6stringbassist

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='94398' date='Nov 26 2007, 08:46 AM']Slightly off-the-wall thought but one worth considering. If you're buying something a bit special and second-hand, e.g. a 60's Jazz with original case which is going to cost you £2000, the postage to the UK will cost £60-£80 and the 22% duty on the whole lot is going to set you back >£450. For that amount of money, you can get a return ticket to New York and pick up the bass in person. If you carry an old guitar case through Customs as part of your luggage, no one at Heathrow will bat an eyelid. Bin there, dun that. You'll save on the US postage, too! If the old bass does NOT come with an old case, no worries. Take an old case to New York with you. That makes the return trip even easier, since you'll be able to prove that the case (and presumably the contents) were yours to start with.[/quote] I bought a bass back from New York earlier in the year, I flew airFrance from Birmingham via CDG Paris both ways, this was far cheaper than flying direct, and also meant that my return flight into Birmingham was from an EU country, I just walked straight out through customs with no hindrance at all, saving lots of money.

I think that most people are really missing the whole point of ERBs. They are not normal bass guitars, they are an extension to a bass guitar, as an F1 race car is to a Vauxhall Nova, you wouldn't use an F1 car to take the kids to school, or race a Nova in a grand prix. Sure they can be used, as a normal bass, you can stand there in the pub and play Mustang Sally for half an hour if you are that way inclined, and only use the same notes as on a four string, which is what people keep saying....."I had a 6 string and used it in my covers band, I didn't use the extra strings so I sold it..etc, etc". That's not THE role of an ERB. OR....you can explore all of the harmonic possibilities that are open to you ie. I can play chords and a bassline at the same time, a melody and a bassline, a bassline and solo at the same time. Not something that you'd do down the Duck and Ferret on a Saturday night I agree. But in the right musical setting it works great...I was typing this while Dood was typing his answer above, a good example is John Myung, he uses it in the right setting. I play in a four piece jazz group, featuring bass, drums, guitar and sax. When the guitar solos it's just me and the drummer behind him, playing chords and bass notes fills the whole thing out. When did you last see Matt Garrison (he plays a 5 string I know, but it has the range of a 6 string), or John Patitucci, or Steve Lawson, or Michael Manring, or Yves Carbonne playing the sort of songs that a pub band plays, they don't, they use the ERB for what it was intended for, that is playing BEYOND the role of a normal bass.

What are you classing as an ERB, I only play a 6 string and use it for everything from Jazz to funk and rock, and experimental stuff.

That is truly amazing, what a beautiful looking instrument. What rig do you use ?. I got hooked on ERB's a few years ago after seeing a guy at a music show playing a 9 string, being able to play notes lower than a conventional bass, and all of those high notes is so cool. You're only limited by your imagination, not by your instrument. Congratulations on a fantastic instrument, I really mean that.

[quote name='fusionbassist1' post='86569' date='Nov 10 2007, 06:18 PM']was that aimed at me by any chance?? i play four.....never played any mroe than that either...[/quote] No, definately not, I didn't know what you played. It's just my observation from looking at the numerous other threads like this, either here or on Talkbass. There are a few other replies earlier on in the thread though that come over a bit like that, kind of like the punk thing back in the 70's, where they openly bragged about not being able to play their instruments.....not that I'm saying that about anyone on here, but to me when someone, especially another musician, and a bassplayer as well starts to be deprecating about ERBs, I just find it wierd. I agree with what you've said, that's why I quoted you, sorry if I came across wrong.

[quote name='fusionbassist1' post='86550' date='Nov 10 2007, 05:47 PM']my only thing to contribute to this debate is that in my eyes bass is a role rather than an instrument with 'x' amount of strings or 'x' amounts of frets. As long as you're playing lower than the melody instruments and contributing some bass frequencies to the mix then i honestly don't care what's producing these sounds. it's then down to the tone you want, whether that be a synthetic keyboard like bass sound, bass guitar, tuba etc is up to you. If high notes is what you want then in the same way it shouldn't matter what kind of instrument is making the sounds. it's a fact that at the higher frets of even four string bass guitars you're starting to dabble in guitar freq territory but you don't hear people complaining about that on such a level either. Anyone's opinions on what I said would be very interesting for me o read through [/quote] True, in fact anything higher than Eb (6th fret on the A string) is a note that's also on a guitar. And why do bassplayers who choose to play a 4 string, appear so smug about it when posting their comments on this sort of thread.

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='86525' date='Nov 10 2007, 04:55 PM']Is that the best you can do? I'd say the looper is more important than the 6 string and with the greatest respect to Steve (i dont think it was intended as a performance) was boring boring boring![/quote] No, it's not the best I can do......it was purely meant as an example of someone playing a 6 string bass. He couldn't obviously do it without the looperlative, but that immaterial, it's the piece of music that is important.

[quote name='16Again' post='85987' date='Nov 9 2007, 03:28 PM']I agree with you bilbo! I'm a firm believer that if you cant do it with 4 or 5 strings, why bother doing it at all! Get a guitar. IMHO. [/quote] [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7IofD4lSq0"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7IofD4lSq0[/url] This is what can be done with a 6 string, can't be done with a guitar, very hard to do with a 5 string unless it's fitted with a high 'C' string, and I don't think can be done with a 4 string. Obviously this all depends on your creativity, open mindeness and above all desire to want to play something a little bit different, and push the bounderies a bit.

[quote name='dood' post='85823' date='Nov 9 2007, 10:40 AM']Mebbe it's because I have a 610 opposed to the 310.. that would no doubt sound different. Should have clarified that really.[/quote] I'd like to try a 6x10, I bet that'd sound pretty good. But I do think that our observations of equipment is very subjective, one mans 'mid scoop' is anothers 'flat' sounding cab, while someone else describes a cab as being 'flat sounding' while someone else hears a 'low mid bump'. I think it's best to try a piece of gear yourself, and let your own ears decide.

I've been experimenting this last week with some flats.....there's not much of a selection for a 6 string bass. TI flats, I wasn't overly impressed, and they were the most expensive. The main thing with them was the odd guages, a 136 B and then 100, 70, 56, 43, 33. They felt OK, perhaps a little too loose, and the sound wasn't really to my liking. Rotosound RS77s - way too much tension, for me anyway. Quite a nice bright sound, I could get a reay nice Stanley Clarke sound out of them, they were just way too tight though. Status hotwires......my favourites and they were actually the cheapest as well. Just the right amount of tension for fast fingerstyle funk or jazz, and a very balanced sound, not too much of anything, enabling you to EQ in the sound you need....highly recommended.

I always thought my 3x10 had a low mid bump, we all hear things differently.