ZZ Top bassist Elwood Francis has some regrets – most notably, convincing Billy Gibbons to buy a 17-string bass.
The massive, over-the-top instrument has become a staple of ZZ Top’s live show – though Francis wishes it wasn’t.
He told Guitar World he “found it late at night while internet surfing” and told Gibbons “We should order one of these, and I’ll play it. It’ll be hilarious.”
Unfortunately, the bass is extremely difficult to play. Even more unfortunately, it’s become a viral hit, meaning Francis has to play it every single night, even though he “hates” it.
He admits “At this point, more people ask me about the 17-string bass than they do the fuzzy guitar.”
