mashup Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 (edited) I'm an acoustic guitarist primarily & have been getting together a few recordings that at the moment are just acoustic guitar, keys & rhythm section loops. I'm looking for some opinions on what bass you guys think would best compliment the sounds I already have in the mix. I am looking at either a precision or a Jazz. What do you think would work best with what I've got & why that might be? I'm looking to borrow one or the other from a friend for this project, so just wanted a quick heads up before I ask him for whichever bass gets the most recommendations. Cheers, Edited August 14, 2013 by mashup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 (edited) I tend to use either electric-fretless or electric-upright when accompanying my singer-songwriter friend and they blend really nicely with the acoustic guitar vibe... Edited August 13, 2013 by andydye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 Personally, I'd go for a fretless P. The "woody" rich sound just seems to blend well with an acoustic guitar, but still cut through enough to make the bass part audible. Of course, not all acoustic guitars sound that same (and neither do all fretless Ps!), so maybe that doesn't narrow things down all that much after all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mashup Posted August 13, 2013 Author Share Posted August 13, 2013 Thanks for the reply......I can play a little bass but currently don't own one. The options between which to borrow from my friend are a Precision strung with flats or a Jazz strung with rounds. I can only borrow the 1 as he needs the other, but he is kindly giving me the choice between the 2. What do you think would be the best bet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mashup Posted August 13, 2013 Author Share Posted August 13, 2013 Oh, on the subject of what acoustic guitars I'll be using......they are primarily a Martin 000-28EC (Spruce & Rosewood) & an Eastman E20-OM (Adirondack & Rosewwod) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 The answer to every bass question is a Precision strung with flats. All joking aside, there'll be less antagonism between guitar and bass and less string noise with the P/flats than with a Jazz/rounds. Having said that, the only factor in your decision should be which sound you prefer, so try both Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 of the 2 on offer to you I'd go for p with flats and eventually get yourself a fretless p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 [quote name='mashup' timestamp='1376405487' post='2173461'] Thanks for the reply......I can play a little bass but currently don't own one. The options between which to borrow from my friend are a Precision strung with flats or a Jazz strung with rounds. I can only borrow the 1 as he needs the other, but he is kindly giving me the choice between the 2. What do you think would be the best bet? [/quote] Depends on what you want. If flexibility/versatility is your goal, then a J with rounds will just about be able to do a passable impression of a flat-strung P (by selecting the neck pickup and rolling off the tone), but there is no way that a P with flats will ever be able to sound anything like a J! While a P bass is far from the "one-trick pony" that some make it out to be, it is not as versatile as a J due to the fact that is has only one pickup. There are MANY threads on here discussing the relative merits of the two bass types.... and of course lots of people who would never recommend a Fender type bass of any sort!! How long is a piece of string? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franzbassist Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 I'd defintely go fretless and/or upright. It's my band's standard setup and works really well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 [quote name='walbassist' timestamp='1376405947' post='2173474'] I'd defintely go fretless and/or upright. It's my band's standard setup and works really well. [/quote] It certainly worked for John Martyn!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EliasMooseblaster Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 At the risk of sounding boring, I'm going to suggest a P-bass as well. Has to be fretted in my case though, and mine is strung with rounds. But yeah, I've used my P copy for every acoustic-type project I've worked with. I can see the benefit to flats if you're taking a definite 'rhythm section' role; in my case I was usually swapping solos with the acoustic guitarists so the extra brightness of rounds worked better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 Fretless p with half rounds then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 I think it entirely depends on what sort of music you are playing and what atmosphere you want to create. I'd start with keyboards and only look at bass guitars or double bass if it really isn't happening musically without them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 [quote name='mashup' timestamp='1376404937' post='2173452'] I'm an acoistic guitarist primarily & have been getting together a few recordings that at the moment are just acoustic guitar, [i][b]keys[/b][/i] & rhythm section loops.[/quote] [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1376407127' post='2173503']I'd start with keyboards and only look at bass guitars or double bass if it really isn't happening musically without them.[/quote] Sounds like keys are already covered! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 [quote name='Conan' timestamp='1376419324' post='2173732'] Sounds like keys are already covered! [/quote] Exactly so no immediate need for other instruments or musicians. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1376420975' post='2173783'] Exactly so no immediate need for other instruments or musicians. [/quote] Unless he [i][b]wants[/b][/i] bass guitar on there... As he is asking for advice on a bass players forum, I guess that he does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 [quote name='Conan' timestamp='1376421707' post='2173808'] Unless he [i][b]wants[/b][/i] bass guitar on there... As he is asking for advice on a bass players forum, I guess that he does. [/quote] But in is post he's asking what sort of bass we think will fit. As I said it's a bit difficult to tell without actually hearing the songs and the style of music the OP is going for, but if it was my project I'd see how it sounded with the keyboards (or even sequenced as part of the rhythm loops) doing the bass parts first before worrying about what sort of bass guitar to get. And that's spoken as someone who plays the bass on both bass guitar and keyboards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 [quote name='mashup' timestamp='1376404937' post='2173452']I am looking at either a precision or a Jazz. What do you think would work best with what I've got & why that might be? [/quote] [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1376422115' post='2173819'] But in is post he's asking what sort of bass we think will fit. [/quote] Yes, he uses the term "bass", which can, of course, include keyboard bass. But when he asks us to help him decide between a Jazz and a Precision; I think we can safely assume that by "bass" he means "bass guitar". As many of us have already suggested, it is impossible to make a valid and absolute judgement with the limited amount of information we have. But a P would be better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 Aria Sinsonidia - full scale bass, piezo sits nicely with acoustic type instruments and it fits away nicely so isn't a burden to transport/have on stage with multiple instruments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmo Valdemar Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 (edited) Out of the two mentioned - Precision all the way. But I generally always say that when given the option. Otherwise, the Epiphone Jack Casady has a very warm, natural sound that works very well with an acoustic guitar. Edited August 14, 2013 by Cosmo Valdemar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 Precision with flats Jazz with flats Upright EUB Semi with flats ... any of those will work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 [quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1376485720' post='2174637'] If you're going to get one I'd say precision with flats & the tone rolled off. Personally I'd avoid the acoustic guitar/fretless bass thing like the plague as it's become incredibly cliched but that's just me. [/quote] How is that a cliche? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 [quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1376485897' post='2174645'] How is that a cliche? [/quote] Because so many people have done it, how else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 [quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1376486000' post='2174650'] Because so many people have done it, how else? [/quote] More people have played fretted and non-acoustic so surely that's the real cliche. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 [quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1376486297' post='2174659'] More people have played fretted and non-acoustic so surely that's the real cliche. [/quote] Who cares? I did qualify my original statement with "Personally...." and "but that's just me" - it wasn't a statement of absolute truth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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