Fanned fret JP, Possibility of FINALLY a fanned fret bass??

[MarcMurder]

like the title implies, whats yalls thoughts on how soon we will FINALLY get a fanned fret bass? id been dying for a bongo but if its a ray or a new model im gonna be on that ASAP.

link for reference

Shop Ernie Ball Music Man - Ernie Ball Music Man John Petrucci Majesty 8

 

[danny-79]

Can’t say I’ve heard of anything. Do a quick search, there are a few threads on the subject

 

[five7]

What a guitar, truly amazing! Too bad he doesn't play it in the video.

 

[tbonesullivan]

This is going to be one of those "money talks" discussions. Ernie Ball does not offer a Wide 5 option, and I heard in the past that they offered to, if enough people wanted it and agreed to purchase it.

The bass never got made. When it came down to it there was not enough people actually willing to buy them.

You also need to have enough range on the bass for having a multi-scale approach make sense. 4 string basses don't need that, IMHO 5 strings don't ,and 6 strings is debatable. There are plenty of world class pros playing non multi-scale 5 and 6 sting basses at the highest level.

And, as they have already seen from the JP Multi-scale 8 string, reception has been mixed, because when you deal with a multi-scale instrument, many people are VERY specific on what scales they want at the top and bottom, as well as what the center point of the fanning pattern is.

 

[danny-79]

Personally I don’t see the point to multi scale unless there are a lot of strings spanning many octaves, with that in mind it’s not something I’m interested in either.
It’s a solution to to a problem that doesn’t really exist. Your tuner might say different to the millionth of a note but that’s about it.
It’s not something I’ll be investing in, Offered or not.

 

[MarcMurder]

What a guitar, truly amazing! Too bad he doesn't play it in the video.

theres some videos out now, its siiiiick

 

[MarcMurder]

This is going to be one of those "money talks" discussions. Ernie Ball does not offer a Wide 5 option, and I heard in the past that they offered to, if enough people wanted it and agreed to purchase it.

The bass never got made. When it came down to it there was not enough people actually willing to buy them.

You also need to have enough range on the bass for having a multi-scale approach make sense. 4 string basses don't need that, IMHO 5 strings don't ,and 6 strings is debatable. There are plenty of world class pros playing non multi-scale 5 and 6 sting basses at the highest level.

And, as they have already seen from the JP Multi-scale 8 string, reception has been mixed, because when you deal with a multi-scale instrument, many people are VERY specific on what scales they want at the top and bottom, as well as what the center point of the fanning pattern is.

sold out pretty darn fast. at 4.2k a sale id say that the money is talking hard

 

[MarcMurder]

Personally I don’t see the point to multi scale unless there are a lot of strings spanning many octaves, with that in mind it’s not something I’m interested in either.
It’s a solution to to a problem that doesn’t really exist. Your tuner might say different to the millionth of a note but that’s about it.
It’s not something I’ll be investing in, Offered or not.

theres more to fanned frets than intonation, if thats what youre referencing in your tuner statement.

 

[mouth]

Isn't one of the main attractions to multiscale / fanned fret basses increased string tension for the low strings? Works good for down tuning I'd bet, which is probably the reason why a lot of modern metal bands go to Dingwall. EBMM is kind of getting into the whole modern metal thing with Darkglass, but I dunno if they'll go fanned fret route for basses any time soon.

 

[Randracula]

A multiscale bass makes a lot of sense to me on a 4 string if you’re tuning to drop C or C#. You can keep good tension without using extremely heavy gauge strings. I would certainly be interested if EBMM were to ever make one.

 

[danny-79]

A multiscale bass makes a lot of sense to me on a 4 string if you’re tuning to drop C or C#. You can keep good tension without using extremely heavy gauge strings. I would certainly be interested if EBMM were to ever make one.

No right or wrong answers towards multi scale basses just personal likes and dislikes, but if enough people make a noise the powers to be might ???? Who knows

All my basses are DGCF with a 105-50 set.
(I can easily get a 130 down to A. The only trouble I’m having now is having an amp and cab that can’t reproduce notes that low. )
All basses 34 scale.
Anything lower than B, Bb even then definitely a longer scale length is needed along with and perhaps more importantly an amp set up to match.

 

[Randracula]

No right or wrong answers towards multi scale basses just personal likes and dislikes, but if enough people make a noise the powers to be might ???? Who knows

All my basses are DGCF with a 105-50 set.
(I can easily get a 130 down to A. The only trouble I’m having now is having an amp and cab that can’t reproduce notes that low. )
All basses 34 scale.
Anything lower than B, Bb even then definitely a longer scale length is needed along with and perhaps more importantly an amp set up to match.

I’ve done drop C# with a 50-110 set but that’s the heaviest I like to go. With a multiscale I can use 45-105 for that tuning, which feels better for my small, weak hands. Hopefully you’re right and EBMM will determine there’s a market for it. I don’t see it on the Bongo or Stingray, but I think it would look really good on a Sabre. Something completely new would be awesome.

 

[danny-79]

I’ve done drop C# with a 50-110 set but that’s the heaviest I like to go. With a multiscale I can use 45-105 for that tuning, which feels better for my small, weak hands. Hopefully you’re right and EBMM will determine there’s a market for it. I don’t see it on the Bongo or Stingray, but I think it would look really good on a Sabre. Something completely new would be awesome.

Knowing EBMM it will be something completely different and new. Can’t see them adjusting anything current.
Who knows the design team might be at it right now. There is definitely a market for one, won’t be to everyone’s taste but what ever is ? There’s enough people playing them, all with positive things to say about them so who knows

 

[MarcMurder]

in the talks of tuning, i use the standard (only) cobalt 5 set for GCGCF on my bongo and stingray special. EBMM sent me the bass set up for that tuning with those strings and its just fine.
i tried going to F but just just wasnt happening, it could happen, but it wasnt enjoyable. so the ray and bongo handle everything for me except the F, for that i have a 37-34 scale 5 string.

im a sucker for the bongo, but whatever they decide to make a multiscale, new model or current model im gonna get one