Converting a 4 string into an 8 string

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Mon Aug 28, 2006 11:37 am

Dane's bass plays and sounds as good as it looks. Dane, i can't wait to see a pic with the CS signature on it!

86kubicki · Post by **86kubicki** » Mon Aug 28, 2006 11:51 am

I really enjoyed checking out the 8-string Dane. Kenny gave it a good "christening" with "Helter Skelter" Friday night!

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Mon Aug 28, 2006 12:13 pm

That was so cool of Kenny. He came up to me and asked if he could use it on a song and when I told him to check to make sure it was still in tune, he said "Oh it wont matter on this song". I think I had blisters on MY fingers when he was done playing!

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 2:25 pm

That is the most stunning conversion I have ever seen. I am completely inspired to do one now.

incubus2432 · Post by **incubus2432** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 4:03 pm

I've been kicking this project around for some time and now I think I will move ahead.....thanks to the inspiration from Dane. I'm going to try and score one of Thomas Gallo's 4004L's and convert that to an 8 string. I sold my s8 to Jeff Thomas.....it was a great bass, I just decided that 4004's brought out the best in my playing and the s8 felt like a slight handicap so a 4004L/8 may just be the trick.

I have some headstock details to work out and refinishing details to finalize.....plus I have to close the deal on the 4004L but I'm on my way. Thanks Dane!

BTW....Todd, if you'd like to make a few $$$$ on the Schaller bridge just drop me an email!

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 4:57 pm

Brian, that's awesome! Can't wait to see that one. Hope you keep it Blue Boy, though.

s4001 · Post by **s4001** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 5:31 pm

That bass was an absolute joy to play. You've done a great job on it!

johnallg · Post by **johnallg** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 7:21 pm

And what a sound!! Deep like thunder but with a chorusy jangle too. I want to see it signed also.

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 7:35 pm

Thanks guys! I do these mod/conversions to suit my very specific requirements but I also really appreciate the opinions from other forumites. I liked just sitting back and watching the bass being appreciated by others. Jeff Thomas told me Saturday that he wasn't giving it back. I told him he it was his for two more hours since we had to be out of there by 4:30. That says a lot since he actually has a 4003/S8.
Ted, I'm going to see my luthier this weekend and pickup his CAD printout version of my headstock so e-mail me with your address and I'll send you a copy. I'm also going to discuss the machining of tuner posts for the octave strings, The optimal length for the tuner posts should be .080" longer and I prefer the slotted tuner posts with the hole down the center for the string like the RIC/Schaller tuners. If you want in on this, let me know.
I'm just starting to feel the beginnings of post partum depression and really wish I had more time this weekend to talk to everyone. It was a vitual whirlwind of coolness. I truely had the best time! Thanks everyone!

henry5 · Post by **henry5** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 6:15 am

Good grief!!!! Dane, that is AMAZING!!! I have to agree with Ted that that is the best conversion I've seen. Absolutely wonderful!!!

Actually, having discussed a possible 4-8 conversion previously, if you would be prepared to put me down for a further copy of that headstock printout at some stage I'd be really, really grateful, as it looks fabulous. Although I do live in the UK, I'd be happy to cover any costs. Feel free to e-mail me. But don't worry if it's too much trouble or you're trying to keep the edition REALLY limited, I understand!

jnbass · Post by **jnbass** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 8:22 am

Dane-

nice job!

guess you won't be needing them measurements

gotta take some vitamin E for the memory...

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 8:45 am

Thanks Jared...Jeff Thomas said it actually balanced better than his 4003s/8.
Shaun, shoot me an e-mail with your address and I'll send a copy off to you along with a suggestion or two for a slight change in order to keep it a little different and actually improve slightly on my original.

incubus2432 · Post by **incubus2432** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 9:54 am

Dane, did you ever pursue another tuner layout or were you set on a modified potato(e)head? The reason I ask is that I have an idea that I've roughly thought through and was wondering if you worked anything similar and discounted it.

I have a few Schaller guitar tuners handy so I tried a few layouts with them on the rear of the headstock and clearance/location seem to workout fine. Basically they would be rotated 90 degrees and the octave strings would go through a ferrule in the headstock. Sort of a modified 12 string layout without the slots (although some sort of slash/TRC accentuating slot set hasn't been completely discounted but I need to make a "dummy" prototype headstock to pursue it further). A machine shop buddy can machine me a set of aluminum tuner mounting blocks that will be quite small, strong and somewhat decorative. I could also mount with wood stringers if space allows to save weight. With Hipshot Ultralite tuners all around the weight shouldn't be an issue even with the mounting brackets or extra wood.

An few obvious downsides would be the aesthetics of ferrules in the headstock and possible tuning issues related to the sharp angle at the ferrules. The ferrules may be able to be partially hidden by the lower octave string with some tweaking to the original tuner placement. A refinish is in the works anyway.

The only reason that I am even looking at this option is because I am not a fan of the elongated stock headstock....I like the standard semi-compact version. I could do the big/little Rath tuner method but I'm not a fan of things being that crowded either. If my plan works out all of the octave tuners would be completely behind the headstock.

Some detailed scale drawings and scrap wood will help iron out the bugs (if possible) but I thought I'd post here early on for valuable Forumite insight!

I'd take some pics of the tuner layout but my camera is DOA (dead battery syndrome).

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 10:53 am

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 11:12 am

Brian, I did have another design in mind at one time, but tuner layout was the same, it just had the standard 4003 shape at the end of the headstock. Kind of a "cresting potato" as it were. I considered the alternating style like the RIC 12's but it wont work with the large bodied vintage style tuners. Whatever you come up with, string to stringpost interference is important to avoid. As it was, my octave G string just kissed my fundamental G stringpost. If the sides of the headstock taper in a bit, you'll you'll have less clearence issues. A standard RIC 12 tuner arrangement could probably be achieved if a small boddied tuner like a Schaller M4 or Hipshot Ultralite were used. The Stew-Mac catalog lists several horizontal mount guitar tuners for the octave strings along with precise measurements. Don't be fooled into thinking something will work just because you can get the tuners mounted on the headstock. Although my headstock was stretched some, it wasn't more than an inch or so and still fits in my Rick Vintage 4001 case after the padding at the headstock end was removed.