Members #6 Posted December 12, 2007 Members Share Posted December 12, 2007 I've never seen one hanging in a shop to try, but i am very curious. How much more difficult is the fretting technique? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Thumper Posted December 12, 2007 Members Share Posted December 12, 2007 It takes more fretting hand strength. I used my left hand to dampen unplayed strings, too. I've had three 8ers over the years (Ric 4003S/8, Hagstrom H8, and a Brice 8er from Rondo). Next time, I'm getting a Waterstone TP12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Thrashterpiece Posted December 12, 2007 Members Share Posted December 12, 2007 I played one for a while. You have to have a decent fretting hand because you have to put more pressure on the frets. I noticed when I first started playing it that I was actually hitting the higher octave string and not the regular bass string at all. I changed that pretty quickly. Other then that you just have to be a bit more cautious of how you fret because if you screw up a note its alot more noticalbe on the 8 string. Other then that...I shredded the {censored} out of my picking hand cause I am usually a fingerstyle player and I tried that with the 8 string lol. Luckily I always dabbled in pickstyle so when I switched to that it wasnt too bad. Good luck. The sound awsome and I plan on getting one again someday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members #6 Posted December 12, 2007 Author Members Share Posted December 12, 2007 ah, so its not for fingerstyle use eh? i am toying with creating a warmoth, and was thinking of maybe 8 string...i mean, why not.. but picking eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Apendecto Posted December 12, 2007 Members Share Posted December 12, 2007 I'd love to get one. How did you guys string them? With the the octave strings on top (if you are using your fingers to pluck) or the other way? Yo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Thumper Posted December 12, 2007 Members Share Posted December 12, 2007 It depends on placement of the octave string. I had the Ric and the Brice set up with the octave string above the primary, so my fingertips would hit the low string first. The Hag I played with a pick because of the narrow string spacing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Roger in the sky Posted December 12, 2007 Members Share Posted December 12, 2007 ah, so its not for fingerstyle use eh?i? thats not true at all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Thrashterpiece Posted December 12, 2007 Members Share Posted December 12, 2007 thats not true at all Hes right. Im sure you could adjust. Just for me personally I felt myself gravitating to picking on it. Im sure anyone could adjust but in the end its personal opinion. And mine was strung with the octave strings above the normal strings. If anyone is curious it was a schecter Omen 8 string. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dogman Posted December 12, 2007 Members Share Posted December 12, 2007 I have and play a Fernandes 8 string and a Hamer B12L 12 string bass. What has been said here already is true, you do need more finger strength to fret cleanly, but man what a sound and a blast to play!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Clatter Posted December 12, 2007 Members Share Posted December 12, 2007 I wish I had an 8-string Ric! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DevilRaysFan Posted December 12, 2007 Members Share Posted December 12, 2007 I wish I had an 8-string Ric! I used to have a 4003S8 in the 90s -- the octave string was on the bottom...Im a finger-style player so I got rid of it -- I should have kept it....I currently have a Dean 8-String and my Hamer 12ver Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Thumper Posted December 12, 2007 Members Share Posted December 12, 2007 I wish I had an 8-string Ric! I wish I still had mine. I ordered a 4003S/8 from Mandolin Brothers in 1991--red, chrome hardware, no binding, dot inlays and a toaster neck pup. I ordered a horseshoe pup directly from Rickenbacker to replace the bridge pup. It looked and sounded incredible, but I never played it live, so I traded it off for an early '80s MIA Fender '57 P-bass reissue---which I traded in turn for a Hagstrom H-8---which I traded traded for a nice rifle... (administers dope-slap to self..) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Undead Sycip Posted December 12, 2007 Members Share Posted December 12, 2007 My 8 string is very easy to play. There it is below the synthesizer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DevilRaysFan Posted December 12, 2007 Members Share Posted December 12, 2007 My 8 string is very easy to play. There it is below the synthesizer. Any multi-course player will tell you that its not the same ( close-but no cigar) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Undead Sycip Posted December 12, 2007 Members Share Posted December 12, 2007 Of course they'll say that. They're stuck with a limited use bass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hamer-Bass-Head Posted December 12, 2007 Members Share Posted December 12, 2007 of course you'd say that; trying to justify using a crappy pedal to emulate an 8 or 12 string bass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pickdust Posted December 12, 2007 Members Share Posted December 12, 2007 I've never seen one hanging in a shop to try, but i am very curious.How much more difficult is the fretting technique? The only difference I've found is that you don't use you fingertips to fret but more of the meat of your third finger joint. That's not to say that you fret with the swirl of your fingerprint .....but somewhere between the two. Most 8s are set up with the octave string on top (I think the Ricks are the reverse). While this would seem to favor pick style (which I play) Amy (Clatter) seems to do just find with a 12 string using finger-style with the octaves on top (See her on Youtube). I have a Waterstone TP 8 and love the big sound it makes. I find it great for recording and fantastic in a live setting, especially a 3 piece rock band. PD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members the hammer Posted December 12, 2007 Members Share Posted December 12, 2007 I had a Pedulla 8 that I loved. I tuned the E and A to octave and the D and G to fifths. It was a heavy sounding bass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wades_keys Posted December 12, 2007 Members Share Posted December 12, 2007 My 8 string is very easy to play. There it is below the synthesizer. Holy crap - the pedalboard of doom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members texasbassplayer Posted December 13, 2007 Members Share Posted December 13, 2007 During the 80s I played 8-string, starting on a Hondo then moving up to a 60s Hagstrom. By the early 90s I'd got my first Hamer 12-string, which became THE sound of my band at the time, so..I had to get a back-up 12 for gigging, so I got a second Hamer 12. Both my Hamers are/were the B12S. I sold the first one when the band broke up but I still have the second one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Clatter Posted December 13, 2007 Members Share Posted December 13, 2007 Most 8s are set up with the octave string on top (I think the Ricks are the reverse). While this would seem to favor pick style (which I play) Amy (Clatter) seems to do just find with a 12 string using finger-style with the octaves on top (See her on Youtube). I have a Waterstone TP 8 and love the big sound it makes. I find it great for recording and fantastic in a live setting, especially a 3 piece rock band. PD Yeah, when I got mine I didn't know any better and just started playing it like I would a 4-string, and since I don't know how to use a pick I just used my fingernails as usual. So I was surprised when I started reading later that it wasn't considered a fingerstyle instrument. I do strum it with my fingers sometimes, like I do my 4-string. Fretting hand doesn't change too much for me, either; I have small, fat fingers so I tend to mash all the strings down anyway! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fealach Posted December 14, 2007 Members Share Posted December 14, 2007 There's room for some tricky technique that takes a fair bit of finesse and practice. For the tricky stuff I like a pick so I can play just a single string if I want. It's tons of fun just to play fingerstyle with essentially the same technique as a 4 string, though, and sounds cool. I've found that thin strings and low action make a huge difference in playability. A 12 is a different animal, and takes more adjusting to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Thrashterpiece Posted December 14, 2007 Members Share Posted December 14, 2007 During the 80s I played 8-string, starting on a Hondo then moving up to a 60s Hagstrom. By the early 90s I'd got my first Hamer 12-string, which became THE sound of my band at the time, so..I had to get a back-up 12 for gigging, so I got a second Hamer 12. Both my Hamers are/were the B12S. I sold the first one when the band broke up but I still have the second one. Beautiful bass but I must say that thing must be a bitch to tune. I was thinking of getting a 12 string to mess around with since I like the 8 so much. How hard is it going from an 8 to a 12? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members texasbassplayer Posted December 14, 2007 Members Share Posted December 14, 2007 Not too much trouble to tune, and with 2 truss rods it stays in tune quite well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fealach Posted December 14, 2007 Members Share Posted December 14, 2007 Beautiful bass but I must say that thing must be a bitch to tune. I was thinking of getting a 12 string to mess around with since I like the 8 so much. How hard is it going from an 8 to a 12? Not too hard if you're used to the 8. You might need to play a bit slower and more carefully, and it's physically more work. I play my 8 both pick and fingerstyle, did the same with the 12. I had a Dean 12, the first one I tried had issues - the bridge and neck were not aligned to each other properly, the highest strings went off the fingerboard at the highest frets. The shop ordered me one, which had no issues. It came with enormously thick strings and high action, it was beastly to play until I restrung it with the thin strings I like and lowered the action - the bass tolerated a very low action with no notes buzzing out. It never told me its name, unlike Ronn in the pic above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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