Agile 9-String....

[LamaSabachthani]

I wonder if Kurt is going to work with Kahler on a trem for these. I know Kahler has done 8+ string trems, and that he was working with them on a fanned trem for the next gen of fanned Pendulum 7s.

Is he/Agile still going to go ahead and put those into production then (aside from that limited, initial run)? That would be absolutely awesome

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Is he/Agile still going to go ahead and put those into production then (aside from that limited, initial run)? That would be absolutely awesome

As far as I know it's something he's "working on". Given how poorly the first fanned 7s have sold (or haven't as I should say), who knows what the fate of future fanned projects would be. I know that no one here bought one.

I guess his options are:

A) Scuttle the whole fanned 7 project and cut his losses.

B) Take an even bigger risk than before and make some better spec'd fanned models, seeing as he [the factory] has the templates and CNC programs already.

He posted a picture of a fanned 7-string Interceptor with a fanned pickup and fanned Kahler. So, depending on how feasible it will be to make that and price it such that Rondo's typical clientèle will be happy is what it's going to take.

 

[Explorer]

Holy crap! What are you using for that Ab0 string?

It's huge, I'll tell you that! *laugh*

It's a reballed bass string (so the ball isn't sticking out the back of the guitar) that had to be unwound at the top. I loaned out my micrometer and have yet to get it back, so I can't measure either the string on there or on my backup set.

I find it more worrisome that I can't find my string calculation notebook, where I keep track of what I use on all my instrument families (and yes, every one of my instruments is in a non-stock tuning, and some of them have more than 90 strings).

Anyway, Adam said that Garry is now making nickel-wound, guitar-ball bass strings (he was only making steel-wound strings before, and I didn't want to chew up my frets), so that might be my preference the next time I put a string set together....

 

[Hemi-Powered Drone]

He posted a picture of a fanned 7-string Interceptor with a fanned pickup and fanned Kahler.

Picture? Where is this picture of what you speak?

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Picture? Where is this picture of what you speak?

 

[Santuzzo]

Since my Intrepid Pro has Ab0 as the lowest note (half step below lowest note on a piano), and since this has the same scale length as mine, I have no doubt that it could reach that note.

I'm considering getting one to tune like an extension of my combination guitar/bass (B0 E1 A1 D2 G2 C3 F3 A3 D4). I've considered full fourths more than once, but there are too many useful guitar voicings I already know in standard tuning, and I hesitate to toss those all away by changing that interval at the top end to a fourth. If I wanted to use it for normal playing in any way, instead of just touchstyle, it's just too problematic.

Whatever I would tune it to, though, there's no way to do the full fifths thing from my Intrepid Pro unless I add a low Db0 below that low Ab0. For once, I'm hesitant to push the limits, because I don't even think I have an amp capable of moving that kind of air....

Thanks !

So, that Ab0 you mentioned, is that the next Ab below a bass guitar's low E?
And you have that on an Intrepid 8 string with a 28"scale?

 

[Winspear]

So, that Ab0 you mentioned, is that the next Ab below a bass guitar's low E?

Correct - 5 string bass down 3 semitones.

 

[Santuzzo]

Correct - 5 string bass down 3 semitones.

Holy cow! I jusr realised that's lower than the low B of a 5 string bass

 

[Hollowway]

I find it more worrisome that I can't find my string calculation notebook, where I keep track of what I use on all my instrument families (and yes, every one of my instruments is in a non-stock tuning, and some of them have more than 90 strings).

You're a mad scientist!
Do you have any clips of that Ab0 in action? And can you distort it, or are you pretty much limited to cleans only?

 

[Hollowway]

As far as I know it's something he's "working on". Given how poorly the first fanned 7s have sold (or haven't as I should say), who knows what the fate of future fanned projects would be. I know that no one here bought one.

I guess his options are:

A) Scuttle the whole fanned 7 project and cut his losses.

B) Take an even bigger risk than before and make some better spec'd fanned models, seeing as he [the factory] has the templates and CNC programs already.

He posted a picture of a fanned 7-string Interceptor with a fanned pickup and fanned Kahler. So, depending on how feasible it will be to make that and price it such that Rondo's typical clientèle will be happy is what it's going to take.

Yeah, I actually felt kind of bad about that fanned 7. I feel like we should have supported his efforts, there, which is kind of a weird paternal thing to feel about a company.
But I would think that he'd have way more luck selling a fanned 9 (or even 8) than 7, because generally speaking, I think most of us are fine with a straight fret 7. So I hope he keeps experimenting with these things.

 

[Explorer]

You're a mad scientist!
Do you have any clips of that Ab0 in action? And can you distort it, or are you pretty much limited to cleans only?

Sorry to the curious, but I don't have clips. I'm not really motivated to get any form of camera, since I don't do any kind of facebook/twitter/youtube stuff. However, I do play out with a few people who are into that stuff, so I'll see if it's a possibility.

It sounds good in my opinion, but any instrument playing in the bass range needs space if one is playing multiple notes. The further down you go from E2, the worse close intervals sounds. One of the better books I've read, probably long out of print, was titled "Arranging Techniques for Synthesists." It had a great discussion of voice spacing throughout, and convinced me that one should look at why classical and chamber music, as well as rock and roll, normally has its pitch-dense parts starting in the middle octaves, and why the bottom octaves are normally unisons and fifths of simultaneous notes. The bottom notes do sound good stacked densely when I shift up polyphonically with the EHX HOG or the POG2, but there's no real need to do so on the Intrepid compared to a more limited instrument like the fretless bass I have kicking around.

Arrangements aside, the instruments sounds guitar-like at the bottom, at least in my opinion, with normal guitar-like partials in the initial moments of plucking or tapping. I think a lot of bass-like sound and coloration comes from the amps and effects, so I like working with full-range effects and FRFR sound systems (full range flat response), instead of frequency-specific guitar and bass effects and amps. I think there have been some threads where Tosin's rig has been discussed, and he goes the FRFR route for amplification/reinforcement.

Regarding clean and dirty tones, and respecting the limits of note density you can observe in all musics, I can use any of my effects on it, but I bought them with an eye towards them being usable through the entire instrument's range. For dirt, I've found that I really like the Hardwire CM-2, the Four Knob Rat, the Mastotron, really anything that works for both guitar and bass. (I'm having an issue with my Musket at the moment, so it doesn't make the list, but normally it's a great Muff box for an ERG, as are most of the Civil War Muffs.) All my other effects are time-based (Yamaha UD-Stomp 8-line delay/chorus/flange/whatever, Electric Mistress, TC Nova Modulator (which can do a perfect emulation of the Electric Mistress, so I'll probably be selling that), and other reverb/delay units) or pitch based (Boss PS-3, EHX HOG and POG2). The bottom notes do sound good stacked densely when I shift up polyphonically with the HOG or the POG2, but there's no real need to do so on the Intrepid compared to a more limited instrument like the fretless bass I have kicking around. (I don't know in what category I'd stick the AdrenaLinn, but that works too.)

Incidentally, I think the dedicated touchtyle/tap players are onto something when they run their bass and guitar sides into different effect chains. There's a lot to be said for having different sounds available. To that end, at some point I'm going to be picking up a Dual Band Optical Compressor-Limiter from FEA Labs, which has separate outputs for bass and treble, and a selectable crossover point. I'm currently running through a Maxon CP9+ Pro compresser/limiter (awesomely quiet, as long as your guitar and signal chain is also quiet) with no complaints, but nothing exceeds like excess.

----

I don't know if this was an off-topic derailment or not. As the range of these guitars gets wider, using equipment which can effect and/or reproduce that full range gets more important, and I don't know if there's been much discussion of that here at SS.org. Hopefully it will be relevant to someone....

Yeah, I actually felt kind of bad about that fanned 7. I feel like we should have supported his efforts, there, which is kind of a weird paternal thing to feel about a company.

That's the way I feel about this 9-string. Even if it's not ideal, if I buy one, there will likely be another 9 in the future.

I was pricing how much it will cost me to put Ghost saddles on this, to get a different tone without having to route another pickup. I wonder if that Ghost system is still in the classifieds.

So much want, so little cash!

 

[Meshugger]

All i see is talk. Has anyone here actually ordered one?

 

[Santuzzo]

All i see is talk. Has anyone here actually ordered one?

read the whole thread and your question will be answered.

(but I myself have not ordered one)

 

[guitareben]

Wow! WOW! I actually love Agile. I mean, i don't even have one, and i really want them to have a fanned one, which will make me buy immediatly (hint hint...) , but it is so good they listen to us . Awesome

 

[vampiregenocide]

I'd love to try one in F standard with a low Bb, that'd be mad.

 

[Scarpie]

All i see is talk. Has anyone here actually ordered one?

As a matter of fact yes. I bought mine Friday.

 

[vampiregenocide]

As a matter of fact yes. I bought mine Friday.

Vids plz.

 

[JaeSwift]

I'de love to get a 9 string simply so that I have 2 extra low strings (like a standard 8) and one extra high string. I'de be able to play Scale the Summit and Meshuggah on the same instrument

 

[TemjinStrife]

I'd love to try one in F standard with a low Bb, that'd be mad.

Or, you know, just don't put a high E on your 8. Same difference, and I doubt you'd be losing appreciable range at that point.

Or start playing bass

 

[vampiregenocide]

Or, you know, just don't put a high E on your 8. Same difference, and I doubt you'd be losing appreciable range at that point.

Or start playing bass

Well I wouldn't get a 9 string anyway, so I would rather have my high e than the Bb.