7string
Active Member
After seeing the threads on other basses, I thought I'd post details of my ACG 9 string.
This is the second 9 string that has been built by AC Guitars in Moffat, Scotland, UK A.C. Guitars - Hand Crafted Basses & Guitars The first was a neck-thru, this is going to be a set-neck.
Originally this was going to have every bell and whistle that could be thrown at it including MIDI capabilities. Due to a change in my recording setup, I really didn't need the MIDI thing so we dropped it.
Here are the specs:
ACG Recurve singlecut 9 string tuned F# to Bb
35" scale
24 frets
Swamp ash body with mahogany top
Maple/wenge neck
Spalted, acrylicised, bookmatched maple fingerboard
Mahogany facing and backplate to headstock
Hipshot bridge in black with piezo saddles
Hipshot Ultralite tuning keys in black
ACG pickups
ACG01-EQ filter based preamp
Additional controls: Toggle switch between bridge pickup and piezo
Here are the photos so far:
Here's the figured mahogany top:
The maple/wenge neck blank:
The swamp ash back:
Here's the spalted, acrylicised, bookmatched fingerboard. The 9 is so wide that it needs 2 boards. The chalk lines represent the edges of the fingerboard and the join will be straight down the middle.
Here's the neck blank with it's ACG brothers and sisters. No prizes for guessing which one is for the 9 string!
The fingerboard all slotted:
The fingerboard all fretted:
Headstock mock up with tuning keys:
Complete neck:
The layout:
Headstock:
Body back and front:
This bass will feature the ACG-01EQ filter-based preamp. This pre has two inputs, so to have the flexibility of shaping the piezo sound there's a switch to go between the bridge pickup and the piezo.
All going well I hope to have the finished bass before the end of the year
POSTSCRIPT
As a customer of ACG, I must mention the amazing ACG filter-based preamp, which is the result of a collaboration between Alan Cringean of AC and John East.
The pre works in a completely different way to a regular eq as you can pick which frequencies you want to cut and boost rather than be stuck with frequencies that do not suit your style of playing or your sound.
The AC-EQ02 is available in a few different layouts to suit different basses and has recently been fitted to Stanley Clarke's instruments. However, if you're not a jazz or jazz/fusion guy, don't worry. The ACG preamp is so flexible it can be used in whatever type of music you happen to be playing.
I've had the chance to play around with the controls of this preamp and as a player that hates onboard eq I was mightily impressed with the unit. If you just want to fine-tune your sound or change it radically then this pre will do it. You do need to spend some time with it to get around the controls and to get the best from it, but it's time well spent.
More info on the ACG pre and ACG instruments can be found at A.C. Guitars - Hand Crafted Basses & Guitars
This is the second 9 string that has been built by AC Guitars in Moffat, Scotland, UK A.C. Guitars - Hand Crafted Basses & Guitars The first was a neck-thru, this is going to be a set-neck.
Originally this was going to have every bell and whistle that could be thrown at it including MIDI capabilities. Due to a change in my recording setup, I really didn't need the MIDI thing so we dropped it.
Here are the specs:
ACG Recurve singlecut 9 string tuned F# to Bb
35" scale
24 frets
Swamp ash body with mahogany top
Maple/wenge neck
Spalted, acrylicised, bookmatched maple fingerboard
Mahogany facing and backplate to headstock
Hipshot bridge in black with piezo saddles
Hipshot Ultralite tuning keys in black
ACG pickups
ACG01-EQ filter based preamp
Additional controls: Toggle switch between bridge pickup and piezo
Here are the photos so far:
Here's the figured mahogany top:
The maple/wenge neck blank:
The swamp ash back:
Here's the spalted, acrylicised, bookmatched fingerboard. The 9 is so wide that it needs 2 boards. The chalk lines represent the edges of the fingerboard and the join will be straight down the middle.
Here's the neck blank with it's ACG brothers and sisters. No prizes for guessing which one is for the 9 string!
The fingerboard all slotted:
The fingerboard all fretted:
Headstock mock up with tuning keys:
Complete neck:
The layout:
Headstock:
Body back and front:
This bass will feature the ACG-01EQ filter-based preamp. This pre has two inputs, so to have the flexibility of shaping the piezo sound there's a switch to go between the bridge pickup and the piezo.
All going well I hope to have the finished bass before the end of the year
POSTSCRIPT
As a customer of ACG, I must mention the amazing ACG filter-based preamp, which is the result of a collaboration between Alan Cringean of AC and John East.
The pre works in a completely different way to a regular eq as you can pick which frequencies you want to cut and boost rather than be stuck with frequencies that do not suit your style of playing or your sound.
The AC-EQ02 is available in a few different layouts to suit different basses and has recently been fitted to Stanley Clarke's instruments. However, if you're not a jazz or jazz/fusion guy, don't worry. The ACG preamp is so flexible it can be used in whatever type of music you happen to be playing.
I've had the chance to play around with the controls of this preamp and as a player that hates onboard eq I was mightily impressed with the unit. If you just want to fine-tune your sound or change it radically then this pre will do it. You do need to spend some time with it to get around the controls and to get the best from it, but it's time well spent.
More info on the ACG pre and ACG instruments can be found at A.C. Guitars - Hand Crafted Basses & Guitars
