acoustic bass projection designs

[taviswardlaw]

Hi guys,
just wondering if anyone has some ideas on how to get a larger amount of projection acoustically from an acoustic bass. The reason is I'm going to be doing some outdoor live busking type work in a small band. Looking at current designs they don't seem to have the amount of projection and volume to put up with that environment. I'd like to try and keep it cheap, and am intrested in thinking outside the box, for example, using an organ ot tuba like pipe for example or anything like that. If anyones got any designs they've had a look at or any ideas I'd love to hear them
t

[Darkstrike]

Largest body possible.

[taviswardlaw]

oh and it'll need to be reasonably portable

[Darkstrike]

In that case you might be better off with a battery amp.

[erikbojerik]

Your options are well known by acoustic bass builders: enlarge or amplify.

[lemur821]

A banjo bass, resonator bass, or stroh-style bass might have possibilities. I think you'll still need to have a certain amount of physical volume to put out any low end, but you might be able to eke out a little more volume on top of that if you don't mind a weird design.

[uethanian]

theres a luthier on the web who builds these acoustic guitars that have their soundholes on either side of the neck on the side of the body (pointed down the neck). the floor of the body is also sloped like a cone towards the sound holes. supposedly the bass guitar is loud.

[daveman50]

http://www.gottschall-guitar.de/

Click on "bass" (duh). I've heard one - it was loud. Very unusual design.

[abarson]

Mr. Mottola has come up with a number of ABG designs, with the emphsis on trying to get an upright tone. He employs large but manageable bodies, and provides plans on his site.

http://www.liutaiomottola.com/instruments/Tinozza.htm

This one might meet your needs, but in general, an ABG on its own will get drowned out very easily by other instruments or background noise. Your best bet then is a battery powered amp like the Crate Taxi.

[four2oh]

here's what i use in an acoustic busking situation:

washtub bass with a very unique design that incorporates a sound hole on the front of the tub. it really helps in projecting. in fact, i've AB'd my washtub against numerous Uprights, and i always come away the winner of unamplified volume wars.

photos of the washtub and sound hole design:
Washtub Bass by Cable Tub Bass Co.


and a previous poster had mentioned "bass banjo"... i can recommend the Goldtone Bass Banjo. acoustically it's more bright and "banjo-y" in tone, but plugged in it thumps like a doghouse.

here's my thread on the bass banjo:
Gold Tone Bass Banjo BB-400

i'm actually looking at getting a Phil Jones Briefcase amp to add some more bottom end to the bass banjo when playing in large acoustic ensembles (sounds great when it's only my 5 piece string band, but when you add in another 5 pickers and some tribal drums around the campfire, it gets a little hard to compete to be heard).

[taviswardlaw]

taking things a different direction (although i have found the posts really helpful) would there be a way to help increase the amount of air being pushed out (and there by hopefully increasing volume) by use of some kind of pump attached to the body of the bass... think bagpipes... though not for tone

[taviswardlaw]

would you need to change the volume of the body to get it to work? any brass players who have a better idea of this kind of thing?

[taviswardlaw]

oh! my brain is really working (sorry for lots of posts) but how about a longer scale (like 36"). The tighter strings (not sure if that's the scientifically correct term so don't crucify me for it) should increase the volume or at least the attack sound (again, enough with the crucifying) of the bass... shouldn't it? In my experience of acoustic stringed instruments, if I'm using a raised tuning the string vibration is more efficiently communicated.

[angelopb]

Anyone heard or tried one the whale bone bass?

I like the idea of using a bass drum as a resonator. The price is a deal breaker, unless it really, really thumped acoustically.


http://www.gravikord.com/bass.html

[abarson]

Right now I'm building a trapeziodal ABG based on Motolla's work, and am planning to add the internal baffle from Gottschall. The trapeziod shape comes from favorable work done on violins by Savart (http://www.platetuning.org/Savart_Tr...eron-Allen.pdf), and putting the openings next to the neck ala Gottschall follows the studies of Chanot, who believed that the top should have as little carving done to it as possible.
I'll post stuff once I think it won't be a total failure.

I wish I had the mechanical aptitude to build a Stroh resonator for acoustic bass. I'm thinking you could use drum hardware, but haven't put too much energy into it. Building the output horn is complicated as well, but would make the whole affair easy to break down and transport.
http://www.springersmusic.co.uk/Library/Stroviols.htm

[angelopb]

That sounds like a great project! The trap shape is sometimes called "boat paddle shape" in other instruments. The Fluke ukulele uses a variation and an injection-molded like Ovation for the back. I would love to see a 3/4 molded back trap shaped upright that not only plays well, but actually projects and is LOUD enough to here outdoors without amplification. The aluminum cantalevered bracing structure also looks promising for bass applications. Boulder Creek is doing that on all of their ABGs and guitars. It seem that would allow you to get away with a thinner, more lively top. The coolest sound port design I have seen lately is in some ukulele designs. . . the Blackbird and the Loprinzi Nova.

Would love to see this.

[Musiclogic]

you can push all the air you want, if it isn't in resonant waveform created by the instruments soundboard and chamber, you create nothing but breze. If you are looking for a Tone generator, they are cheap and easy to get from electronics outlets, if you want a louder bass, but one with a more resonant soundboard and more compact sound chamber...That's right COMPACT. One of the biggest falacies about volume in an acoustic instrument is a larger chamber. You need a smaller chamber to get the sound out of the box to the audible realm, a large chamber helps create depth of sound, deeper overtones, but also absorbs more of the sound in the chamber. An acoustic top can only vibrate a miniscule amount, therefore it cannot move mass quantities of air. Thus why shallow bodied acoustics are louder with more presence than deep bodied. Shallow chamber for volume, large chamber for depth of sound.

[Woodpecker]

This is what you need!

http://www.onoma.org/imgs/press/puun...i_trattbas.jpg