The Last Bass Outpost

Main Forums => The Bass Zone => Topic started by: Dave W on February 18, 2023, 07:14:10 AM

Title: Two string short scale
Post by: Dave W on February 18, 2023, 07:14:10 AM

This is an old friend who moved from the Twin Cities to Pittsburgh years ago. He was in town early this week to pick up his new bass.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGJIzb2o7eM

Title: Re: Two string short scale
Post by: uwe on February 19, 2023, 01:15:45 PM

Stig Pedersen of DAD would be pleased though he likes his designs a bit more on the adventurous side.

(https://preview.redd.it/hilrzztbv0s61.png?width=1150&format=png&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=f751ea249ea3b1c8f377f7e055c4cdd16c639b2f)

(https://preview.redd.it/gwbmp10cv0s61.png?width=333&format=png&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=221e217745884c89b4dff8bee3d30f52fb28d8a1)

(https://preview.redd.it/7y68i32cv0s61.png?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=eb6ca6ef8c15baab3077eeea3e081b0893b3f28f)

(https://preview.redd.it/pmvo7k4cv0s61.png?width=768&format=png&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=5bb7f248df4e1c36dd704118e5c5d4bba28a5912)

(https://preview.redd.it/gute2t6cv0s61.png?width=572&format=png&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=bb7847a3d9345e93abe91f488631d2ec409204ad)

(https://preview.redd.it/55p90z9cv0s61.png?width=259&format=png&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=f6308862aae2038b4119effeab433c43bffe3348)

(https://preview.redd.it/8ld2imbcv0s61.png?width=538&format=png&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=f19c151bbb5e9ba5b0be9466719771fe441da43a)

(https://preview.redd.it/9vzbwqdcv0s61.png?width=517&format=png&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=e9fbf827a560cf813c7e017ddd0f7d01a81cbaea)

Title: Re: Two string short scale
Post by: Dave W on February 20, 2023, 07:33:04 AM

I doubt that he intends to use it outside the studio, especially since he plays guitar in his band and drums in another. But even if he eventually plays it on stage, he's not a hey-look-at-me guy like Stig Pedersen.

https://youtu.be/l3SQCAEqsLo

Title: Re: Two string short scale
Post by: uwe on February 20, 2023, 08:58:20 AM

That's a really nice track.

Stig Pedersen's bass designs owe a lot to Dadaism - that kind of appeals to me.

Title: Re: Two string short scale
Post by: ilan on February 20, 2023, 01:03:20 PM

I still don't get it, why would anyone want a 2-string bass? To support Dave Mustaine's claims?

At one point I even considered getting a fiver and string it EADGC (like Leo first designed it) just to avoid shifts.

Title: Re: Two string short scale
Post by: uwe on February 20, 2023, 05:48:14 PM

It's called minimalism, Ilan, don't let it unnecessarily perturb you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXIR2AH9zng&list=PLA88E8VkVUDodyYkRa-xrLNOuHuRwg_rE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_CKwRjD6rI&list=PLA88E8VkVUDodyYkRa-xrLNOuHuRwg_rE&index=2

I used to avoid shifts too, because my jazz bassist teacher force-fed that concept to me. It backfired badly, I remember a gig where a guy quipped afterwards: "Your bass player ain't doin' much, ain't he? Always stayin' in one place." For someone who was actually quite busy on bass, I took that as an insult. I don't recommend it unless you are a studio musician. Live, people, want to see you move around on the fretboard. I realized the errors of my ways and today I slide around liberally, more than I actually would need to. As a bassist, they can't really hear you, so you have to draw their attention via other means to make them realize you're actually doing something.  :mrgreen:

(https://cdn.prod.www.spiegel.de/images/e1964469-85ef-4c51-a2f6-7b94babaadef_w948_r1.778_fpx60_fpy20.jpg)

(https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/1380f39df8e8ef9021c6307e8013e10e-1920-80.jpg.webp)

(https://music.metason.net/image?fn=A-282948.jpeg&sc=5_3)

(http://www.rtp-bonn.de/images/stories/02-bilder_konzerte/02/martin-turner-live.jpg)


And of course you could do fine in a lot of bands - AC/DC, Judas Priest, ZZ Top, The Ramones, Motörhead, Mötley Crüe, U2 to name just a few - with just two strings.

Title: Re: Two string short scale
Post by: ilan on February 21, 2023, 10:53:22 AM

Learning upright 13 years ago I realized how much a jazz player can do just in half-position.

I want to avoid shifts especially when sight-reading. Playing rock/blues live I'm all over the neck. I think I posted here a vid with a little bass solo I did high up the fretboard.

Title: Re: Two string short scale
Post by: uwe on February 21, 2023, 01:40:50 PM

"Learning upright 13 years ago I realized how much a jazz player can do just in half-position.

I want to avoid shifts especially when sight-reading. "

Agreed. I've also become less stationary on the fret board over time because I bend notes a lot more than I used too (sometimes even fretting a half-step deeper to be able to pull to the correct note) - and that is more effective on the A string at the 15th fret than it would be, say, on the G string at the 5th fret.

And of course it looks infinitely more cool.  :mrgreen: