Converting a 4 string into an 8 string

hieronymous · Post by **hieronymous** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 4:47 am

I was thinking last night, I said that "my whole point in posting was to show some of the things you can do with an 8-string," but if I'm really honest with myself, I need to admit that I'm also doing it to boost my ego and get people to listen to my music!

I wish more people would post recordings, but I know it's not as easy as it sounds - I was lucky to get into recording on my laptop a few years ago so it's become second nature to me, but I've also accumulated a bunch of gear to get it to sound decent.

I especially want to hear something as cool and crazy as a 4-2-8 4004! (Which is what this whole thread was supposed to be about...)

atomic_punk · Post by **atomic_punk** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 5:45 am

I know JH said the plan was to make an 8-string 4004 at some point...I'm looking forward to that!

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 6:21 am

In the meantime, I'm still waiting for my 8-string conversion to come back from my luthier. It looks like it will be late Wednesday night with pics posted on Thursday(fingers crossed).

prog_rockin_metal_man · Tue Jul 25, 2006 11:38 am

Harry those tunes were really cool, don't feel bad about wanting them to be heard. Does anyone remember a tune that was posted on this forum quite a while ago called "the reason 1972" (not sure if the 1972 is part of the title) it has an 8 string in it (a ric I think)...it's a really happening tune...I totaly dig it. I think it was recorded by a forum member and it was supposedly part of a concept song. Does anyone know who recorded it? cause I would really like to hear the rest of the concept piece.

nattiep · Post by **nattiep** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 1:33 pm

Harry, can you mail me the whole version of 8 echo dr.? I love that song,and I'd like to have a copy to show off what a rick 8 string can do.

If not, well that's ok.

I love that song.

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 7:05 am

I got my converted 8-string back Sunday from my luthier. The file size was too large to post pics here and since I'm pretty lame at converting them, I've asked Jeff Rath to help me out. Hopefully we'll be able to get some pics up today. Aside from converting a 1997 4003 to a 4008, the fretboard was replaced with a 21 fret jarrah "dot" board with the corrspondning part of the neck lengthened slightly. The headstock was sectioned and lengthened about 1 1/2" with the jarrah wings added on. The headstock was then cut into a modified version of the "potato headstock". The body binding was removed and replaced with maple so that the edges could be contoured ala 4001s. It's got a vintage style back painted guard with a 5-conrol 4005 style setup and a the new push-pull pot for the bridge pick up which is a humbucker mounted to a custom made acrylic chassis inside a standard 4003 pickup ring and cover. The neck pickup is on of Jeff Rath's unbuttoned-toasterized high gains. The alternating tuners are Schaller minis and Schaller vintage style Rickenbacker with the octave strings first. The tailpiece has been modified with extra string holes in the rear and the "teeth" removed for palm muting. Heighth adjusters for the bridge go down into the body and and intonation can be adjusted from the front. I re-chromed the whole assembly including the mute bar.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 7:40 am

cheyenne · Post by **cheyenne** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 9:24 am

Wow. Nice.

prog_rockin_metal_man · Wed Aug 02, 2006 10:26 am

wow Dane that is one seriously sweet bass...how does she sound? I love the look of the "toasterized" pickup...very nice. What does the 5th knob do? I'm not familiar with the controls on a 4005.

nattiep · Post by **nattiep** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 11:05 am

*drools*

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 11:12 am

WOW!!

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 11:19 am

The bass will be refinished in SquireGlo by the 18th and hopefully refretted and set up in time for the "Confluence" on the 25th. It's anybody's guess how it will sound since it doesn't use any of the pickups of the 4003/8, so we'll just have to wait and see. There's a spot just below the neck pickup for you-know-who's signature.

jnbass · Post by **jnbass** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 3:13 pm

very nice!!!

bassduke49 · Post by **bassduke49** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 3:19 pm

Beautiful, Dane. Gotta get pix of that for the custom section of the book. See you in three weeks.

walker · Post by **walker** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 4:36 pm

Hey Dane -

Looks great! Funny we've never spoke of the 8-string conversion before. Dale Fortune's doing one for me, too. I'll post pics & details when it's done, which will hopefully be in a couple of months. Until then, here's a sneak pre-conversion preview:

Walker