The project started just about a year ago. A few weeks before my 50th birthday my wife and I were talking and the subject of what I wanted came up. Being a family of college aged kids there isn’t a whole lot of disposable cash around. I was planning of asking for a weekend at the MARF last year at POR but she said ‘well what about that 8 string bass you always talk about.’ I was shocked… I said that was too expensive. She said ‘well you are always talking about how folks on the forum make different basses. Why don’t you see what that would cost?” I ended up settling on the 4004 as a target – the wider neck seemed to be ideal for the extra strings and as I recalled from years earlier it had a great sound. I was on a business trip and happened to notice a 4004L on the Bay. I won it but when I had some extra time I learned it was a fourmite Stephane. A beautiful bass… thanks Steph for offering it up. I actually stopped playing it as it was becoming too nice as a 4 string.
While researching the 8 string conversion on the forum I found Dane’s 4003 conversion. I loved the headstock and it seemed a natural for the 4004L. So after looking around for a little while for available luthiers Dane suggested his luthier…. He was good and had done it before - Sold! Bruce had an opening around the holidays… and now it is back!
This bass sounds great! And it plays like a dream… now if you all will indulge me here are some pics -
