Quote:
Originally Posted by Forest Dweller
You are of course entitled to your opinion, as am I, and you are wrong. Acoustic basses are not toys and I have video evidence to prove it. A well made acoustic bass can nake a very fine, expressive musical instrument
Robbie
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OK, let me put a finer point on it. It’s simple physics. Acoustic bass guitars do not have a large enough sound chamber to push enough air for lower frequencies to be hear unamplified when played with even one other guitarist, much less in any sort of ensemble situation.
ABGs could have some practical use in a solo situation; Jonas Hellborg did some interesting things on solo acoustic bass in the late ‘00s, but that’s a special situation where a musician had access to an entire recording studio and was specifically interested in pushing the bounds of the instrument.
Most regular jamming or performing musicians will find that they need an amp in order for the acoustic bass guitar to be heard in an ensemble setting. At that point, you might as well play a P Bass (or Uke bass). A P Bass with flat wounds will likely sound better than the ABG when amplified; it won’t feed back, and it will be more comfortable to play for several hours.
Here is the thing. Every proponent of the ABG I have ever met or talked with online has “proof” that they have the magical instrument that cracks the code and makes a true (unamplified) acoustic bass guitar a usable instrument in an ensemble setting.
To that, I say, “Bring it!” Let’s see it. Let’s see the proof. It’s not like I am picking on the ABG just to be a jerk. I would love an ABG that can be played unamplified in an acoustic ensemble with a couple of guitars and a mandolin. And I am hardly the only one. If someone actually cracked the code and defied physics, they would have customers. They would have lots of customers, including me. But if someone did indeed solve the volume issue with respect to ABGs, I doubt they would keep it a loosely guarded secret. They would be selling their design to Fender or Martin.