Acoustic bass guitar?

[turf3]

Heh, I remember recording a multiinstrumentalist who got all excited that I also had recorded an ophicleide for this project. He was like "I learned about that in school but never have seen or heard one!"

Still have never recorded a bass helicon, though I did play at one gig where the other band had one. The guy actually had found it abandoned on a roof and fixed it up to get it into playable shape. Definitely the best bass instrument to play on horseback, which isn't relevant to this thread, but...

Well, a helicon is just a tuba with different shaped bends. Biggest issue is playing outdoors if it starts to rain.

And how the HELL do clarinet players play on horseback?

 

[turf3]

I think one of these days when the work's all done and I'm moved to the new house, I'll dig out that ABG and put the original clangy boingy phosphor bronze round wound strings back on it - or heck, I might put Rotosounds on it. Try embracing that kind of sound for specific settings, rather than trying to make it a double-bass which will always fail.

 

[Clark W]

IM an upright and solidbody player for decades. My son has done well on bass guitar, and im working him up to upright, so I got an older Epiphone Capistan acoustic bass as a transition. It has good electronics, 34"scale. We can't get enough volume unplugged even for a small acoustic jam, and plugged in, sounds more like a solidbody than an upright. Is that the consensus? We have a small battery op Cube Bass that works well for unplugged acoustic gigs. But other than the imagery, im not getting the point of these? What am I getting wrong?

I played a 4 hour gig once using a fretted Fender Kingman Acoustic plugged in just to prove a point. That it sounded as good as my "electric" basses, and it did. So no I don't really see any benefit of transitioning from electric to an acoustic as a step in the path to an upright. I think an acoustic fretless bass would make more sense in transitioning to an upright than a fretted acoustic.

 

[Wasnex]

I respectfully suggest that if you want to play double-bass, the most efficient starting point is a double-bass. The stick bass isn't really that much smaller; it still has to be plugged in; and it won't teach you how to pull a tone from the upright. Plus, how closely they approximate the shape, size, action, etc. of a double-bass varies a lot. I think stick basses are a great tool for people who already know how to play a regular double-bass, but if your goal is to play double-bass, just start learning how to play that.

What is unclear about my comment?

If the goal is to play upright, he should play upright.

I am not disagreeing here:

A full scale electric upright could serve as a proxy.

However, IMHO a full scale EUB would be a far better transitional instrument than ABG.

 

[Wasnex]

I mean, that's a GOOD sound, for some things, but I don't hear "upright bass" in that. I hear "Big-Ass Guitar".

IMHO it's relatively closer. Darken it up and fill in the lows a bit and it will be a lot closer than the typical fretted ABG with phosphor bronze strings.

 

[Jeff Scott]

However, IMHO a full scale EUB would be a far better transitional instrument than ABG.

I never did make the full transition.

Yeah, yeah, I know; I'm looking at my hand.

 

[ThudThudThud]

Flats or tapes and a mute will get you way closer

+1 for tapes. Changed everything.

I gigged an ABG in a number of different types of acts for many years. Someone here on TB suggested I try tapes, and it was eye(ear?) opening.

 

[Bander]

+1 for tapes. Changed everything.

I gigged an ABG in a number of different types of acts for many years. Someone here on TB suggested I try tapes, and it was eye(ear?) opening.

My problem is solved, but im ordering some tapes now.

 

[Water buffalo]

As a rule of thumb, tapewounds make everything sound more upright-ish.

 

[MrLenny1]

I have a Taylor Baby bass guitar. 20" scale?
It is loud enough for a soft jam with acoustic guitar in your quiet living room. IMHO.
But it sounds great with a combo amp.

 

[yonatan1991]

Well in the first video, I can barely hear the bass over two steel string guitars.

Put an upright in there with someone who knows how to pull tone from an upright and it'll be very different.

I'm sorry, but people have been trying to duplicate the double-bass for a long time. If you're looking for loud and no electrons, you've got three choices - all of them big, heavy, and hard to play:

- Double bass
- Bass saxophone
- Tuba

Now if you can accept electrons, you can fill the same musical role by what you play and how you play it, even though the TONE isn't exactly the same.

I bet most double bass players won't be able to sustain that long when it comes to playing hard on their strings. That's why most of them will plug into an amp as well

About my acoustic bass . Could be the player don't play that hard as I'm. Check this one :

 

[Wannabebass]

post deleted - wrong thread

 

[Ric Vice]

I have two approaches to this. One is my Kolstine Busetto Travel Bass un amplified or amplified. Two is an original Godin LR Baggs Acoustibass amplified. Just my take however. The Godin is fully chambered and has a set of metal times inside that give it some of the qualities of my Double Bass
The Kolstine is a Double Bass with a smaller body.

 

[Bander]

We

We have nickle flatwounds on it. So it does look more organic, with the violin and flattop trio, than a Squier Bronco. But eh, it seems like a lot of bulk and trouble, just to avoid a solidbody. I had hoped for more utility. So the good thing about the dissapointment, Im motivated to starting him on upright this week, starting with an electric upright bass. I figure a month or two with that ought to set him up for starting on a full upright. I mean, a Bronco with good right hand technique seems good enough for seated gigs, but an upright is the right instrument for this trio.

Just an update, he adapted to an upright very quickly, and played two gigs since, so it all worked out. Ill keep the Epi ABG though, I kinda got attached to it, and someone may show up at the house and wanna play it thru a small amp. Ive got some taped strings to try too.