[gjkung]

Hi there everyone, I've been hanging around here for sometime but I think this is my first post so far. First of all thanks for all the great advice on the forums, now I'm starting my own 7 string bass build for a friend of mine, i need some really specific recommendations.


A friend of mine wanted me to build him a custom bass, I haven't built one before but I thought it'd be a great time to prototype one.

He wants it to be 7 string, tuned F#-C, with 27-30frets, making it a contrabass.

I've attached a rough sketch, it's drawn to scale but not a 100%.

He wants it to achieve maximum playability, and I've tried 6 string basses and found them a real challenge already. Would it be possible to make the string spacing even tighter than 16.5mm at the bridge and tighter at the nut also?

I also have problems finding a pickup and strings for it, would EMG 4.5inches six string pickups work? What about the lowF# string? I was thinking .165 inches but where do I get it?


I need all the comments I can find on my design, so all are welcome!

[JBroll]

I can tell you that Conklin sells gigantic strings for F# - 165, as you said, at

Conklin Accessories

and I'd probably just go for a 6-string set of Power Steels and the 165 for the lowest.

Jeff

[Apophis]

Originally Posted by gjkung

Hi there everyone, I've been hanging around here for sometime but I think this is my first post so far. First of all thanks for all the great advice on the forums, now I'm starting my own 7 string bass build for a friend of mine, i need some really specific recommendations.


A friend of mine wanted me to build him a custom bass, I haven't built one before but I thought it'd be a great time to prototype one.

He wants it to be 7 string, tuned F#-C, with 27-30frets, making it a contrabass.

I've attached a rough sketch, it's drawn to scale but not a 100%.

He wants it to achieve maximum playability, and I've tried 6 string basses and found them a real challenge already. Would it be possible to make the string spacing even tighter than 16.5mm at the bridge and tighter at the nut also?

I also have problems finding a pickup and strings for it, would EMG 4.5inches six string pickups work? What about the lowF# string? I was thinking .165 inches but where do I get it?


I need all the comments I can find on my design, so all are welcome!

1. you can always have tighter spacing at the bridge using individual string bridges or making custom bridge, at nut use graphite from Graph-Tech and you can have spaceing you want
2. pickups from EMG won't fit, you have to have custom made pickup.
3. ask about strings Garry Goodmann - he's a member here


and of course

[gjkung]

hehe thanks,


regarding the custom bridges and nuts I know I can make them tighter spaced. That wasn't my worry, but I was wondering how well does it play? I don't play bass a lot so I can't tell from a real bassist's point of view. I've always felt the basses should have tighter string spacing, but what do you guys think?

[Apophis]

Depends what style you play, for slap is better to have wider spacing, for rhythm can be better to have lees space between.

[gjkung]

I think I'd go with the tighter spacing then.

Btw, can 36" hold an F# properly? Or do I have to bring the scale up?

www.delano.de, they apparently have a 7 string bass pickup model, do you guys know anything about it?

If that doens't work, where can i get my 7 string bass pups made?

[Ishan]

Warwick use a .175 on their Dark Lord bass wich is 35" scale 4 strings tuned down to F#. It seems to hold up the F# quite well, never tried it myself.

[gjkung]

ok now I've got the strings, will the delano pickups work or do I have to find a custom? do recommend.

[Suho]

I don't know about now, but Bartolini must have made 7 string pickups in the past because I have them in my Conklin GT-7.

Did Conklin stop using the big Barts? I think he might use custom wound pickups now. I'm not sure.

[gjkung]

Suho, how do I contact Bartollini? Their website is pretty outdated I think, I can't even find an email address.

anyway I did some calculations. I'd be mounting my bass bridges with 15.5mm spacing, so I'd have a total 1st-7th string spacing of 93cm at the bridge

The EMG 6 string pickups are 115mm, does that mean that it'd be ok to use the EMG 6 string pickups? I know the casing of the pickup is 115/4.5 inches, but some part of it is actually the mounting screws, how wide is the actual pickup range?

It'd be great if someone who owns one of these 4.5inches pickups could give me a measurement or test?

If it does work, then I wouldn't have to spend so much on the prototype, and then I'd get the customs done when I produce my final product.