Yeah, you get 8-, 10- and 12-string basses, all with double courses like a 12-string guitar. Rare, but they exist. Washburn even had a production line 8-string at one point (the A8).

I've also seen a 12-string bass that was four triple courses.

And then you also get eight and ten string bases that are not doubled like that, but my little hobbit hands are useless on those aircraft carrier fretboards

There are some vary cool technical players who do 6 - 10 strings. But it usually turns into a tap-fest.
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And not everyone appreciates that kind of thing. ?

And then you get Jean Baudin with his eleven-string, best known for this (although his other stuff is better):

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Also a tap-fest, but oh-so-awesome.

Yes. but the width of those fret boards is madness.

And the dynamic of the paired strings is obviously something completely different. Or not.

Then you only need to hear what a good player does with four and you realise all the rest is superfluous:

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Yep! Minimalise! We play three piece rock and play 4 string bass. {Lemmy, Harris.} Afterall, it's only Rock 'n Roll but we like it! 8) Not to say I don't appreciate delving into 5 string bass mind you! ?

More on the octave-coursed eight string here- Hagstrom were the first manufacturer and I think JPJ has been playing eights and tens just about since they were first made.

As for the extended range bassists- technically it's fantastic, but I find two things:
-firstly, I even avoid the skinniest string on my four string because the guitarist is taking up the same space, so half of those ten strings would be difficult to use with a guitarist or pianist around
-secondly, a lot of it is technically brilliant but of questionable taste. Most of the bassists that people are still talking about fifty years on ( Jameson, McCartney, Kaye) are technically competent but almost never flashy- Jameson didn't even alternate fingers when plucking. I think restraint goes a long way on bass

peterleroux wrote: As for the extended range bassists- technically it's fantastic, but I find two things:
-firstly, I even avoid the skinniest string on my four string because the guitarist is taking up the same space, so half of those ten strings would be difficult to use with a guitarist or pianist around
-secondly, a lot of it is technically brilliant but of questionable taste. Most of the bassists that people are still talking about fifty years on ( Jameson, McCartney, Kaye) are technically competent but almost never flashy- Jameson didn't even alternate fingers when plucking. I think restraint goes a long way on bass

Ja, it is a bit excessive. But we do all love a bit of flashy stuff now and then, gives us something to strive towards.

This kind of thing would not work in a standard band.
Kinda reminds me of Yngwie Malmsteen, everyone respects and admires him but no-one really listens to his albums.

My brother used to have a Dean Edge 10, which was effectively 5 doubled courses.
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTBGi0fs91RPxtiKVxRDsAEvjBW6AKIh--9cdugJ_3Apt3g7BfXfw

Was an interesting instrument, but very niche, and he ended up selling it after using it very little for several years haha.

More than you want to know about JPJ's gear at http://www.led-zeppelin.org/studio-and-live-gear/851.

It's adults only stuff! Bass lap steels! Yikes!

Doomsower wrote:

peterleroux wrote: As for the extended range bassists- technically it's fantastic, but I find two things:
-firstly, I even avoid the skinniest string on my four string because the guitarist is taking up the same space, so half of those ten strings would be difficult to use with a guitarist or pianist around
-secondly, a lot of it is technically brilliant but of questionable taste. Most of the bassists that people are still talking about fifty years on ( Jameson, McCartney, Kaye) are technically competent but almost never flashy- Jameson didn't even alternate fingers when plucking. I think restraint goes a long way on bass

Ja, it is a bit excessive. But we do all love a bit of flashy stuff now and then, gives us something to strive towards.

This kind of thing would not work in a standard band.
Kinda reminds me of Yngwie Malmsteen, everyone respects and admires him but no-one really listens to his albums.

It depends on the player - as it so often does with any instrument. Some guys can nail down a great groove and step into the limelight and take really great solos. Obvious example is Danny Thompson (no relation!) - a wonderful player who cut his teeth in jazz where bass solos were not unheard of.

I recall years ago going to some jazz gig with Bruce Cassidy on various horn-type things and the Khumalo brothers as a rhythm section. Bakhiti Khumalo (of "You Can Call Me Al" fame) took a bass solo that was both jaw dropping and very, very musical.

Tony Levine is another player who is always interesting whether he's in the background or the foreground. IIRC Levine also comes from a jazz background.

I'd trust JPJ with that sort of instrument. He's a really good player, but he always plays for the song always comes up with a part that is right.

I enjoyed some of the post-punk music that gave the bass a more prominent role. Obvious examples there would be Norman Watt-Roy with Ian Dury and Graham Mabry with Joe Jackson - both fine players.