8 String Conversion

[harrek]

I've been poking around for an 8 string Rick for a bit and just seem to keep finding basses with problems (tail lift, nut, bad action, etc). I have read about people turning a 4003 from a 4 into an 8 string. So I was wondering who out there can give me any first hand info on it as well as who they might recommend to do the work? Just thought I would persue this course and see where it leads as it seems like it will lead to a better shape, more rewarding and unique Rick 8 string bass.

[rickaddict]

Dane Wilder is your man. He'll be here soon, I'm sure!

[ram]

What Jeff said! Dane is the 8 conversion king - a wealth of knowledge and expierience. Helped with mine (a 4004L):

a picture of the sisters (mine and his).

[paul_yan]

Welcome, Brian.

Dane's Da Man!

[aceonbass]

I would have been here sooner, but I couldn't find my cape. Anyway , the 428 conversion on a 4003 is a relatively painless one, involving modification of the headstock and tailpiece/bridge assembly. An additional mod involving filling the neck pickup and truss rod area with a one piece maple block is something else that will help ward off possible separation of body wings in the future. This block is then routed for the neck pickup and truss rod access. I've got a few different headstock designs that I've done. Tom's and mine are two variations on RIC's "potato head" design. I'm working on a 3rd now. I've got some pics of my present project that I need to resize so I can post them here to show some steps involved. Tom's got headstock pics of his under construction that he probably wouldn't mind posting too. Here's mine. I call it a 4008CS due to it's intentional resemblance to Chris Squire's RM1999

[rickenbrother]

Dane's 4008CS is an amazing 8 string bass. Probably the easiest playing, best sounding 8 string bass I've ever played. I might switch the order of the octave strings on my 4003S/8 like Dane's.
I hope I get to play Tom's 4004L/8 someday. That bass looks really sweet too!

[ram]

Here is the pictoral story:

[ram]

And:

[ram]

Joey, I really hope you get to play mine someday as well. I am loving that thing. Octave on top is the way..... I play with a pick and my acoustic twelve is that way as well - so it made sense to me.

[rickenbrother]

Tom, I was hoping to meet you with your 8 string at MARF or SERF. Another confluence someday!

[harrek]

The pictures here look incredible. Seems like the way I want to go. But, I don't have the talent, tools, or space to even consider taking on doing a project like this myself! Any pointers to a craftsman who can do this would be great.

[aceonbass]

Brian, the guy who did my headstock, as well as a lot of the other not-so-obvious mods on this bass can do yours as well. At the other end of the bass, I can mod the tailpiece/bridge for 8-string use and set it up when my guy is done with it.

[ram]

Dane's luthier, Bruce, does great work! He gets busy from time to time but is well worth the wait and dollar. Maybe Dane can put in a good word for you

So with Dane doing the bridge work - tuners, strings and nut would be just about all the hardware you would need. And of course a camera for pictures to share with us!

What kind of headstock look are you going for?

[8mileshigher]

Hey Tom and Dane -- the step by step pictures of the headstock modification are really cool... I am no woodworking expert or anything like that and I am fascinated by the elongated "wings" glued onto the original center core of the original headstock. Is this only a glue-up joint or are their splines, dowels or biscuits or any other joinery secrets or cross members of hardwood lodged inbetween the original core and the new wings, to create lateral strength and support ?? It appears that the tension of all 8 strings gets borne by the add-on wings and I was wondering what wood-working secrets transfer that tension from those 8 strings into the headstock wings, over to the core of the original headstock which in turn transfers that tension to the neck and truss rods ....

I have seen Dane's 4008CS before and the headstock looks amazing... but now when I see Tom's work in progress, I am even more fascinated with the behind the scenes "science" enabling that small amount of wood added to the headstock to sustain the tension of those 8 strings. Does the elongated headstock (which defacto lengthens certain strings), end up changing the dynamics and linear equation of the string tension too ?

My compliments on you guy's ingenuity and creativity with these 8 string modifications !
Cordially, Rich F.

[aceonbass]

Rich, I didn't know you spoke Greek Bruce has a degree in mechanical engineering, so I suppose he would have taken all of that into account. My headstock was done differently than Tom's structurally. Since I wanted headstock wings made of a different wood, the originals were cut off leaving sides parallel to each other. So that the added part wouldn't show with the lighter color, the center was cut shorter with the cut concealed by the truss rod cover. After that it was lengthened using a scarf joint. Lastly, the jarah headstock wings were glued on. I don't know if any pics were taken during the construction of my bass, but I'll ask.