X-Nico

unusual facts about string bass


Twelve-string bass

The first known 12 string bass guitar, the "Hamer Quad," was designed by Jol Dantzig and built in 1978 for Petersson by Hamer Guitars.


Charles Schmitter

In addition to fencing, Schmitter was an accomplished tuba and string bass player and a member of the American Federation of Musicians.


see also

Be-Bop-A-Lula

Cliff Gallup (lead guitar), "Wee" Willie Williams (rhythm guitar), "Jumpin'" Jack Neal (string bass), and Dickie "Be Bop" Harrell (drums) comprised the band.

Carla Cook

As a student at Cass Technical High School she played string bass in the school orchestra, studied piano and voice on weekends, and sang in her church’s choir.

Eight-string bass guitar

Chris Squire of Yes often tunes his Raney 8-string bass eE-aA-aD-dG, so that notes played on the upper two courses sound as open fifths.

The first known 12-string bass guitar, the "Hamer Quad", was designed by Jol Dantzig and built in 1978 for Tom Petersson by Hamer Guitars.

Fabulous Poodles

Their first album Mirror Stars was produced by John Entwistle bassist for The Who, who also played eight- string bass on a few songs.

International Society of Bassists

The society was founded in 1967 by Gary Karr as the International Institute for String Bass (IISB).

New Sensations

Fernando Saunders - electric & string bass, background vocals, rhythm guitar on "My Red Joystick" and "My Friend George"

Purple Onion

Warren Haynes (Allman Brothers Band) adds slide guitar on the "Buzzards of Green Hill" and Fish Fisher (Fishbone drummer) guests on "Whamola." "Whamola" was a live show staple named after the unique instrument Les employs -- a one-string bass played with a drumstick.

Saint of Me

With Jagger on vocals, acoustic guitar and keyboards, Waddy Wachtel and Ron Wood play electric guitars (Keith Richards is notably absent), Me'Shell Ndegéocello and Pierre de Beauport on bass and six-string bass, respectively, and Stones-recording veteran Billy Preston on organ.

Standard tuning

Baritone (older use) / 6 string bass (older use) such as the Fender Bass VI - E1 A1 D2 G2 B2 E3 (like a standard guitar but an octave lower, and often played like a standard guitar rather than a bass guitar.

The Majesty of the Blues

The first two selections on the album are played by the Wynton Marsalis Sextet, including in addition to Marsalis Marcus Roberts, piano; Todd Williams, tenor and soprano saxophone; Wessell Anderson, alto saxophone; Reginald Veal, string bass; and Herlin Riley, drums.

Tony Bunn

In 1977, he conceived and developed the first modern 5-string bass guitar with luthier Paul Reed Smith(Most other sources attribute the first modern 5-string bass to an instrument built in 1976 by Alembic Inc for bassist Jimmy Johnson ).

Wally Voss

Roy Vogt Superchops 4 bass : Getting the most out of the 5 string bass, VHS and DVD, guest appearance from Wally Voss