gub Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Looking to buy my first acoustic bass, we did a few songs the other day on local radio, and it seems we quite enjoyed it and would like to explore some more songs. I borrowed a friends vintage one but it struggled with two acoustic 6 strings, a cojon and singer. Looked at the fender high man bass, love that neck but seems they are not much loader than an unplugged electric! Any thoughts would be really helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBod Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 They are all quiet - get a small amp if you need to, or DI when possible. Have a search and you will find much discussion..and then some more! My personal slant, get something that you like to play on its own..then make it loud enough by whatever means fits the circumstances. Or get a double bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Acoustic basses are pretty much a complete waste of time IMO; using them with other acoustic instruments you will always have to use an amp to be heard which totally defeats the object of having an acoustic in the first place. As you'll doubtless end up having to use an amp or DI I'd just get a cheap P bass, chuck some flats or tape wounds on it, wind the tone off & use that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gub Posted August 14, 2014 Author Share Posted August 14, 2014 Pretty much as I feared then really! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 That's why I bought my first double bass. Some are louder than others, and some strings are louder than others, but get it right and give it some welly and you can easily keep up with a couple of dreadnought guitars. Acoustic bass guitars on the other hand haven't a chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 The Aquila Short Bass One is supposed to be very loud acoustically: http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/Short_bass_one.html Here it is unplugged standing up to 9 ukuleles-small-things-with-strings: http://youtu.be/xC2tEIFBS5U Even louder would be a Mexican guitarron, restrung to traditional bass tunings: http://www.thomann.de/gb/lucida_guitarron.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weststarx Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 (edited) We've been toying with the idea of doing some acoustic stuff and I was going to ask the same question. If you have to plug it in you may aswell use an electric... Don't think a double bass would fit in my Seat Ibiza though!!! Edited August 15, 2014 by Weststarx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.young Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 You'd be surprised, I got one into my Austin A.30 ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 [quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1408037972' post='2526548'] Acoustic basses are pretty much a complete waste of time IMO; using them with other acoustic instruments you will always have to use an amp to be heard which totally defeats the object of having an acoustic in the first place. As you'll doubtless end up having to use an amp or DI I'd just get a cheap P bass, chuck some flats or tape wounds on it, wind the tone off & use that. [/quote] I was going to post in this thread.... But not much point as I'd have just been repeating this. For my gigs in an Acoustic set up, I take a P Bass strung with flats and small amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil.c60 Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 (edited) The P-bass and flats is really the way to go[i],[/i]however I have a very nice Tanglewood acoustic bass I keep around the house for those "hang on, how does that go?" moments or for twiddling about in the garden. I have played that with some success through a Roland basscube (30W, I think) which is my practice amp, and if you want to have an all-acoustic look that's about the best compromise imho as it has quite a lot of amp models and some basic effects you can play with to get a sound you like. And they're quite reasonable s/hand - I gave £60 for mine. Oh - and they're so small you can tuck it away somewhere unobtrusive! Edited August 15, 2014 by phil.c60 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 [quote name='Weststarx' timestamp='1408111424' post='2527259'] Don't think a double bass would fit in my Seat Ibiza though!!! [/quote] Anything with a hatch back will swallow your average 3/4 double bass. Also, audiences adore double bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 [quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1408135027' post='2527582'] Anything with a hatch back will swallow your average 3/4 double bass. Also, audiences adore double bass. [/quote] ^ This , yep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 And the satisfaction of nailing a tune on an instrument as big as you are, with no frets and an action you could drive a bus under is something special. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 [quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1408137221' post='2527608'] And the satisfaction of nailing a tune on an instrument as big as you are, with no frets and an action you could drive a bus under is something special. [/quote] Unfortunately I can only imagine that bit, lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 I read somewhere the Tacoma thunder chief is pretty loud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 I had a Fender Kingman, great bass, and it was loud enough with 1 guitar and bongos in a radio station studio. Anything bigger than that and it would have got lost easily. They do need an amp, not a big one, my Ampeg BA108 made it sound great and the sound itself was clearly that of an acoustic instrument amplified. Not heard a regular electric bass sound like that, but then maybe a lot of that sound was due to the strings? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cameltoe Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 They should make an acoustic bass with some kind of lightweight amp/neo driver built into the body, so you could be heard easily without having to drag a combo along (which defeats the whole object). Plenty of room inside the useless sound hole! I have an Adam Black B10- actually really nicely made instrument, but won't be heard next to a couple of acoustic 6-strings. So whichever way you cut it, you're going to need reinforcement of some kind. Maybe a Harley Benton U-bass clone with a cheap combo? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 [quote name='cameltoe' timestamp='1408173303' post='2527739'] [b]They should make an acoustic bass with some kind of lightweight amp/neo driver built into the body[/b], so you could be heard easily without having to drag a combo along (which defeats the whole object). Plenty of room inside the useless sound hole! I have an Adam Black B10- actually really nicely made instrument, but won't be heard next to a couple of acoustic 6-strings. So whichever way you cut it, you're going to need reinforcement of some kind. Maybe a Harley Benton U-bass clone with a cheap combo? [/quote] [attachment=169265:db speakers.png] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telebass Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 That is truly...wicked! No other word fits! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 [quote name='cameltoe' timestamp='1408173303' post='2527739'] They should make an acoustic bass with some kind of lightweight amp/neo driver built into the body, so you could be heard easily without having to drag a combo along (which defeats the whole object). Plenty of room inside the useless sound hole! [/quote] Fernandes Piezo: [IMG]http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n249/BigRedX/DSC03107.jpg[/IMG] Hello Kitty edition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cameltoe Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1408174556' post='2527751'] [attachment=169265:db speakers.png] [/quote] Wow! I will use the now Oxford-English-Dictionary-approved term Amazeballs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oggiesnr Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 I have a Tacoma Thunderchief and it will cope with several guitars and other stringed instruments and even a squeezebox or two. I have a double bass because we ended up with four or five squeezeboxes and at that level it didn't cut through, especially out doors. Still use it for crowded sessions where the DB is just too big or I can't be bothered to trolley it round all (Whitby FF this week). Problem is that they're not made anymore so second hand is your only bet and not likely to be cheap. Martin and Guild acoustic basses are also good but again you're paying a lot of money. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny_Innie Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 ......... or you could use one of these ! [url="http://www.planetwaves.com/pwProductDetail.Page?ActiveID=4115&productid=496&productname=O_Port&sid=d91da64d-3b8b-4232-aea7-5690d4e52e92"]http://www.planetwaves.com/pwProductDetail.Page?ActiveID=4115&productid=496&productname=O_Port&sid=d91da64d-3b8b-4232-aea7-5690d4e52e92[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 [quote name='gub' timestamp='1408037303' post='2526537'] Looking to buy my first acoustic bass, we did a few songs the other day on local radio, and it seems we quite enjoyed it and would like to explore some more songs. I borrowed a friends vintage one but it struggled with two acoustic 6 strings, a [color=#ff0000][b]cojon[/b][/color] and singer. Looked at the fender high man bass, love that neck but seems they are not much loader than an unplugged electric! Any thoughts would be really helpful. [/quote] it's cajon... cojon is... a testicle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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