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Post by porlwhyte on Mar 27, 2014 10:00:39 GMT
Hi all. New to the forum, but have been browsing this and others to find info on 8 string acoustics... i.e. a standard 6 string with additional high & low strings. I haven't seen any production models I can buy off the shelf, and simply modding a 12 string won't give me the neck width I want for fingerstyle. My latest thoughts... I have a 5 string electric bass, which if capo'd on the 4th fret gives me roughly the neck width I'm after (55mm), string width at bridge (72 mm) and the scale length I'd like (quite short, about 610mm). Can anyone suggest any reason why a reasonable 5 string acoustic bass (£300 - £500 region) couldn't be modded in a similar way to make a decent sounding acoustic guitar? I can work out a string gauge that is roughly equal in tension to the design spec of he bass, and have no problems with the changes required at the nut and saddle, but I don't want to waste a lot of time and money if there's something fundamentally different about the design of your typical body/soundboard on an acoustic bass that means it's always going to favour the low frequencies and sound muddy etc. I'm happy to experiment with soundhole sizes, shapes, locations etc, but there's not much I can do if the top is typically thicker and less springy than a 6 string. Anyone kind enough to share their thoughts and /or experiences? Thanks, Paul
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leoroberts
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Post by leoroberts on Mar 27, 2014 10:13:30 GMT
There are a few manufacturers that produce them ... but maybe not in your price range... TaylorWes LambeAs for your specific question regarding converting an acoustic bass... I'm sorry but I can't help! |
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Post by earwighoney on Mar 27, 2014 10:24:34 GMT
72mm string spacing! That's massive! A 5 string acoustic bass will have bracing for bass strings, and I'm not sure the top will move enough if the strings are changed for guitar strings. There are/were a few production model 8 string guitars, The DRL 8 String www.drlguitars.co.uk/#/guitars-2/4537293405Which was on sale for about £500 if I remember right, maybe give them a call? Stanford Baritone 8 String musicstore.de/en_EN/EUR/art-GIT0028771-000There's also the Taylor 8 string Baritone. |
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Post by porlwhyte on Mar 27, 2014 10:39:02 GMT
Thanks for the links... The Taylors I was aware of, and definitely out of my price range and more focused on "dedicated" bass stings and a long scale. Looks like you can probably design your own spec with the Lambes but as they're built to order I didn't even bother looking at the prices! I have seen 8 strings out there which are either baritone models (long scale etc) and variations on the 12 string theme (with selected strings doubled), which aren't what I'm looking for. I plan to tune the instrument so that the middle 6 are tuned higher than normal - say the bottom E would be F# or maybe G, so the extra bottom string would be tuned to C# or D. So an extended range guitar, yes, but not a full baritone. Thanks again, anyway  " Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2014 10:40:48 GMT
I played those DRL guitars a few years ago and was very impressed- very nicely made and an unusual but very creative sound all to themselves. Bargain for someone at £500,
Robbie
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Martin
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Post by Martin on Mar 27, 2014 10:50:27 GMT
Other than a custom build, I'm not sure what to suggest, but a warm welcome to the forum anyway, Paul |
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Post by porlwhyte on Mar 27, 2014 10:53:09 GMT
@3, yes, 72mm sounds a lot but the string spacing on my regular acoustic is 10.5mm, which I guess is pretty normal. Add another two strings with the same spacing and you get 73.5mm. I find this comfortable with fingerstyle from the temporary mods I've tried with my electric bass.
I had a feeling that the construction of an acoustic bass would favour stiffness rather than flexibility, so this is my worry. I've dropped an email to DRL, not sure if it's in their current range but they're having a clearance sale so they may have old stock, you never know. As I said, steering clear of the bespoke baritones as the scale and string spacing isn't for me. Cheers
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Post by porlwhyte on Mar 27, 2014 10:54:53 GMT
@6 thanks, feel at home already Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk |
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Mar 27, 2014 10:59:26 GMT
Hi porlwhyte, and welcome to the Forum! Good luck to you in your search - can't be much help, other than to say that relatively cheap acoustic basses I've tried have not really cut it acoustically, though were OK plugged in. No idea what they would sound like with normal strings +2 though. If you plan to add an extra bass string and an extra top string to a normal 6 tuned up a couple or three frets, then the crucial things are going to be string gauge and scale length, especially at the high end - top B or C....? Tricky one. I've seen multiscale custom jobs do it successfully. Let us know how you get on. Keith |
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Post by porlwhyte on Mar 27, 2014 11:43:26 GMT
ocarolanHi Keith, and thanks for the welcome. Agree about the scale length/string gauge issue. To get a comparable tension on the extra top string at a standard 4th interval above the "old" top string, I'm either going to have to drop the target tension for the whole set, or accept a unbalanced low tension on the extra top string. Short scale length will help a little, but not enough on its own unless I don't mind breaking a lot of top strings or tuning to an unusual interval and learning a bunch of new chords. I'll let you know how it goes...
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Post by paganskins on Apr 11, 2014 12:55:25 GMT
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Post by sigmadel on Apr 13, 2014 22:51:26 GMT
Is this the maker your getting soon ? They look amazing I love the look of the 12string versions . |
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Post by paganskins on Apr 14, 2014 7:15:04 GMT
Is this the maker your getting soon ? They look amazing I love the look of the 12string versions . Yes, getting soon and already have. My 12 string is one of his, an X20 pretty much like this but amber www.emeraldguitars.com/mainblog/alistairs-top-10-of-2012-5-x20-os-12strings/ and the incoming one is the same model but 6 string fan fret going with a scale length going from 27 to 25 inch low to high. The 12 string sounds like this |
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Post by sigmadel on Apr 14, 2014 13:04:52 GMT
Is this the maker your getting soon ? They look amazing I love the look of the 12string versions . Yes, getting soon and already have. My 12 string is one of his, an X20 pretty much like this but amber www.emeraldguitars.com/mainblog/alistairs-top-10-of-2012-5-x20-os-12strings/ and the incoming one is the same model but 6 string fan fret going with a scale length going from 27 to 25 inch low to high. The 12 string sounds like this Congrats its a cracker and I'm sure the 6 will be too . |
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Post by K Tresp on Apr 15, 2014 20:16:36 GMT
The Taylor 8 string baritone is a great guitar and an a fascinating instrument but it is not 8 individual strings as you seem to be looking for. It plays like a 6 string baritone with the two double courses (12 string style) on just the middle two strings. It works well with the bottom string dropped to A based open tunings (currently have it in aeadab) and the octave double courses just brighten up some of the gloom that you can get from extended baritone playing.
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Jo whoever he is.
