Silhouette bass

[ebb soul]

Not even shure which forum to put this in. What is this instruments purpose, and is it to be considered a bass or baratone guitar? What is it normally tuned to? I have played one before, but wasn't shure how to approach it. Is it meant as a second guitar between another guitarist and bassist? I was wondering if it would make a good adition to my collection, but I don't understand it. What set of strings do you by? Lotta questions, huh? D'uow, there went another one..
I could use a bajo sexto sound..

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

>>>>>Not even shure which forum to put this in.

I see what you mean!

I call it a clickety clack....no disrespect of course...I like their sound.

From what I understand......

The instrument was intended as a compromise between a Guitar and a Bass. Perhaps a higher register Bass...low register Guitar..., tuned the same as a guitar but an octave lower. Fender built their version to capitalise on the Nashville Tic Tac sound of the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. My interpretation of Tic Tac is country music. In recording such, it was common to use one for double tracking bass parts…to emphasise the bass in unfavourable conditions…eg when listening to a record via the small speaker of a radio.

Played higher up the neck, it sounds the same as the lower strings on a normal guitar and can be used to play 2, 3 and perhaps 4 string cords. Jack Bruce first used one before joining “Cream”. The band he was in lost their guitarist and Jack found it useful in covering the function of both guitar and bass.....filling the gap. Of course, he also used one in “Cream” as well.

Session Bassist, Carol Kaye, used one while recording Glen Campbell’s “Wichita Linesman”….you can hear it in the lead break...if that's what you call it.

These days…don’t know….perhaps used for country music...any body!!!???

PS...just an afterthought...you can hear examples of the 6 string Bass in surf band instrumentals of the 60's.

I think their potential is still untapped....imagine one through a synthesiser....abstract jazz....whoaaaa.....

 

[Derek]

The Silhouette bass guitar was produced as a Bass for guitar players and a guitar for bass players. It's fuction is varied.

Rock guys like them to add extra Beef to a guitar track. Plugged into a Marshall or Boogie
the Silhouette can provide some serious low-end crunch. Depending on the string gauge you can tune them up differently. A-A and B-B tunings are popular to add nice textures to enhance any type of music. We have been marketing the E-E tuned version for a while.

We sell a baritone string set (A-A) which gauges start at .13 thru .72. The Silhouette bass set is .20 thru .90. Both sets can be ordered thru any Ernie Ball dealer.

Some current users include Stuart Smith(Eagles), Joe Perry, Steven Van Zant(E-Street Band).

Thanks

Derek

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

Just found this pic on the hard drive for anyone interested:

http://a5.cpimg.com/image/55/B8/22528085-3137-020000B5-.jpg

Owner says it's one of only two that were made with a rosewood fretboard!

 

[NorM]

I have had mine for about 6 months and I love it. As a guitar player I treat it like a bass I can shread on. Slow classical pieces sound great on it. I also love the way Cathedreal (EVH) comes through. The single / double coils give it a huge array of sounds. I have to keep the reverb low with it or the sound can turn to mud pretty quickly. This is a specialty item to be sure. But with 6 wound strings (Tuned E to E) this instrument has great response. Middle chords sound great in the 7th position and above. I have tried other baritone guitars but the EBMM is really something special. After I play for about 4 hours, I feel ready to play it for 4 more.

 

[KTL]

Hi all! I'm new here...
This thread is interesting! I play both guitar and bass and I'm now fascinated by this Silhouette Bass Guitar... how is it tuned? The low B is tuned like a standard 5string bass' low B? Can I find it in Italy?
Thanks for any reply!

 

[midopa]

The information you're seeking is smack dab here in this thread. Check out Derek's reply. As to whether or not it's available in Italy, I'm not sure. If there're any Ernie Ball dealers in Europe, you'd have to get to them, I presume.