It's a bit out there, but I need to ask.

[mica]

In addition to Trip's, we built this other 8-string with 31 frets (some only for the upper strings). At least you can see where things start falling with a 35 inch scale length.  
 
Conversing with Susan by email is usually the best way to go about uncharted custom-land.

[sfnic]

I've spoken with Ralph Novak about the fan fret system, and have played a few of his basses.  As strange as they look, they _play_ exceptionally well.  The main thing you notice initially is that the lateral stress on your wrist disappears, as you move up and down the neck.
 
Normally, as you move towards the peghead, your wrist opens up towards the thumb (usually compensated for by moving the elbow forward).  As you move towards the bridge, the wrist closes, rotating the hand away from the neck.
 
Fanning the frets reduces both wrist motions, and allows you to maintain a more consistant grip at all neck positions.  Very comfortable to play.
 
The next thing you notice is the better sound you naturally get on the E (and lower) strings, due to the longer scale length.  That part's common to any properly made extended-scale length bass.  What's less common is that the G (and higher) strings don't get floppy, as they do on 36 scale basses.
 
And Ralph is quite generous in his licensing on the patent; Mica has mentioned in the past that it's totally within Alembic's capabilities.

[bigideas]

now we're talking

[jetbass79]

Why not just build an aircraft carrier with strings on it and play it?  I will make do with four strings...

[Bradley Young]

Variety is the spice of life.
 
Just so long as nobody says, But Jaco only needed four strings! nobody'll get hurt.
 
Brad

[george_wright]

John said:quote:Why not just build an aircraft carrier with strings on it and play it? I will make do with four strings...
 
This brought back my lost youth!  Aircraft carriers do have strings, and these days they're all four-stringers.  The arresting cables are pretty heavy gauge though!  (From a guy who once car-qualled in the F8 Crusader.)

[Bradley Young]

George,
 
My understanding is that the new carrier, The USS Ronald Reagan, has one less arresting wire.
 
What I hear is that it allows faster recovery, and they can apparently launch planes and land them concurrently.
 
I just saw the Reagan in San Diego.  Pretty cool.  
 
I also saw the '70s-era Soviet diesel-electric submarine that they have moored in the maritime museum (next to the ship that they filmed Master and Commander on).  That submarine looked like it was held together with duct tape and baling wire, and welded up by a blind man with a bad case of the shakes.  Gruesome.  It made me think that the Soviets never stood a chance.
 
Of course, the same thing was basically proven during Desert Storm-- Soviet equipment and tactics didn't last long against us (us=US Army: I'm a Desert Storm vet).  This was somewhat suprising to many (e.g. my unit was expected to take 70-80% casualties, but the only two I know of were a guy that accidentally jumped on a mine, and an idiot that threw a grenade into a corrugated metal building (expecting the 22 gauge metal to protect him-- doh!)).
 
Just call me Mr. Tangent.
 
Brad

[the_8_string_king]

I recently enjoyed my 5th anniversery with my 8 string 31 fret bocate Europa, and it's gotton even better sounding with time. I see they already gave you info on it, and I can tell you it's indescribably awesome.
 
There is no doubt in my mind that they can do an awesome 9 string with 36 frets for you, should you desire.  I considered up to a 10 string with 40 frets for my project, but decided to stick with my original concept of 8 strings with 31 frets -which has the same range as a 7 string with 36 frets.
 
If you DO decide to commission such a bass, I STRONGLY recommend (aside from thinking EVERYTHING through very thoroughly and carefully in great detail) that you consider getting ebony laminates in the neck... they contribute to an utterly earth-shaking sound that can't be matched by anything else.  Other Alembic owners with ebony laminates will back me up on this.
 
My custom 8 strings of power -featured custom, June '99- has an awesome 13 piece neck. The outer laminates are flame maple (and also the same pieces of wood as the body itself, a really cool and striking feature) and there are two pieces of rock maple, and then between these 4 maple lams are 3 purpleheart lams sandwiched between 3 pairs of ebony laminates.  This produces a tone and sustain that has to be heard to be believed, and which is the most awesome bass sound I've ever heard.  I lean towards thinking that only another Alembic with similar laminate choices could rival it.
 
I recommend doing some research and strongly considering this when the time comes...
 
You wouldn't regret it!
 
Good luck with your project!
 
And of course, I give this bass and Alembic the highest possible recommendation! It really doesn't get any better.
 
P.S. also think about whether or not you want 2 pickups... a large part of why I elected to go with the 8 with 31 frets instead of with the 7 with 36, was that, after seeing one of Conklins' Sidewinders, it became clear that it would be challenging to pointless to have 2 pickups with 36 frets, as -if they COULD fit, they'd be right next to each other and would probably have little difference.  I had them give me 26 full frets and then 5 more partial frets on the high strings (which work great) so that the neck pickup is just pushed out of the way a little on the treble side, causing it to be slanted.  It has a great sound, and both pickups have essentially the normal bridge and neck pickup sounds. If you go through with 36 frets, you'd likely have to or want to sacrifice one of your pickups.  Maybe you're okay with this, and maybe you're not.
 
Again, good luck, hope to see your custom featured as their first 9 string!!!

[the_8_string_king]

One other thing. Some of the other posters here made comments about the fret sizes and their usability.  My 31 fret bocate Europa is completely playable. I rarely use the frets above the 26th fret hi C on my high b flat string (which is an octave higher than the 24th fret high C on a standard 6-string, but when I choose to, they're all completely playable... I have no problem cleaning fretting and sounding the notes, all the way up to my 31st fret (althought the upper notes are a little tricky to access... I knew this going in, and Alembic offered/suggested maybe giving me extra cutaway, but I wanted to stick to the standard Europa shape).
 
My bass has a 35 inch scale, by the way.  Also, ALL of the strings sound great. There are no issues whatsoever with any high strings sounding/feeling floppy or anything.
 
The execution/acheivement of the design was flawless, and works perfectly in every way.