Acoustic bass guitars

[dwstout]

I might be interested in an inexpensive acoustic bass guitar. I play acoustic with 2 other guys, but NEVER "out". Just noodling around in the basement. Was thinking of something to "fatten" the mix. Any ideas? Craig's list has a Carlo Robelli acoustic electric bass guitar listing for $150. Wadda-think?

[PorkPieGuy]

I researched acoustic guitars at one point, and I never found one that sounded decent that was less than $1k. For that price, you can get a decent sounding bass and amp...especially if you shop used. I think that the majority of them sound like fart boxes, but my ears are crummy.

Everyone seemed to really like the Tacoma Thunderchief, but I could never find one to play it. Might be worth looking into (but I can't remember the price range on these).

[T Texas]

Even a good acoustic bass like a Guild still won't keep up with a couple of acoustic guitars without an amp. The only acoustic bass I've heard that would do the job is an upright double bass.

I've always regarded acoustic bass guitars as a marketing gimmick that they got lucky with. Ya' gotta plug 'em in, that's the reality.

[MODELL]

Depending on your budget ($150.00?) you could at least purchase a Squier P-bass that would sound much better than most ABG's and be easier to play. Most will not be loud enough or "fatten up" the sound with the bronze type strings that come installed. Players have installed Tapewound strings to fatten up the sound and sound more like an upright, but this actually makes the bass less loud when played acoustically. If your budget allows, I would buy a Squier and a bass amp with at least a 10" speaker. Used this would be about $250.00 - $300. This would work with two acoustics.

[radsboy]

Yeah... I am not much of an acoustic bass fan either. I played upright with acoustic bands and combos for many years, now physical limitations have forced me to switch to an electric so I can sit down to play... and a basic used Fender P-bass seems to me to blend with the other acoustic instruments in the group(s) I'm gigging with. Ironically, the tone of the acoustic basses I have tried does not give me a sound as close to the upright as the Fender does.

Also agree, an acoustic bass without an amp can't hold its own with even two acoustic guitars... then if you add a banjo, mandolin, fiddle, forget it - might as well not be playing.

Playing bass is an awesome thing though, good luck whatever you decide.

[Howard Emerson]

This is really the only possible choice for an unamplified small acoustic bass:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjQSyjiHKEE

HE

[cotten]

I've played a number of different "acoustic" basses. Most any of them will do, as long as they're plugged into an amp. For true unplugged playing, I'd suggest an upright string bass.

cotten

[Hoyt]

I've played some acoustic bass guitars that do add to sitting around the campfire with a couple of acoustic guitars. I had a Martin B (something or another) that sounded reasonably loud with a pick and phosphor bronze strings. Fingers aren't going to cut it. It was clearly better with a small amp and flat-wounds. Similarly, I had a Guild B30 that was good with a small amp. Even some of the less expensive ones work to some degree with a pick. It's worth trying a few.

[s2y]

Originally Posted by T Texas

Even a good acoustic bass like a Guild still won't keep up with a couple of acoustic guitars without an amp. The only acoustic bass I've heard that would do the job is an upright double bass.

Pretty much. I don't see a whole lot of point in acoustic bass guitars. I go for something chambered with a piezo to avoid the funky wrist angles.

[paulp1960]

Electric bass with quality flatwound strings does it for me. More comfy to hold than an acoustic bass and sounds better.

Of course you need an amp either way.

[PorkPieGuy]

I've always been way to curious about these:

http://www.birdlandmusic.net/item-BO...right-Bass-Kit

[dagobert]

I have a Fender Kingman while it's pretty and has a different look it needs to be plugged in.

The only acoustic bass I have played that is fairly decent unplugged is the Epiphone El Capitan.

[kurth83]

I own a nice Fender J-bass, and several different powered speakers, ranging from a 20W battery powered guitar amp (fine for very small rehearsal venues), up to my go-to canon of choice, the QSC-K10.

I get the appeal of acoustic, but I think that is more for fun than musicality, you'll get better sound even from a 20W amp. But if fun is your desire then I see no problem with it. :-)

As far as squire's go, I had a Squire J-bass once, it's sound was significantly darker than the next step up, the Fender Standard J-bass, which I bought and replaced the pickups to match the next step up, the Fender American Standard J bass (which comes with very nice noise-free pickups). The squire was so dark the pitch center got lost to my ears, basically it was only good for making mud, didn't work for me anyway.

In retrospect, replacing the squire's pickups probably would have done it, and saved me a few hundred or so. But my J-bass gets performed on frequently so I don't regret buying it.

[Steve DeRosa]

As a closet bass player for 40+ years and having owned two acoustic basses (Guild B-50 and B4E-AMB), IMO there are exactly two reasons for their existence:

• low-volume solo practice
• visual vibe - I've actually caught crap from some hide-bound folkies who complained that my Pedulla P/J was "too loud" through the PA but had no issues with my Guild B4E at the same volume

As stated above very few - and I mean very few - acoustic (more properly acoustic/electric) basses have the volume and low-end depth to be useful for anything other than solo practice or the most intimate ensemble settings (think small living room with a nylon-string guitar); simple physics dictates that you need a large sounding board and a large resonant cavity to adequately amplify low frequencies - neither of which you're going to find on the typical A/E bass, especially one made of laminated woods like that Carlo Robelli. If it's an acoustic-style tone you're after, in my experience your needs would be better served with a hollow/semi-hollowbody electric bass - preferably short scale (30-31") to round off some of the initial attack and with humbucking pickups to add depth - and an old-school bass amp with a 12"/15" speaker (or two), and either no tweeter or one that can be defeated with a knob/switch (I've yet to find a single valid reason bass players need response in the 8kHz+ range, when most electric guitar speakers peak out around 5kHz ); as suggested above, I'd also recommend either flatwound or nylon tapewound strings for more of an "acoustic" tonal vibe. There are a few low-price hollow/semi-hollow instruments that would serve well for practice/small gigs with a moderately-powered amp - Hofner Ignition Beatle/Club, Epiphone Viola/Allen Woody, Rogue VB100 (these can be amazing instruments - $169 at Musicians' Friend - if you can cherry-pick a good one) - and if you're OK with a solid-body Squier, Dean, and Epiphone all make serviceable short-scale models that sell around $200+/- (which should leave you spare change for a good used amp )...