Acoustic Bass Advice

[dmt]

FWIW the closest I’ve ever gotten to an upright sound with an acoustic bass guitar is with a set of old and totally de-zinged phosphor-bronze rounds on an Epihone El Capitan. I’m sure the huge all maple body and the Shadow pickup and preamp do their part as well. I put it through a small full range keyboard combo amp and it’s close for what I’m aiming for. It’s not that much like the real deal. But it does strongly suggest and bend its knee to the whole “upright thing.”

I’ve got an old fretless Epi El Capitan, too. Well, fretless and nameless as it was a leftover from when Epiphone moved their instrument production out of Korea, but anyway, it’s an Epi El Capitan, fretless. I put some D’Addario chromes on there, which probably isn’t ideal considering the tension, but that’s what was available.

To me, a non-upright player, it’s amazing how much it gives an upright bass vibe. Now if you actually compare it directly with an upright, it’s a pale imitation indeed — there’s just SO much less sound and bass coming out of it (acoustically). While that seemingly would be a major criticism, no — like I said, it’s amazing how much, in it’s quiet way, it sounds like an upright bass. Being close to an upright is a visceral experience. But, subtract that whole visceral thing and just have the sound without all the moving air and the impact, and the sound is pretty much there. The El Capitan even records pretty well as all that amazingness of the UB doesn’t necessarily come through a recording (at least not through computer speakers or earphones).

Maybe a good analogy is watching a movie on an iPad vs. watching it on a big screen HD TV with 5.1. The movie is the same. All the bigness, the visceral impact of the sound and giant picture is removed on the iPad, as well as the ability for many people to fully enjoy it all at once. Still, it’s amazing how this beautiful little picture is telling a story right there on this portable small glass screen you’re holding on your lap

 

[craigie]

What I'm looking for is the tonal quality of an upright bass, but with the ability to have some control over that, call it in when necessary, and change it when not. At this price point, unlike several of my other basses that I purchased without playing first, I really need to play it; see how it fits on me; the neck; the playability; etc. I will be bringing it to jam's, practicing and using it on stage. I think it would make a great compliment to my band mates' Epiphone Archtop for some of the 'jazzier' tunes we do (want that woody 'thump' vibe). It would be nice to be able to actually play unamplified with another acoustic guitar as well.

Good luck with that. I’ve never heard a good enough bass player on AEB to keep up acoustically. Maybe the dude from the violent femmes could? Really hard fretted with a heavy pick and very bright strings would get you as much volume as possible but sound nothing like an UB.

I agree! I have a Kala exotic mohagany model from a few years back, and use it on a few 50’s songs we do. It emulates an upright quite well.

Do you spin it around while slapping it like a 50’s swinger?

Probably a big part of getting that sound is elevating the headstock and plucking the strings with the sides of your fingers.[/QUOTE

That’s what I’m talking about with the kala now we’re getting a great image. Problem is they tend to crush when you stand on the side to slap.

Somebody break out a tiny bow. German of course.

You can get so many sounds out of an upright that are distinctive it would be hard to emulate those but the more you can the better.

The growl of lower notes on the E and A strings when you dig in. The sound of the strings on the fingerboard when you slap you hand down. The sound of pull-off notes to open string. Playing an open E almost too hard so you get a really big rattle. I just got a great upright after 15 years away from it and am loving it!

I saw a great video promotion of an Ibanez semi-hollow fretless bass and tried it at a store. SRH500F. Kind of goopy brown colour. Not a fan of the look but it really sounded fantastic with the piezo pickups. Those portamentos sound great too IMO from what I tried in store.

 

[Kevan Campbell]

I can only say that my Tacoma Thunderchief with it's simple B-band pup and tape wounds gets rave reviews for it's tone both live and studio.

Agreed! I picked up a used Tacoma Thunderchief fretless 5 and as a “acoustic campfire bass”, something acoustic to take to unplugged writing sessions and being played live in an acoustic format (plugged in of course) it really kills it for me and the artists I play for! However, it’s not a real substitute for an upright bass (though it gives a fair vibe and approximation with LaBella tapewounds and playing with the fat side of my fingers). I’m hoping to get into upright when my bank account is a little healthier.

 

[spvmhc]

As mentioned earlier, an approximation of the upright sound can be obtained from a fretless Godin A4 using tapewound strings. I have used this combination. The Godin gives very little volume unless it's plugged in; you might get more unplugged from the Epiphone. Note that the Godin is a 34" scale bass; the Epiphone you're looking at is a 30.5" scale. You'll notice the difference in how they play. This is a personal preference issue.

 

[chadds]

To get close to an upright sound (you'll never get all the way there), use tape wounds and a mute. The bass should be fretless. The rest is EQ.

YMMV. A ‘51 single coil P with round wounds can sound very close to an upright. Tape wounds and mute are necessary if you don’t mute with your touch. You pluck with your index finger bent at the second joint from tip combined with your release of the fretting fingers post pluck.

 

[chadds]

There is a Martin that has a small body that used to retail for about $1000. It was not exotic looking but is one of the best sounding ABGs I’ve ever heard.

DR ABG strings are the least brash bronze strings I’ve used.

 

[repoman]

Kala U-Bass through an amp is hard to beat for a fantastic acoustic bass tone.

Roll that tone off and you're in Uprightville.

...don't forget the high pass filter!

Can attest... I played my Kala Mahogany Fretted Ubass at a show one time, fairly big venue (well, for me anyway) and after the set we were in the greenroom and one of the players from the next band that was going on asked us if the bass parts were on a backing track since there wasn't a "bass" on stage. They thought I was playing a uke and couldn't connect the low, deep sound they were hearing to my u-bass. (This was in 2012, so the instrument was very new to the scene.)
I use it in my home studio recordings when I want to simulate a doubler....emphasis "simulate", I know it's no comparison to the real deal, but whose got 40 grand to blow on a dog house?

The U-bass series is phenomenal in both looks and sound (and price).

 

[DaveKirkpatrick]

Just saw that Taylor makes a GS mini-e bass- looks interesting...... I've not heard it, but possibly another for consideration.

 

[Kevin1960]

Just saw that Taylor makes a GS mini-e bass- looks interesting...... I've not heard it, but possibly another for consideration.

I have tried this Taylor in the store and was pleasantly surprised at the amount of sound that came out of this mini bass. I did notice that the back was slightly bowl shaped and together with the bright bronze wound strings it gave off a much brighter sound than the 5 string El Capitan with round wounds (compared to in the same store) and my 5 string Dean with bronze wound strings (at home). I have noticed changing strings to tape wound on my Dean that I can achieve the more upright tone but a lot of the volume will be sacrificed. The bronze wound strings loose a lot of the bright highs over a period of only a couple of weeks of playing I have found. Coated and especially tape wound strings last a lot longer, but like I said they have a certain volume limit to them even new. The only way to carry the upright tone into higher volume territory was to upgrade the preamp with a Fishman Presys preamp and plug in. Good luck with your search.

 

[Andrew McGregor]

So... a lot of what many folks think an upright sounds like is what a recorded Kay upright sounds like, mic'd in a particular way.
That's not what an upright sounds like when you're playing a symphony-quality upright yourself, or listening to it a few meters away.
Many of the acoustic bass guitars actually do a perfectly fine job of sounding like an upright, if it's a really great upright up close; I have a Warwick Alien, which does have the advantage of actually being a Markneukirchen bass made across the street from where my upright was made 50 years earlier, and the Alien, strung with D'addario flats, sounds rather like a good Markneukirchen upright strung with Evah Pirazzis (my upright has no label, but would have had a Framus label if sold in the US; it's a generic looking fully carved gamba-shape bass with rosewood fingerboard and tailpiece).
That's a much brighter, more present, and less thumpy sound than said Kay would make. It might not be what you want for some styles, that of course is up to you... but the brightness, mwah and twang can all be had out of an upright too.
Trying to keep up with a steel-string acoustic guitar played loud is futile, an acoustic bass guitar just can't do that, not enough mass in the strings nor enough resonating volume. Nylon string, yes, that is possible.

 

[Steven Ayres]

... a much brighter, more present, and less thumpy sound than said Kay would make.

Respectfully, a Kay set up properly doesn't sound the way you describe.

 

[mikeoso]

To return to the original question...IF your aim is to play the Epi amped, and you know what sound you want, order it from someone with a decent return policy, plug it in to your amp, and see. IF your aim is to play it unplugged in ensemble, don't bother...you'll be disappointed.

 

[MrBassman17]

Finally decided on the Dean Quilted Exotica; should have it in a week. Zounds offer is too good to refuse - $400 no tax, no shipping 12 payments no interest no credit check! Done deal!

 

[bholder]

Plenty of good acoustic basses for half the orice.

And a few far better ones at twice the price. Your mileage may vary.

 

[jd56hawk]

And a few far better ones at twice the price. Your mileage may vary.

Certainly.
Recently played one. Very nice, but as I said earlier…

 

[MrBassman17]

Pictures to follow....Zzounds is amazing! I took FedEx delivery in just under 24 hours! Been busy 'bonding' wit the newest member of my bass family, and I have to say, right out of the box, it is really good! Only criticism is that when I went to change out the strap buttons to change over to the Dunlop
s I use, the button at the bottom of the bass is an end pin, like on an acoustic 6 string! Not to mention it was glued in! So, I had to break off the head, drill a hole to screw the button for the Dunlop to mount! The button at the base of the neck was just like any normal screw in mounting! Anyway, everything else id just fine with it. Good sounds coming out of it, and I'm already planning a string change to La Bella black tape wounds. Stay tuned for photos!