# Is anyone currently making 4 string guitars?



## vontetzianos (Jun 17, 2009)

Hey,

I'm not sure if this is the right place for this, but does anyone here know of any 4 string guitar builds, like having only the bass section from E to a low F# or lower? Maybe even a 5 string going down to a low C#? I'm sure this isn't the first time its come up, but has anyone ever seen something like this?


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## Panterica (Jun 17, 2009)




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## ZeroSignal (Jun 17, 2009)

All I know about 4 string guitars is that Wes Borland used to play a prototype 4 String AX series Ibanez back when he was in Limp Bizkit. No pictures but he uses it in the Nookie video.


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## vontetzianos (Jun 17, 2009)

Panterica said:


>


 













But in all seriousness...


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## caughtinamosh (Jun 17, 2009)

4? No idea. 5? YES. Ramsay777 has a Schecter Celloblaster.


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## vortex_infinium (Jun 17, 2009)

I was thinking about making one for the Home Depot build. If I ever got around to getting access to tools.



> All I know about 4 string guitars is that Wes Borland used to play a prototype 4 String AX series Ibanez back when he was in Limp Bizkit. No pictures but he uses it in the Nookie video.



You can see it really well around 1:10.



Consider a short scale bass?


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## Fler (Jun 17, 2009)

Does anyone actually have higher quality live shots of that instrument? Or of Borlands Cremona 4 strings? Now those looked well made.


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## MTech (Jun 18, 2009)

There's an entire like 15 page thread about these 5 strings or "celloblasters" as they're called with the schecter model. It's 5 strings tuned like a cello hence the name, but obviously could do it with a 4. 






Wes had Ibanez and Cremona 4 strings.
Here's another of his..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWBk61PdphE&feature=player_embedded


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## Wound (Jun 18, 2009)

doesn't max cavalera only use 4 strings? But his guitars r 6 stringers tho...


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## distressed_romeo (Jun 18, 2009)

Wound said:


> doesn't max cavalera only use 4 strings? But his guitars r 6 stringers tho...



Yeah, he does, but as you say, they're just regular guitars with the top strings left off.

If you want a four for low tunings, then custom's going to be the only way to go I'm afraid. The only ones I've seen other than Wes Borland's Ibbie are acoustic or archtop tenor guitars that're designed to be tuned C (the one below a guitar's fourth string) G D A. The celloblaster would probably be your best bet, if you can find one of the fucking things. IIRC, they're baritone scale instruments most of the time, so with the right strings and a good setup, they'd probably handle the tunings you're talking about just fine. Personally, I'd love one of the two PU ones, but kept in the CGDAE tuning.


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## hufschmid (Jun 18, 2009)

Oh man, that must feel like playing on a spaghetti neck


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## distressed_romeo (Jun 18, 2009)

If you're tuning in fifths, and relying on four-note-per-string fingerings on a baritone scale that probably wouldn't be a bad thing.


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## AeonSolus (Jun 23, 2009)

Another choice would be getting a shortcale bass, which is around 30" and tuning it to your likings, and getting a pickup customwound, just like i did  A 70's fender bronco tuned in fifths.
*
EDIT: *Or 28.60" Scale Ibanez Mikro bass

http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend...RM20-Mikro-Short-Scale-Bass-Guitar?sku=516148


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## Wolfv11 (Jun 23, 2009)

AeonSolus said:


> Another choice would be getting a shortcale bass, which is around 30" and tuning it to your likings, and getting a pickup customwound, just like i did  A 70's fender bronco tuned in fifths.
> *
> EDIT: *Or 28.60" Scale Ibanez Mikro bass
> 
> Buy Ibanez GSRM20 Mikro Short-Scale Bass Guitar | 4 String Electric Bass | Musician's Friend



Its depressing to see that Ibanez has more colors available for that thing, then they do for their 7 and 8 strings.

But yes, a short scale bass would be a wise choice if you don't want to go custom.


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## leonardo7 (Jun 23, 2009)

Didnt Ibanez put out something this year that was a hybrid between a guitar and a bass? It has closer string spacing like a guitar but something like 30" w 6 strings?


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## Variant (Jun 24, 2009)

RRGs?


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## leonardo7 (Jun 24, 2009)

Well it has 7 strings, not 4 but maybe it would work?

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/ex...e-new-ibanez-sr7viisc-bass-guitar-hybrid.html


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## 74n4LL0 (Jun 24, 2009)

I'd buy a normal 6 string (or maybe a baritone one), with 3+3 headstock, remove 2 tuners and cut a new nut for only 4 strings...
you just have to find out what to do with the bridge then...


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## AxeGuru (Jun 24, 2009)

I thought Wes's Cremona was tuned F# and was 30'' scale like his ibby 4 string.

Obviously not - CREMONA-Wes Borland Model


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## Hollowway (Jun 25, 2009)

Variant said:


> RRGs?


Lol! I was thinking the same thing!


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## phaeded0ut (Jun 25, 2009)

I would say, if you wanted a normal bass (4-string) in short scale, try an Ashbory Tour : Ashbory Bass .

They're lots of fun and inexpensive, too.


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## AxeGuru (Jun 26, 2009)

I'm thinking of doing somthing like this to my old ibby 5 string somtime in the future. 

I'd have a new neck built, 30.5''. but what would I do with regards to a humbucker guys?, it has 16.5mm string spacing.


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