“I said to Billy, ‘We should order one of these, and I’ll play it. It’ll be hilarious.’ Then it went viral. I hate playing that bass. Now I’ve got to play it every night”: Elwood Francis on why he regrets his 17-string bass becoming a ZZ Top staple

Guitar World ^ | 7/18 | Michael Astley-Brown

[airborne]

Yikes!

Gotta show this story to my bass playing son!

That’s one sick bass!!!

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

Cool!
Did you ever go driving to Avalon on FM95, while blind?

[DYngbld]

Damn! I thought moving to a 5 string was being extra. That hurts my arthritic hands just looking at it.

Had to hang up the bass a few years ago, it is just getting too painful to play.

[DoodleBob]

So did Bootsy. You’re in good company.

[xoxox]

might have seen him play that thing at a show many moons ago.

I like Nielsen’s take because he calls it out for being the gag that it really is.

[Palio di Siena]

Me too - I took some bass lessons when I retired.
My teacher told me that for bass players the third lesson is a gig. /s

[cport]

Steve Vai never ceases to amaze me; I hadn't seen that one, thanks.

As an aside, I always thought it ironic that the only member of ZZ Top without a beard was drummer Frank Beard.

[subterfuge]

That’s funny right there!