord, and others that can do that not to mention 9 and 12 string single course basses...
Perhaps you should just ask another luthier...(just read the whole post,glad you found someone to do it>)
Perhaps you should just ask another luthier...(just read the whole post,glad you found someone to do it>)
He already did ask another luthier, GOX42. He also had a 15-string fretless made by Warrior years and years ago. All right here in the thread, if you read it.
Jauqo: That's what Kevin said the first time I explained the wiring I wanted... haha.
Jauqo: That's what Kevin said the first time I explained the wiring I wanted... haha.
That is funny.
But I have to give it to you Chris the electronics lay out and it's possibilities are awesome.
Rickett Customs
Commercial User
As long as someone has the $ out to do so, I don't take it as a joke. Just remember, that there are not alot of hardware mfg, that make a "production" 15 string bridge (a little extra cost...... Also don't for get about the weight of the tuners, would have to counter the weight on the body.
The bridge on the Warrior 15-string was wood, no? I always wondered how the intonation could ever be true given the different lengths required. An out-of-tune multi-course bass is not my idea of fun....
i'm pretty sure that Bill Conklin would make a multi-course 15 string.. and not give a hard time about it..
I don't know about now but at one time he was not interested in taking on such a build.
Again the only and very first company I ever asked to build such a bass was Warrior. All JD Lewis of Warrior asked me was could I be more specific? After I answered his question, he simply said yes I think we can do that.
