The Steel Guitar Forum

Have heard mentioned a few times about Bass Guitar slides. Through the years have heard a few.

Currently where are we at with Bass Slide Guitars. Maybe refereed to has a Steel Bass Guitar.

So do we have some sample demos and some craft Guitar makers making a sliding Bass?

I'm interested for sure. Michael

Edited for accidental double post.

I'm a little confused, are you talking about slide guitar or steel guitar?

I've seen "regular" electric bass players playing Fender bass use bottlenecks before to immulate fretless bass or cello parts (with some added distortion).

I've also seen sacred steel "bass players" who actually play eight string Fender lap steels with bass strings on them. Also, some of the old Western Swing players, including Leon McAuliffe, would have a bass version of A6 on one neck of their three or four neck steels. The outside neck's nuts on the three and four neck Fender Stringmasters were actually factory grooved for bass strings.

I also recently saw a BARITONE resonator guitar at the National guitar factory in San Luis Obispo. It was tuned down to a low B tuning, with the same string intervals as E or D tuning, high to low 1. 5. 3. 1. 5. 1.

I have not seen any acoustic/resophonic square neck guitars of the bass variety, but I know National has recently made a couple roundneck resonator bass guitars for traditional fretted play.

I would think there would be a serious volume issue with an acoustic bass steel guitar...

I honestly don't know why some of the builders don't try this. I think a squareneck reso bass would be a cool idea. I've talked with Paul Beard about it and he was intrigued by the idea, but without my commissioning him to build it, I don't see it happening, and I have too many other sliders on my list of "next projects" to get into it any time soon. And an electric lap bass would be a pretty neat idea too.

A pickup for an electric bass steel is easy, but for an acoustic how big would the resonator cone need to be?
Or would a mega tri-cone provide better harmonics and sustain?
Sounds like a job for a good prototype shop.

One of Leon McAuliffe's four necks on his Fender was tuned to a "bass" tuning:

1. D
2. B
3. G
4. E
5. D
6. C
7. B
8. A

There are no bass lap steels currently in production that I know of, but bassist John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin and Them Crooked Vultures plays a custom made bass steel guitar. Here's an earlier discussion about him, and here are some examples:

When the Levee Breaks

Nobody's Fault But Mine

The late Mark Sandman of the band Morphine played a regular electric bass guitar with a slide and was quite good.

He doesn't play it in the demo but this one seems to have a separate bass neck.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq2VpnD0CMs

I've posted these before, and I've been using a bass steel guitar for a couple decades, starting with the 1st Guitarzilla, shown here with the added-on 12-string titanium neck, because I had to play a concert with some traditional "tonal" things and where I used to simply add my Super Pro between me and GTZ, I couldn't bring it with me on the plane. Guitarzilla has a 5-string bass neck, to go with the "texture" necks.


Following Guitarzilla, I machined Junior Blue, a 6-string, out of a 7075 T-8 aerospace 2x4, again with pickups on both ends of the neck, and this time with frets in Just.




Because Guitarzilla, in the case weighed 110lbs, I needed to make a lighter one and Guitarzilla 2, with an 8-string bass, is made from titanium tubing and weighs 28lbs. The Replicant, the rod and plate instrument in the front, that simulates the rods on the original, is a bolt on.


It's not always practical to haul around a console guitar, so I machined a 7-string "lap steel" that could also bolt on to the back of my Cadillac D-12.

I made this one "Matchless-500"

Chas smith you are the thunder my friend, what wonderful inspiration...These creations rock and you too.

And James I'm way impressed followed many threads from both of you.

So maybe first I think I'm going to experiment with my Ibanez bass playing it either/Or Bottle neck style or on my lap never thought of trying it out its a solid good Bass should let me know what sounds best.
but I'm leaning toward a double lap with Bass and a 8 string.

I was very impressed with this creation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq2VpnD0CMs
even though I haven't heard the bass end fully yet. But the bass drone sounds clear and fun addition on this tune. From this creator but will pursue him for more samples.

Mike Neer you are just a 20 point in my book and your opinions are really amongst the best and your style a 10. Loved your looping creations great hit on the technology available.

Got to tell all,,, this has been so much fun participating and have followed many of the previous threads.

Hey isn't sliding fun??? Michael

Dig up some old tunes by the band Morphine. I believe they used slide bass.

Yes Morphine definitely slides on the bass I guess you would say Bottleneck style. Course I love the sax too. Its a possibility in my future sliding for sure.
Since I did play bass for years could make my Ole Ibanez a sliding monster. But still excited with the Lap Steel Bass slides and Combos. But for the Brave his style rocks on the bass.

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

Michael

Thanks for the video link, Michael.
I liked the interview at the end, too.