Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

LettsBass 13 string bass


Recommended Posts

Now, this is a [b]REALLY[/b] extended range bass.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/13-String-Custom-Letts-Bass-Hipshot-hardware-Excellent-Condition-Only-1-Made-/400913142374?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item5d58491266&autorefresh=true

Personally I'm not sure why anyone would want more than 9 strings, but clearly someone did & others still do.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I noticed that, but wondered if the buyer wanted a properly made 13 string bass for as cheap as possible in order to try out such a beast. The quality of the finish and the non-fancy body wood may be cost-cutting. Was the finish actually done by Jon Letts, or could it be that the bass was supplied unfinished? The (I would expect from the single knob) simplicity of the electronics could also be explained by that.

Edited by Annoying Twit
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, it would make sense if the instrument was put together to test the concept. It looks like they've put all the effort into the neck and then just bunged a quick body together to see if it would work. Still, the listing is upfront about it and hasn't priced it ambitously, so that's fair enough.
I'd certainly give this one a go before the 15-string monstrosity on that other thread!

Edited by Beer of the Bass
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The starting price was low enough that I put a lowball £200.X bid in :) I was instantly auto-outbid however. No, I wasn't expecting to actually get it for that!

PS: I estimate that it will sell for £600, and be a steal for whoever gets it. Clearly anyone who wants to can check the final sale price later and see if I was anywhere in the ballpark.

Edited by Annoying Twit
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Meddle' timestamp='1430757196' post='2764312']
It looks like the silks run over the nut on the deepest strings. Surely that isn't good?!
[/quote]

It's very close, but they don't run over the zero fret, do they? Would it be bad if the silks ran over the nut but not over the zero fret?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Roger2611' timestamp='1430752692' post='2764272']
13 strings.....but why?
[/quote]

For someone who thinks outside of the normal run of things.

Check this guy out - [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPwMoiKaNOY"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPwMoiKaNOY[/url]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1430765262' post='2764420']
For someone who thinks outside of the normal run of things.

Check this guy out - [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPwMoiKaNOY[/media]
[/quote]Wanted: Guitarist and Bassist, preferably the same person.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1430791103' post='2764618']
Call me old fashioned but I'd much rather listen to a bassist and guitarist working together than someone trying to do both.
[/quote]

Extended range bass music sounds very different from what you typically get from a bassist and guitarist working together. There's no reason why we can't have both of these, and more, styles of music and performance.

The bass has now been removed from eBay, and all bids cancelled.

Edited by Annoying Twit
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1430813282' post='2764688']
Extended range bass music sounds very different from what you typically get from a bassist and guitarist working together. There's no reason why we can't have both of these, and more, styles of music and performance.
[/quote]

Listening to the earlier example and separating the two parts, the 'bass part' was poorly intonated and the 'guitar part' was what I'd expect from a guitarist with only a few months experience.

Sure, it's a neat trick, but it reminds me of a bass version of this:





Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1430791103' post='2764618']
Call me old fashioned but I'd much rather listen to a bassist and guitarist working together than someone trying to do both.
[/quote]

Yes....and badly at that.

Although I am open to the possibility, that the reason the guitar and bass part sounds so unimpressive, is because the big lump of a thing he is holding is so difficult to play for a human being with normal hands.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is my bass guys, and the finish looks sh*t because I attempted to stain it myself! The wood was far too light originally... the bass has been sold privately to a great chap over in Michigan, US. For what it's worth, the bass was built purely as an experiment to see if it could be done. And it can! It does play as a bass should, just with the range of a piano.

Edited by binky_bass
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for giving us the insider view on the bass. I see from your sig that you've decided to settle for a ten string bass then :) Is it a wide range ten string, or a fiver with additional octave strings? I'm guessing that if someone made you an offer good enough to cancel the auction, that it was a pretty good price.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 8 months later...

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1430760518' post='2764362']
It's very close, but they don't run over the zero fret, do they? Would it be bad if the silks ran over the nut but not over the zero fret?
[/quote]No problem with the strings. The silk just makes it over the 0 fret which is totally fine. The bass was a real headache to design and took a long long time to get my head around the many problems faced with such an extreme instrument. I was very happy with how the bass turned out. Could've used some colour on the original unstained body but cost was a very big deciding factor for me and Russ.
Jon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...