Brooks Quad Bass

[Basvarken]

Last summer I built a custom bass for a customer who immediately became so enthusiastic that he asked me to build another special bass; a remake of the legendary Hamer Quad Bass!
The original Quad Bass is a short scale twelve-string bass that was built by Jol Danzig of Hamer, especially for Tom Petersson. With a "quad bucker" (four single coil elements across) going to a built-in mixing console. And each with its own output. Quadrophonic!



I actually never build exact copies of basses. So I suggested doing it the Brooks way.
I would like to make it 34" scale anyway.
And instead of a built-in mixer I was going to put built-in effects in it: a SansAmp-like overdrive and a compressor. I was actually already brainstorming with BQ Music about the how and what of this.
Plus I would build the Quad Bucker with Nordstrand NM4 single coils because they have pole pieces that have exactly the right spacing for the bass string and the two accompanying octave strings.
The second pickup would be a Lace Alumitone.
The Quad Bucker and the Alumitone would each get their own output
Furthermore, I'd use an ETS bridge and tailpiece.
Plus Gotoh lightweight tuners (as on all 12-string Brooks basses).




Unfortunately, the customer announced today that his band (a Cheap trick tribute) is on hiatus for an indefinite period of time. So for now the custom Brooks QB has been held off.

But the design/idea is too nice not to share with you.
Who knows, maybe one day it will actually be built. I would love to do it.

[gearHed289]

That would be a cool build. Personally, I'd go 32'' scale. I've thought about the idea of a Tech 21 VT Bass built-in to a bass, so I like your SansAmp idea.

[godofthunder]

 As always Rob your ideas are always impressive! I second the suggestion of a 32" scale.

[Basvarken]

Thank you guys.
I'm curious to learn why 32" would be better than a 34" scale?

[Psycho Bass Guy]

With a 34" scale, 12ers can get really tight with string tension. I have a 34" 12, and it was Tom's evaluation model from Waterstone before his signature line came out. The change he requested: 32" scale.

[Basvarken]

I choose 34" because I want to be sure the bass strings deliver a profound tight tone.
Twelve strings is a lot. And hitting three strings in one stroke can get messy or muddy pretty easily.
I really want them to sound like a grand piano.

[gearHed289]

Yes, string tension. 34'' is fine, but given a choice, I'd go 32''. I have a couple in the collection now, and the low E is fine.

[ilan]

My Yamaha SB-50 is 32" and the E is good. The G sounds a bit meatier than on 34" basses.

[Basvarken]

But that's a four string. My question is why 32" would be better for a twelve string bass.
Other than "Tom asked for it" and "tight string tension", still haven't heard a convincing answer...

[ilan]

Better balance on a strap with a 12 tuner headstock?

[Basvarken]

Better balance on a strap with a 12 tuner headstock?

Haha, that's a good one! 

But the twelvers that I've built never suffer neck dive. Grace the Gotoh lightweight tuners.

[Basvarken]

Good news! The customer gave me the green light to go bulld the Quad Bass.
Looking forward to building this monster.

[Dave W]

And I'll be looking forward to seeing your progress.

[clankenstein]

Holy Quadaroly Batman!


Do you have any contenders for the vt bass like circuit? I sold mine because I found the bass control frequency too high .I like around 40hz , like on an svt.

[morrow]

It will be fun to see this take shape.