To have or not to have...acoustic bass guitar

[Already In Use]

I have an acoustic electric and like it a lot. I am in a band that requires I use that bass. Mostly folk music, soothing type stuff like PP&M...etc.. It's an Ovation. IMO to buy a bass for quiet practice(only) is not a good idea. I have a headphone amp and use headphones to practice with my electric basses. The sound is great..I wonder why I didn't do this sooner. The acoustic bass gets lost if played unplugged with others..unless everybody is playing reasonably soft. For me..it's another tool in the box.

[stratovani]

I use my Hofner Icon and a small amp if I'm in an acoustic situation. Woody, organic sound, and loud enough to not be drowned out by big dreadnoughts, but not so loud as to be obnoxious.

[ThudThudThud]

I've had one for years. I absolutely love mine - but it's not my go-to bass (any more).
Sure, I'll pull it off the wall (the 'artwork' in my dining room is basses/guitars on hangers!) occasionally to practice or write a lick, but I play hard rock these days so I make sure I practice on electrics.
I used to play in acoustic situations (with a small amp!) with mine, so it is/was a useful tool. It also taught me how to play fingerstyle in any position and use the position to affect the tone - and not rely on a pickup etc. to rest my thumb on.
Even with bronze strings (which I don't like/use) they are rarely loud enough to be heard in an acoustic setting with guitars.
If you don't NEED one for your gig, you probably don't need one. Get a cheap multi-effects with a headphone out and play your electric.

But, I wish my electrics had a neck that felt/played as well as my ABG. It's a dream.

[Orangeclawhamme]

Originally Posted by ThudThudThud

I've had one for years. I absolutely love mine - but it's not my go-to bass (any more).
Sure, I'll pull it off the wall (the 'artwork' in my dining room is basses/guitars on hangers!) occasionally to practice or write a lick, but I play hard rock these days so I make sure I practice on electrics.
I used to play in acoustic situations (with a small amp!) with mine, so it is/was a useful tool. It also taught me how to play fingerstyle in any position and use the position to affect the tone - and not rely on a pickup etc. to rest my thumb on.
Even with bronze strings (which I don't like/use) they are rarely loud enough to be heard in an acoustic setting with guitars.
If you don't NEED one for your gig, you probably don't need one. Get a cheap multi-effects with a headphone out and play your electric.

But, I wish my electrics had a neck that felt/played as well as my ABG. It's a dream.

By position, do you mean where your plucking hand is relative to the bridge and/or neck? That and not relying on the pickup as a rest are lessons worth learning.

[Already In Use]

I stuck an ebony rest on my ovation so it feels and plays like my electric basses played finger style.

[Groove Master]

They are very nice. And a ABG can becomes a great add-on in your sound palette!!!

i have a great Martin made of mahogany and it sounds really good also when I record with it to sound like an upright.

Also a Resonator bass or Dobro bass are very loud in an acoustic setting.

Good luck

[Lobster11]

I keep an ABG on a stand in the living room, and find it very handy to be able to pick it up on a whim to work out an idea, or amuse myself during commercial breaks of a TV show, or sneak in a quick mini-practice when the opportunity arises. My music room, with all my other gear, is down in the basement, and it just wouldn't be worth the "trip" down there in most such instances. So that means that virtually every minute I have the ABG in my hands is a minute that, if I didn't have it, I wouldn't have a bass in my hands at all -- and every minute with bass in hand is better than one without!

[steve_rolfeca]

I had an Epiphone El Capitan in a hard shell case.

Pro:
- shorter sustain and different overtones gave it a woodier tone
- better than my expensive electric for some uptempo stuff- short sustain adds punch
- nice for traditional jazz and some folk music, sounds a bit more "upright"
- different feel and dynamics taught me a few things, and broadened my tonal palette on electric
- loud enough for solo practice or jamming along with iPod (one IEM in)
- nice at music camp when I wanted to walk around doing my "troubadour" thing
- unplugged volume was perfect for paying with a small recorder ensemble
- demands to be attacked at least a little harder- builds hand strength
-if you want to build speed and dexterity, going back to electric is like slipping on expensive running shoes, after practicing in hikers. Zoom!!!
- even though they don't work well for playing out unplugged, there's just something interesting about banging on them at home

Con:
- large/heavy to lug around, enormous case didn't fit in small cars easily
- still needed an amp for most things, even living-room acoustic jams
- Just as useless as electric for most "unplugged" performances- get an upright!
- low end is lacking without an amp, even with tape wounds for a darker tone
- low spouse approval factor- they take up a lot of space when left out in the living room, and playing along w/TV annoyed my family
- they're a magnet for small, sticky fingers if you have young children
- an Apogee Jam for your iPhone/iPad/iPod is cheaper, and works better for "silent" practice
- feedback is a problem on loud stages
- most are cheaply made, good ones (Taylor/Martin/Guild/Warwick) are hard to find, expensive
- my amplified electric w/TI Jazz Flats simply sounds better for most types of modern folk music
- none of the available battery amps sound any good for actual off-the-grid acoustic gigs (except possibly the Phil Jones in very quiet settings)

[warnergt]

Here is a solution for practicing anytime without plugging in:
Vox Apache Series Bass Guitars

[amir93smith]

if you can afford one...but you'll have to be careful..it easy to buy a ****** acoustic bass...you need something with a solid top....also an acoustic b cool to go down to a park or somewhere you and your mates can hang out and...acoustic jam =) reason y i got my ovation (also found her on ebay with a hard case for bout £200....n it's too awesome =D)

[crlujan]

I always like the idea of an acoustic bass guitar... until I play one. They all sound horrible to my ear. I'm sure there are some good ones out there but I've yet to hear them. If you absolutely need to go acoustic, I'd recommend an upright. Of course, that doesn't help portability.

[WokenDeer]

I absolutely love my acoustic. It is good for playing anytime without wires. You can take it anywhere ( couch, porch, a friends) easily. But it also sounds and feels a little different. Makes you think differently. I Have a takamine acoustic/electric and wouldn't give it up for anything. Relatively speaking.

[phayes1007]

Originally Posted by CyborgLemon

Hi,

I am thinking of buying an acoustic bass because I feel that I can practice it anytime without having to plug the cable.

I want to know your thoughts on it. Should I get it? Will it be of any help?

Absolutely in favor of it--

That was the exact reason I decided to buy an acoustic bass last summer, and it was one of the best music-related decisions I've ever made. I do probably 60-70% of my practicing at night, when my parents are asleep, but after a while, I came to realize that practicing electric bass w/o the amp just isn't very effective--there's a reason they're called "electric" instruments.

As you'll notice when you go to shop for one, most stores that do carry acoustic basses don't offer a great deal of variety. But if you're looking for just a decent/sturdy/good-sounding AB that's great for practicing/messing around on, you don't need to spend a fortune. I bought the Ibanez AEB10be at GC for $350.00 and I haven't looked back or regretted it once. One caveat that I need to make though: the transition from EB to AB takes some getting used to, but it is certainly doable for any bass-player. I tried a handful of AB's, but the Ibby AEB10be was by far the most comfortable to play and had a solid, consistent tone throughout the fretboard. Comes with a built in tuner + piezo-electric pickups and an onboard EQ, so you can plug it into an amp if you so choose. I use "DR Rare (phosphor bronze AB strings)" and I would also highly recommend them. Interestingly, I don't like their electric bass strings at all, but their AB strings are absolutely fantastic. Another thing worth mentioning: I play mine almost every day (and Lord knows I beat the living crap out of it), but I hardly ever have to adjust the truss-rod even after changing strings. Neck/string action is about is sturdy/stable as I could hope for in any bass. Anyways, I hope this is helpful to you in making your decision.

[mpdd]

fender starcaster 38 dollars acoustic guitar at costco, one of the greatest purchases i've ever made, i'll keep you fellows updated if i ever find a comporable deal on an acoustic bass, but so far no dice

[Crazyeelboy]

They are ok to have, but get a decent one. I have an Ibanez and a Breedlove. The Ibanez kind of sux as it is a bit hard to play, etc., but the Breedlove is great. Even a good one has limited application, though.

[Peepaleep]

I've never found an ABG that was comfortable to play for more than 15 minutes at a time, but YMMV.

But I *love* both my Epiphone Jack Casady and my Ibanez Artcore. The Epi has an amazing tone even when not plugged in, and the Artcore (with flats) sounds and feels amazing, though it's not as loud as the Epi when played unplugged.

[chrism2sych]

Whatever gets strings underneath your fingers. As far as play what ya gig.....pure bs. Your tone is in your fingers more than your instrument it doesn't matter what you play as long as your playing. Love my Ibanez aeb-10, rarely play it like a lower end instrument it ends up being a chorded/strummed instrument to me, but chord theory is another great way to practice outta the bass box.

[1954bassman]

I have an Epiphone El Capitan and I like it, and actually play it out live some. But to me, buying an ABG under the pretense of "practicing" does not make a lot of sense. My epipy plays nothing like my G&L or Music Mans. It is pretty well a completely different instrument, much like an upright is. I feel there would be very little to gain trying to practice on an ABG with the intentions of improving you Electric bass chops, or even learning songs.

[alpha-bassist]

Buy it! I've been playing bass for 23 years - For 3 of those years, I have owned an acoustic bass (Crafter I bought off craigslist for $175) and ask myself why I didn't buy one sooner. Btw, I've owned a Kay upright for 15 years and I don't spend nearly as much time with it. There's nothing like being able to grab hold of an acoustic instrument and immediately start making music.

[ambetanterik]

I would definitely go for it. I really enjoy switching between my EB and my AB and I agree with alpha-bassist that there's nothing like being able to grab hold of an acoustic instrument and immediately start making music.
I just recently got a Fender T-Bucket acoustic and really like it.
I also feel that switching between EB and AB has a positive impact on my technique.