Acoustic Bass Guitar Question?

[skwee]

I've used mine (Dean Playmate-150 bucks) as a primary practice bass (quiet enough to practice in an apartment complex), and it will has carried (using a thick pick, and playing down by the bridge) behind a 9-member un-amplified group of singers, acoustic guitar, and light percussion in houses ranging from 250 to 1500 (concert halls, not clubs, mind you). THe pickup is junk, though, so if I'm playing amplified, I turn to my electric.

 

[dalkowski]

The only nice one is the original old Earthwood: warm, toneful.

I've never played an Earthwood (would love to!), but my old Guild B30E delivers "warm and toneful" unplugged, IMO. Reasonable volume, too, b/c it's also a big box. BUT I wouldn't try to gig it or any another ABG unplugged.

That stuff they have in Guitar Center is horrific, toneless, cardboard crap! Stick with your electric bass if this is your acoustic choice.

+1.

 

[RBrownBass]

First of all the bass meant to be mic'd when you are playing in a band. That why you have this piezzo pickup! No solid body bass will give you this kind of sound. I've an Eastone semi-hollow bass (hofner copy) and even though the pickups are the usual magnetics the bass sound different than a solid body. It also nice to practice without amp as the there is more sound unplugged

+1000

You'd choose an amped ABG for the same reason you'd choose a slab bass- to plug it in and play it. I've been to hear and gigged with several dreadnought players, jumbo players and violinists who... get this... plugged into an amp. A bassist would do this for the same damn reason guitards play mag pup Super 400s or piezo'd D-28s on the given evening instead of Strats or Les Pauls. Each type of instrument has its own amplified sound, OP, and if you can't hear the differences or if you think there's no reason to make use of the diffeences, no one can help you.

No one on a guitard site would even think of starting a thread like this, but it happens here all the time, with different topics, usually revolving around the rejection of pushing the instrument to the next level the same way other musicians do with theirs. Maybe we ought to change the name from Talkbass to www.servethesimplestmusicyoucanfind...ontforgettobashanyonewithmorechopsthanyou.com

 

[JamSpotHospital]

Well I play in a 3 piece acoustic band with two gingers .The guitar player whose arms are bigger then my legs aha slams his strings harder then anyone I know and the cello is just plain loud. I've never had a problem with volume at rehearsals or gigs because I usually plug into an amp/D.I but keep it on a low volume just to give a little more bump to the room. but on days were busking or we just found a random spot to jam I find the acoustic bass struggles to keep up at volume unless I'm slamming on it which equals more physical exhaustion. Best thing by far is the natural percussion you can do with them,we don't have a drummer so all the percussions coming from the guitards clicking from his pick and my pop and snaps from the wood strings and body aha. And the last thing ill say about my acoustic bass is that it helps me when I'm singing to find the octaves because the bass note is right on my chest. Instead of the amp across the room.

 

[bassist4dalord]

I have a Fender BG-31 acoustic bass, strung with D'Addario Chromes. I keep it at my house, because I have two electric basses I gig with. It's GREAT for around-the-house stuff, when people are sleeping, etc. I don't miss it when I'm at school, but when I come home for break and play it, it's like a reunion. Get a cheap one from Craigslist (or, better yet, here) and play it for fun.

 

[bassist4dalord]

Well I play in a 3 piece acoustic band with two gingers.

Haha did you mean singers? Lol

 

[JamSpotHospital]

Aha no I meant two gingers ahaha you know red haired bad tempers and feast on the souls of the living... Ahah there great lads tho. Just youtube or myspace jam spots hospitals. all the recordings are an acoustic bass except a few odd you tube vids
.

 

[MD]

I have been wondering for awhile, in what situations would an acoustic bass guitar be useful?

My knock around ABG gets played around the house, outside on the deck, in the back yard by the fire pit. It gets tossed in the jeep for camping and road trips.
My good ABG gets 100% of the gigs I play; duo-quartet jazz - clubs, restaurants, parties, outdoor events, etc...

i do not own one, but have played a few in stores, and they are so quiet that they are almost inaudible without an amp.

I can see where the ambient noise of a music store, maybe coupled with a poor set up, might lead to a rather disappointing audition. There's also the fact that some ABG's are smaller/shallower than others, thus will not be as loud.
Both of my basses are loud enough to hear over the TV, or playing with BIAB/play-a-longs. The camping bass can be heard around a campfire with finger picking guitars, sitting in a stream with moving water, and even by friends in a neighboring campsite ~60' away.

Once they are plugged in, what is the point? I do not hear a tone I cannot get on an electric bass. Maybe I am missing something?

Point is to amplify the inherent acoustic tone of the bass. With all the discussion here regarding tone... strings, pick ups, P/J/PJ, body wood, neck wood, fingerboard wood, frets, fretless, neck through, bolt on, Badass II or string through, playing at the bridge or neck... To assume the tone of a jumbo size, hollow body acoustic with piezos wouldn't offer its own timber, is well... perhaps you are missing something.

Bottom line...
They are what they are. False expectations will certainly disappoint those who are looking for big volume. A well set up/well played ABG should be able to hang with one or two acoustic guitars. More people sitting in? Need to be louder? Plug in. That's why they have onboard electronics.
ABG's, like any slab, are about tone. If it's the tone you want, than you'll figure out how to apply it.

 

[bass-shy]

Well said.

If you don't understand the usefulness of a quality, ABG, you probably don't need one.

My knock around ABG gets played around the house, outside on the deck, in the back yard by the fire pit. It gets tossed in the jeep for camping and road trips.
My good ABG gets 100% of the gigs I play; duo-quartet jazz - clubs, restaurants, parties, outdoor events, etc...


I can see where the ambient noise of a music store, maybe coupled with a poor set up, might lead to a rather disappointing audition. There's also the fact that some ABG's are smaller/shallower than others, thus will not be as loud.
Both of my basses are loud enough to hear over the TV, or playing with BIAB/play-a-longs. The camping bass can be heard around a campfire with finger picking guitars, sitting in a stream with moving water, and even by friends in a neighboring campsite ~60' away.


Point is to amplify the inherent acoustic tone of the bass. With all the discussion here regarding tone... strings, pick ups, P/J/PJ, body wood, neck wood, fingerboard wood, frets, fretless, neck through, bolt on, Badass II or string through, playing at the bridge or neck... To assume the tone of a jumbo size, hollow body acoustic with piezos wouldn't offer its own timber, is well... perhaps you are missing something.

Bottom line...
They are what they are. False expectations will certainly disappoint those who are looking for big volume. A well set up/well played ABG should be able to hang with one or two acoustic guitars. More people sitting in? Need to be louder? Plug in. That's why they have onboard electronics.
ABG's, like any slab, are about tone. If it's the tone you want, than you'll figure out how to apply it.

 

[bass-shy]

www.servethesimplestmusicyoucanfind...ontforgettobashanyonewithmorechopsthanyou.com

This link doesn't work. ***?

 

[Bassist Jay]

I like to play acoustic bass in a few situations. At home when everyone is asleep. I don't need an amp and it is louder unplugged than an electric bass unplugged. All acoustic sets with fellow musicians. Back home, it was fun to go down to the beach and play with my friends and their acoustic guitars. We would also go down to the college and play on the street corner for people passing by. College chicks really thought it was cool too! And the final place I like to play acoustic bass is on the ballads when doing a concert or something.

 

[Korladis]

Or maybe the guys you play with play their acoustic guitars more subtly.

Likely not. When these guys play electric, they play metal. Not the most subtle of dudes.

 

[steve_rolfeca]

As far as tone and applicability in an amp'd, live performance setting, here's Nathan East and his 5-string AEB with Clapton in a great video of "Bellbottom Blues" :::


(turn UP your sub-woofie and just suck in that beautiful tone)

Any idea what ABG East is playing in that clip? My tired old eyes can't make it out, it kinda looks like a Yamaha headstock, but I didn't think they made an ABG...

 

[RonChase]

I have wondered the same thing myself,I purchased my 4th one and decided its just for the look and no more than that

 

[chadhargis]

I've played a few AEB's and haven't found one that I could hear well without beating it to death.

I tend to play with a soft touch and let the amp do the work. I like the tone I get that way.

I don't play in a band, and the only opportunities I get to play with other people is at random jams. I look like a douche dragging my amp, extension cord, and bass to a jam. I'd love to have a acoustic to jam with. In that setting, I don't think it's all that important that I am heard. It's just something fun to do.

One of the main reasons I'd like to have an AEB is for "acoustic only" jam sessions that pop up around town. I suppose it's to keep a lot of loud electric guitar players from showing up, but it pretty much assures that there will be a shortage of bass players since most folks don't want to drag a huge upright around town.

 

[Korladis]

Ah, see, I play, er, rather vigorously. So being heard on an acoustic bass has NEVER been a problem for me.

Of course, I also play upright, and it takes a bit of pull to get it going loud. Since my ABG is fretless, to me it's like a smaller, easier to play upright with rounds.