velvetkevorkian

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1330864184' post='1563892'] Meh. It's just a hole you stick your thing into. [/quote] ...said the actress to the bishop.

[quote name='velvetkevorkian' timestamp='1330020091' post='1551613'] Heh, I tried drop A with the strings on it (10s with a .058 B I think) and that was pretty wobbly. If I do try it it will have to be a special order set, possibly a mix of bass and guitar strings- the guy uses something insane like a .090 for the bottom string. [/quote] Just had another try with drop A- same strings but tweaking the amp [modeller] settings. Actually sounded OK. Might stick with this for a bit.

I remember seeing these on TalkBass, but I don't think I've seen or heard anything from them on this side of the Atlantic.

The short answer is that most of what we hear as a note is not the fundamental frequency, and it's actually different combinations of harmonics right up the string which make up the sound we hear. On a 4 string, the bottom E is ~41hz but most cabs don't produce very much of that, but we still hear it as a low E. I'm not really the expert on this but there's plenty of discussion around on this kind of thing, and there are people using super low tunings.

I've not, for a few reasons: -buying sets of strings is expensive, and I like Elixirs which are even more expensive. -I don't think I would make enough use of it musically. I don't use the low B all that often -I have neither the money nor the inclination to invest a lot of time and effort in getting a rig that's capable of it- most of the gigs I've played use borrowed/shared amps, and I have zero interest in the insane gear whoring that goes on in the ams section of the forum. Still, never say never...

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1330261751' post='1554742'] And it's quite a long way down... The Jam Café is smaller. [/quote] [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1330260544' post='1554707'] We play fairly regularly at the Jam Café in Nottingham. The whole of the main room is about the size of an average small stage. The band are expected to play in one corner by the door. We get around it by blurring the boundaries between the band and audience. [/quote] It looks more like you're blurring the boundaries between up and down. Strap the drummer to the ceiling too- instantly loads of free space. [I assume he is mid-flip, rather than attached upside down]

No, I keep my 7 string bass tuned BEADGBE to match the guitar instead. All 4ths is tempting though, just for the ease of transposition.

Could you mount the pickups from the rear and therefore not take any wood out the top at all? I'm sure I've seen this done but I have no idea where or by whom This would work especially well if you could have the neck sit lower on the body than on a normal bass (because you don't need to clear the pickups).

[quote name='EdwardHimself' timestamp='1330188805' post='1553934'] I don't think the telecaster baritone really works as a concept imo. [/quote] Chuck a Bareknuckle p'up in the bridge and tune it to drop G?

[quote name='PTB' timestamp='1329933364' post='1550018'] Go for one with wheels, makes life much easier. I use one from Tom & Will. [/quote] Just be careful that the bass isn't resting on the fastenings inside- I have some chips through the finish on my bass where the fasteners holding the wheel on have rubbed the back of the bass. [quote name='fatback' timestamp='1330002432' post='1551130'] Even the soft cases are a pest to store. They seem to have minds of their own, so when you fold them up they unravel themselves over 10 minutes with lots of shooshing, creaking noises that make you jump. Under the bed is good (once they've quietened down). I'm going to try hanging mine on a wall. [/quote] You can also kick them into shape- try doing that with a hardshell. In seriousness, I would definitely go for the heavier duty ones. I have a 4/4 size one which is a bit of a beast, but I feel much happier when I'm out an about with the bass (wheels aside). They're not [i]that[/i] hard to fold up.

Heh, I tried drop A with the strings on it (10s with a .058 B I think) and that was pretty wobbly. If I do try it it will have to be a special order set, possibly a mix of bass and guitar strings- the guy uses something insane like a .090 for the bottom string.

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1329996239' post='1550940'] Is Black Machine still producing? I remember having a go on the guy from Cry For Silence's 8 stringer and it really was a stunning piece of work! Truckstop [/quote] They are pretty special looking. Very difficult to get a spot on the waiting list apparently.

I'm still very much enjoying my own Omen Extreme 7 which I got about 6 weeks ago, although I'm a pretty terrible guitarist. I saw a post on sevenstring.org from a chap who tuned his 27" scale (the Schecters should be 26.5") E Bb E Bb E Bb E, where the low E is the same as a bass guitar low E and high E is the same as a normal guitar high E- quite fancy giving that a shot. If I had €1400 to spare I'd totally buy [url="http://www.ranguitars.com/ran_models/crusher-ff8"]this Ran[/url] though.

[quote name='BabuHS' timestamp='1329590755' post='1544701'] If you're willing to have one shipped over, I'd say the Agile could be a very good shout. I used to own a baritone-scale 7 string Agile, and it was an exceptionally nice instrument. [/quote] I'd be wary of getting a new Agile- their returns policy doesn't apply outside the US so if you get a dodgy one (which does happen, by all accounts) you're stuck with it. If you can see what you want used though, go for it.

I haven's used either, but I have gazed longingly at the 10. The 10 lets you have two signal chains and blend between them, and I think it has a crossover for splitting the signal into lows/highs. For general effects though I'd imagine the 6 is fine- I have a Boss VF-1 rackmount which predates the 6 and the effects on that are great.

One of the nice things about the Todd Johnson technique is that it scales very well past 5 to 6, 7 and probably more strings with very little adjustment, and the plucking hand's position remains the same whatever string you're playing. Jakester, it sounds like your hand changes position quite a lot as you move up the strings- broadly speaking I'd try and avoid that if possible, as it makes it more difficult to play consistently IMO. The way you describe it I find it hard to imagine that it doesn't affect the way you play. Not necessarily a bad thing, and you might find it works for you, but maybe something to be aware of.

I've seen a few people on TB get the Squier Active Jazz Deluxe (I think) 5 string, change the bridge and add an extra tuner. The neck is wide enough that it works, if you're OK with narrow spacing. edit: whoops, you want 18-19mm spacing, which I doubt that will provide. Never mind!

[quote name='wal4string' timestamp='1329255226' post='1539778'] For me double thumbing is just too awkward. The Mark King left hand slap is a far better in my opinion, a bit of a brain bender to begin with but works fine in the end. Check out Stuart Claytons Transcriptions of the Level 42 songs to see how he does it. Love Games is a good starter. [/quote] I'm the opposite- I find double thumbing much easier than regular slap, although admittedly I never play other people's slap lines. Just try and adapt some lines that you play normally to work with the double thumb. I do it at the same place you would slap normally.

Just realised the title does specify Gibson. Oops.

ESP Eclipse?

When I have bought basses (not had a new one in a while now) it was generally because they offered specific features at an attractive price- cheap 5 string, cheap 5 string fretless, moderately expensive 7 string. I didn't have my heart set on any of them specifically before they popped up for sale. All bought sight unseen, so playability, sound etc basically secondary, although if they didn't play OK they probably wouldn't have lasted long.

You can turn them off for more, er, "restrained" gigs surely?

[quote name='leftybassman392' timestamp='1328713081' post='1531527'] Downside is that you need to rethink a lot of your stuff to get the best from it. Is it worth the effort for you? [/quote] I hear this a lot from people, but for me the transition was totally natural, with very little technique adjustment required. That aside, the notes below E are great for filling out the space. Go for it.

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1328554735' post='1529040'] Don't bother....buy a Peavey or Hartke. [/quote] Have you used one?