Help with a 8 string octave bass

[darzeth]

Hey im new here but Im curious if anyone has any info on how to make a
8 string octave bass. For those who don't know what it is. Its a bass with both bass and guitar strings. im not sure if i need bass pickups or not. Since its a bass i think it needs bass pickups. but im curious if anyone can help.

[bz2]

Have you read Melvyn Hiscock's book "Build your own electric guitar"?? In the book he shows how he builds an 8 string bass guitar. I think he uses regular bass humbuckers for it.

[David Schwab]

Here's one I made some years ago:

http://www.david-schwab.com/images/8string.jpg

I used P-bass pickups, because at the time DiMarzio Model P's were popular. I later rewound them to low impedance for a better tone.

I wouldn't use guitar pickups. I find the more hi-fi the bass pickup, the better the tone on an 8-string. The original model P's had a harsh midrange when used with an 8-string. Another thing I discovered was that the original neck on this bass was a modified Fender style bolt on. later I made my own neck with an ebony board, two truss rods and graphite. This neck really transformed the tone of the bass. It now has more low end, and a more musical midrange. I think the graphite rods really even out the tone.