Patrick Stewart plays a visually heavily modified Chapman Stick in Dune

guitarz.blogspot.com:

OK, OK, so I said the Red Dwarf video clip would be the last of our look at guitars and guitar-like instruments in Science Fiction TV shows, but technically the above clip doesn't fall into quite the same category because it's from the movie Dune. The YouTube blurb beneath this clip tells us that:

The director's cut of the film shows a decorated Stick painted gold playing the role of the mythical "baliset" instrument described in Frank Herbert's novel.

This clip comes to us courtesy of Guitarz reader Michael Simmons via our Facebook page.

See also: Chapman Stick

G L Wilson

© 2011, Guitarz - The Original Guitar Blog - now in its 10th year!

Dude taps away on 24 strings on his homemade monster metal bass

guitarz.blogspot.com:

Cor blimey, guvnor! When I first saw the picture of this thing I thought it might be a Star Trek fan posing with some exotic piece of Klingon weaponry. But no, apparently it's a touch-style 24-string "bass" (not sure why it can't be called a "guitar", but that's what the fellow calls it).

I know, I've been very cynical in the past about such multi-stringed instruments and "extended range basses", and even have my own catchphrase to be used in the eventuality of sighting such a beastie: "Is that enough strings? Just buy a harp already!"

But I've been told that I shouldn't be so closed-minded, so I'll let you watch this chappie in action on his 24-string bass in the below video and allow you make up your own minds.

Actually, someone commented on YouTube, "Whats the point in having that many strings?", and 24-string bass chappie answered, "There is no 'point', I just love to play stringed instruments!" which, I guess, is fair enough. It's like the answer to the old question "Why climb that mountain?" with "Because it's there!" In this instance, it's "Why have so many strings? Because I can!"

Love it or loathe it, it doesn't matter. It's worthy of a blog post on Guitarz for weirdness factor alone.

G L Wilson

© 2011, Guitarz - The Original Guitar Blog - now in its 10th year!

Prat 12-string bass

guitarz.blogspot.com:

We've heard of 12-string basses before, but ordinarily (if such an instrument could ever be said to be ordinairy) they consist of four courses of tripled strings. This Prat 12-string bass is an ERB - Extended Range Bass - and has 12 individual courses.

Yes, such instruments can sound very nice, although I'm yet to be convinced as I've never heard a truly incredible (or even particularly memorable) piece of music made with one. Touchstyle instruments have been around for a long time (I can't imagine this Prat 12-er can be played any other way than touchstyle), but they've not really set the music world alight innovation-wise have they? They just remain an intrtiguing curio; the audience is more interested in the number of strings and unusual playing technique than the actual music produced. (Oh - prove me wrong, someone!)
This post originates at http://guitarz.blogspot.com - beware of those damned scraper blogs!
I've said it before and will very likely say it again: if you want that many strings, get a harp already!

G L Wilson

© 2011, Guitarz - The Original Guitar Blog - now in its 10th year!