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ABG Unplugged

Jonathan Starr

Jonathan Starr

Dec 11, 2000
578
1
Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii
#1
I played my Tacoma Fretless 5 unplugged with a guitarist and two singers last night at a party with about 50 people sitting quietly, and it worked surprisingly well. It was a rainy, stormy noght, so some ambient noise, but folks said they could hear me and I got many positive comments.

I was trying mostly to play fairly hard, which makes the bass speak nicely, but when I played lightly for lower dynamics in a song, my wife said she couldn't hear me at all. I know the Martin B-1 I used to have wouldn't have cut it at all.

Has anyone had much experience to share with ABG unplugged in small, quiet venues?

Aloha,

Jonathan
 
#2
I play the exact same bass, and using in the small group setting has been fine. I never expected to be able to make use of the low "B" unamplified, so I stay away from it... when plugged in it is fine.

I switched to TI Jazz Flats and the sound of the Tacoma is just what I have been looking for, I constantly get compliments on the sound plugged or unplugged.... also a lot comments about the look of the bass itself.

When I save up some more money I will get a "high C" for the bass and string it EADGC the then it should cut through and provide another aspect to the bass.... :hyper:
 
#3
I use a Tacoma 5 fretted minus electronics and its great.

I like to use a felt pick with it and I have it strung with D'addario XL 45-105 rounds and it relaly just sounds great.

Ive been thinking about defretting it (or getting a replacement fretless neck from Tacoma) and string it with some tapewounds but Im scared Im going to lose some of that extra attack and volume I have now.

Do you guys see a problem with that or have yours compared nicely with volume compared to the fretted ones?

Peace
Nick

PS: Do you guys notice that they sound especially nice when playing chords? They beat all of my other basses in that dept.
 
#4
I find it punches surprisingly well, much better than the Martin. The fretted Martin I really had to pound on.

I feel that a lot of the sound coming from it is the string grinding on the fingerboard resonating through the top. The B string seems to work ok from the E up, and the occasional low D or C# is ok if I pluck it a bit harder.

I'm really happy with this thing, though I've had to shim the neck twice to get the action down after it adjusted to Maui humidity.

Do you get as much volume with the Jazz Flats as with the original strings unplugged, Jonin?

Aloha,

Jonathan
 
#6
The Jazz Flats got rid of the annoying metallic sound of the original strings (Elixers?) the tone is very different I don't think the volume has changed. The Jazz Flats are much lighter tension, so the neck adjustment was crucial, fortunately the guy who does the work for Tacoma here in Japan is a real wizard. It is perfect. :hyper:

Enjoy your suffering in paradise, Aloha :cool:
 

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