And, Now For Something Different

[ProfessorGAC]

Here's ZZ Top from November 5th with new bass player Elwood Francis.
Check out the bass he's using. 17 strings.
Note the staggered pickups so different string coverage.

[highplainsdem]

1. They sound great! And wow, that bass! Have never seen anything like that.

I had to laugh at the first comment I saw on YouTube:

guitarzan73
5 days ago
When you cant decide if you want a new bass guitar or new snowboard.

[Bayard]

3. Snorf!

It looks heavy.

[highplainsdem]

4. I've been trying to find info on the weight but haven't been able to so far. An article

at Loudersound.com

https://www.loudersound.com/news/watch-zz-top-gobsmack-fans-by-performing-with-a-17-string-bass

links to an Amazon page that gives the weight as 3.53 ounces, which made me laugh:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08N6HPDCF

[highplainsdem]

2. Ultimate Classic Rock story on how they acquired that bass:

https://ultimateclassicrock.com/zz-top-bass/

As it turns out, the behemoth bass was actually the result of some late-night web browsing. Yes, ZZ Top discovered their newest instrument in the same way that average people end up buying weird gadgets and gizmos on Amazon.

"I was doing night internet searching [and] turned up a picture of this crazy 17 string bass,” Francis explained in response to an inquiry from UCR. “I sent a picture to Billy and we laughed about it and made some jokes about actually trying to use it.”

The story could have ended there… but where’s the fun in that?

“A few weeks later, after I had forgotten about it, Billy shows up with [the 17 string bass],” Francis explained, describing the situation as “one of those ‘hold my beer’ moments."