Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Ted, I knew it was different, just something that has always stuck out and bothered me about early Beatles music.

Dane, you expanded on the point I was trying to make and included string height (stretching less) in the mix.

As the height of the strings off the fretboard gets greater as you go up the neck..you push down harder to compensate, and naturally push one string out a bit. One of my ideas is to build a 10 string, with 5 courses of 2 strings, and play more "horizontally"...sort of like what the old Fender 5 string was about.

as far as the "chorus" effect, you are right to a degree, but I have heard some really awful 8's and 12's..not the effect, just out of tune. Out of tune 8 or 12 through a Marshall= NOT GOOD.

the theory behind the root being first is that people play either with a pick or their fingers the majority of the time, so which do you strike first? When Hamer was starting to make the multiple course basses, Petersson's was made with the octave up, as he played downstrokes with a pick..they also made one for Bruce Thomas, where it was like a Ric, with the root on top, because he played with his fingers, and wanted to hit the octave first. So, octave up= pick, root up=finger style.

"When Hamer was starting to make the multiple course basses, Petersson's was made with the octave up, as he played downstrokes with a pick.."

Correct.
I use a Hamer 12 and a Dean 8.
I don't know how people manage with the higher pitch strings being beneath the 'normal' bass string. I do get the point about it working for finger style playing, but it also works fingerstyle with the higher strings upwards - I recorded a song in the studio last weekend on the 12 using fingers only. With everything else round it, it sounded almost like a synth in the mix.

http://www.crazeeworld.plus.com/images/kerbcrawlers/studio/2007_01_28_frog_014.jpg

I noticed that very problem with my 4001s/8 in the '80s, and it was instrumental (ho ho, 'scuse intended pun!) in my selling the bass. If I had one now, I would definitely put the octave string before the fundamental.

Sergio,

I might be interested in that Porto 8-string....

Hi Donny. Sorry I took a bit long to reply. Saw your e-mail. Stay in tune.

Thanks, Sergio.

I have a Fernandes Gravity 8 String with a cut down neck . ( Jazz bass dimensions ) The bridge has separate saddles for each string so intonation is very good . I think Schaller makes the bridge but probably would look a little odd on a RIC .

flatwound wrote:the theory behind the root being first is that people play either with a pick or their fingers the majority of the time, so which do you strike first? When Hamer was starting to make the multiple course basses, Petersson's was made with the octave up, as he played downstrokes with a pick..they also made one for Bruce Thomas, where it was like a Ric, with the root on top, because he played with his fingers, and wanted to hit the octave first. So, octave up= pick, root up=finger style.

I think the Ric-style (root "first") is important on Ric 12-string guitars, and adds to their unique sound; it's too bad that the same concept can't really be applied to a 12-string bass. As others have said, ranging from Dane Wilder to Jol Dantzig, not only are there setup/nut issues, but the already unique tone of the 12 string bass would suffer from the Ric layout. If only there was a way to A/B them...

No major intonation issues with my 8. But I did swap the string order to octave on top about a week after I bought it. What a difference in playability and sound.

i haven't heard any warbling from squire's 4008 during it's live use. seemed to be in tune during "roundabout" and "going for the one" ! and his was a prototype !

Definitely intonation issues here. You kind of have to find a happy medium. Fretted notes in tune on the E string result in an out of tune open E, guaranteed. I always tune the open bass strings to a tuner, then tune the octave strings by ear by fretting in an area of the neck that gets used the most on each string. Outside of the 4 saddle bridge, my 4003S/8 is possibly the most amazing instrument I own. Oh, and it already had the strings "reversed" when I got it off ebay. I was very happy to see that.