Stub Mandrel Posted August 29, 2019 Share Posted August 29, 2019 I've been trying out acoustic basses. Ibanez, Tanglewood, Ashbury, Alvarez about seven different ones. It's tough as most shops only stock one or two. Prices have ranged from about £180 to 500. So far to better than the Ibanez at the bottom of the price range, you have to spend 200-300 more, but I don't feel you get £200 worth of better sound and I'm not sure any of the others played better. Trouble is the dark natural finish of the Ibanez feels like textured fablon... there is a 'blonde' version and it's £10 less but the nearest one appears to be in Oxford. As a tightwad, eBay and second hand appeals. Are there any suggestions for ones to look out for secondhand? Has anyone got experience of the Vintage/Harley Benton ones that are out there? Are teh gear4 music ones usable (although I'm not sure my street cred could survive having their logo on the headstock...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dankology Posted August 29, 2019 Share Posted August 29, 2019 I've got a fretless one of these that I use a lot at home and have gigged once or twice: http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/Crafter_BA400_EQ_N.html I think I got it for about £250 (give or take) on Ebay. I believe Alice Cooper's bassist uses the fretted one. Make of that what you will. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggaebass Posted August 29, 2019 Share Posted August 29, 2019 I’ve had the Lindo black matte acb electro acoustic for quite a while now , it’s got a nice sound acoustically and amp’d up , but the only thing I don’t like is the depth of the body, I’ve tried a few of the shallow ones and I found them much more comfortable 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted August 29, 2019 Author Share Posted August 29, 2019 My daughter's got a Crafter 6-sring (might be their budget brand) and it's not bad. Body depth is a thought. Thinking back the Tanglewood ones have plenty of projection but very thick bodies - also made the first fret feel a very long way away. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted August 29, 2019 Author Share Posted August 29, 2019 Damn! Damn! Damn! Just discovered these: I've played one of the Talman semi-acoustic six-strings and it was gorgie! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted August 29, 2019 Share Posted August 29, 2019 (edited) I have a Harley Benton that I got as a deko. It's one of the ones that are a step up from their basic ones (I have a basic fretless one to compare to). It's actually a very nice acoustic bass, nice shaped and inlaid headstock, pin string holders in bridge, Fishman pre-amp, nicely finished and bound, satin body and neck and it's a 32" scale so doesn't feel too long. https://m.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_clb_10sce_nt.htm?o=27&search=1567103103 Edit: mine is satin but the linked one is gloss. Edited August 29, 2019 by Maude 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BreadBin Posted August 29, 2019 Share Posted August 29, 2019 https://www.musik-steinbach.de/Gitarren-Baesse-Amps/Gitarren-Baesse-Amps-sale/Tenson-4-4-Elektro-Akustik-Bass-Jumbo-Solid-Top-in-natur-mit-massiver-Fichtendecke.html#.XWgivrfTW6M One of these, if you can find one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted August 29, 2019 Share Posted August 29, 2019 (edited) My brother -in-law's got a Harley Benton acoustic bass, I think it's the most basic model. It's a lot of fun, I've been tempted to get one myself for those times when I just spontaneously get the urge to pick up a bass and play. Not too keen on the tone but I'm almost certain that's a phosphor bronze string thing rather than a Harley Benton thing. Edited August 29, 2019 by Cato Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted August 29, 2019 Share Posted August 29, 2019 2 minutes ago, Cato said: Not too keen on the tone but I'm almost certain that's a phosphor bronze string thing rather than a Harley Benton thing. Some people love bronze strings on an acoustic, others hate them. I hate them, all finger noise and clatter, but they are loud, no doubt why they all put them on. I've got Fender tapewounds on mine and really like the tone, especially amplified. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted August 30, 2019 Author Share Posted August 30, 2019 12 hours ago, Maude said: Some people love bronze strings on an acoustic, others hate them. I hate them, all finger noise and clatter, but they are loud, no doubt why they all put them on. I've got Fender tapewounds on mine and really like the tone, especially amplified. Trying one yesterday I was chatting to another chap and he suggested flatwounds as we both found the string handling noise excessive when amped up. I suppose it depends on what you want to do - bronze roundwounds might be ideal if you want to do acoustic folk, roundwounds might be better if you want more of a poor man's EUB sound? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted August 30, 2019 Author Share Posted August 30, 2019 I do need to think hard about how much this bass will get used and for what. My experience is that I get that bass and its feel and sound decide its function; after last nights band meeting I think we need to decide exactly what we mean by 'unplugged' - is it a quiet version of the band or might it be me and the guitarist doing a lunchtime pot in a wine bar? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggaebass Posted August 30, 2019 Share Posted August 30, 2019 I got mine just to noodle about with on the sofa but I was quite surprised how nice it sounded through an amp , but I’ve never used it live 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donnyboy Posted August 30, 2019 Share Posted August 30, 2019 15 hours ago, Maude said: I have a Harley Benton that I got as a deko. It's one of the ones that are a step up from their basic ones (I have a basic fretless one to compare to). It's actually a very nice acoustic bass, nice shaped and inlaid headstock, pin string holders in bridge, Fishman pre-amp, nicely finished and bound, satin body and neck and it's a 32" scale so doesn't feel too long. https://m.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_clb_10sce_nt.htm?o=27&search=1567103103 Edit: mine is satin but the linked one is gloss. I was speaking to a guy at the rehearsal studio we use, he'd just bought and was very pleased with this Harley Benton which is cheaper https://m.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_b_25m_acoustic_bass.htm He was having a bit of a plonk on it and it certainly sounded the business. He said that he wasn't expecting the high quality for the relatively low cost. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted August 30, 2019 Share Posted August 30, 2019 @Donnyboy That one looks lovely and I bet it plays and sounds as good as some more expensive ones. I realise I sound like Harley Benton fanboi but I haven't come across a bad one yet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted August 30, 2019 Author Share Posted August 30, 2019 (edited) Some of the HB ones get very good reviews. I prefer the look of the B30 to the B35, but one reviewer complains the strings on the B35 are too close together, I would probably prefer that! Sound a bit lacking in presence in the video here: https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_b_25m_acoustic_bass.htm The sample of the B30 sounds better. What surprises me is that there seem to be very few duds out there! Edited August 30, 2019 by Stub Mandrel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Actionmike Posted September 1, 2019 Share Posted September 1, 2019 I bought a “countryman” acoustic from Cash Converters, bronze strings, long scale, sounds great! £220! It actually sounded better than a Guild they had s/h for £400! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted September 1, 2019 Author Share Posted September 1, 2019 22 minutes ago, Actionmike said: I bought a “countryman” acoustic from Cash Converters, bronze strings, long scale, sounds great! £220! It actually sounded better than a Guild they had s/h for £400! Always worth popping your head in to see what's there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted September 3, 2019 Share Posted September 3, 2019 Another HB fan here. I swopped the phosphor bronze strings for the Ibanez black tapewounds and it transformed it! ChrisSharman did the same to his and it transformed his too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted September 3, 2019 Share Posted September 3, 2019 On 30/08/2019 at 09:36, Stub Mandrel said: I do need to think hard about how much this bass will get used and for what. My experience is that I get that bass and its feel and sound decide its function; after last nights band meeting I think we need to decide exactly what we mean by 'unplugged' - is it a quiet version of the band or might it be me and the guitarist doing a lunchtime pot in a wine bar? Whichever one it is your acoustic bass will be for looks only. In order for it to be heard (even over a quietly strummed acoustic guitar) it will need amplification. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BreadBin Posted September 3, 2019 Share Posted September 3, 2019 16 minutes ago, BigRedX said: Whichever one it is your acoustic bass will be for looks only. In order for it to be heard (even over a quietly strummed acoustic guitar) it will need amplification. This simply isn't true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted September 3, 2019 Author Share Posted September 3, 2019 25 minutes ago, BreadBin said: This simply isn't true. Agreed, of the one's I have tried most will compete with an acoustic that isn't being thrashed and certainly match one being played fingerstyle. They also sound very different to solids, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dankology Posted September 3, 2019 Share Posted September 3, 2019 I dunno, mine (linked to above) struggled to be heard above an entirely unamplified small acoustic guitar and single vocalist. I could hear it ok but it apparently did not project into the small room at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BreadBin Posted September 3, 2019 Share Posted September 3, 2019 Whereas mine is the loudest thing in the room if I use it with the folk group I'm in. It is big and deep, this definitely has a bearing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted September 3, 2019 Share Posted September 3, 2019 55 minutes ago, BreadBin said: Whereas mine is the loudest thing in the room if I use it with the folk group I'm in. It is big and deep, this definitely has a bearing. Large body will definitely help - that's why the double bass is so big. IME the bodies of most acoustic basses are only marginally bigger than their guitar counterparts which is why they struggle without amplification. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassApprentice Posted September 3, 2019 Share Posted September 3, 2019 Regarding strings - while not cheap LaBella do some very bright Tapewounds. Specifically the White Nylon/Copper Nylons. Zero finger noise but still bright enough. Always toyed with an acoustic for noodling but they do take up more room and I am running out of places to hide my basses! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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