The Buzz-8 Or El 8uzztard?

[Hardy]

Ok, I feared this might happen sooner or later. I have an idea for a CS Wick and it seems I passed the point of no return. I´m already in contact with Warwick and I´m thinking of details.

What I am talking about: a Buzzard 8-string CT.

The features so far:
- Warwick Buzzard
- Standard electronics (2-way) and wood for body and neck
- blackened wenge fretboard and black nut
- 8 string option
- Chrome Tone finish
- Chrome pickup covers
- Chrome neck and headstock finish
- Chrome machine heads (Hipshot ultralights for guitars)
- Blue or red side and front LED
- 3 way knob(!) at the pistol grip position: LED off, side LED on, front and side LED on.

I asked for the big beak head. Warwick would not do this because of the way the strings would have between nut and tuners. See here the Alembic version. It indeed looks wild.

I´m not finally through and also I need a reason to order such a bass. Means I first check if I can place the 8-string sound into our band. It should not only sit on the wall. Let´s see!

 

[DiMarco]

In life stuff is not about needing, it is about wanting.

The strings in the short 'beak' headstock run straight through the nut, on the taller one they are angled already.
I guess the headstock will be the most challenging part of this instrument.

 

[DiMarco]

I was thinking maybe you can use banjo style tuners for the 4 guitar strings?
Banjo tuners have the knob at the back of the headstock, leaving you more options for placement.

Banjo B4

I do not know if they can handle the string tension on a 34" scale though.

 

[Hardy]

This is how Warwick solves it.

 

[DiMarco]

I don't know about you, but that headstock looks very wrong to me.
It takes away the menacing look of the Buzzard model, imho.

 

[Hardy]

I don't know about you, but that headstock looks very wrong to me.
It takes away the menacing look of the Buzzard model, imho.

Indeed my request was the big old beak head. Not sure if I can convince them to do it that way.

At least the top of the head stock should have the same shape as the head of the pistol grip to have this scythe like downward pointing.

Photo shoppers forward!

 

[Hector]

How about a partial acrylic body like this one, but on a buzzard? (the green part is a like a "river" going down the middle, with wood as the "bed" of the river underneath)

 

[Hardy]

Another idea: actually the upper part of Warwicks 8 string headstock has nearly the same shape as the 4 string headstock. Maybe a two color headstock could help out? The 4 string shape mocked with black color, the lower, additional material in chrome?

 

[Hector]

Indeed my request was the big old beak head. Not sure if I can convince them to do it that way.

At least the top of the head stock should have the same shape as the head of the pistol grip to have this scythe like downward pointing.

Photo shoppers forward!

The only way I can think to do it would be to keep the regular Buzzard headstock, but you would have to make it wider/large to accomodate all 8 tuners..... Or, maybe you would have to use string-trees to get it to work correctly ?

 

[Hector]

Another thought, instead of chrome, how about the "rusty metal" look they have for some basses, but with a lot of blue ?

Or maybe even a "blued steel" look?

 

[Hector]

A bit like this... but not so glossy

 

[Hector]

That pattern is not right for the Buzzard, I don't think...

 

[PaulS]

So much chrome, won’t it look a little one note?

 

[Hardy]

So much chrome, won’t it look a little one note?

Don´t forget the LEDs. But yes, it would be the Buzz8-1000.

 

[Hardy]

Maybe red LED would look more aggressive. And red flames on top of the knobs.

 

[PaulS]

Lol ok see what you are going for. I’d want some contrast somewhere.
Blue LeD would look great with that

 

[DiMarco]

Orange leds! But there's multicolor leds nowadays, too with rgb wires that allow combinations.

 

[Florin]

Hi Hardy, wow!
For an 8 strings bass I would chose a bit different wood (or/and) pickup configuration. The thinner strings need a more resonant body to sound well (just a guess, but you have to treat the skinny strings as a guitar) Maybe swamp ash back and maple or even zebrano top. But the thing is, a lighter body and a longer headstock would make it unbalanced.
I think if you chose the long beak, I would put as many tuners on the upper part, 6 and 2 for example. What do you think?

 

[schlobodan]

you could ask them to do the octave strings nobby-meidelish

 

[Hardy]

Orange leds! But there's multicolor leds nowadays, too with rgb wires that allow combinations.

I´ll ask if they have such an option.

Hi Hardy, wow!
For an 8 strings bass I would chose a bit different wood (or/and) pickup configuration. The thinner strings need a more resonant body to sound well (just a guess, but you have to treat the skinny strings as a guitar) Maybe swamp ash back and maple or even zebrano top. But the thing is, a lighter body and a longer headstock would make it unbalanced.
I think if you chose the long beak, I would put as many tuners on the upper part, 6 and 2 for example. What do you think?

Balance is most important for me, I would not dare to risk it. The Alembic beak head (see picture in my first post) already uses 6/2 and still the G octave string seems to run across the tuner peg of the regular G string tuner.

you could ask them to do the octave strings nobby-meidelish

Good point! But the strap pin would have to be moved upwards. That would be a high risk for the balance. Otherwise it would be needed a bridge with the tuners for the octave strings at the bridge itself. Can´t find one in the web in 8 string version.

Edit: here they already moved the strap pin. It´s a 2015 CS with the original body shape. Just a bit more up the fin would be fine to make place for the tuners.