12 and 8 String Basses

[Al Krow]

18 minutes ago, krispn said:

But will anyone notice 😉

Yes   An 8 string or 8 string emulation is about as subtle as a full on dirt pedal. We're not talking about compression or nuances of tone here...

2 minutes ago, Maude said:

I use a Variax and while the 8 and 12 strings are decent approximations, and will do the job in their own way rather than take another bass to a gig, that is all they are, approximations. As is that pedal above. None of these will ever have the sound of real multiple courses, that slight delay between courses, the characteristics you get from actually striking more than one string. This can't be replicated by modulating the sound of a single string. 

Yup I do fully agree. The pedal is going to be no more than a decent approximation but as you say avoids needing to take another bass to a gig (or, in fact, to properly needing to master an 8 string or buy one in the first place). I'm not pretending this is going to be the real thing.

Trigger pulled on the Mosaic! (There's a space on my mini board where a MXR comp used to be, which needs filling ) Let's see how long Andertons take to get one in and deliver...

[krispn]

It was tounge in cheek Al after your other post about the band not noticing your 5 string 🙂

Edited February 13, 2018 by krispn

[cattytown]

On 1/21/2018 at 15:22, Sean said:

It's the Studio version - I picked it up at an amazing price and it was in stock in the UK. Always fancied one.

From Drew @ GBBL by any chance? I had me eye on that!

[Al Krow]

1 hour ago, krispn said:

It was tongue (sp.) in cheek Al after your other post about the band not noticing your 5 string 🙂

I know, my friend, hence my reply had a  

But the response is also true, right? There's no way even my band-mates won't notice an 8 string or a pedal emulation!

Edited February 13, 2018 by Al Krow
Pedantically correcting the Scot's spelling.

[Woodinblack]

2 hours ago, Al Krow said:

@Wolverinebass hey buddy, this guy has used it live and on studio recordings in lieu of a 12 string (instead of a 6 string) guitar. Check this out (playing kicks in at 1.00)

I've not found anything on YouTube using a bass*, but I'm guessing as with a number of octave pedals aimed at guitar this should work just as well with bass.

Its a cool effect certainly, but it isn't a 12 string and it doesn't sound like one.

[krispn]

I’m still not a Scot 😉

[Al Krow]

4 minutes ago, krispn said:

I’m still not a Scot 😉

How do you manage to get out of that one then?

 

[krispn]

I just happen to have my passport with me for my ESTA visa application tonight at work 

Edited February 13, 2018 by krispn

[Al Krow]

Ah fairy snuff! There was me being misled by your generous smatterings of "wee" this and "wee" that, together with location some way north (rather than west) of Watford Junction...

Edited February 13, 2018 by Al Krow
To make sure there's a comma for the Irishman (pretending to be a Scot like a good 8 string pedal emulation) to breathe

[krispn]

Ná bí buartha 😉👍🏽

[Al Krow]

Ok - I'll worry not  

[AndyTravis]

Saw this on Instagram the other day - not the usual “any good for metal” finish...

[Cuzzie]

Yep that B208 looks a very decent bass 5 piece neck and 6 bolts, sure it will pass a load of tests and looks nice too.

If I wanted a mere 8 strings it would be on the menu for sure 

Edited February 14, 2018 by Cuzzie

[cattytown]

That B208 does look nice - nearer spector than schecter price as well.Pity it doesn't look available yet :-(

[Al Krow]

How good is the bridge on the B208?

[Cuzzie]

Well it appears to have a hunk of metal on the tail piece and a TOM bridge, make of that what you may if it’s your preferred flavour

[Al Krow]

Looking like my Schecter journey is coming to an abrupt end! The London Westside store is now 1/4 of the original size due to cross rail and they have NO basses in stock ('cos they sell a lot more 6 string guitars). The 8 string would be a special order and would require a 20% non refundable deposit = nearly £200

So £200 at risk to try before I buy is too much of a punt. I'll pass and make do with a Digitech Mosaic instead for now and check out some of the other more available brands:

A. the Warwick RB 8 is £790 (Thomann - out of stock)

B. and the Spector 8 which Woody got is £599 (Andertons): 

 

C.  The ESP B208 is £672 (Rimmers):

Is the Warwick worth the premium over the other two?

[Monkey Steve]

must admit, I've had GAS for a ten string (2 x 5) Warwick for a while now, from when it came up on the list of options when I bought a custom shop Streamer.

Don't know if they do them off the shelf or if it's a custom only order (I suspect I know the answer to that...)

[Wolverinebass]

2 hours ago, Al Krow said:

Looking like my Schecter journey is coming to an abrupt end! The London Westside store is now 1/4 of the original size due to cross rail and they have NO basses in stock ('cos they sell a lot more 6 string guitars). The 8 string would be a special order and would require a 20% non refundable deposit = nearly £200

So £200 at risk to try before I buy is too much of a punt. I'll pass and make do with a Digitech Mosaic instead for now and check out some of the other more available brands:

A. the Warwick RB 8 is £790 (Thomann - out of stock)

B. and the Spector 8 which Woody got is £599 (Andertons): 

 

C.  The ESP B208 is £672 (Rimmers):

Is the Warwick worth the premium over the other two?

It depends on what criteria you want to make your choice on. I'd imagine the schecter other than being a through neck won't be that much different to the spector. The Warwick is probably the best due the bridge and nut adjustment available, but if the single coil pickups bother you then it's not for you.

Having played most of them, the esp has the best neck and shape. But it's a basswood body. If you do go with that, get them to confirm its a post 2014 model as prior to that they had a 4 saddle bridge.

The spector is good, but the pre-amp is horrible. It depends what you want. Most will need some form of upgrade in terms of pickups or pre-amp, but that's only my opinion.

Just put yourself out of your misery and buy one!! 😋

[Cuzzie]

This is all now farting about and pontificating on a theme, pedals to maybe get there, most of the audience won’t realise blah blah blah......!

If you want Coca Cola, you don’t buy a Pepsi, If you want a glass of red, you don’t say rosé will do as the colour is nearly there, If you want to see your favourite band then no matter how good musicians they are, seeing a tribute act will not be the same, and if you want to do some rude things, watching it on telly is not the same!

whats important?

Is it neck through or will a well constructed 6 bolt do you?

Are you happy with basswood as a tone wood, or must it be something else?

What bridge do you like, is a TOM good? If each string cannot have intonation changed individually, does that matter to you?

What timers and gear ratio do you like? If it’s not stock is it easily changeable?

You galvanise these thoughts on components and then the bass or basses for you reveal themselves.

Quite simple really

[Al Krow]

As nice as they are, I suspect I will always have a 'wished I'd spent the extra to get the Schecter' regret if I went for one of the others, ; particularly as both the Warwick and Spector models are their 'budget' lines and they will have cut corners where they can to keep costs down.

Unlike the main dealer, Westside, who wanted a £194 non refundable deposit(!!) to get a bass over from the US for me to try out (as they have none in stock in the UK); Gear4Music will allow me to buy on a no-quibble 30 day return. The guys at Westside said the Honey Satin was indeed the reddy-orange that is showing in the pictures and not something a bit lighter, so at least that was useful to find out. So I've gone for the black. Won't be here until beginning of May. 

Whose idea was it to start this thread anyway?!  

[dannybuoy]

On 13/02/2018 at 22:11, Al Krow said:

Trigger pulled on the Mosaic! (There's a space on my mini board where a MXR comp used to be, which needs filling ) Let's see how long Andertons take to get one in and deliver...

If they haven't despatched yet, cancel your order as I have one in stock and will beat their price!

[Al Krow]

41 minutes ago, dannybuoy said:

If they haven't despatched yet, cancel your order as I have one in stock and will beat their price!

Haha, love it! So when I asked if anyone had tried one of these out and if are they're pants you keep a diplomatic silence...and the moment you know I'm getting one and I'm a captive market, you come out of woodwork as a former (unimpressed) owner who is moving his pedal on 

You'll no doubt be telling me that Darkglass M900s and Yammy 1025s will be worth getting, next...

 

Edited February 15, 2018 by Al Krow

[dannybuoy]

Ha! I never saw you asking about them. It's pretty much just an octave up with a tone control so you can reduce the jangly top end you often get with octave ups, or even dial it right down for a more subtle effect. I guess it uses the same algorithm as the Whammy line, so great rock solid tracking.

I bought it ages ago and then hardly used it as I mistakenly thought the blend control could go 100% wet, and I wanted it for split-chain fake guitar sounds like Royal Blood - however it is just a pure level control for the wet signal whilst the dry signal stays at unity.

[Al Krow]

Too late, I now seem to have bought it off you