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hieronymous
Advanced Member
Username: hieronymous

Post Number: 207
Registered: 1-2005
Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 4:08 pm:   Edit Post

Kind of thinking out loud here...

One bass that I would love to own would be an 8-string (the old school kind with doubled courses) Alembic. Not a Spyder - as much as I love the shape, I already have an Exploiter and I don't feel like I need another bass in that shape.

But recently I have begun playing 6-string bass (not the old school Fender VI/"baritone" type - already got a couple of those too) and a 6-string Alembic sounds like a cool idea too. If I were to get just a 6-string, I thought maybe a 6-string Tribute bass would be neat! I just double-checked - the one over at Bass Central is a 5-string.

But THEN I realized - how about a doubleneck! 6-string bass on top, doubled-course 8-string on the bottom?!!! But why stop there - how about a non-doubled 8-string on top and a doubled 8-string on the bottom???!!! I think I've learned a lot from the doubleneck I already own - for instance, I would want the bridge and tailpiece on the lower neck to be closer to the bottom of the body.

Actually, what I've really learned is that I don't want another doubleneck! But it was fun to imagine it!
byoung
Senior Member
Username: byoung

Post Number: 782
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 8:22 pm:   Edit Post

What about something sorta "chapman stick-y", where there was only one neck, but you had, say, a contrabass over a doubled 4 string.

i.e.: BEADGC+EeAaDdGg

As long as you could get the coursed strings to match the pull of the regular strings, I think you could pull it off.

You might also want to invest in a finger extension kit. :-)
jacko
Senior Member
Username: jacko

Post Number: 1396
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Friday, October 05, 2007 - 4:42 am:   Edit Post

I've been wondering lately whether it would be possible to get either an exploiter or a dragon wing in 5 strings. I'm sure it must be, but I've not seen one (or even any discussion) so far.

graeme
adriaan
Senior Member
Username: adriaan

Post Number: 1625
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Friday, October 05, 2007 - 5:16 am:   Edit Post

Graeme, I remember a lined fretless Spyder that came up for sale acouple of years ago, so people do order weird and wonderful mongrels. Also, there are instruments being built without an FTC thread on the Club, so we're not seeing everything - though sometimes we get a glimpse in the background of a photograph.
hieronymous
Advanced Member
Username: hieronymous

Post Number: 208
Registered: 1-2005
Posted on Friday, October 05, 2007 - 4:17 pm:   Edit Post

Hey Bradley, the Chapman Stick idea is interesting, but I'm having enough trouble with just a 6-string bass neck!

The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of a 6-string Tribute bass. Are the Tributes heavy? Mind you, I'm still just thinking out loud here, no real plans...











(Famous last words?)
anarchyx
New
Username: anarchyx

Post Number: 3
Registered: 10-2007
Posted on Friday, October 05, 2007 - 6:42 pm:   Edit Post

i thought basses only came in 4 or 5 strings
keurosix
Intermediate Member
Username: keurosix

Post Number: 198
Registered: 10-2005
Posted on Friday, October 05, 2007 - 8:34 pm:   Edit Post

Basses come in many string configurations: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and octave courses, etc. Check out www.extendedrangebassist.com for all the poop on ERB's.
Kris
hieronymous
Advanced Member
Username: hieronymous

Post Number: 210
Registered: 1-2005
Posted on Friday, October 05, 2007 - 9:37 pm:   Edit Post

I've actually been entertaining another idea - instead of a 6-string bass, a 5-string with a high C instead of the low B and a D-tuner for the E string. Not a new idea I know, but I'm just not sure how much I need the low B string. I picked up a cheap(er) Ibanez SR-506 to see how I like the 6-string, and so far I'm using the high C a lot and the low B not so much. And I definitely need to work on my muting techniques - the B keeps ringing out with sympathetic vibrations. I think my muting is pretty good on the 4-string, but it's not cutting it on the 6...
byoung
Senior Member
Username: byoung

Post Number: 784
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Saturday, October 06, 2007 - 1:27 pm:   Edit Post

Harry,

Since I know you've played piccolo bass in the past, think about a 6 tuned EADGCF, too.

Better yet, EAD + EeAaDd. And make half fretless.

With double bridges and nuts. Perfect.

In a hollow bodied tribute, it might not be entirely do-able, since it's a set neck.
anarchyx
New
Username: anarchyx

Post Number: 7
Registered: 10-2007
Posted on Saturday, October 06, 2007 - 4:17 pm:   Edit Post

I never thought basses came in so many different varieties: 4,5,6,7,8,9, octave courses,etc; regular basses and piccolo basses. dude!
dannobasso
Senior Member
Username: dannobasso

Post Number: 647
Registered: 3-2004
Posted on Sunday, October 07, 2007 - 6:14 am:   Edit Post

Some have their favorite 4 banger and stick with it, which is great for being consistant. I prefer to explore whatever is out there. I would love to have 10 str chorused 5. Perhaps Susan and Mica will talk me into onein the future. For now its 4-5-6-7-8 and 12 bangers. I was fortunate enoughto play Trip Wamsley's Alembic 8. The neck felt totally flat like a Chapman Stick. Anything is possible these days.
anarchyx
Junior
Username: anarchyx

Post Number: 13
Registered: 10-2007
Posted on Sunday, October 07, 2007 - 8:19 am:   Edit Post

so far, I'm just used to 4-string, but I would really like to explore the wonders of the bass. r u serious they have 12 bangers?
keith_h
Senior Member
Username: keith_h

Post Number: 865
Registered: 2-2005
Posted on Sunday, October 07, 2007 - 10:32 am:   Edit Post

"r u serious they have 12 bangers?"

Yes they have been around for awhile. They use two octave strings for each fundamental string. Doug Pinnick of Kings X and Tom Petersson of Cheap Trick are two well known players. Another person and excellent bassist who shows up here from time to time is Tony Senatore. He uses a 12 string in many of his recordings.

Keith
anarchyx
Junior
Username: anarchyx

Post Number: 18
Registered: 10-2007
Posted on Sunday, October 07, 2007 - 12:19 pm:   Edit Post

oh
fc_spoiler
Senior Member
Username: fc_spoiler

Post Number: 643
Registered: 5-2006
Posted on Sunday, October 07, 2007 - 12:24 pm:   Edit Post

8 string "banger": Click here
the_8_string_king
Senior Member
Username: the_8_string_king

Post Number: 864
Registered: 9-2005
Posted on Sunday, October 07, 2007 - 7:42 pm:   Edit Post

Well, while we're talking about multi-string/extended range basses, it's worth referencing THE most extended range bass Alembic has ever made... MINE: http://www.alembic.com/info/8string.html 8 strings and 31 frets, giving it an incredible 5&1/2 octave range... same as a 7-string with a 3 octave/36 fret neck...
keurosix
Intermediate Member
Username: keurosix

Post Number: 199
Registered: 10-2005
Posted on Sunday, October 07, 2007 - 8:19 pm:   Edit Post

Anarchyx,
Here is a 12 string Octave bass with 6 pairs, not 4 doubled octaves - Being built at Alembic now:

http://alembic.com/club/messages/631/14858.html?1190315391

Harry,
The low B string is useful when you want to hit the root below E when in the key of Eflat, D, Dflat, C, or B, etc. Also to walk up to the root from the 7th or other step depending on the key. When I first went to a 5 string, I found the lower support of the root on the B string was easier on the mind than detuning, and adapting different fingerings. Of course, if your speaker can't reproduce it, you won't think it a viable option to play frequently.
Kris
jacko
Senior Member
Username: jacko

Post Number: 1405
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Monday, October 08, 2007 - 4:44 am:   Edit Post

lets not forget jean baudin who now has a 12 string ERB (not pictured on his website). Remember the 11 string 'Hideous Claw' that was discussed here some time ago. On his gear page also has a very nice lined (in red) fretless Epic 6 string.

Graeme
byoung
Senior Member
Username: byoung

Post Number: 786
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Monday, October 08, 2007 - 4:13 pm:   Edit Post

There have been some hints dropped to the effect of Jean's bass being a "shop night" bass-- and it definitely has the "Alembic Vibe".

Specifically, Jean stated that it "started as a current production bass", and you can definitely see the triple omega influence (the bottom half of the bass definitely looks like the top of a production triple omega).

That would make it the most extended range bass ever built *at* Alembic, but yours is the most extended range built *by* Alembic.

Bradley
hieronymous
Advanced Member
Username: hieronymous

Post Number: 213
Registered: 1-2005
Posted on Tuesday, October 09, 2007 - 8:16 am:   Edit Post

Bradley, the EADGCF idea is really interesting - I can see it now - a short scale Tribute bass tuned EADGCF. But wait, the baritone on my doubleneck is already kind of like that, but tuned ADGCEA and more guitar-like. Maybe I'll stick with 5-string Tribute tuned EADGC...

This thread turned out to be fun!
hieronymous
Advanced Member
Username: hieronymous

Post Number: 326
Registered: 1-2005
Posted on Wednesday, July 09, 2008 - 1:13 pm:   Edit Post

I still think about getting some kind of EADGC bass - been working on getting my Bass VI reissue into shape, that could push me back towards EADGBE again. Anyway, thought I'd put this thread back on the radar!

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