8 string bass guitar

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The 8 string bass guitar is strung with paired, octaved strings, similar to those of a regular 12 string guitar. Standard tuning is usually as so:

  • high e, low E,
  • high a, low A
  • high d, low D
  • high g, low G

8 string basses are usually fretted, however fretless 8 string basses have been known to exist, though would usually be a custom make. Though once rare, many well-known guitar manufacturers now make 8 string basses commercially available, such as ESP Guitars, Dean Guitars, Hamer Guitars and Washburn Guitars, etc.

Often, the 8 string bass guitar is played with a plectrum so to have a better attack and to increase the 'ringing' of the higher-register strings, but is not essential. Many funk players have used finger and slap and pop techniques with the 8 string bass (such as Victor Wooten). Some other bassist of note who have utilised the 8 string bass are Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam, Paulo Pinto of Sepultura, John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin, John Entwistle of The Who and Tom Petersson of Cheap Trick (who also invented the 12 string bass!). Guitarist Jimi Hendrix also played 8 string bass on tracks from his Electric Ladyland album, notably Crosstown Traffic and 1983... (A Merman I Should Turn to Be).

10 string basses incorporate a high b and low B string (like that of a regular 5 string bass, but double stringed). Dean Guitars perhaps make the most affordable commercially available 10 string bass.

12 string basses with a high c and low C (like that of a standard 6 string bass) are bound to exist but would most likely have been an expensive custom order from a specialist luthier. Commercially available 12 string basses such as those from Hamer Guitars and Dean Guitars are strung in triples such as:

  • high e, high e, low E,
  • high a, high a, low A
  • high d, high d, low D
  • high g, high g, low G

Bassists of note who have utilised the 12 string bass guitar are Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam, Billy Sheehan of Mr Big, Tom Petersson of Cheap Trick, Doug Pinnick of King's X, and Chris Squire of Yes, who often tunes his Raney 8-string bass eE-aA-aD-dG, so that notes played on the upper two courses sound as open fifths.

Fieldy from the nu-metal band Korn has used a 15-String bass in recording their new studio album.It is a tripled five-string bass tuned: Aba-Dfd-Gcg-Cec-Faf. It is a custom from Ibanez called the K-15,in tradition with Korn's orther signature instruments.