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Acoustic basses


wazz
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[quote name='wazz' post='48417' date='Aug 21 2007, 04:47 PM']Been thinking about getting an acoustic bass (not an upright).
What would you recommend? Any decent 5 string acoustics out there?[/quote]
Tacoma make the Thunderchief 5 string acoustic bass. I know someone who has the 4 string version and it sounds pretty impressive. They are on www.tacomaguitars.com

Rob Allen is probably the best, but be prepared to spend in the region of £2000 for a custom order. He is on www.roballenguitars.com

Edited by chris_b
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If your budget's a grand, I won't bother pointing you towards the Ibanez EWB that I got recently, but they do a 5-string version of that for around £300, that I played and it seemed really nice :)

However, in my (admittedly limited) experience, the low B is almost inaudible when played on acoustics, but I've never tried any massively pricey ones so maybe they're better :huh:

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I have a 4-string Vintage (brand not age) VCB430 that you can have for £150 with a good soft case. It is in the local guitar shop at the moment but I think I can retrieve it. rrp is 300, I think but you can get them new for much less, of course...

The action is low and it is very playable. However anything below about the 4th fret on the low E is a bit quiet and I can't imagine getting very good results with a low B string whatever the construction. It's an introduction to the world of (electro-) acoustic bass and will give you something to compare other basses with and, when you have figured out what you really want, you will be able to sell it for pretty much the same amount.

Interested? pm and we can do a deal

Edited by 2wheeler
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Try the tacoma thunderchief, i have the 4 string fretless version and its amazing, im someone who avoided acoustic bass for years because i thought with the relative quietness of the average acoustic bass against an acoustic guitar its pretty pointless... The thunderchief sounds like a bass and is loud enough to compete. You can pick them up cheep from the US on ebay, i saw one in the bass cellar in london for about 599.. it was in a bit row of acoustic basses including the victor bailey and some martins, i walked past the row plucking the e-string on each and the Tacoma boomed out with substantially more volume and a thicker and deeper bass resonance..


Even if its for home use mainly you are going to appreciate it, it has that powerful violent femmes earthwood sound that just makes you want to play the opening riff to "Blister in the Sun" all the time!

Edited by tanuki
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Tacoma on eBay BIN for £400 +shipping and taxes! Not a recommendation simply saw it whilst browsing.

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Tacoma-Thunderchief-CB10C-Mint_W0QQitemZ290152914228QQihZ019QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Tacoma-Thunderchief-...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url]

I have to admit I've always fancied trying one of those Michael Kelly 'bling' basses! £140 +ship and taxes can't be bad for something with that much work in it, saying that it might play and sound pants!

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Michael-Kelly-Dragonfly-4-String-Fretless-Bass-Amber_W0QQitemZ120154230408QQihZ002QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Michael-Kelly-Dragon...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url]

However, I've always hankered for one of those nice (top end not the budget) Washburn AB basses... and no I don't have an eBay link, just happens to be a bass that is on [b]my[/b] want list!

Edited by warwickhunt
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Its been interesting reading so thanks for all the posts.
I'll have a look round and see what grabs me.

Couple of q's
Is there anything I should look out for as being problematic on Electro/Acoustic basses?

What sort of action can I expect to get compared to a solid wood bass?

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No real shocks in the looks dept, dont be dissapinted if its not loud on the B or E string unamplified.... I had to plug mine in to keep up with a 'proper' acoustic 6 string.....

Action..... whereas you can set up solids to 2.5mm at the 17th fret be happy with 3.5+ on an accoustic, and slightly more relief too....... The strings 'twang' (Larger oscillations) more to get the sound.....

I'd still have another Ovation if indeed I do get another one!

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[quote name='bassjamm' post='48920' date='Aug 22 2007, 01:09 PM']Just what i was thinking of getting...any more thoughts on the Vic Bailey Lee? I was thinking of getting a 5 string and stringing it E - C. Can acoustics have a reasonably low action?[/quote]

It's great, good funk sound. Pop over one day to try it mate.

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Just to add a footnote to this thread...I've seen ads claiming great things for metal resonator basses, like that they have great volume and penetration compared to the standard wooden acoustics. So yesterday, when I was browsing in Denmark Street and saw such a bass in a window I went in and had a go. It was an Ozark, purely acoustic, medium scale, on sale for about £325. Didn't think much of it - tone was nasty, not much volume or bite and it was heavy as hell. Anyone had any good experiences of this kind of bass?

E

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I went through this 6 or 7 months ago. after shopping around alot, I ended up ordering a Micheal Kelly Dragonfly fretless 5 from the states. natural quilt maple finish. Less than £500 to my door. The strings it came with were crap so i switched to a set of LaBella deep talkin flats. The bass sounds fantastic now. As near as I can get to an upright sound without getting an upright.

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