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ACOUSTIC BASS RECOMMENDATIONS Please
- Thread starter Rick N. Hofner
- Start date
I play double bass, mainly Jazz (and electric bass for fun) and I just picked up yesterday my Takamine TB-10, an AMAZING instrument, different from anything else I ever played or held in my hands. I traded-in a Cort NTL-BFL, their top of the line (about 800 USD) a good instrument I can reccomend. But this Takamine is absolutely out of this world ! Expensive but worth it !
Roby
Milan, Italy
Roby
Milan, Italy
I think Crafter make some budgetish AGBs, mine was about £300 and it's really solid and sounds pretty good for the price range, the electrics could be a tad better, but it seems like you have to pay a fair bit for good electrics for any acoustic instrument. Anyway, mine was one of the better ones Crafter made so there should be something around the £200/$300/2000euro mark that they make (it helps if you say at least vaguely where your from on your profile when it comes to stuff like prices and availability of equipment 
)
Didn't really like those Dean budget one to be honest, but then again if it's just to practise with then they might do the job for you.
) Didn't really like those Dean budget one to be honest, but then again if it's just to practise with then they might do the job for you.
I have heard very good things about breedlove, but never tried one. My buddy claims to have played breedlove guitars (although he has played everything) and said they were pretty nice. I don't know if it helps, but its another name to consider in the search.
The Breedlove's are nice but not in the price range you were
looking at. The nice basses(Breedlove, Fender, Takamine, etc)
you will need to find used.
looking at. The nice basses(Breedlove, Fender, Takamine, etc)
you will need to find used.
Like many have said - I certainly prefer fretless on my ABG. After playing several, I too chose the Michael Kelly Dragonfly.
- Nov 14, 2003
- 398
- 10
- 52
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Aguilar Amplification, Sadowsky, D.Markley, Spector
I have experimented with many brands of ABG's. Fretted to Fretless, Nylon-Tape, Flat, and Roundwound Bronze strings. I think it depends on the maker, the player, and the style of music.....and whether or not you intend to amp-up or are just going to play truly "Acoustic". So below, I will list the ones that worked best for me, for each particular style.
Acoustic "Not Plugged In":
1. Tacoma Thundercheif, these things are very LOUD unplugged, but plugged in they dont sound very good.
2. Taylor, now discontinued and Bob vows to not ever make another. Bummer, these are very nice and loud, but very expensive.
Electrified:
1. Breedlove, these truly are the best value. The Atlas series 4 and 5 string basses, actually sound like "Acoustic" instruments. The stock D'Addario coated strings are also my preference for a bronze acoustic string.
2. Ibanez Exotic, I had both a fretless spalt maple and the black ash in these basses. The fretless was among the very best in this category with a warm, upright bass sound using black tapewound, and with a Jaco-like mwah factor using the bronze strings. I didnt care for the Ash bass, it sounded cheap.
3. Warwick Alien, these basses are rare to say the least. I dont care too much for the sound unplugged, but plugged in, this would be right up there with the Breedlove. This instrument also feels good in the hands and is built very well.
All of these basses sound very nice with just a touch of room reverb, giving it that true, "Acoustic" sound. Some have bad feedback issues, such as the Tacoma, so if you are going for electric, I would steer more towards the ones Ive mentioned above, in the electric category. Again, this is my opinion, others may vary, but I actually play these instruments in real world environments, and not in my home studio or practice room, so I can attest that my opinion is truly an "honest" opinion of a pro player.
Acoustic "Not Plugged In":
1. Tacoma Thundercheif, these things are very LOUD unplugged, but plugged in they dont sound very good.
2. Taylor, now discontinued and Bob vows to not ever make another. Bummer, these are very nice and loud, but very expensive.
Electrified:
1. Breedlove, these truly are the best value. The Atlas series 4 and 5 string basses, actually sound like "Acoustic" instruments. The stock D'Addario coated strings are also my preference for a bronze acoustic string.
2. Ibanez Exotic, I had both a fretless spalt maple and the black ash in these basses. The fretless was among the very best in this category with a warm, upright bass sound using black tapewound, and with a Jaco-like mwah factor using the bronze strings. I didnt care for the Ash bass, it sounded cheap.
3. Warwick Alien, these basses are rare to say the least. I dont care too much for the sound unplugged, but plugged in, this would be right up there with the Breedlove. This instrument also feels good in the hands and is built very well.
All of these basses sound very nice with just a touch of room reverb, giving it that true, "Acoustic" sound. Some have bad feedback issues, such as the Tacoma, so if you are going for electric, I would steer more towards the ones Ive mentioned above, in the electric category. Again, this is my opinion, others may vary, but I actually play these instruments in real world environments, and not in my home studio or practice room, so I can attest that my opinion is truly an "honest" opinion of a pro player.
Holy Crap! If I thought a deal like that might come up, I'd go out and get an $800.00 bass just to be ready.
Congrats! I think there might be six of us now.
Had a Tacoma Thunderchief fretless; ran tapewound, SS flats and phospherous rounds. I just did not like it. I admired the workmanship and tried to make myself like it but we just had irreconcilable differences. I received the Tacoma in trade for engineering services so I was only out some time when I sold it. Finally stepped up and bought an Azola EUB for the sound I was looking for. OP, you should really try as many as you can and in my opinion get the biggest body acoustic bass you can afford. For an affordable EUB check out the Ergo. Sound clips on the web page.
I would.
I think it depends on how one defines ABG & what usage is intended. I don't have very broad experience, but every time I've tried one alongside a strummed acoustic guitar it's felt like a Peavey MicroBass versus a Marshall stack. &/or required massively high action to permit pulling the heck out of the strings.
I find Godins fine for the OP's purpose of unplugged solo practice. And find they've a very nice plugged-in tone, & are more resistant to feedback than typical ABGs.
Yes, definitions are important. I suspect most people's idea of an ABG is; big body, sound hole, YMMV. anything else is semi-acoustic, or chambered, or whatever.
Not that it really matters
