Izzy Posted August 25, 2013 Share Posted August 25, 2013 Hi all, I have been using the top two strings of my guitar to create bass lines and then I saw this dude's guitar and thought, "isn't that bad for the guitar? I mean if not, I may just have to do that!" Basically, the second guitar he has appears to have two fat strings instead of the standard low tops. The vid shows what I'm talking about. Is it bad to put bass strings on a guitar? I mean, isn't it a strain on the poor neck of the instrument? Twisting neck issues may occur? Anyone here ever done this? http://youtu.be/gWwUsPvIJao Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted August 25, 2013 Share Posted August 25, 2013 Wow, that guy was amazing! Great song, great vocals, great technician...!!! Thanks for posting that. I have no idea if the bass string on an acoustic guitar will cause damage but it sure sounds good... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrNylon Posted August 25, 2013 Share Posted August 25, 2013 There are 6 string acoustic basses. He may have had custom nut made up, and transformed an acoustic bass to a 2 string bass, 4 string guitar acoustic combination. Similar to a baritone bass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted August 25, 2013 Share Posted August 25, 2013 . Great post. . Quite a lot to keep track of in that performance. Very interesting setup. Impressive talent. Loved it. Thanks Izzy. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted August 25, 2013 Share Posted August 25, 2013 Hmm, that is very interesting.. Im not sure it would make much difference in string tension but youd have to deepen and widen the nut slot and the bridge saddle (and possibly the string hole where you feed it in?).. and probably raise the bridge too on those strings... A good idea I think.. thanks for posting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted August 25, 2013 Share Posted August 25, 2013 The most critical among the irreversible modifications are those of the tailpiece in order to make it suitable for bass string ballends. Preparing nut and machine heads for the gauge are easier to reverse. When paying attention to the string tensions, there should be no problem for the neck. D'Addario specifies tensions for each string, and they can be recalculated for length (reciprocal to length for a given pitch) or pitch (varies quadratic with pitch). So I think Bernhoft has created his own string set of guitar and bass strings for tone, playability and balance as well. (I did the same five years ago for a ten string guitar I later returned due to poor craftmanship after two unsuccessful repair attempts by the distributor.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonzoboy Posted August 26, 2013 Share Posted August 26, 2013 Considering the invasive modifications that you would have to do on the guitar-some irreversible-I definitely wouldn'r do it to a guitar of any monetary or sentimental value and that's not even taking into account the damage that the extra and unbalanced tension that the bass strings would put on the neck and bridge of the guitar.Bass strings are markedly thicker than standard strings and despite being tuned an octave lower,because of their heavier and much wider girth they exert a lot more tension on the bridge and neck than those of a standard 6 string,that is a large part of the reason that bass necks are so much more substantial. Unless you can afford to toss the guitar in the bin if the experiment fails,it wouldn't be advisable to do such a radical modification. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brundaddy Posted August 26, 2013 Share Posted August 26, 2013 I do know that 12-strings some with factory instructions to use light gauge strings only or else the warranty is void. So take that with a grain of salt. I couldn't see the vid - if it was an acoustic it mightv'e been customized with bracing & whatnot. But the biggest practical issue for swapping in bass strings is that the nut & bridge need to set the string high enough so it can vibrate freely and it doesn't buzz on the frets. Try one on & see how it plays. Gibsons have famously weak neck joints, both at the headstock and body. Maybe try it out on a Fender. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrNylon Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 I'll still go with it being an acoustic bass converted to a baritone, or tow bass strings, four regular guitar strings. (With mods to bridge, saddles, and nut). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izzy Posted August 27, 2013 Author Share Posted August 27, 2013 I'll still go with it being an acoustic bass converted to a baritone, or tow bass strings, four regular guitar strings. (With mods to bridge, saddles, and nut). So you're saying BASS moded to become a guitar? That makes more sense I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingarmadillo Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 I did a little Googling - the guitar is a modified EKO Ranger, either a re-issue or an 80's vintage. Either way, they're cheap, somewhere between $100 - $300 either new or vintage on Ebay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izzy Posted August 27, 2013 Author Share Posted August 27, 2013 I did a little Googling - the guitar is a modified EKO Ranger, either a re-issue or an 80's vintage. Either way, they're cheap, somewhere between $100 - $300 either new or vintage on Ebay. Haha, you nerd! Thanks for figuring it out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 A couple of bass strings on a standard 6-string guitar is a very interesting concept (I liked the sound from the vids too). This is kind of similar to the way jazz players use a 7-string guitar, where the 7th string is an "A" an octave below the 5th string. Other than have to make physical accommodations at the bridge/nut/tuning machines.... to determine the tension on the neck is just a few mathematical calculations, something I like to call "Fun With Math." I'll give the "shortcut" explanation. To start the math project you will need to know (for the specific guitar in contention): Scale length String Gauges for the 5th and 6th strings of a "standard" set Tuned pitch for those strings The D'addario website has a very good and comprehensive tension chart: http://www.daddario.com/upload/tension_chart_13934.pdf Determine (from the chart) the individual tension applied to the neck for those two strings at normal tuning. Then search the tables for string sizes that exert a similar amount of tension at tuning an octave below (at the scale length in question). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueblooded Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 I thought I heard that Jack White used a bass string on the low E for the guitar he originally used for 7 Nation Army. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brundaddy Posted August 30, 2013 Share Posted August 30, 2013 I think JW used an either an octave pedal or else just laid down a bass track to record "Seven Nation Army." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izzy Posted August 30, 2013 Author Share Posted August 30, 2013 Didn't Page use banjo strings? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingarmadillo Posted August 31, 2013 Share Posted August 31, 2013 Didn't Page use banjo strings? Just one - an .008 on the E. He used a banjo string because nobody made .008 for guitar then. He supposedly used a .009 for the B string. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrNylon Posted August 31, 2013 Share Posted August 31, 2013 EKO has been around for a while. I used an EKO bass in 1969. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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