New build 10 string

[Clark_Kent]

After looking at the issues I have with my current home-made tapper, I've decided to build something a little more "guitar-like."
I really need something that can sound like a bass and/or a guitar and be strummed if necessary...as well as making for a good tapper.
I think the Treblebass design is what I'm going to mimic (maybe a Box-treblebass hybrid style), as it would allow me to play straight bass or guitar (non-tap style) as well as using some of the techniques I have learned playing regular Stick tuning.
I know the treblebass is a 27.7 inch scale and I figured I'd use regular guitar spacing so that I can use typical guitar and bass pickups.

I'm curious if anyone here has any comments on making this all work with a 27.7 inch scale. It's long for a guitar, and short for a bass.
I'd also like to hear some decent recordings of what a treblebass sounds like, since the file off their webpage just sounds like random noise to me.

Thanks,
Clark

[rjgoos]

http://xyzwebdesign.com/sanbass/video.html

Yikes...I hope that the video referred to on the Santucci Treblebass site isn't supposed to be an example of how they recommend the instrument be held/played. How does one describe his way of holding the instrument....a "reverse Jimmie Webster"???

Nevertheless, the Man Of Steel is correct, it is dang hard to find any recordings/video of the TrebleBass on the internet...even harder than finding Solene recordings. Traktor....any clues/comments?

[Clark_Kent]

Yeah...about that video.
1st I thought there was something wrong with my speakers, then I thought he was doing some free jazz...or maybe not.
But the video just keeps going, and going, and going...
Hardly a strong advertisement for what can be done with the instrument.

I still want to make something with that string configuration though (4+6). I have a steinberger that I can trace to start a Box-like body design, and I want to use a trememlo bridge for the guitar half.

Clark
(M.O.S.)

[BigDaddyPoo]

Originally posted by rjgoos
http://xyzwebdesign.com/sanbass/video.html

Yikes...

You said it rj...that was painful.

[GaryOpenhill]

Haha... :D

That actually is Santucci himlsef, isn't it? I'm pretty sure it is.

[PhoBucket]

There are a few clips on YouTube

Santucci guitar (http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=santucci+guitar)

[jamsire]

Originally posted by BigDaddyPoo
You said it rj...that was painful.

I loved it.:D

[RocknDrTom]

I was waiting for him to pick up a violin and start rubbing it into the strings, it reminded me so much of Nigel's solo from Spinal Tap.

[rjgoos]

Thank you Phobucket...these were nice clips.

[RocknDrTom]

Music is so subjective, isn't it?
That's why we get so passionate as to whether we like it or not.

[GaryOpenhill]

Here's a guy with a similar technique in the right hand, but maybe a little easier to listen too? (not a santucci, but the right hand technique first in the vid is interesting). Why is it called triple tapping?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbnK8g4GGrM

[PhoBucket]

Cool video, Gary. Thanks for that.

[rjgoos]

The whole video was nice, but I especially liked the kind of music he was playing around 1:30-1:50 into the video. Some nice chords in there.

[K Rex]

I don't think it was painful at all... much the opposite. I felt as if a wave of creative innovation shot straight through my frontal lobe, down through my spine, through my chakras, and into my kundalini before screaming out my arse in a blissful rock-and-roll frenzy.

Oh, yeah. Yeah, baby. Heck yeah.

It's exactly the sort of music one would expect from bald, aging, insane, acid-freaking, odd instrument-building folks of indeterminate ethnic persuasion. I love how he periodically looks up at the camera for approval. Classic.

This video almost had me on the floor in tears of insane laughter. My wife was somewhat less amused... My hat is off to this guy, and whoever had the cajones to post his vid for the world to see.

Jamsire, this man needs a spot on the tee-vee show!

Kev

[K Rex]

Err... sorry, Mr. Santucci.

I didn't know it was you.

K Rex

[rjgoos]

Back to Mr. Kent's original intent of the thread....he is thinking of building something like a Treblebass.

Clark....are you thinking of going to something other than 4ths/5ths for this instrument? It would seem to me that crossed-parallel-4ths would be the obvious tuning for such an instrument?

[Clark_Kent]

I just finished my first draft draw-up of my plan. I want to do a 4 + 6 (EADG, EADGBE--regular Treblebass tuning) but I may tune it in straight 4ths (I have tuned my 7 string like that and really like the functionality). This will be stereo with a switch to go mono.

I originally wanted to use an old precut fingerboard left over from an old project, which is 34 in scale cut with 24 fret slots. I was going to just lop it off at 28.5 and go from there, but I'm worried about the scale length.
I capoed my current tapper off at 28.5 and tuned it to regular guitar tuning (with 9-42 strings) and the tension was really tight.
Lmii can cut me a fingerboard to 27.5 in scale, so I think that's what I'll do, since a treble bass is 27.7. Hopefully I can get a decent sounding bass low E sound with that short of a scale.

The object here is to make an instrument that I can play touchstyle but also use as either a guitar, or a bass, or both...because the folks in my rockin' blues band HATE my tapper.
"Why the heck do you keep bringin' that thing...where's your NORMAL guitar?"
I also play fingerstyle in a guitar/voice duet and I'd like more bass range for the arrangements.

I'd also like to use as many off-the-shelf guitar parts as possible, since I have a whole box of parts that I could recycle for this project.

[Clark_Kent]

...and I have a question for those of you with experience building instruments with bass strings.
The stick and Megatar use guitar tuners. The Treblebass uses Bass tuners for the bass strings and guitar tuners for the treble strings.
Anyone see a reason why I should use bass tuners rather than regular guitar tuners? Is there any tonal difference or is it simply to accomodate the larger string diameter?

thanks!

[K Rex]

I often lament tuning huge bass strings with tiny little tuners. I think the idea is that a relatively small headstock that must accomodate 12 or 14 tuning knobs cannot bear the burden of 6 or 7 larger knobs. Tuning would be much simpler with great big knobs. Just my opinion.

I actually thought the santucci was cool (first time I'd seen one), but I didn't care for the body shape. Perhaps someone out there could expand the idea?

Kev

[Clark_Kent]

Okay, more issues.
My parts are starting to arrive so I'm working on my layout.
My scale is 27.5 inches.
Nut width is 3 inches; neck width at 24th fret is 3 3/4 inches (basically modeled off the treblebass).
My neck (at the heel) will be 1 inch thick, but the neck will probably be around 3/4 in or 7/8 thick.

I have never done two truss rods before. I really have no idea how close they can be together and still work well.
If they are too far apart, the back of the neck will be a pain to shave down and be too thin.
Does anyone have a good rule, or maybe some nice picture examples of how to lay out two truss rods?
(I'm using stew-mac hot rods)
Thanks!

Clark