Alembic Guitars Club

Connecting => Swap Shop and Wish Lists => Seen on craigslist, eBay, and elsewhere => Topic started by: jazzyvee on November 29, 2010, 10:41:00 PM

Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: jazzyvee on November 29, 2010, 10:41:00 PM: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Bassix-Double-Bass-Banjo-/180592323930?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Sting_Instruments&hash=item2a0c242d5a#ht_500wt_1009

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/395/90517.jpg)

I wonder if Victor Wooten has one for some tracks with Bela Fleck?
I bet he could make it cool..

Jazzyvee
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: jacko on November 30, 2010, 01:57:02 AM: If the door's the normal size that thing's Huge!! you'd never get it in your smart car ;-)

Graeme
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: jazzyvee on November 30, 2010, 04:09:53 AM: Apparently it breaks down into a compact size for transporting. It would be interesting to hear how it sounds tho.

Jazzyvee
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: tmoney61092 on November 30, 2010, 04:51:00 AM: Look up the song Iowan Gal by Les Claypool live, he uses a bassjo which is basically a banjo with a 34 neck and bass strings, the sound is pretty killer and definitely different.

~Taylor
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: keith_h on November 30, 2010, 06:04:24 AM: Not really a new idea. Take a look at this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1930%27s_Gibson_bass_banjo_ad.jpg).

Keith
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: bigredbass on November 30, 2010, 10:32:18 AM: In the 'Ragtime Era' of the early 1900's, the instrument companies made their money with acoustic instruments. Guitars were not that prevalent, nor were they completely nailed down design-wise. This is where you see the strange birds like the 'harp' guitars.

However, banjos were a big deal, and mandolins to a lesser extent. Mandolins are essentially a fretted violin with paired strings, and this was a time for banjos before the five-string we generally think of these days. They were marketed as families of instruments, with the four voice ranges like the violin family.

So you'd see acoustic/choral groups with mandolin, mandola, mandocello, and mandobass. And parallel with banjos. That's where this bass banjo originated. Nowadays it's a (terrifying) novelty, but in its day, it was part of a multi-piece banjo orchestra (a truly blood-curdling prostpect).

The legendary Gibson designer Lloyd Loar was at Gibson in those days, and these were the times that drove his great acoustic designs.

J o e y
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: darkstar01 on December 01, 2010, 01:13:41 AM: i saw a F Style mandolin shaped upright a few years back. it was fretted like the banjo in the wikipedia link. can't seem to find a picture of one, most mandobasses were A style, but it was pretty awesome.
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: Enzo on December 01, 2010, 07:49:15 PM: A tummy contour would helpful on this one lol.
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: cozmik_cowboy on December 02, 2010, 05:02:52 AM: And for those who don't play upright, here's a current take (http://www.goldtone.com/products/details/w/instrument/430/BB-400+-Banjo-Bass-New-for-2009) on the concept.

Peter
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: sonicus on December 02, 2010, 07:38:10 AM: That's cool, ----- and 32 scale !
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: tmoney61092 on December 02, 2010, 09:35:05 AM: the Goldtone is what Les Claypool used for the song i mentioned and plays it live

~Taylor
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: hifiguy on December 02, 2010, 12:12:02 PM: OK, who was it that went to the Andre the Giant estate sale and bought this thing?
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: crobbins on December 02, 2010, 06:09:21 PM: (http://club.alembic.com/Images/395/90734.jpg)
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: adriaan on December 02, 2010, 11:44:01 PM: Here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9iEZexiyN4&feature=related target=_blank)'s a short clip of how the Goldtone version sounds.

Googling for The Blue Belles or Jean Rankin (as mentioned in the Gibson ad) does not find anything relevant - that's a pity.

And this clip (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gUj6LGsNbU&feature=related target=_blank) is a 1930s banjo orchestra featuring both a double bass with a more or less banjo-shaped body and what might either be a bass banjo or a cello banjo.
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: jazzyvee on December 04, 2010, 04:58:44 AM: This is another type of bass that I saw a few years back when I was playing the Womad Festivals. The whole band had three stringed instruments.

Balalaika Bass (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXw__w-YdAw&feature=related)

(http://alembic.com/club/messages/395/90845.jpg)

Jazzyvee
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: dadabass2001 on December 04, 2010, 06:39:13 AM: Now that's not gonna make it as walk-on luggage. Do you think he uses a flight case?
Mike
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: David Houck on December 05, 2010, 09:10:04 PM: He looks like he's got a solution for those folks whose basses are too heavy for a strap.
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: jazzyvee on December 05, 2010, 11:18:05 PM: Damn, that cuts out the ZZ Top spinning guitar trick then. :-)

Jazzyvee
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: darkstar01 on December 05, 2010, 11:35:45 PM: Octobass ftw. these things were originally designed for two players; one for the fretting (there were frets), and the other for the bowing.

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/395/90944.jpg)
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: dadabass2001 on December 06, 2010, 07:50:43 AM: Dang! He's already up one step and it looks like he still wouldn't be able to reach first position after the next step! Is there a hidden third step? Was the house built around the instrument? Has anyone seen my lower jaw?

Mike
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: lbpesq on December 06, 2010, 10:49:23 PM: You guys have inspired me. I just picked up a Banjitar on eBay.

Bill, tgo
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: elwoodblue on December 08, 2010, 03:19:16 AM: Did anyone see this? (http://cgi.ebay.com/AMAZING-8-FOOT-TALL-VINTAGE-ELECTRIC-GUITAR-/220707679047?pt=Guitar&hash=item336333eb47 target=_blank)

...too bad the pics aren't better
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: lbpesq on December 08, 2010, 07:30:08 AM: I'm biddin'!

Bill, tgo
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: rjmsteel on December 08, 2010, 05:09:57 PM: Here's a link with detailed History, in Italian. Just Google URL and translate.
Octobasse (http://www.xray.it/octo/)
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: David Houck on December 08, 2010, 05:26:46 PM: This page (http://www.xray.it/octo/fisica.htm) shows how it works. You don't play the fingerboard with your fingers, and those aren't ordinary frets.
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: darkstar01 on December 08, 2010, 05:34:36 PM: well, clearly i have no idea what i'm talking about.
sure are big, though.
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: rjmsteel on December 08, 2010, 05:35:48 PM: Check out the Low C 16.35 Hz range... just add Superfilter!
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: David Houck on December 08, 2010, 06:16:28 PM: Play it through a Bag End Elf system.
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: rjmsteel on December 08, 2010, 06:22:00 PM: They did have that 4 x 21 cabinet at the Chicago Alembic gathering at Bag End in June of 2009.
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: benson_murrensun on December 09, 2010, 02:35:13 PM: Jack Casady has a bass balalaika, but that's not Jack in the above pic...
I think he used it on one cut of his solo album.
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: elwoodblue on December 15, 2010, 11:29:42 AM: Hey Bill...how did you fare with the 8-foot guitar auction?
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: peoplechipper on December 31, 2010, 12:00:49 AM: I remember that Odyssey guitar! they had it at Iron Music, where they sold the guitars and it was in their ads;4 or 5 poodle haired guys holding and playing it...if you ever see an Odyssey for sale go for it; they tend to sell cheap as most people don't know the name but they are really well made instruments,especially the carved top ones with the herringbone binding...

I shouldn't have looked at this thread,now I want a bass banjo to terrorize my bandmates and the Octobasse to terrorize my neighbours...just realised I'd have to cut a hole into my attic to fit it, I don't have 12 foot ceilings. Don't think the landlord would go for that...too bad! I wanna hear that thing 16.5 hz is subsonic!!! wicked!!! Tony
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: peoplechipper on December 31, 2010, 12:04:57 AM: There's a band called the Red Elvises, a Russian surf band and the bass player plays an electric bass balalaika...
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: lbpesq on December 31, 2010, 08:12:41 AM: Being that the 8 foot Odyssey weighed 300 lbs, I wasn't real hot to get it. I wouldn't have even bid except it was local so I wouldn't have to pay shipping (ouch!). I though it might look cool hanging in my studio, and if I ever actually fulfilled my fantasy of moving to Hawaii and opening a guitar store I could hang it there. Anyway, I was left far behind when it delved into four figure territory. It eventually sold for around $3700! Heck, I could get another old Series guitar for less than that!

Have a healthy and prosperous New Year, everyone.

Bill, tgo
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: cozmik_cowboy on December 31, 2010, 09:02:19 AM: Red Elvis were wonderful in their screen debut in Six String Samurai - which, if you haven't seen it, is a classic of weird, and highly recommended (heck, I'd even recommend it straight....)

Peter
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: elwoodblue on December 31, 2010, 10:33:35 AM: I hear ya Bill, for under a grand it would have made a nice conversation piece . I wonder where would you get strings if one broke ?

It would look great on stage with Neil Young and his giant Magnatone.

Happy New Years !
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: hydrargyrum on December 31, 2010, 11:42:14 AM: I'll have to check out that movie Peter. I've had a bit of affection for Red Elvis for a while now.
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: elwoodblue on February 04, 2011, 02:49:23 PM: The 8 foot Odyssey is relisted (http://cgi.ebay.com/AMAZING-8-FOOT-TALL-VINTAGE-ELECTRIC-GUITAR-/220734116415?pt=Guitar&hash=item3364c7523f target=_blank)
...I don't see any strings in the new picture.
I'll admit that huge brass bridge is foreboding.

(Message edited by elwoodblue on February 04, 2011)

(Message edited by elwoodblue on February 04, 2011)
Title: I've never seen one of these before.
Post by: melancholy_mechanic on February 04, 2011, 06:07:16 PM: I've seen the Red Elvises a couple times. They tour through my town every year and they are awesome!!