Broaden Your Musical Vistas
The 8-string bass is a specialty instrument. You won’t use it on every track, but, when you need its singular capabilities, there is no substitute. You could shell out the big bucks for a boutique 8-string — or you could go for one that looks, plays, and sounds like one but doesn’t cost a fortune: the ESP LTD B-208SM. The LTD B-208SM rocks a toneful ash body with an eye-popping spalted maple top. Its thin, U-profile, 5-piece maple/jatoba neck is capped with a silky-smooth roasted jatoba fingerboard, and it’s equipped with a formidable tone arsenal consisting of two ESP Designed passive soapbar pickups and an active preamp with 3-band EQ. Everything about this instrument shouts “expensive” — except the price! Get the ESP LTD B-208SM 8-string electric bass guitar from Sweetwater and get ready to broaden your musical vistas.
Why you need an 8-string bass
Invented in the mid-1960s, the 8-string bass guitar solved a problem experienced by many small ensembles. Let’s say you’re in a power trio and the song calls for bass and guitar to play a single-note ostinato in octaves. Well, that ties up two-thirds of the band! Wouldn’t it be cool if the bass could handle it alone, freeing up the guitarist to play some watery chordal textures? Try that on a standard bass — it’s nigh impossible! But that’s what the 8-string bass was designed to do. Jimi Hendrix deployed one on Electric Ladyland. The legendary Chris Squire of Yes used one. So did John Entwistle of The Who. In fact, countless iconic recordings contain 8-string bass — including your next one!
Not just octaves: let your creativity soar
From the factory, the ESP LTD B-208SM 8-string has its four string courses tuned in octaves. But, just like a 12-string guitar, you’re free to tune them any way you want to fit the musical context. Low-register dyads can sound muddy, so you’re probably going to want to keep the octaves on the low E and possibly the low A. But tuning the top two string courses in thirds, fourths, or fifths can be very powerful, especially with a judicious application of overdrive and perhaps a taste of reverb and/or delay. Mix and match. Let your imagination soar — and your music will follow!
ESP LTD: affordable quality and craftsmanship
ESP LTD was created to bring a more affordable version of the classic designs and quality of ESP guitars and basses to a new market. The entire ESP LTD line of instruments features premium tonewoods, quality pickups, and solid hardware for a lifetime of use. An exacting eye to detail and quality means that every instrument is ready to rock when it leaves the factory. The impressive list of signature instruments by some of today’s biggest guitar and bass heroes shows the popularity and respect held by ESP LTD. If you’re looking for the perfect rock or metal guitar or bass, then you need to check out ESP LTD guitars.
ESP LTD B-208SM 8-string Bass Guitar Features:
- Sleek ash body with stunning spalted maple top
- Thin, U-profile, 5-piece maple/jatoba neck for fast playing feel
- Smooth roasted jatoba fingerboard with 24 extra jumbo frets
- Passive ESP Designed SB-6 pickups
- Active ABQ-3 preamp with 3-band EQ
- Natural satin finish; nickel hardware
