Paired String (8/12 string) Basses

[Hemisaurus]

I'm looking at 8 string basses, in all the ones I see, the high strings are behind the low strings, ie. from top to bottom it's thin/thick, thin/thick, thin/thick, thin/thick. Is this the best way for finger style playing?

[MichaelZodiac]

Rickenbacker made a few testmodels back in the day with the thick string first, it was never in full production -due to limited interest- although Entwistle (who else) used one of these on the song Succes Story. The Hagstrom HB-8 is stringed like you said and seem to have been somewhat of an industry standard concerning paired string basses. That reissue HB-8 appeals to me but not so much that I would want to buy it without playing it first.

[Corey Y]

Most 8 and 12 string players use a pick, and specifically a downpicking technique, which is why the octave is typically strung above the fundamental. Some people think the inverted configuration is better for finger style, but unless you're using a classical guitar type technique and have very nimble fingers I don't think you can get the maximum effect out of an octave course bass playing finger style, personally. A lot of 12 string players think the inverted configuration is superior because it allows you to do a lot more creatively with chords and picking on individual strings, which can be pretty challenging.

Either way playing 8 string and 12 string bass is kind of a different skill set than playing a typical 4 or 5 string bass. You can play them the same if you keep it simple, but they really are different instruments and octave courses require a different technique to fully utilize the instrument. As MichaelZodiac pointed out, the old Rickenbacker 8 strings use the octave below the fundamental, but you'd have to shell out quite a bit to find one. If you want to try it out you can just pick up a cheaper 8 string have a tech file you a new nut, the bridge is the same either way.

[clockwork green]

Do bass players really need more than one string?
I saw a Ric 8 not that long ago in Santa Cruz...I wish I would have gotten to play it. I really love the chorusing of 12-string basses...definitely on the future list.

[Hemisaurus]

Most 8 and 12 string players use a pick, and specifically a downpicking technique, which is why the octave is typically strung above the fundamental. Some people think the inverted configuration is better for finger style, but unless you're using a classical guitar type technique and have very nimble fingers I don't think you can get the maximum effect out of an octave course bass playing finger style, personally. A lot of 12 string players think the inverted configuration is superior because it allows you to do a lot more creatively with chords and picking on individual strings, which can be pretty challenging.

Either way playing 8 string and 12 string bass is kind of a different skill set than playing a typical 4 or 5 string bass. You can play them the same if you keep it simple, but they really are different instruments and octave courses require a different technique to fully utilize the instrument. As MichaelZodiac pointed out, the old Rickenbacker 8 strings use the octave below the fundamental, but you'd have to shell out quite a bit to find one. If you want to try it out you can just pick up a cheaper 8 string have a tech file you a new nut, the bridge is the same either way.

Err which way is inverted?

[Corey Y]

If you're looking at a right handed 8 string bass standing up, standard is octave on the left, inverted is octave on the right. Standard would have you plucking the octave first while down picking, inverted would if you're playing typical finger style. You really have to adjust your playing to get the sound you want out of the instrument. I have a sound clip from when I first got my 8 string, where I'm playing with a pick in an alternating picking style, which is how I typically play my 4 string. You can hear the octave string sound coming in and out and not sustaining occasionally:

http://www.divshare.com/download/15460272-5ce

[Hemisaurus]

Ta, so a lot of 12 string players like it the wrong way from standard, if standard is what I posted above.

I can't pick, but I do fingerpick, of a kind, on guitar, maybe I'll see if I can find an inverted instrument.

Now got to go listen to that Entwistle track.

[bass sic]

I borrowed one for awhile and couldn't really get into it. Like they said, it's better for pick players and I'm not one. Sounded really cool for certain situations.

[Hemisaurus]

Hmm, I don't pick either,

[VOLVO)))]

Just file a new nut...