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This instrument was concieved as a result of my eagerness to explore chords and extended
range harmonies. Built by Norwegian luthier Odd Helge
Listerud, the bass has seven strings tuned in fourths from low to high: B E A D G C F - like a six
string bass but with an additional high string. It was delivered in October, 2004. Some more details:
"Totem" style body, maple/wenge/mahogany laminated neck, wenge top and headstock cap, flame maple
fingerboard and pickup covers and control knobs.
BassCulture "NeoBucker" pickups: dual-coil neodymium magnet
Music-Man style pickups custom made for this bass. Great sound! Each pickup is switchable between
humbucker and single coil with a rotary switch; and there's a volume control for each pickup.
All passive.
Hipshot Ultralite black tuners, Listerud brass bridge and strap buttons.
17mm string spacing at bridge, 9mm at the
Corina nut. 34 inch mensur. Weight 4.7kg (10.4 pounds).
As mentioned, the bass sounds fantastic! The pickups give a vast array of good powerful sounds, and the
massive body and neck-through construction provides plenty sustain. The instrument is very playable
despite it's wide neck, and balances quite well. Some minor cosmetic flaws but those are only noticable
under very close scrutiny. All in all I am very happy with it.
Some more photos here, close-ups mostly.
I redid the wiring (again), connectin the two pull-pot switches so that they connect the pickup coils in series. Which means that now each pickup can be either single coil, the other single coil, paralell humbucker or series humbucker. All the options.
Also, I recorded another sound file showcasing the new pickup modes. It's a bit long: seven minutes of noodeling. 3.2 MB mp3 file.
Recorded another nasty sound clip. A drum / bass thing.
I changed the tuners on my bass, to ones that weigh less.
I redid the pickup wiring, simplifying it a bit. Will have to make some new sound clips, the bass sounds even better now!
Some new sound clips, with new Ritter SwordSteel strings on. All are mono mp3 files.
Both pickups, coils in series.
Both pickups,
coils in parallel.
Bridge pickup, coils in parallel, E-Bow.
Neck pickup, coils in parallel, chords.
Recorded another sound clip yesterday, of the old What A Friend arrangment. Here it is.
Recorded a sound file (in a hurry), it's here.
I picked up the instrument last Saturday, and have spent this past week getting used to all those strings. It is quite a facinating instrument - I can do lots of stuff now that I've wanted to do for a long time. Hopefully I'll be able to record some sound clips later, for now you'll have to do with the the first photos.
The first ever seven string Listerud bass is done! Well basically at least. It looks like it is done - check out these two photos.
Most of the routing and carving is done, oil finish applied. Two more photos.
Yes! The pickups have arrived, and they are looking good! We are very excited to hear how they sound in the finished instrument. Also the bridge is milled, and also looking good. Look!
More progress to report: the pickups are done, and sent to Listerud for finishing and installing. And the instrument is really starting to look like something! Some photos.
This is a bass that is currently (July 2004) under construction. It is being built by the Norwegian luthier Odd Helge Listerud. This will be the first instrument that is being custom made to my specifications, and I am very excited about it! It will have seven strings, but with a more normal 17mm string spacing (as opposed to the Warr that is very narrow). The bass will have a Wenge top for the body, and a Flame Maple fingerboard with the Haru inlay aroung the 12th position. The pickups are being made by German luthier Christoph Dolf of BassCulture, and will also have flame maple covers.
More pictures will be added as they become available.