BEST LOW COST ACOUSTIC BASS

[MD]

Originally Posted by unclebass

unsure, but less than 300-400 if possible.

Should be able to snag a used Takamine EG512 in that range.
Check ebay and the TB classifieds.

[baddarryl]

I will 3rd the Dean's. I have a Performer CE that is worth well more than what I paid. Good action, intonation, and live sound.

[jweber76]

I've got an epiphone El capitan (without the cutaway) that I paid around $150 in or around 2000... I was looking at the Washburn AB-10, an ovation and a fender that were all priced about the same as each other, around $400 give or take (please don't hold me to those numbers... It was quite a few years ago) I stumbled upon the epi and almost didn't even pick it up, I was a bit of a gear snob back then. It had the loudest, clearest E string of any AB I had played! And the price was unbeatable! It's got a nice little preamp (I think it's a pre, I can play it straight into the mixer) with 1/4" and xlr outs. Lately I've been playing the new Fender Kingman and considering trading up, but he the Kingman is a bit more expensive.

[Nephilymbass]

Im not a fan of acoustic electric basses for decent size shows. Even when we play acoustic sets I play electric because most acoustics feedback like crazy with any real volume. That said dean and ibanez make acoustics for like 200-300 that are great for sitting on the couch practicing and are decent enough for completely unplugged shows where the bass is not going through a pa or bass amp. The warwick alien is the best sounding acoustic electric bass I've heard but if its not going to be your primary instrument I wouldn't spend that much. Even the Rockbass alien models are expensive

[unclebass]

Will mostly be used acoustic, if it is ever played through amp, it will likely be a very small one, or at low volumes. It is mainly to be used for small gatherings or to practice songs without disturbing too many people.

[Shaky]

I had a Dean for a little while. It was a very nice bass for the money. I don't want to discourage you from buying one but I bought one for the same reason and personally discovered that after the novelty of it wore off, I kept going back to my electric because I could get a lot better tone from it.

[jweber76]

Just for kicks I threw a set of chromes on my epiphone the other day. It sounds awesome!

[lpdeluxe]

I have owned 2: a five-string Ibanez ABG305, with a 32" scale. I put LaBella tapewounds on it, and it had a decent sound, but only amplified. I gigged with a folkie band back then, and bought it mostly for the look of an acoustic instrument (we had fiddles and banjos and mandolins and whatnot). I traded it off because, apart from that look, it wasn't a very satisfactory bass. Later I found a used Martin B-1, which I tried to use for a strictly acoustic group outdoors (one guitar, tambourine, and me) and after a song I hung it up and played my Dobro instead. Just not enough there. It was OK amplified, but my Precisions sound so much better.

Get a small amp. Most of them are unsatisfactory, too, but you might find one that works in the context of your group. I've tried the Pignose Hog 30 and a Ibanez, and both were lacking in real bottom and in flexibility. My Genz-Benz Shuttle 3.0-10t is pretty good, but they are a bit on the pricey side. Good luck.