The 28, part 5

 

It's been just over a month since the last blog post about the 28- (now 26) string Double Sub-contraguitar.  In that month, it's been utilized on three album recording sessions for three very different projects.

The setup for this instrument is finished, which was more work than usual.  The tuning is currently C subcontra on both necks, with the left neck in all fifths, and the right neck in all octaves.  I had originally planned to put the right side into an intervalic tuning, but thus far I've been enveloped in the all-octaves tuning, and how well it melds with the all-fifths tuning.  Hence, the right side will remain in the octaves tuning for now.

The action is fantastic, measuring at just under 1/32". 

When it was set up as a 28-string, I had experimented with the triple courses on the right being tuned in fifths (diapason/fifth/fifth), and as mixed fifths and octaves (diapason/fifth/octave).  I didn't like either all that much at the time, though both showed potential and I could see returning to one of those in the future.  One scenario that I did not try was a double octave (diapason/octave/octave).  I plan on trying that soon on the right neck.  

The voice on this instrument is incredible to me.  It ranges from something reminiscent of a cathedral pipe organ in the lower registers to a bowed cello in the upper registers.  Massive; thick; articulate; singing.  And like all my carbon fiber instruments, beyond responsive.  

More to come in part 6.

-kk