Bassotar Video 1

A rough cut of some ideas I'm working out.
I recently acquired a Wes Lambe Hybrid 8 String Guitar http://www.wlguitars.com/8stringelectric

The things a beast! I mean that in the best possible way.

Having always been playing guitar lines on bass I figured why not join the two, à la Charlie Hunter, 3 bass strings 5 guitar strings, two outputs = BASSOTAR!

I still have so much to learn, especially on the guitar side of things. I'm posting this video to try to get the ball rolling again, it's been too long since the last video!
Hopefully the first of many to come.

BTW If you don't know who Charlie Hunter is... http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Charlie+Hunter

*No Wombats were harmed in the making of this video.

• Category

  Music

[Cornbreadddd]

Also, can I ask how you recorded this? It sounds amazing!

[resonantdoghouse]

Thanks! The instrument has two outputs, one for the Bass strings and one for Guitar. I used Propellerheads Reason to track the two channels and just used the plugins that come with it. Reason now has some decent amp models by line6. The only thing in the line before reason is a wah pedal, I know I play it too much but I can't help it :)

[e1337air]

very delicious playing!! im wondering what the difference to a regular 8-string is? technically you should be able to play the same things on both.

[resonantdoghouse]

The difference I see between the hybrid style and a regular 8 string is the use of bass strings. Also the tuning is ( Bass: e a d, Guitar: a d g b e) i think 8 string guitars are tuned ([BD]EADGBE). Another important difference is the pickup split which allows sending the bass and guitar sides to separate amps. I haven't played a regular 8 string but Tosin Abasi seems to have mastered it, also Jason Crawford is amazing!

[BenZeneProject]

I have got to get me one of these things. And a wombat.

Are the nonparallel frets difficult to adjust to?

[resonantdoghouse]

Thanks, yes the bassotar is even more rare than a wombat, it's a magical beast. The nonparallel frets are actually very easy to play. I was surprised because I always thought they would be strange but in some ways it feels more natural. The toughest part for me is the guitar side. I need to work on some guitar licks to be able to raise the temperature to face-melting, perhaps a crossroad I shall seek.

[Austin Lucas]

Thanks, That's a nice way to play. :)

[Nate Lopez]

Great vid! I also play 8 string. Just subscribed.

[Musicenthusiasm]

Nice playing! It's great to see that you're uploading videos again. Thanks for posting this.

[cdboyer]

Jim! your getting too good man, ease up a bit. Brilliant piece, thanks...

[BenZeneProject]

the bassotar doesn't suffer from mange either. Ixnay on the wombat, hell yeahz on the bassotar.

[hahabass]

Man, you are so fuckin groovy, you make me wanna cry with joy. Just great!

[1mplz]

It's goddamn funky! Keep on groovin' man!