12 string bass?

[Englishplayer]

I just saw Peter Frampton and Cheap Trick live. The Bass player for Cheap Trick was using a 12 string bass. I had never seen one before. I'm just wondering if someone knows what the general advantages and disadvantages are? By the way, it was a good show!

[Bruce Sexauer]

Google "Megatar".

[BluesyRob]

A 12 string bass sounds like a bass with a chorus pedal. It gives a real THICK ground to the music if done right (ala Cheap Trick). Disadvantages are murder in the fingers, and obviously, string changes.

[s2y]

Pearl Jam and King's X also used to use a 12 string a little.

Pros: that sound.
Cons: more strings, tuning, restringing, availability, and a headstock that's big enough to cause neck dive in most instances.

[stephen mills]

Originally Posted by Englishplayer

I just saw Peter Frampton and Cheap Trick live. The Bass player for Cheap Trick was using a 12 string bass. I had never seen one before. I'm just wondering if someone knows what the general advantages and disadvantages are? By the way, it was a good show!

Hi strummers and pluckers and Hi you.
I have only seen 3 x 12 stringers and played one. They are normally made to order in my limited experience.
However ,what are the merits of having 12 over 1,2,4,5,6, well I don't think there are any. Naturally the range is amazing if you can find it, naturally you have to have fingers like a spider and you can over complicate the arrangement.
What does anyone else think
Good question
Will we see a flood of them on the international market -------------------NO

[s2y]

Originally Posted by stephen mills

Hi strummers and pluckers and Hi you.
I have only seen 3 x 12 stringers and played one. They are normally made to order in my limited experience.
However ,what are the merits of having 12 over 1,2,4,5,6, well I don't think there are any. Naturally the range is amazing if you can find it, naturally you have to have fingers like a spider and you can over complicate the arrangement.
What does anyone else think
Good question
Will we see a flood of them on the international market -------------------NO

I have seen a few dual course 12 string basses that are basically a 6 string bass. I think there is a company or two that made a triple course 6 string bass, making it an 18 string.

I would like to eventually get a 12 string bass if time/$ permits. More than 12 scares the crap out of me.