ACG 9 STRING

[7string]

I'm extremely proud to announce that I have ordered an ACG Recurve Single Cut 9 string bass [url="http://www.acguitars.co.uk"]www.acguitars.co.uk[/url]

We've been working on the spec for this bass for the last 5 months or so, but we decided only to announce it when some progress has been made. Now that the neck blank has been assembled, it's the right time to tell all about the instrument.

As you can gather from my username, I own a 7 string already and I'm having an absolute blast playing it. Everything is possible from 'meat and potatoes' bass through to chordal and solo ideas. I really love having all the options open to me, so started to look in possibility of 9 strings. To me, this is about as far as you can go whilst still having a useful and playable instrument. I know that some have gone to more than 9, but I prefer to stop here.

I could see how having a low F# (or even a low E) could be used to bolster 'regular' basslines and how an extra string on top would give even more range for chordal and solo ideas. This bass isn't meant to be a one-trick pony or only to be played on special occasions, it's an extended range bass which must deliver great tones across it's whole range and have the playability to match.

I sent out some e-mails to builders in the UK and abroad, receiving back fewer replies that I expected. Alan at ACG is only about 50 miles away from my home in Glasgow and was really enthusiastic about this build. I'd been down to Moffat a couple of times before, had played his basses and was really impressed not only by the basses being made, but by Alan's easy-going personality, work ethic and openness to any ridiculous idea that I came up with!

Many e-mails were sent to and fro and after a couple more visits, we had the spec agreed. Here it is


[b]CONSTRUCTION

Set-neck
35" scale
Swamp ash body
Black veneer
Mahogany top
Swamp ash cavity cover

7 piece maple/wenge neck
Acrylicised spalted fingerboard
24 frets
Mahogany headplate
Wenge backplate
Black headstock veneer

77mm at nut

Flat fingerboard radius
M.O.P. side dots
No front dots



HARDWARE

Hipshot Type A bridge fitted with piezos
Hipshot Ultralite tuners
Black hardware



ELECTRONICS

ACG pickups
ACG Pre-amp
Ghost PE-0340-00 Acousti-Phonic mono/stereo bass preamp



CONTROLS

ACG Pre - Volume/balance stack knob
ACG Pre - Filter/peak stack knob
ACG Pre - Treble stack
ACG Pre - Filter/peak stack knob

2 way mini toggle switch - Controlling bridge pickup - Series / Parallel
2 way mini toggle switch - Controlling neck pickup - Series / Parallel
Ghost PE-0111-00 Quickswitch (for Acoustic-phonic pre)
3 position switch which selects between magnetic / piezo / or both

Ghost PE-0206-00 Push/push mid boost volume control



OUTPUTS

Stereo 1/4" output
John East XLR output
[/b]


I decided upon a set-neck as it seemed a good compromise between a thru-neck and a bolt-on. To me, 9 string singlecut bolt-on's have a pair amount of metal joining neck and body and so the coupling between the pieces may not be complete (just my thoughts !). I have a thru-neck already and as Alan makes a fair few set-necks this seemed a different and exciting way to go. The neck is the great blend of hard/soft, maple and wenge.



The body is going to be made of light, but tonally great swamp ash and be topped with an extraordinary piece of mahogany.





The fingerboard is another extraordinary piece of timber. This is a spalted maple fingerboard. Problem is that wood is usually too brittle to be used as a 'board, so it has been through an acrylisation process which injects monomers into the wood, making it hard enough to be used as a fretless fingerboard if required.



We did tinker with the idea of making this a MIDI bass as well, but due to a recent change in my recording setup this proved not to be needed. We did keep the piezos though which will add another dimension to the sound. The Ghost preamp will handle the piezo signal.

Amazingly, the ACG filter-based preamp (which has to be used to be believed) actually responds down to just 20Hz, so it easily copes with the 23Hz F#. Nothing on this pre-amp has to be adjusted to cope with the super-low note. A real tribute to Alan's design.

Thanks for reading the beginning of this build thread. I really looking forward to seeing this progress and can't wait to get my hands on it.

Edited May 20, 2009 by 7string

[Finbar]

You are barking mad, but I look forward to seeing this evolve Bit special this one, ain't it!

[7string]

I think that I'm so used to playing a 7 that the 9 doesn't seem that much bigger! I think I was madder when I went from a fretted 4 to a fretless 6

It's definately going to be a special instrument.

[Scoop]

[quote name='7string' post='194296' date='May 7 2008, 11:41 PM']I think that I'm so used to playing a 7 that the 9 doesn't seem that much bigger! I think I was madder when I went from a fretted 4 to a fretless 6

It's definately going to be a special instrument.[/quote]

I can't decide which of you I respect more, or which of you is the more insane - you for having it built or Alan for accepting the challenge. I'm certain that this will be a [i]very[/i] special instrument.

Props to you both.

And the woods you have chosen are simply stunning. One question, tho'. The spalted maple fretboard that you've chosen is clearly bookmatched, isn't it? It has to be. If so, I'd guess that's the first bookmatched 'board I've ever seen.

It won't be unique in having a join in it, I recall that maverick guitars used to use a fretboard with a diagonal maple / rosewood split on some models, but it certainly makes it really bloody special.

Edited May 7, 2008 by Scoop

[d-basser]

yes he is mad, but I cant wait to see this, will be a beast

[Finbar]

I know what you mean on the leap from 7 to 9... I have only ever thought I could do with a 9 once. For learning one song which used the very top and bottom notes on my 7. I really don't think I could do it justice enough. I wish you the best of luck with it

[7string]

[quote name='Scoop' post='194310' date='May 7 2008, 11:59 PM']I can't decide which of you I respect more, or which of you is the more insane - you for having it built or Alan for accepting the challenge. I'm certain that this will be a [i]very[/i] special instrument.

Props to you both.

And the woods you have chosen are simply stunning. One question, tho'. The spalted maple fretboard that you've chosen is clearly bookmatched, isn't it? It has to be. If so, I'd guess that's the first bookmatched 'board I've ever seen.

It won't be unique in having a join in it, I recall that maverick guitars used to use a fretboard with a diagonal maple / rosewood split on some models, but it certainly makes it really bloody special.[/quote]

This will be the 2nd 9 string that Alan has built, making him the most experienced ERB luthier in the UK. The first one was a superb instrument, so I have no worries about this one at all.

You're right that the fretboard is bookmatched. The problem is that the fingerboard has to be so wide that we needed the other one as well.


[quote name='d-basser' post='194312' date='May 8 2008, 12:00 AM']yes he is mad, but I cant wait to see this, will be a beast[/quote]

Oh yes, it will be !!


[quote name='Finbar' post='194314' date='May 8 2008, 12:04 AM']I know what you mean on the leap from 7 to 9... I have only ever thought I could do with a 9 once. For learning one song which used the very top and bottom notes on my 7. I really don't think I could do it justice enough. I wish you the best of luck with it [/quote]

If you're in a band that lets you use a ERB to the ends of it's range, that's a great place to be!!

Edited May 7, 2008 by 7string

[Finbar]

The piece was an Element of Surprise song I was learning, bit of the old Jean Baudin... But yes, I also have free range in my band Don't go too mental, but I'm free to should I wish it Are you using your ERBs in a band situation?

[7string]

I'm not able to gig at the moment, but I've fronted a rock band with a 6 string fretless in the past. That was really tough!! Sing in tune, get the crowd going and play in tune

I don't see why ERB's can't be used in any band context. A piano player doesn't get told he has to use all the keys everytime he plays! Even when I'm practicing I won't put down a 7 just to play an Iron Maiden tune.

I suppose we just need the exceptance of the band we're playing with!!

[Finbar]

I guess I'm lucky in that the guitarist in my band is actually a 7 string bassist himself! We met coincidentally, and he said he preferred guitar, so off we went! Although yes, I'm still holding down 'regular' bass parts most of the time, because a lot of the time I think it sounds better!

[GreeneKing]

So if I'm right this'll be the 1st ACG destined for a Scottish basser? Congratulations.

I'm currently going through the build process on my 2nd and it's 'only' a 4 but I just know it's gonna fit my needs.

I think Alan does a great set neck btw. In fact Alan's necks are a bit of a work of art in themselves (I'm biased).

Brilliant, it's going to look good isn't it

Peter

[steve]

I love that fretboard wood, I'm going to subscribe to see how this progresses

[Kiwi]

Lovely bit of mahogany that!

[eude]

Nice one 7 String!
This is going to be a beast of a bass and I know Alan will really get it right too!

Does this mean you'll be going for a change of username?

Cheers,
Eude

[Bassmonster]

WOW! A 9 stringer, is that a first on here?, looking forward to seeing this one progress.

[7string]

It's more of a third on here, there's been two others, one of them being ACG 9 No.1 over in the ACG part of this forum!!

Thanks for all your kind words. I'll keep this thread as up-to-date as I can. I'll keep my username as it is because my e-mail address is similar as well!

It's going to be not only a great looking instrument, but a great sounding bass as well. If you haven't already, go to [url="http://www.acguitars.co.uk"]www.acguitars.co.uk[/url] and have a read about the ACG preamp. I'm not overly keen on onboard electronics and consider them more of a necessary evil than anything, but this pre is just so darn flexible. It works in a totally different way to a 2 or 3 band eq as well. Has to be heard to be believed!! As I mentioned before without any modification, the pre goes down to 20Hz so is able to handle that low F#.

The first ACG 9 came out superbly, so I have no worries about this one at all. Putting the spec together was a really enjoyable two-way process and the woods Alan's going to use look fantastic. I'm no usually a fan of darker woods, but I wanted something out of the ordinary and the piece of mahogany is certainly that. The fingerboard's not too shabby either

[BigRedX]

This new bass may end up looking as good as your Sei!!

[7string]

The Sei still gives me goosebumps when I look at it in the rack with my other instruments

I was thinking though; I must be one of very few players on here who have work done by Sei (Jezebel, of course), Shuker (de-fretted and ramped my GT7) and ACG (upcoming 9)

[The Funk]

The individual parts look great so far. I want to see it finished and hear it in the studio!

[7string]

I'm lucky that Alan can get hold of such great raw materials. Sometimes you have to use some imagination when looked at the raw timber, but on this occasion the excitement started by seeing this stuff laid out at ACG HQ.

I have just started to use Cubase with my laptop, so hopefully I should have got the hang of using it by the time the 9 is finished

[velvetkevorkian]

Can't wait to see how this one develops. Should be frankly awesome.

[steve-soar]

More pics please.

[7string]

OK, not the most exciting of pictures, but underneath the blue clamps lies the 9 string fingerboard.



Alan's been waiting for the truss rods to arrive, but he's not been idle in the meantime! The neck is all ready (for the trussrods) and there are no prizes for guessing which one's the neck for the 9.



Alan's also been looking at the electronics and control setup as well as there's a whole bundle of wiring to go in.

Exciting times ahead

[phil_the_bassist]

That's gonna look freakin BEAUTIFUL!

Now, I've gotta know...when you hit the low F#, how much does the continental plate you're standing on shift? Are ERBers responsible for the tsunami/earthquakes of recent years!?

I can't wait to see that facing go on the body with the spalted fingerboard, it's gonna be a helluva bass, that's for sure!

[7string]

I hear that lead divers boots are required to be worn before striking a low F#. This prevents the vibrations moving the UK further away from continental europe. I think the low F# (might even take it to low E) will be great for bolstering lines on the E on a regular 4 string.

After playing and admiring basses for many years now, I wanted something different from quilt, spalt or burl. The guy who supplied both the top and the 'board thinks so highly of Alan's work that when he heard about the 9 string (and the customer wanted something really unusual), he offered this mahogany. He's had this piece in his own personal stash for quite a while and thought that this would be a great project for it.
It really is a stunning piece !!