LIMS09: 9-string Bass - How Low can You Go?!

We sneaked into the hall before it officially opened on Friday, and had a wander round before the crowds arrived - best time to do a quick recce of what's new, and a stumbled across bass-player Mario Bartone who was on the Peavy stand, playing a MONSTER of a bass guitar.

I used to play bass, so I've seen a few strange instruments, but never one like this! It had 9... yes, nine strings... and none were paired up like a 12-string guitar, but were equally-spaced and ranged from skinny lead guitar top strings, to what looked like a ship's anchor cable at the bottom.

So I just had to stop and take a look and ask Mario what on earth possessd him to play such a beast.
And it turns out, he not only plays it, but actually made it himself - carved the wood, had the pick-ups specially made, and custom strings wound just for it. A Super-Mario-Bass ;-)

Mario was inspired to go for the lowest string you can actually hear - 21Hz(!) when he found out that piano-make Bosendorfer had made an 'Extended' model with an extra F-sharp and F-string... so armed with the knowledge it was physically possible, he set about making it happen.

Truly inspired, and inspiring stuff!

Andy Mac

Mario's YouTube channel:-

• www.youtube.com/user/ddusenet
• www.haeussel.com
• www.sandberg-guitars.de
• www.pyramidstrings.com

Absolutely fantastic!

25-Jun-09 04:33 PM

How many strings do you have to put on before it stops being a bass? If it can play one note above middle C it isn't a bass anymore. IMHO.

26-Jun-09 09:52 AM

Ummm....There have been 13 string basses posted on YouTube for quite some time. Also, Conklin has ben making 9 string basses for a long time. Not exactly ground-breaking....

http://www.jerzydrozdbasses.com/images/newproject/legendXII_final/9.jpg

29-Jun-09 01:01 PM

would have been nice to hear that lowest note.....

04-Jul-09 01:29 AM

I made a 9 string bass, and muting strings is really tough.

lol

it's like those drummers in the 80s lost in a cage full of toms

05-Jul-09 10:11 AM

bro that's mul if you can get 9 string bass here on earth then wat abt in heaven bro....thats deep slaping too and the lowest note wld have bin nice to hear

25-Jul-09 07:31 AM

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