Acoustic bass advice needed!

[willgatesbass]

Hi all - I need to buy an acoustic fretted bass (not an upright). It’s for a strolling band and won’t be plugged in so it has to be acoustically loud. A nice comfy design and easy player would be a bonus too. This is just for a trial gig so the budget is low. £300 max but even less would be better. If you have any experience on the subject or a suitable bass for sale, please let me know. Thanks

[Twigman]

Fender CE300 T bucket bass

can't go wrong with one of them

[franzbassist]

What other instruments are involved?  There are very few, if any, ABGs that will really cut it.

 

[BreadBin]

Size matters, the bigger the better.

[NickA]

Hmm they're none of them very loud.  The Fenders I tried were nice to play but very quiet indeed.

I ended up with a Tanglewood partly on big size and big volume but it's still near inaudible when anyone else is playing.  You might need a little battery powered amp (a Roland Micro-cube for instance) to be heard ... at which point, may as well plug in the electric!

Of course the real solution is to get a double bass!!

I remember that band Fairground Attraction had a Mexican Guitarron which they did use for acoustic busking ... but they are HUGE.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitarrón_mexicano

[Beedster]

Acoustic basses don't work as acoustic basses in anything but the quietest of situations. Mine - a good quality Breedlove - can't be heard above an acoustic guitar or mandolin played at even moderate volume. Adopting the same techniques as DB players to be heard - slapping and/or finding an acoustic sweet spot - can help, but will never overcome the problem fully

[Cat Burrito]

I agree with all the above, especially the bigger the better. I have to say though that I picked this up for under £130

https://www.dv247.com/en_GB/GBP/J-D-ABG-1-4-String-Acoustic-Bass-Guitar-Black/art-BAS0001331-000 

and granted, it needed a setup as some of the frets were a bit rough etc BUT it now plays like something worth 3 or 4 times the price. Probably little to no resale value but really good. It is massive though so most acoustic bass gig bags were a problem BUT it is big enough to carry some volume when playing unplugged with others.

[Beedster]

19 minutes ago, Cat Burrito said:

I agree with all the above, especially the bigger the better. I have to say though that I picked this up for under £130

https://www.dv247.com/en_GB/GBP/J-D-ABG-1-4-String-Acoustic-Bass-Guitar-Black/art-BAS0001331-000 

and granted, it needed a setup as some of the frets were a bit rough etc BUT it now plays like something worth 3 or 4 times the price. Probably little to no resale value but really good. It is massive though so most acoustic bass gig bags were a problem BUT it is big enough to carry some volume when playing unplugged with others.

Ironically, and much like DBs, it's often at the lower end of the price spectrum that you'll find an instrument that'll really cut through. Good advice CB

[willgatesbass]

Thanks everyone - I’ll be playing with an acoustic guitar, a snare drum or cajon and three singers. Sounds like an acoustic bass won’t cut it. I have a U-bass. Maybe I should look in to portable battery-powered amps?

[BreadBin]

Mine is plenty loud enough for an acoustic foursome with guitar, flute and vocals.

Tenson Jumbo

[willgatesbass]

2 minutes ago, BreadBin said:

Mine is plenty loud enough for an acoustic foursome with guitar, flute and vocals.

Tenson Jumbo

Cool! Where did you buy it please?

[BreadBin]

eBay sadly, they don't come up much.

It's not just my playing, I've lent it to mates and they all have expressed surprise at its volume. It's strung with phosphor bronze strings mind, which most people hate.

[franzbassist]

43 minutes ago, BreadBin said:

Tenson Jumbo

Found one in Germany here.

[Happy Jack]

1 hour ago, willgatesbass said:

Thanks everyone - I’ll be playing with an acoustic guitar, a snare drum or cajon and three singers. Sounds like an acoustic bass won’t cut it. I have a U-bass. Maybe I should look in to portable battery-powered amps?

 

2 hours ago, NickA said:

I remember that band Fairground Attraction had a Mexican Guitarron which they did use for acoustic busking ... but they are HUGE.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitarrón_mexicano

 

+1 for the Guitarron. The body is undeniably very large but the basses are surprisingly light and the neck is much shorter than a standard bass so the bulky body is less of an issue than you might think.

Guitarrons are really very loud. They're designed to be played outdoors and to compete with (usually) two 6-string guitars or even a 6-string guitar + trumpet.

Before committing to battery-powered amps (which bring weight, complication, and batteries that always die at the most inconvenient times) it would be worth trying out a guitarron, if you can find one in a music shop near you. Hobgoblin Music would be a decent bet.

[therealting]

Cheap acoustic bass guitars are rarely loud enough to be played unamplified, unless it’s in a small room with very quiet instruments and singer. 

[Pinball]

BMC 15E?

You can't beat these Sigma's for value in my opinion. Here's my review.

 

[Frank Blank]

Fender Kingman is the loudest acoustic bass I’ve ever played but I’m afraid I agree with most commenters on this thread, I don’t think it’ll be heard above the other instruments/voices you are performing with. Get a small amp and you suddenly get a much wider choice.

[RichardH]

3 hours ago, willgatesbass said:

Thanks everyone - I’ll be playing with an acoustic guitar, a snare drum or cajon and three singers. Sounds like an acoustic bass won’t cut it. I have a U-bass. Maybe I should look in to portable battery-powered amps?

Yup - Roland Micro Cube RX is the way to go. I have used a U-Bass and one of these chappies to get effect - and the batteries seem to run for ages (I use the 7 Day Shop "Good To Go" AAs). You just missed one in the classifieds for £130, but keep your eyes peeled for another.

[BreadBin]

When I first took my Tenson to practice I played quite hard as I had read everyone on here saying they aren't loud enough.

They made me stand at the other end of the room!

[willgatesbass]

50 minutes ago, RichardH said:

Yup - Roland Micro Cube RX is the way to go. I have used a U-Bass and one of these chappies to get effect - and the batteries seem to run for ages (I use the 7 Day Shop "Good To Go" AAs). You just missed one in the classifieds for £130, but keep your eyes peeled for another.

Thanks man. Sounds like a winner!

[Lozz196]

3 hours ago, Frank Blank said:

Fender Kingman is the loudest acoustic bass I’ve ever played but I’m afraid I agree with most commenters on this thread, I don’t think it’ll be heard above the other instruments/voices you are performing with. Get a small amp and you suddenly get a much wider choice.

Yep, I had one and in my old band we did a live radio show where everything had to be acoustic. Whilst it couldn’t be determined what I was playing the effect it had on the sound was it made the guitar sound bigger/thicker. So if the actual playing needs to cut through agree, get a small amp and the Kingman is a good call. 

[JohnDaBass]

+1 for Fender Kingman.

It is BIG but lovely to play with a Jazz size neck and great preamp containing notch filter & phase to control any body resonance. Acoustically the loudest I heard but a small amp is probably the best setup. 

[josie]

On 17/05/2019 at 15:30, BreadBin said:

It's strung with phosphor bronze strings mind, which most people hate.

I've just replaced the phosphor bronze strings on my Michael Kelly fretted with black tapewounds, and I'm finding the sound carries better (and sounds better - a rich almost double-bassy sound rather than the metallic clank of the bronze).