15 string bass

[Piggery Bandana]

Just what the doctor ordered .... end of the gig .... crowd wailing for an encore .... salty sweat pissing down into my eyes, can barely see ... ears are ringing from 2 hours of cymbals and backline abuse ..... Singer goading the crowd with "Do you want some more RAWK N ROWL?".. Me pondering "is this the time? .... damn right it is!" So I unzip my pants and pull out this monstrous Penis extention, plug it in and treat the punters to the straight 8 boogie of AC/DC's "Shake your foundations" all played on this!!!.

Dont think so somehow, do you?

Just leaves me cold and uninspired! The technique is interesting enough in a vaguely Wooten/Stu Hamm kinda way but is what he is doing being actually being compensated by the additional strings, would it sound earth shattering played on say a sh*tty, bad be-pickuped, squier precision?

[Earbrass]

I just wanted to say what a great username Piggery Bandana is. I may have to type it again

[size=4][b]Piggery Bandana[/b][/size]


ahhh that's better.

[Doddy]

[quote name='Piggery Bandana' post='1228738' date='May 12 2011, 01:15 PM']Just leaves me cold and uninspired! The technique is interesting enough in a vaguely Wooten/Stu Hamm kinda way but is what he is doing being actually being compensated by the additional strings, would it sound earth shattering played on say a sh*tty, bad be-pickuped, squier precision?[/quote]

His technique is interesting because he's got this hybrid technique of playing slap and
pick-style together.

As far as getting at the guy for using a 15 string,it's worth bearing in mind that John Paul Jones
especially Tom Petersson have used a 12 string bass for years. Jauqo's bass is the same thing,just
a 5 string version. Allen Woody (Allman Bros.,Govt. Mule) used to use a Modulus 18 string!!

[risingson]

[quote name='Doddy' post='1228790' date='May 12 2011, 01:38 PM']As far as getting at the guy for using a 15 string,it's worth bearing in mind that John Paul Jones
especially Tom Petersson have used a 12 string bass for years. Jauqo's bass is the same thing,just
a 5 string version. Allen Woody (Allman Bros.,Govt. Mule) used to use a Modulus 18 string!![/quote]

John Paul Jones was in Led Zeppelin, one of the most successful bands of all time worth in the region of £34m, he could probably release a CD worth of Rodgers and Hammerstein arrangements for solo bass and it still be lauded as impressive!

[RhysP]

[quote name='Doddy' post='1228790' date='May 12 2011, 01:38 PM']As far as getting at the guy for using a 15 string,it's worth bearing in mind that John Paul Jones
especially Tom Petersson have used a 12 string bass for years. Jauqo's bass is the same thing,just
a 5 string version. Allen Woody (Allman Bros.,Govt. Mule) used to use a Modulus 18 string!![/quote]
It's a 5 string with two sets of octave strings is it?
Oh bugger, I've wasted a good rant now.
I still stand by everything I've said even if it may no longer be relevant in this particular instance.

Alan Woody's 18 string Modulus was a monster! That was originally built for Tom Peterson, but it was too much for even him.
I seem to remember it was a six string bass with two sets of octave strings but it was tuned like a normal guitar (EADGBE).

Edited May 12, 2011 by RhysP

[Piggery Bandana]

[quote name='Doddy' post='1228790' date='May 12 2011, 01:38 PM']His technique is interesting because he's got this hybrid technique of playing slap and
pick-style together.

As far as getting at the guy for using a 15 string,it's worth bearing in mind that John Paul Jones
especially Tom Petersson have used a 12 string bass for years. Jauqo's bass is the same thing,just
a 5 string version. Allen Woody (Allman Bros.,Govt. Mule) used to use a Modulus 18 string!![/quote]

@ Doddy .... So you say it as "To-mar-toe" ... Im more of a "To-may-toe" kinda guy .... Wasnt actually getting at anyone for using a 15 string - personally think it looks absurd and dont particularly like the sound of it. Certainly I would pick my jazz bass over it every minute of every day of the week, if i need a low D i flick the hipshot, if i need lower i have an octaver, if i wanna create a nice chorusy shimmer i kick on the chorus...

Takes all sorts though i guess and Love Tom Peterssons playing so what do i know eh?

[Doddy]

[quote name='Piggery Bandana' post='1228814' date='May 12 2011, 01:53 PM']@ Doddy .... So you say it as "To-mar-toe" ... Im more of a "To-may-toe" kinda guy .... Wasnt actually getting at anyone for using a 15 string - personally think it looks absurd and dont particularly like the sound of it. Certainly I would pick my jazz bass over it every minute of every day of the week, if i need a low D i flick the hipshot, if i need lower i have an octaver, if i wanna create a nice chorusy shimmer i kick on the chorus...

Takes all sorts though i guess and Love Tom Peterssons playing so what do i know eh?[/quote]

I didn't say you were getting at anyone. I was just making a general point about all those who
had made comments. I only quoted your post about the technique. Although,you did call
it a 'monstrous penis extension'

[Piggery Bandana]

Oh I stand by the penis extension line!!

[thisnameistaken]

Looks like he wrote himself a Wikipedia entry too.

[lemmywinks]

[quote name='martthebass' post='1228681' date='May 12 2011, 12:43 PM']At what point does an ERB become a Harp?[/quote]


When you let me adjust the truss rod!

[cupples]

As a ex-lute player, I don't see what the fuss is. your average 8 course Renaissance lute has 15 strings in 8 courses (and it's a bugger to tune...), although the lower strings tend to be played open as diapasons. I think for solo bass music, having four strings for fretting and 3 or 4 open strings, tuned appropriately, would be very cool, does anybody do this?
Andrew

[Chris2112]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='1227973' date='May 11 2011, 08:15 PM']Nah. He's on Talkbass a lot and he comes across as a MASSIVE bell end.[/quote]

True. He doesn't come across well at all, usually turning up, making comments like a buffoon and then being bailed out by moderators. Of course, Talkbass wouldn't want anyone expressing an opinion that might upset a professional bass player (even one who only ever turns up at trade shows doing crap solo bass stuff like this guy) as they're busy paying lip service to artists and manufacturers in the hope of securing funding.

[Waldo]

Absolute guff. On a par with this monstrosity:

[Dave Vader]

You can't be rude about JT's doubleneck, he'll ban you!?!?!?

Oh, phew, thought I was over on TB for a minute there. It's hideous, and will break your spine.

[RhysP]

[quote name='Waldo' post='1228957' date='May 12 2011, 03:57 PM']Absolute guff. On a par with this monstrosity:

[/quote]
Bloody hell.
That looks like something you'd buy on a craft stall at a farmers market.

[Bilbo]

Is it just me or has anyone ever talked to these luthier guys about hazards of branding for an international market? Or do they know ?

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='Dave Vader' post='1228974' date='May 12 2011, 04:08 PM']You can't be rude about JT's doubleneck, he'll ban you!?!?!?

Oh, phew, thought I was over on TB for a minute there. It's hideous, and will break your spine. [/quote]

The ponytail and goatee say as much about the man's taste as that sideboard he's wearing.

[Hector]

Ugh, the bass equivalent of a denim wedding dress.

[Wolverinebass]

[quote name='Doddy' post='1228790' date='May 12 2011, 01:38 PM']As far as getting at the guy for using a 15 string,it's worth bearing in mind that John Paul Jones
especially Tom Petersson have used a 12 string bass for years. Jauqo's bass is the same thing,just
a 5 string version. Allen Woody (Allman Bros.,Govt. Mule) used to use a Modulus 18 string!![/quote]

To be fair though, JPJ uses a 12 string bass that's a 6 string with octaves rather than a 4 string with 2 octave strings per fundamental which is what Tom Petersson and Doug Pinnick use. Just to up the pedant value. A 15 string like this bloke is playing is a 5 string in triples if that makes sense. Interesting playing, but I fail to see the point other than it'd be rather difficult to use it in the way he is.

Everyone's entitled to their opinion on the merits of insanely stringed basses though. I like the multi stringed versions personally, but I'm sure that there are many on this forum who would regard even a 5 string bass as being wrong. Not my point of view, but just an observation.

[burgundymouse]

Wasn't there a scene in spinal tap where in every cut on a live scene he was playing a guitar with more and more strings? Aside from that I just don't like the sound of it. Nothing persoanl but its a bit like musical w**king

[kevin_lindsay]

I clicked on the link and moved away from my iPhone for a minute. Heard the noise and thought it was someone at a typewriter!

What's this obsession with trying to get loads of strings and sound like a very poor guitarist with awful tone? What's happened to the joy of playing big fat real thick bass???

[tauzero]

[quote name='AttitudeCastle' post='1228330' date='May 12 2011, 01:36 AM']The bass behind is this one!

12 string headless bass![/quote]
Great video of Reg Wooten proving that it's possible to ignore 7 of the strings.

[risingson]

[quote name='Waldo' post='1228957' date='May 12 2011, 03:57 PM']Absolute guff. On a par with this monstrosity:

[/quote]

That is unpleasant to the eye.

[tauzero]

[quote name='risingson' post='1229157' date='May 12 2011, 06:46 PM']That is unpleasant to the eye.[/quote]
Yes, but the bass is quite attractive.

[Fat Rich]

I've no problem with extra strings, but when the fingerboard is so wide you can't reach half of them without resorting to two handed tapping it all gets a bit pointless.

I'm happiest on five strings, then four but I can't seem to get the best out of six for some reason. I've been listening to some Jeff Ament recently and I'm slightly tempted by an 8 string.