Acrylic Bass

[UnfortunateTony]

Okay so let's be short and sweet. I found an acrylic bass on CL for 150 bucks (I'm gonna try to talk him down) and I wanna know how this would sound. I've got like a chart that I use that tells me how different woods sound but acrylic is a mystery. I'm usually looking for a very bright tone. Thanks!

[blueflamerick]

You won't get that tone from acrylic. Think dark & muddy.

[Smokin' Toaster]

Add to that the dark muddy sound of you wailing in back pain after having that heavy boat anchor strapped over your shoulder for any length of time.

[Slax]

Originally Posted by Smokin' Toaster

Add to that the dark muddy sound of you wailing in back pain after having that heavy boat anchor strapped over your shoulder for any length of time.

My friend picked up one of those Galveston acrylic guitars. It sounds fantastic but, my god, I've NEVER picked up an instrument that was that heavy before in my life.

Neither of us have bad backs but I couldn't imagine playing that thing for more than a few songs if I were standing.

[iamthebassman]

Originally Posted by blueflamerick

You won't get that tone from acrylic. Think dark & muddy.

Hmm... mine sounds nothing like yours.

[ghostdog93]

Would it happen to be this one?

Take a look at this thread, if you haven't already read it.

[Tamey75]

It sure is a heavy instrument but its got a kind of chunky punchy sound which i like but i dont use it for shows

[Tommygunn]

Originally Posted by Slax

My friend picked up one of those Galveston acrylic guitars. It sounds fantastic but, my god, I've NEVER picked up an instrument that was that heavy before in my life.

Neither of us have bad backs but I couldn't imagine playing that thing for more than a few songs if I were standing.

The ampeg Dan armstrong bass is the worst designed thing ever. The weadstock is wood and the body it plexi. You cannot play it sitting down without it falling off your leg.

[seethrubass]

I love my Ampeg Dan Armstrong, sounds awesome and is heavy but who cares

[RandyMolson]

The active electronics on my 78 Renaissance acrylic bass can put out just about any tone one would want. From thumpy, to muddy, to bright and tinny. Figuring out which switches to flick and which knobs to turn is the tricky part.

Anyway, due to the electronics, I can't really say that this plexi has any signature tone. It is 12.2 pounds, by the way.

[BigOldHarry]

I had a dan armstrong for a while - it was mud-city, but I suspect this had ore to do with the pickup & bridge than anything else...

[MikeBC]

I had a clear Japanese acrylic in the earl '70s. Don't remember the make. It looked very cool under muliti-colored lights. It sounded weak. My recollection is that it did not have a nice clear tone and it was sort of bright. W/in months replaced with a Gibson.

Here is a clip of one in action. Don't know if yours will sound like this. This sounds muddier than mine. I saw MO several times and each time Laird was playing a Fender not this clear plexiglass model. Laird does a great job but I don't care for the tone of this bass. His solo-lead begins around 1:28.

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