Extended-range Bass - History

History

The Danelectro 6-string bass (1956) and the Fender Bass VI (1961) were tuned EADGBE, an octave lower than standard guitar tuning. In 1975, Anthony Jackson asked Carl Thompson to build him a six-string bass guitar tuned (from low to high) BEADGC, which he called the contrabass guitar. Jackson's bass extended the range of the bass both lower and higher than a four-string. Though Jackson initially received much criticism for the new instrument, the deep sounds of the low "B" string has become a standard in many genres including metal, R&B, funk, and gospel.

In the late 1980s, luthier Michael Tobias made the first bass with more than six single course strings, a custom order seven string bass for bassist Garry Goodman, tuned BEADGCF. In 1988, Atlanta luthier Bill Hatcher also made a seven string bass tuned EADGBEA and later tuned BEADGBE. This bass can be verified with serial number and date on it. Since that time, luthiers have been adding strings to their custom basses. In 1995, luthier Bill Conklin made a 9-string bass for Bill "Buddha" Dickens. Subsequently, other luthiers built instruments with 8, 9, 10 and 11 strings. Custom bass builders have added both lower strings (such as F# and C#) and higher strings (such as F and Bb) to the six-string bass guitar.