Acoustic Bass

[solo4652]

[quote name='philw' timestamp='1490691009' post='3267002']
Loudest one I've ever played is the one I have at the moment - the Fender marketed Olympia copy of the Tacoma. Like this one:

[url="https://reverb.com/item/139838-olympia-ob3ce-acoustic-bass"]https://reverb.com/i...e-acoustic-bass[/url]

Happy to let you have a go if you're anywhere near Brighton.

P
[/quote]

Thank you very much for your kind offer. Sadly, I'm in Stockport. If you see what I mean.

[scrumpymike]

[quote name='grogg' timestamp='1488653885' post='3250856']
Thinking of investing in an acoustic bass guitar as I play in a band with 2 acoustic guitars, accordion and Cajon. Feel like I'm not quite keeping up appearances. The ones I've tried in the past seemed tonally weak.

Any recommendations? Don't want to spend a lot.
[/quote]

I was in the same situation a while back when playing with a folky singer/songwriter. Ended up using a nice Ibanez Artcore electro-acoustic with flats thru a small practice amp. Sounded great and looked a bit less intimidating to the woolly-pully brigade. If I win the lottery though, it will be one of these - they're made just up the road in Bristol and Mike Gillett is bringing a couple to this Sunday's S-W Bass Bash.

[url="http://www.gillettguitars.co.uk/video"]http://www.gillettguitars.co.uk/video[/url]

[Andyjr1515]

Hi

I've got a Harley Benton fitted with D'Addario black nylons and if sounds great acoustically or plugged in. Drop me a pm....I never get round to playing it and to be honest it's a bit in the way. We might be talking about 'for the cost of the strings and gig bag' territory. I'm near Belper above Derby so easy reach to or from Stockport.


Andy

[BigRedX]

It's all very well the rest of the band saying that you really need an acoustic bass to fit in with the look, and in a way they are right. However I doubt any of them will have spent the kind of money on their instruments, that you need to in order to get a decent electro-acoustic bass guitar.

I once spent a weekend auditioning electro-acoustic guitars, and while the really good ones were all £1000+, if I had been on a budget I could have been perfectly happy with something costing £200 - £300. I've yet to play an equivalently priced electro-acoustic bass that even begins to feel and sound any good at that price point. After having had a play of a Takamine TB10, I really wouldn't be happy gigging with anything less. Unsurprisingly it cost about twice the price of an equivalent standard electro-acoustic guitar...

[Twigman]

I have a Fender CE300 T Bucket acoustic bass.....it's great for noodling at home - I use it for writing mainly.
I find it comfortable to play while seated.
It wouldn't compete with even a single guitar if unamplified.
Amplified, I find with the phosphor bronze strings there's just too much finger noise - probably my poor technique.

[solo4652]

[quote name='Andyjr1515' timestamp='1490692170' post='3267021']
Hi

I've got a Harley Benton fitted with D'Addario black nylons and if sounds great acoustically or plugged in. Drop me a pm....I never get round to playing it and to be honest it's a bit in the way. We might be talking about 'for the cost of the strings and gig bag' territory. I'm near Belper above Derby so easy reach to or from Stockport.


Andy
[/quote]

Hello Andy. Thank you for that. I now only play short scale (30") basses, so the HB isn't going to work for me.

[solo4652]

Following on from my last post, if I did look for an AEB (and I'm far from convinced about this), the shopping list would probably look something like:

Short scale
Thinline body - I can't really see the point of wrestling with a jumbo sized thing if it's going to be electronically amplified
Low(ish) action that can be easily adjusted via truss-rod
Lightweight and no neck dive
Must be easy to play standing up
Decent pre-amp

Prefer to buy secondhand up to, say, £200 ish.

In other words, it would need to feel and play as closely as possible to an all-electric short scale bass when played standing up.

Quick Google throws up Washburn AB10 and Fender BG 29. Any others out there?

Edited March 28, 2017 by solo4652

[Maude]

Aria Elecord?

https://ariaguitarsglobal.com/product/feb-fl/

Not tried one but look good and Aria usually make a decent budget instrument.

I have a tobacco burst Yamaha Bex 4, plays like an electric but having piezo and a soapbar pickup can sound quite acoustic like, would fit in aesthetically.

http://en.m.audiofanzine.com/acoustic-electric-bass/yamaha/bex4c/medias/pictures/a.play,m.171851.html

[Andyjr1515]

[quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1490702230' post='3267154']
Hello Andy. Thank you for that. I now only play short scale (30") basses, so the HB isn't going to work for me.
[/quote]
No probs at all

[TheGreek]

Agree with the sentiments of virtually everybody - EA basses are really only of any use for twiddling at low volume. If you're after DB tone in a small package consider trying a Ashbory. The double kidney shape ones are pretty ugly but IIRC somebody posted an image of the new ones which look like a miniature bass. I've been GASsing over something like this for a while but I'm waiting for a pre-owned one to come up for sale.


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Savannah-STB-700-Lightning-fretless-BASS-4-STRING-BASS-GUITAR-23-travel-/132141354387?hash=item1ec43d0d93:g:aJoAAOSwzvlW-dH9

Edited March 28, 2017 by TheGreek

[basshead56]

I love my Fender Victor Bailey sig acoustic. Quite loud acoustically (loudest one I've ever played) but even better with a little wattage.
Lovely neck, awesome EQ section. great for jamming on the couch. Beautiful koa wood too.
Have gigged it a few times - no buzz, hum or feedback. Perfect for my needs.

But I spend more time playing an upright now in situations I would have had the acoustic, so it is mostly a flash ornament nowadays.

[blank20]

If you need something non expensive, check these
https://musicsquare.co.uk/156032_Fender-TBucket-3TS-Flame-V2-bass-guitar.html
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AEWB20NT

[JoeEvans]

I have a Tacoma Thunderchief, which is a lovely instrument if you can find one. It's not loud like a double bass but the tone is gorgeous, and it's loud enough for some acoustic situations - I take it to the odd Irish session and it can keep up with violins, mandolins and acoustic guitars quite well. You'd want to amplify it for any gig with an audience of more than about ten people, but you'd be fine for an all-acoustic rehearsal or jam session.

[fretlessguy]

Go with a bass uke. Much more of an upright sound , light weight, easy to get in and out of vehicles, and is just fun to play. I have three of my own and enjoy playing them quite a bit.

[paulbuzz]

The many previous comments regarding the practical difficulties of acoustic bass guitars are certainly fair, but I think they do have a tone of their own that can't easily be replicated by any other type of instrument. Listen to pretty much anything by the Violent Femmes to hear a sound that is clearly identifiable as an (amplified) acoustic bass guitar... (Splendid and under-appreciated playing by Brian Ritchie too!)

[BigRedX]

IIRC the Violent Femmes use the massive-bodied Earthwood bass which has a unique sound all of it's own and not something I would like to have to try to replicate with a standard acoustic bass guitar no matter what type of pickup and amplification.

[RhysP]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1492517112' post='3280843']
IIRC the Violent Femmes use the massive-bodied Earthwood bass which has a unique sound all of it's own and not something I would like to have to try to replicate with a standard acoustic bass guitar no matter what type of pickup and amplification.
[/quote]

That's right, he uses an Earthwood which is nothing like your typical acoustic bass guitar.

[paulbuzz]

Ha! Fair enough, I stand corrected!

So, having dug around the internet a bit, here's Brian Ritchie's tips for acoustic bass guitar (from an interview in BassPlayer magazine) :


[quote]Get the biggest acoustic bass guitar you can find. Hit it as hard as you can until you develop maximum technique. After that you can reel in the volume and use dynamics. Play in acoustic settings as often as you can. Do [i]not [/i]rely upon an amplifier for your sound. The louder you can play the bass acoustically, the less likelihood of feedback once you are amplified. Don’t let those pesky drummers and guitarists push you around, and have fun.[/quote]

Edited April 19, 2017 by paulbuzz

[ProfJames]

Try a Takamine 512c semi acoustic

[Wylie]

[quote name='JazzBass4624' timestamp='1488662025' post='3250942']
I play in a band with a singer, guitar player and me on electric bass.
I have tried on acoustic bass but apart from the volume problem it din't appeal to me. So I am using my fender jazz and fit nicely in the mix.
No one considers it a problem.
[/quote]

I was watching some early Gordon Lightfoot clips yesterday (from a show in London ca. 1965, as it happened): Lightfoot on 12-string, Red Shea on six-string, and John Stockfish on Fender bass. The trio sounded great, and the P-bass fit right in.

[margusalviste]

Washburn AB20!!! It's an amazing bass for that reason. I have also one for sale. Check the sales ad.

[pmjos]

this one, they r awesome.
[url="https://www.thomann.de/gb/furch_b61_5_cm_acoustic_bass.htm?glp=1&gclid=CP6AoI371NQCFReeGwodWy8Krg"]https://www.thomann.de/gb/furch_b61_5_cm_acoustic_bass.htm?glp=1&gclid=CP6AoI371NQCFReeGwodWy8Krg[/url]

[dannybuoy]

Not cheap at just over £1k, but still highly recommended:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=3zYPr3vMpNc

[bazzbass]

[quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1490689910' post='3266986']
I play in an "acoustic" band comprised of lead singer, singer/guitarist, acoustic drums and myself on electric bass. I've been asked to consider an acoustic bass. I said that I couldn't really see the point, for all the reasons given here. The response from the band:

[color=black][size=3]"The original idea behind not just sticking to a full band set up was two fold and you make valid points regarding acoustic Bass. We did mean electro-acoustic and yes agree you would need to be plugged in/amplified (to the desk maybe?). Normal electric bass would work just as well but electro-acoustic bass would fit better with the Electro acoustic guitar image wise and project [ the band's] brand if you like so there is 'The Look' to consider also in this. i.e. we all look like an acoustic band.[/size][/color]

[color=black][size=3]The second reason for originally suggesting stripped down version was it also strips down the amount of gear you need to bring and hopefully allow faster set up/tear down times."[/size][/color]

So, it seems to be predominantly about looks and image. I've never played an electro-acoustic bass and I have no real inclination to do so, being honest. Because of neck and arm pain, I'm picky about what bass I play. My current squeeze is a Fender MIJ Mustang with a waist support belt clipped onto an extra strap pin using one of the neck-plate screws. Switching between basses rapidly upsets my Arthritis. The band knows this, but I'm still being asked to consider an electro-acoustic, and I'm resisting. Mexican stand-off.
[/quote]

they DO realise an acoustic instrument through the PA is no longer an acoustic instrument, right?

[grandad]

I think I'm on the side of too expensive and just not comfortable. Have you tried a violin bass? They're lightweight, great tone and relatively inexpensive. PM me if you're interested in trying one out on loan from WS8 6HU.