Octobass, an extremely large bowed triple bass instrument, was constructed in 1850 in Paris by French luthier, Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume. It took two people to tune the instrument.

Vuillaume built over 3000 musical instruments in his lifetime and each is numbered. In addition to building the 11.4 foot long Octobass, he built a large viola which he called a "contralto," and created the hollow steel bow.