ForbiddenWytch Posted September 9, 2017 Share Posted September 9, 2017 Hey! I've been wanting an 8 string for a long time and I managed to pick up a 4 string bass that I think will be capable of it for an absolute steal! The nut width is 43mm which seems perfect for 8 strings and the headstock seems to have enough spacing to hold the extra tuners (mini guitar ones) where needed so seems to be a go there. To save a lot of the hassle, would it be possible to just get some knurled saddles for the existing bridge, drill through the body (and put string ferrules on the underside) and have the extra strings come up that way? My thinking is I can set the spacing exactly how I want it then and surely the intonation will be about right that way too as the 2 sets of strings will move with their counterpart (e with the e, a with the a etc)? I've also taken in to consideration the pick ups and seem to be sorted on that front with a set of blade magnet pick ups so again, spacing and magnet reach shouldn't be an issue. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Nada Posted September 10, 2017 Share Posted September 10, 2017 (edited) I'm currently working on a prototype 8-string conversion on an old short scale Encore P bass. This may or may not help but here's a few general things about my conversion. I used banjo tuners as the "extra" tuners, becuse they stick out of the back they take less space. I actually just put four in a line on the bottom half of the headstock and used two of them for bass strings (the tension on the bass D and G is about on the limit of the pegs, they're fine on the octave strings though). As mine's short scale I was able to use guitar strings for the octave pairs, though to reduce tension and compensate for a standard guitar scale of c26" I used an A string for the E position, D for the A position etc. I put the bass and octave strings through the same hole on the bridge, let the bass string sit in the usual saddle groove, and let the octave string sit on the saddle seperated from the bass string with a wooden kebab stick!! Like I said - it's a prototype! Intonation on the pairs is surprisingly good. I have ordered some knurled bridges in order to do this a better but I think a proper 8 string bridge is needed to get perfect intonation. I haven't given the electronics much thought do I'll be interested in what you do. The Encores P-Bass pickups seem to do a reasonable job across all strings without worrying about the pole positions. If anything here is of any use to you please feel free to PM me for pictures or anything else. My prototype conversion isn't at all pretty, but more of problem solving exercise. Edited September 10, 2017 by James Nada Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForbiddenWytch Posted September 10, 2017 Author Share Posted September 10, 2017 Hi James, you seem to have covered most my points really and seem to be doing the same basic thing that I'm going to do. I've messed about with the neck a lot to see if it's going to hold tension and it's pretty stiff neck, doesn't seem to have any give on it which is always encouraging. I'm going to probably end up using 100 gauge for the bass strings and 40 gauge for the octave. Hopefully that'll balance out that way. Banjo tuners are a good idea for the octave tuners, especially on a 4 in line headstock but mine is a 2x2 headstock so I held one of the spare guitar tuners I have around against it to see if there was enough space and hopefully there will be. Tight squeeze but y'know... You say about separate saddles being better for 100% perfect intonation but as long as the the intonation is 95% there with a pair on each saddle then I'm sure it'll be fine. You'll have to let me know how it goes when you put the knurled saddles on the bridge. If it's only a cocktail stick distance that's needed between the strings the that should essentially be 1 slot between them on a knurled saddle. Still, The only thing I'm really not sure on is the top nut. I'd like to know peoples (and your) ways and measurements on the spacing on the top nut. How far between the strings in each pairing then how far between each set of strings over the 43mm nut. Once I've got all decided, I'll add a build diary to the page on here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Nada Posted September 10, 2017 Share Posted September 10, 2017 [quote name='ForbiddenWytch' timestamp='1505046703' post='3369078'] The only thing I'm really not sure on is the top nut. I'd like to know peoples (and your) ways and measurements on the spacing on the top nut. How far between the strings in each pairing then how far between each set of strings over the 43mm nut. [/quote] Like the rest of my conversion, I've just bodged the existing nut with a view to getting and cutting a proper one when I've experimented with it. I have a 42mm nut and figured that I would leave the bass strings in their exiting positions but move the whole nut down about 2mm (yep, it sticks out a bit) so the G was as "south" as it could go and still be playable on the fret board. This gave me room to cut slots above for the octaves, and crucially, meant there was space for the high E at the "north" side of the fretboard. I cut the all slots with slightly different gaps between pairs and the most comfortable is 0.070" (1.78mm). I measured that with feeler gauge between the strings at a position closest to the nut. I hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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