Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi there,
I'm now the happy new owner of a 4003S/8 !
It's the first 8 strings bass I put my fingers on and my first reaction is why did they put the octave strings under the standart one ?
As the finger come obviously with an angle on the fretboard, It's necessary to press very hard in order to fret the octave string that is lower than the other.
I reversed the strings and the saddles and it feels really easyer to play, for me.

Any other experience about that ?

The bass comes from Sweden, thanks to Björn Eriksson http://www.rickbeat.com

regards
Jean-Marie From Northern France

Congrats on your S/8! Great 8 strings basses if you find one that was cared for properly. I also have one. I don't find playing the strings too difficult as they are set up from the factory with basic note to note playing, however when I'm playing a song that has many arpeggios and bass chords like, "Jeremy" from Pearl Jam, it's near impossible. One of these days I'm going to reverse the string courses also.

I've played and owned MANY 8-string basses. IMO, it is easier to play them with the octave on the top, whether you play fingerstyle or with a pick.

When the root is on top, if you use a pick, it tends to float over the octave unless you raise the octave up pretty high and a little farther spaced from the root.

One trick I have used to reduce the harshness of the high G octave is to reverse the strings ONLY on the G, so you strike the root first...or use unison G strings, rather than the octave.

A fretless 8-string is an especially cool sound.

Hello, thanks for your comments.
Another try with a picture, from previus swedish home...

Hello,
I finished to modify the nut, fill up the larger slots with a mixture of cyanoacrylate and glass powder. It's looks bad but it works.
And yes, it's really realy easier to play with reversed strings !
Hope that helps...
For your eyes only, a pics of my Thunderbacker or Rickenbird. In the field of vintage motorcycles, in France, we call it a "Bitza" like a Norton with a Triumph engine...
Bye

I had the strings reversed on my 4003/S8 quite soon. Plays a lot better.