wtf? 8-string bass?

[Jouni]

someone is selling a "vintage" bass. Anyone seen or played these?

http://muusikoiden.net/dyn/tori/126480.jpg

 

[heroics321]

I love 8-string basses... very interesting beasts. Check out Jeremy by Peal Jam, the strange bell-sounding harmonics are from an 8-string.

 

[Jouni]

Heard that, good song, maybe best PJ imho. hmmm..

 

[Slowrider]

8-string Hagstroms were great, played em but never bought one. Did you see the off-brand 12 string bass on Ebay last week. Almost bought that one ,only because I've never had one! It was kinda snot green color, but semi hollow body would have been nice.

 

[ScreamingHead69]

The dude from Manowar plays the piano parts from Heart of Steal on an 8-string live. I don't know if there's anymore Manowar fans around here but trust me, it's cool!

 

[Farview]

The dude from Manowar plays the piano parts from Heart of Steal on an 8-string live. I don't know if there's anymore Manowar fans around here but trust me, it's cool!

Joey is a friend of mine. If anyone remember "Defender" off of "Fighting the World", the whole first part of that song (before the guitar comes in) is an 8-string bass. It does have a unique sound.

BTW. The 'BRONG!!!' at teh beginning of Metallica's "Sad But True" is a 12 string bass.

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

I love 8-string basses... very interesting beasts. Check out Jeremy by Peal Jam, the strange bell-sounding harmonics are from an 8-string.

Jeff's actually playing a 12-string in that song.

To the O.P.- if you're impressed by an eight-string like that, try an eight string like this:

 

[Farview]

How about a 9 string bass

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

I'll up you with a lefty 10-string:


I can do this all the way up to a 12-string non-doubled

 

[mshilarious]

That's getting a little silly. Why not use a six-string bass tuned in fifths?

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

Harder to play chords, harder to tap melodies if you're used to tuning in 4ths, and a lot less natural harmonics than a bass with more strings will give you (a lot of the players I know who use basses like this make great use of the exteneded amount of harmonics).

 

[lbanks]

I used to own a 12 string.

 

[mshilarious]

Harder to play chords, harder to tap melodies if you're used to tuning in 4ths, and a lot less natural harmonics than a bass with more strings will give you (a lot of the players I know who use basses like this make great use of the exteneded amount of harmonics).

C'mon a REAL bass has a 42-44" scale length. I ain't gonna hear no sissies complaining about chords on a 34"

Also a six-string tuned in fifths would be CGDAEB, eight string in fourths, BEADGBEA (I presume, never played such a beast). Doesn't seem to have more variety in harmonics. Each string has the tonic, a fifth, a third, and a minor seventh. By my reckoning, that yields all twelve tones with a six string in fifths. Now if you tune the eight string in straight fourths rather than following the guitar's tuning from G-B, then you would have all the notes too, otherwise you'd be missing Bb.

Bass tapping . . . don't know what to say there, but nobody wakes up one morning "used to" tapping on an eight-string bass. Presumably they had to decide to buy the beast in the first place, and then practice . . .

 

[Farview]

The low string is an F#. Most of them don't tune from G to B like a guitar, they go F# B E A D G C F Bb

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

C'mon a REAL bass has a 42-44" scale length. I ain't gonna hear no sissies complaining about chords on a 34"

Also a six-string tuned in fifths would be CGDAEB, eight string in fourths, BEADGBEA (I presume, never played such a beast). Doesn't seem to have more variety in harmonics. Each string has the tonic, a fifth, a third, and a minor seventh. By my reckoning, that yields all twelve tones with a six string in fifths. Now if you tune the eight string in straight fourths rather than following the guitar's tuning from G-B, then you would have all the notes too, otherwise you'd be missing Bb.

Bass tapping . . . don't know what to say there, but nobody wakes up one morning "used to" tapping on an eight-string bass. Presumably they had to decide to buy the beast in the first place, and then practice . . .

When's the last time you saw an upright player holding down a four-note diminished chord?

As for the harmonics I mean the variety of natural harmonic octaves. You can get all the notes you want out of a one-string with eleven frets, but those other note tones give you the variety you want.

It's actually very natural to tap on an extended range bass (I've owned a couple seven-strings) when it's tuned in fourths. You'd tap it the same way you'd tap any other bass. Tune even a four-string in fifths though and all of the intervalic fingerings you've become used to are gone. Still a fun challenge though. I believe the 10-string I pictured has a low F# for its lowest string, but it may be a low C#- I'll ask Yves sometime.

 

[mshilarious]

As for the harmonics I mean the variety of natural harmonic octaves.

I was also referring to natural harmonics.

It's actually very natural to tap on an extended range bass (I've owned a couple seven-strings) when it's tuned in fourths. You'd tap it the same way you'd tap any other bass.

I would never tap on a bass, or a guitar for that matter. The '80s were a long time ago.

low F# for its lowest string, but it may be a low C#- I'll ask Yves sometime.

F# below the normal low E string is 23Hz, C# below that is 17Hz. Getting kinda silly there, it would sound poor unless the scale length was considerably longer.

 

[Zaphod B]

You guys are making my hands hurt, just talking about it!

 

[Rokket]

The low string is an F#. Most of them don't tune from G to B like a guitar, they go F# B E A D G C F Bb

I had posted a web page on here last year that had about 100 different tunings for everything from 4-12 string basses. It had every configuration from 12 straight strings to doubled 6 to a 4 with 2 subs. The page recommended tuning the subs slightly flat to the main and one flat to the other to give it a true sound.

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

I was also referring to natural harmonics.

I know- I was just pointing out that the number of natural harmonic octaves will always be greater on a bass with more strings, no matter what the tuning.

I would never tap on a bass, or a guitar for that matter. The '80s were a long time ago.

HA! Truth be told though, tapping goes way, way beyond what they did back then. Michael Hedges (RIP), Michael Manring, and Jean Baudin are three guys (amongst hundreds of others) that use tapping to make truly unique and beautiful music that goes beyond the technique itself. Check them out if you haven't.

F# below the normal low E string is 23Hz, C# below that is 17Hz. Getting kinda silly there, it would sound poor unless the scale length was considerably longer.

This has been discussed at length before on other forums I visit. Basically, the human ear is technically not supposed to hear the fundamental at this level. Many still can though, and most can still hear the lowest harmonic content of it. There's an album out by Jauqo III-X Reality called "The Low C# Theory" where he uses the low C# string at length on his sub-contra four-string. It's a bit too low for my liking, but many people dig the sub-bass stuff. Having good speakers is a must though just to hear it. The scale length is actually purportedly fine at 34" because there is so much tension in the string (I think a low C# is generally a .195) that it counteracts a lot of the flop you'd get from tuning so low.

 

[mshilarious]

This has been discussed at length before on other forums I visit. Basically, the human ear is technically not supposed to hear the fundamental at this level. Many still can though, and most can still hear the lowest harmonic content of it. There's an album out by Jauqo III-X Reality called "The Low C# Theory" where he uses the low C# string at length on his sub-contra four-string. It's a bit too low for my liking, but many people dig the sub-bass stuff. Having good speakers is a must though just to hear it. The scale length is actually purportedly fine at 34" because there is so much tension in the string (I think a low C# is generally a .195) that it counteracts a lot of the flop you'd get from tuning so low.

No, I'm all for low notes, it's silly on a short scale length. Using a giant thick string is not the best solution, a longer scale length is. I don't feel that 34" is adequate for the regular ol' low E, 36" is better, and 38" where a low fifth string is added. Heck, I'm playing a 30" with a .135 C. It's not enough, but I happen to like the bass, and I can't afford an upright which is what I really want But I'd bet a low low low C# would sound a heck of a lot better on a 42" scale length.

It's all a compromise, man. Farview straightening me out on tuning, but then the available harmonics are roughly the same. How about the playability difference across a wider fretboard? How about the weight? How about the difference in price? That's gotta be a few thou.

Tuning in fifths . . . it's worth a shot. If you are too used to the same old patterns, break out.