The Bassimer - an intriguing bass guitar/dulcimer hybrid

guitarz.blogspot.com:



The Bassimer is a bass guitar/dulcimer hybrid designed and built by John Shelton. It has a 30" scale length and features a fretless low D and a two strings arranged as a paired course in the highest position. The tuning is D1, A1, D2, D2/D3. The paired string course also has its own sustainer, an EBow built into the body. It's probably easiest to let these videos do the talking!



Thanks to Buck for bringing this very interesting instrument to my attention.

G L Wilson

Guitarz - The Original Guitar Blog - now in its 9th year!

The Omstrument

guitarz.blogspot.com:

In our previous post about Uli Jon Roth's Sky Guitar, Bertram, my co-blogger here at Guitarz, made a note in the comments appealing for "Less frets, more strings!"

Is this enough strings for you, Bertram?

With a combined total of 46 strings, the Omstrument is the creation of Jack Haas and is a gestalt instrument comprising harp, guitar, longneck dulcimer, strumstick, and tanpura. And before you ask, yes, they are supposed to be played together at the same time.

Perhaps it's easier to let one of Mr Haas' videos do the talking:

Before anyone else comments, yes I am aware of Pat Metheny's 42-string Pikasso guitar created by luthier Linda Manzer. It's a crazy-looking guitar with strings all over the place, but surely more portable than the Omstrument!

G L Wilson

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Electric Pin

This is an electrified version of a traditional Thai 3-stringed folk instrument.

You can see from the positions of the frets that this is a diatonic instrument, and reminds me of the mountain dulcimer, Strumstick and similar instruments.

It's tuning can vary depending on what key you want to play in. For example, for Am the strings would be tuned E-A-E.