I'm looking for a good acoustic bass guitar, preferrably under $1000 and short/medium scale. Any suggestions? Only one I've come across so far is Alvarez MSB1, but I don't know if it's any good.
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ABG under $1000
- Thread starter hgrind
- Start date
I own and play a Tacoma Thunderchief. It is arguably the standard in ABG. Something to be aware of concerning short scale... it doesn't work all that well with ABG. These instruments need all the string vibration they can get to get their very large bodies moving enough air to produce useable sound... and short scale just doesn't have the same power as standard scale. But there is truly no substitute for simply getting yourself down to a store (s) that have a good selection and just trying out all of them. Acoustic instruments can have such wide swings with regard to sound... you really should try them. Peace.
I like the Michael Kelly ABGs. There cheaper, and look great. You're not going to get the tone or volume that you would out of a Tacoma, however.
If you are planning to play with acoustic guitars, take a buddy who plays with you. I was very disappointed in what could be done with an ABG unamplified. IMO they are nearly worthless unless you just like the look and plan on plugging in anyway. Even the huge and expensive Taylors can't keep up with a full size acoustic guitar as far as volume goes.
I have to agree with that. I play and teach double bass, so I've been pretty disappointed with most ABGs I've played. But my one and only BG student plays a four-string fretted Thunderchief (he has a five on the mainland), and I gotta say, the thing knocks me out. Great sounding, great playing, great looking axe, especially for the bucks. I noticed Hollow Man's fretless one for sale in these forums... I wish I had some mad money, I'd snag it without batting an eye.
surprised at all the things NOT mentioned here....
the little Fender BG29 is a short-scale plywood ABG that delivers a pretty good acoustic punch. unplugged it can keep up with reasonable acoustic guitar players, especially finger-picking. I don't know what the sales numbers are but I bet they have sold a comparable lot of these. To me, acoustically, it is louder than the Thunderchief mentioned here, on most tones. i have played them back to back in a quiet room. not impressed with the tacoma at its price
I have a dog-eared, drop-kicked Stagg ABG - this model has a solid spuce top and plywood mahog-veneer body, fairly cheap/dirty electronics. I put a graphite bridge saddle on it and it delivers the goods. Its unplugged sound is 90% of my fave in long-scale ABGs, the Martin B1.
Martin B1 with proper strings flat gets the tones [and I am an acoustic guitar player but I don't own Martin - i'm mostly a larrivee player]. Too expensive, however, for what it is. This is the best acoustic bass sound I've personally experienced. the thing, however, seems unreasonably long... i'm sure the scale is standard [long] but my gosh... my sleeve length is 35 and it was a reach for me to play the first fret without contortions.... Another reason to like the Fender -its smallish but still has the chops. Fender makes other, more expensive ABG's but I just haven't run into them in person so can't comment
the little Fender BG29 is a short-scale plywood ABG that delivers a pretty good acoustic punch. unplugged it can keep up with reasonable acoustic guitar players, especially finger-picking. I don't know what the sales numbers are but I bet they have sold a comparable lot of these. To me, acoustically, it is louder than the Thunderchief mentioned here, on most tones. i have played them back to back in a quiet room. not impressed with the tacoma at its price
I have a dog-eared, drop-kicked Stagg ABG - this model has a solid spuce top and plywood mahog-veneer body, fairly cheap/dirty electronics. I put a graphite bridge saddle on it and it delivers the goods. Its unplugged sound is 90% of my fave in long-scale ABGs, the Martin B1.
Martin B1 with proper strings flat gets the tones [and I am an acoustic guitar player but I don't own Martin - i'm mostly a larrivee player]. Too expensive, however, for what it is. This is the best acoustic bass sound I've personally experienced. the thing, however, seems unreasonably long... i'm sure the scale is standard [long] but my gosh... my sleeve length is 35 and it was a reach for me to play the first fret without contortions.... Another reason to like the Fender -its smallish but still has the chops. Fender makes other, more expensive ABG's but I just haven't run into them in person so can't comment
