9 String Bass - A string too far?

I was just checking out some info on LIMS09 (London International Music Show) and came across this bit of news on www.sonicstate.com that I thought any one of us bassists would be intested in.

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, extended range basses have always hoeld a certain curiosity for me but I have no inclination to buy one. I like the idea of a 5 string, well I think the  idea of having an extra few lower notes is a good idea, but I’m still happy with my plain old 4. A 6 string looks like fun but would drive me mad getting used to it, and I’m not Les Claypool.

So imagine my general surprise and awe as I came across this video of a German geezer with a 9 string bass, who was at LIMS09. His name is Mario Bartone and he not only plays the 9 string beast, but he made it as well -  carved the wood, and comissioned special pick-ups and the strings.

Bartone was inspired to go for the lowest string you can actually hear - 21Hz(!) when he found out that piano-make Bosendorfer had made an ‘Extended’ model with an extra F-sharp and F-string he knew it was physically possible, so he set about making it happen.

Inspired…check it out.