Can't say as I've ever even heard of one of these! It's SO COOL!
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Gibson-Explorer-8-String-Bass-RARE_W0QQitemZ130199744584QQihZ003QQcategoryZ64402QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Uwe? Perhaps a specimen for ze museum?
He just cut it up that way for himself, I find the way he's drilled holes through the frailest part of the headstock/neck connection to thread the octave strings through very disturbing. Granted, the Explorer has a three piece maple neck that can take some punishment.
Uwe
You know at first I thought it was "stock" ............Oh well :-\
Well, it's certainly a labor of love and some thought was put into it. And if it held up so far ... Mind you, he's really using thin strings ... his E is an 85. While 90ies as E strings are not uncommon with 8 string sets, the Explorer is a medium scale so an 85 E string should be a flabby affair.
I might be tempted to go after this if the eighties Explorers weren't such naff basses ... they really did the Explorer shape which I like a huge disfavor with that series. Look at an Alembic Spider to see how a Gibson Explorer bass should have/could have looked.
I also have doubts whether those midrangy Grabber pups Gibson insisted on mounting on the Explorers (they brought out a bass in the mideighties with pups from the early seventies when the whole bass world was into ultra piano rrring sounds on recordings, the mind boggles ::)) have enough presence to capture the octave strings in full, especially on a medium scale were the harmonics are kind of odd. An 8 string that doesn't capture the octave strings with some transparency really only sounds like a muddy 4 string at the best of times.
The thin strings and medium scale should make playing this thing easier on the hands though.
I'd give it an A for originality and innovation, but only a C- for the Gibson origin raw materials.
Uwe
Aw, shucks, ze flesh is weak ... I've put a bid in just to see how a medium scale 8 string feels like ... ::)
I'll either keep it battleworn as is or give it some garish 80ies fin - EvH white stripes on red wouldn't go amiss on this one ... Besides, I needed another Explorer case. Come to think of it, I might even stick TB Plus pups in.
Not expecting much competition on this one really! ;D ;D ;D
I was tempted by it actually, but I'm not in buying mode at the moment... It looks like whomever did the work was familiar with BC Rich 8 strings of the era, as both the tuner 'shelf' and the string thru slots at the headstock are reminiscent of those.
This is the one I always wanted- I hear they are pretty fragile though?
http://cgi.ebay.com/BC-Rich-Bich-8-string-Bass-early-80s_W0QQitemZ320218747712QQihZ011QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
The Kramer is another cool 8 string with the model G pups
Uwe, I had no idea you were so easily corrupted..........
Your corruption attempts did not lead to a fruitful result this time, Madame Geiger! I was outbid (I only bid 700 bucks) and was actually relieved to find out that I was because bidder's remorse had crept in with me over the weekend. So you see there is still some good in me!
The BC Rich went for $2700+
Old BC Rich's continue to climb in value
I still want an Eagle.
Quote from: uwe on February 25, 2008, 04:14:07 AM
Your corruption attempts did not lead to a fruitful result this time, Madame Geiger! I was outbid (I only bid 700 bucks) and was actually relieved to find out that I was because bidder's remorse had crept in with me over the weekend. So you see there is still some good in me!
I WILL find a way to drag you down to my level! ;)
Well, that new Britney schoolgirl outfit of yours is a promising start!
Nice to know you have a "soft spot"......... :D
All humanoids have soft spots, even lawyers.
But wait a minute: are lawyers humans? And what about those who are on the "dark side"?
??? ??? ???