The Last Bass Outpost
Main Forums => The Bass Zone => Topic started by: Granny Gremlin on February 27, 2016, 01:34:55 PM
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This has been a thought I have been mulling over for a good few years now (and though y'all ain't at fault for it, the impetus was a lovely experience in Paul's Boutique with a much too pointy number for me to seriously consider, you certainly did your bit to fan the flames).
Problems are I can't afford anything too nice and I am likely going to have to buy something online without trying. School me; what's out there that's cheap, doesn't totally suck, and won't look out of place if I'm not rocking spandex and teased hair. Also would prefer not long scale (med or short) and bonus points on a sliding scale proportional to how close to the neck the pickup is.
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Sounds like you need a Hagstrom HB8. I picked one up cheaply as the neck bolts had stripped out their holes in the neck. I was able to fix it right up, and took the opportunity to fit Eyguitars chrome Thunderbird pickups.
I also pared down the controls. By default Hagstrom ship these with a curiously wired 6-way rotary pickup switch. No good, in my opinion, as it is sequenced all wrong. Now it has a 3-way, volume and tone.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/Meddled/Thunderstrom_zpsk9uxxbom.jpg)
The build quality isn't brilliant, as I found the neck pocket carved out badly;
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/Meddled/image4_zps7vbrm1qj.jpg)
Which I had to fix...
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/Meddled/image12_zpsyrdbln7h.jpg)
Prior to the new pickups and re-wire, but after I re-located the strap button on the horn (which was in a stupid place - check the screw!).
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/Meddled/image13_zpsimclzlun.jpg)
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Interesting. The body shape doesn't speak to me but doesn't bother me either. Will take a closer look at that one.
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.... considering the above review, not sure I am willing to pay US$600 for one (with the CAD so low it's actually a lot of money), but I'll keep an eye out for used ones. I think I'll be OK with those pups and even the stock switch, though I might have to replace the knob with a chicken head.
I've seen some Asian stuff for silly cheap here and there. Any of that not a complete waste of money?
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bwahahahahahahahahaha
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Jazz-Bass-Style-8-STRING-BASS-VERY-NICE-LUTHIER-PROJECT-BONE-NUT-/182036605117?hash=item2a623a28bd:g:4PgAAOSwuAVW0Iye
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I have 3 eighters, all made in Korea, long scale, with bridges that actually intonate all 8 strings individually. I paid an average of $300 for them. They pretty much gather dust since I started playing twelvers. Here's two of them, Dean and Robelli.
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/2013%20Eighter/P1010999.jpg) (http://s976.photobucket.com/user/cata1d0/media/2013%20Eighter/P1010999.jpg.html)
Longscale multi strings basses sound better IMO. I'm 70 and if I can manage them, so can you. The key for me is light strings, 40-90 for fundamental, 17-40 for octaves. I make up my own sets, although GHS made me a custom set for the NR.
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/03/P1090359P_zps3idkwmgy.jpg) (http://s976.photobucket.com/user/cata1d0/media/03/P1090359P_zps3idkwmgy.jpg.html)
Here's the G8er I built before moving on to twelve strings.
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/02/P1070549P1_zpswyqnu0wo.jpg) (http://s976.photobucket.com/user/cata1d0/media/02/P1070549P1_zpswyqnu0wo.jpg.html)
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I'm going to be playing chords and have very small hands so long scale is sort of out of the question (I have some long scales, I know how playing chords on those goes). Love that LP Jr though (aside from the pup placement ;P), and yours look pretty sweet too.
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I understand what you're saying about chording long scales. I can only play triads on a 12er from the fifth fret up. That's another reason to make sure you get a bass with separate saddles for each string, with a 4 saddle bridge chords sound like a train wreck. Upgrading to a Schaller 471-8 costs about $80 USD, well worth it IMO.
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I have the same LP Jr style as Carlo but the pickup was upgraded to an EMG when I bought it. Dual truss rod and individual string adjustment on the saddles. I do wish it had different pickups and placement but I'm only using it around the house to experiment with so it doesn't really matter much. The long scale doesn't bother me and I'm not tall (5'10"). Joe (Chromium) has a lot of experience with 8'ers from Ibanez, Ric, BC Rich and Hamer so he can provide some insight on various scale lengths.
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Out of budget, but this one looks interesting (never seen on before; med scale):
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Greco-8-String-Bass-Made-in-Japan-in-1990s-Super-Rare-/131739373737?hash=item1eac4750a9:g:2ywAAOSwUuFW0~~X
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I didn't get my first 8-string 'til 1980, a Hondo long-scale. Next was a 60s Hagstrom short-scale in 1990, the in the late 90s I got my first Hamer B12S, followed quickly by a second one. I sold my 8s after that. I wouldn't mind having one again, I don'y play my 12 at all anymore.
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I have the same LP Jr style as Carlo but the pickup was upgraded to an EMG when I bought it. Dual truss rod and individual string adjustment on the saddles. I do wish it had different pickups and placement but I'm only using it around the house to experiment with so it doesn't really matter much. The long scale doesn't bother me and I'm not tall (5'10"). Joe (Chromium) has a lot of experience with 8'ers from Ibanez, Ric, BC Rich and Hamer so he can provide some insight on various scale lengths.
Actually for the price, that Robelli doublecut is pretty nice.
The Ibanez ST-980 I had was a great bass around the 700-ish mark (32" scale), but dang that thing was heavy - just short of 14 lbs if I recall. Also the spacing between root and octave strings was about double that of the other basses I've had. You get used to it, but I find the tighter spacing makes playability nicer (for me).
I'm down to one 8-string now. It was nice trying some out, but I found that I was only playing my B8S (30.5" scale) - so I've sold off the others.
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/hamer/DSCF0021.jpg) (http://s87.photobucket.com/user/0chromium0/media/forums/hamer/DSCF0021.jpg.html)
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Brand new ESP for 451.46 and if you act today you can get 15% off for their leap day sale, and if you don't like it you can send it back!
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/bass/esp-b-208fm-8-string-bass-with-flamed-maple-top
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I've owned a ridiculous number of 8-strings. Was only playing 8-strings for around 5 years at ne point, so really got into them.
A number of the cheaper import ones often have issues. If they used cheap soft maple frmthe ncks they bow. I have found a number of them have bad neck pocket angles, where you cannot lower the qction enough. Also a few also set the bridges where they do not drop down low enough. Some set the bridges in body slots and they are mounted off and hit the edge of the routes. Also, some brands do not use eight string saddles....avoid those, as you cannot intonate the octaves and will be oit of tune.
If you could handle a long-scale, I would have seconded the motion....a used Carlo Robelli is the ticket. That is actually Sam Ash's store brand. They bought the old name and revived it with imports.
But you would have to like silver sparkle...that was the only color they came in I think. It was sort of a copy of a Hamer B8S, except in a 34" scale.
Old Yamahas from 70s are decent, if you can find one cheap enough.
Aluminum neck Kramers are short scale and sometimes pop up cheap. The earlier pointy model has a 4-saddle bridge but you can swap it out easily. The rounder later body has 8-saddles. They are a little heavy but not crazy.
Old Hagstroms from the late 60s are short-scale and used to be cheap but no longer. The originals were nice, albeit very guitarlike. The reissue HB-8 above is OK but an import, sometimes with some of the issues I mentioned...like bad neck pocket, etc. plus, I think those use a 4-saddle bridge. You could swap that out with a Schaller 8 bridge for $50 bucks used.
Hamer made some of the absolute best 8- and 12-string basses but are not cheap. Their B8S model is the short-scale one. They also made a handful of medium ones of that model....technically a B8M, also called a Blades Bass (after Jack Blades of Nighranger.)
Recommendation.....
Due to lack of cheap short-scale 8-strings currently being made, you may wany to consider converting a used Fender bolt-on and slap on a paddle heqdstock neck. You can pick both up for under $100 each. All you would need after that is a decnt 8 saddle bridge like a Schaller....four octave tuners and an 8-slot nut. You may even be able to just add slots to the existing nut. So, maybe $400 total cost and a little work to make your own. I may have a used Schaller 8 bridge if you go that route.
For instance....
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Squier-Jaguar-Short-Scale-Bass-w-Broken-Truss-Rod-for-parts-or-project-/322029557094?hash=item4afa751566:g:wZkAAOSwh-1W2yot
http://www.ebay.com/itm/EDEN-30-Short-Scale-Fretless-Paddle-Bass-Neck-Maple-Rosewood-NO-Inlay-/151973774106?hash=item236257c31a:g:GUYAAOSwZd1VZmrp
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All 3 Korean 8ers I own needed neck shims of varying thicknesses. They all now very have low action and straight necks. Dean uses a two trussrod system and 5 piece necks. The bridge had some issues but was an easy fix for anyone with minimal skills. Even the Rogue plays great after minor tweaks. Small sample size, YMMV. 12ers Rule!
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Yeah, I have a Dean 10-string that I had to shim the neck on.
I prefer 8's over 12vers....much easier to amp and control the sonic space they take up.
If I need a 12ver sound, I just throw a chorus pedal on the highs...I split the signal with
a crossover pedal to keep the low end solid. Can also get away with just one amp if you have to.
And cheaper/easier to string.
But I do have some 12vers.
Despite being the best know 12ver player and seen playing one for most live work, Tom Petersson almost never used one to record with.
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Brand new ESP for 451.46 and if you act today you can get 15% off for their leap day sale, and if you don't like it you can send it back!
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/bass/esp-b-208fm-8-string-bass-with-flamed-maple-top
Missed the boat; out of stock. .... why the hell to most 8 strings have to be so hair metally?
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Despite being the best know 12ver player and seen playing one for most live work, Tom Petersson almost never used one to record with.
1997 released "Cheap Trick" album has probably the highest percent of studio 12-string work per album. Excellent album BTW, almost as good as it's namesake from 20 years earlier.
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Yeah, that is a good album.
Looking forward to see what the new one coming out will be like, after they get inducted into the RnR Hall of Fame. I'm tempted to go, since they are supposed to play live with Bun E. and it's a half hour from me.
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Yeah, that is a good album.
Looking forward to see what the new one coming out will be like, after they get inducted into the RnR Hall of Fame. I'm tempted to go, since they are supposed to play live with Bun E. and it's a half hour from me.
Hey Granny......I just realized that I have a spare 8-string that might work for you sitting here. Mint and cheap. Drop me an email.
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PMed.
In related news I spent some time with one of these crazy beauties in a local shop the other week:
(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/fc/35/f3/fc35f3c49907b9b40d88191a5b47149e.jpg)
Nevermind the crazy body; at CA$1600 I don't even get a chance to reject her. MAybe it was the setup or the ancient and super-large guage/stiff strings, but she was really hard to play (even for an 8 string). Long scale definitely was not a help.
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Nevermind the crazy body; at CA$1600 I don't even get a chance to reject her. MAybe it was the setup or the ancient and super-large guage/stiff strings, but she was really hard to play (even for an 8 string). Long scale definitely was not a help.
Those 24 fret Kramers are short scale FYI. I had a super rare, possibly one of a kind Kramer 8 with the XL-9 body style. I liked it a lot and only sold it after I got my Ric 4003S/8.
(http://www.kramerforum.com/forum/index.php?attachments/kramer_xl-98_1-jpg.714/)
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The one I played did not feel like a shortie. I didn't measure so I could be wrong, but I tend to be able to tell when I start chording. Also heavy as hell, but that don't bother me.
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Aren't all alu neck Kramers medium scale?
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The 24 fret necks are shorties. The 20 fret ones were something just under 34" IIRC the Flying Vs, Wedges, Dukes, production Axes and 8 strings all were short. The 8 stringers came in two body styles, I think both of which had long scale 4 string counterparts.
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The 24 fret necks are shorties. The 20 fret ones were something just under 34" IIRC the Flying Vs, Wedges, Dukes, production Axes and 8 strings all were short. The 8 stringers came in two body styles, I think both of which had long scale 4 string counterparts.
This ^^^
Uwe, I've been meaning to ask if you could measure the scale length of your wedge bass. I'll measure my 20 fretter. I believe it's like 33-5/8''.
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Since the topic came up I started wondering so checked mine. I got the same, 33 5/8 on the long scales and 30.5 on the shortie V.
Did they offer a medium scale too at any point? I've heard them referred to before but always assumed people were talking about the long scales being slightly under 34.
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Huh, really didn't feel like a shortie. ... though I suppose since that's not a pic of the actual bass I played but rather just one I google imaged later, I wonder - was there a 20 fret version of the same body style and I just google-goofed?
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This ^^^
Uwe, I've been meaning to ask if you could measure the scale length of your wedge bass. I'll measure my 20 fretter. I believe it's like 33-5/8''.
Hmmh, are we all having misconceptions? My "Flying Broom" XKB-10 is 24-fret (one of the reasons I bought it back then in Deeeetroit), in fact I've never played an alu-neck Kramer that wasn't 24-fret and medium scale (I've played an 8-string alu Kramer once, that felt exactly like my XKB-10). And when I mean medium scale, I mean medium-medium scale, not sissy-long scale like a Ric or short scale.
My Kramer XKB-10 is a classic medium scale: The E-string already suffers while D and G do not yet have short string agility. Worst of both worlds so to say. ;D That's coming from me as someone who thinks medium scale pretty much redundant. But I played the Kramer for years as my main bass in the early 80ies without realizing that it was not long scale until someone told me. Then I realized: Oh, that is why the E string sounds a little duff ...
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I think you need to break out the tape measure. ;D
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Doubting Thomasses you are!!!
Ok, I will.
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Since the topic came up I started wondering so checked mine. I got the same, 33 5/8 on the long scales and 30.5 on the shortie V.
Did they offer a medium scale too at any point? I've heard them referred to before but always assumed people were talking about the long scales being slightly under 34.
I had both versions of the aluminum Kramer 8s. The second version with the more normal body I really liked. Had 8 saddles and I actually thought it was a long-scale u til I measured it. Heavy....and a purple raspberry color.
I DO have a unfnshed, medium scale alumnum Kramer that was a baritone guitar prototype. Got it from a family member of the Kramer founder years ago. Don't recall the exact scale length.