NS Omni Bass fretted

[Bonin-in-the boneyard]

I've been looking at the fretted Omni Bass 

But there isn't much out there regards to reviews I was wondering if anyone on here has one or played one 

Any input would be much appreciated 👍 

[Beedster]

Until about 2-mins ago I had no idea this existed, but now I do, it seems the worst of both Worlds; a fretted bass that's gonna be way harder to play than a standard EB and probably not sound anything like as good, and an upright bass that doesn;t do any of the magic that a standard upright or even EUB can do on account of having no frets. Sorry if that wasn't much help

[Hellzero]

You have to see it as a viola da Gamba, Chris. 😉

[Beedster]

35 minutes ago, Hellzero said:

You have to see it as a viola da Gamba, Chris. 😉

That’s a very good point Tony, I stand corrected 🙏

[NickA]

Add two strings, strip the frets above the 7th one.  ......

 

and no I can't play it; too many instruments, not enough time.  And the tuning is weird...and the clef even weirder.

 

[Hellzero]

I love these instruments @NickA, thanks for showing us yours.

 

There are 7 different Viole di Gambe, literally Legs Violins, but their tuning is quite consistent as it's fourth fourth fourth third fourth fourth and the clef goes from F to G passing by (the 3 different) Ut (C) clef.

 

The higher register model can sometimes only have 5 strings and the bass register model can sometimes have a 7th string, often tuned lower.

 

They were only partly fretted, because there was no use of higher registers at the time (XV's century !!!) for a solo instrument and with 7 different sizes covering all the available register, these instruments were often used as a whole "orchestra", or played within a "chamber orchestra", especially in the beginning, or played solo without all the modern stunts.

 

Try to tune it and play it, and you can use a modern tuning in fourth if it's easier as there's no strict rule about it. 😉

[NickA]

I have some history with viols.. " early music" was a "thing" when I was at primary school and we got to play recorders along with a viol consort.  My next school had a cupboard full of cornetti and crum horns, a recorder consort ( praetorius, holborn, Byrd etc)  and a chamber orchestra for Bach and Vivaldi.  Since I inherited my dad's bass de viol (a student six string) I've been chatting with the doyenne of UK viol playing, Alison Crum, who turns out to know some people I know and several my brother has played with.   I have all the background and none of the ability! 😂. 

 

Roll on retirement and I'll spend a morning a week on viol (a day on cello, a day on classical double bass, a day on jazz double bass and a day on electric..half on fretted, half on fretless) and get back to grips with the old alto block flute... not enough days in the week sadly.

 

Neither cello nor viol have been played in weeks.

[Owen]

On 22/07/2024 at 19:20, Bonin-in-the boneyard said:

I've been looking at the fretted Omni Bass 

But there isn't much out there regards to reviews I was wondering if anyone on here has one or played one 

Any input would be much appreciated 👍 

I have owned one. I sold it, cos I NEEDED something else. We all know how it is. I really enjoyed it. I would probably not sell it if I still owned it. Tone wise, it sounds like a bass guitar. As a DB player, what I hugely enjoyed was the right hand articulation. There is something about my hand falling in that way which feels very much like home. Would I buy another? Possibly yes, but the prices are significant. But then the prices for anything new are significant by now. I remember all this when it was fields.

[Beedster]

On 12/08/2024 at 19:49, Owen said:

I remember all this when it was fields.

 

Don't well all mate, don't we all 👍

[Bonin-in-the boneyard]

On 12/08/2024 at 19:49, Owen said:

I have owned one. I sold it, cos I NEEDED something else. We all know how it is. I really enjoyed it. I would probably not sell it if I still owned it. Tone wise, it sounds like a bass guitar. As a DB player, what I hugely enjoyed was the right hand articulation. There is something about my hand falling in that way which feels very much like home. Would I buy another? Possibly yes, but the prices are significant. But then the prices for anything new are significant by now. I remember all this when it was fields.

Thanks for the info I'm definitely thinking about getting one 

But would be a custom order as I'm a lefty 

 

[NickA]

13 hours ago, Bonin-in-the boneyard said:

as I'm a lefty 

Are they handed?  The symmetry suggests you could play it either way.  Tho I guess the strings would be back to front for you, so the nut and bridge would need adapting .. but not too hard to do?

[Owen]

14 hours ago, Bonin-in-the boneyard said:

Thanks for the info I'm definitely thinking about getting one 

But would be a custom order as I'm a lefty 

 

You could get a bog standard WAV one 2nd hand and get it fretted. My fretted one was full fat. My present fretless is a WAV one. If there is a difference then it is minimal.

[Bonin-in-the boneyard]

On 15/08/2024 at 21:51, NickA said:

Are they handed?  The symmetry suggests you could play it either way.  Tho I guess the strings would be back to front for you, so the nut and bridge would need adapting .. but not too hard to do?

I think it's the neck profile that's different as well but would probably work okay 👍 

[Bonin-in-the boneyard]

On 15/08/2024 at 22:11, Owen said:

You could get a bog standard WAV one 2nd hand and get it fretted. My fretted one was full fat. My present fretless is a WAV one. If there is a difference then it is minimal.

Shame they don't make the wav in lefty

I do have a Omni bass just started using it in my Jazz band 

It's an amazing bass 

Just thought it would be nice to try a fretted but it seems they aren't very popular 

Thanks for the suggestion 👍