Acoustic Basses worth it?

[Nephilymbass]

looking for an acoustic bass loud enough to compete with a guitar/violin player at a bonfire so far haven't found anything. It's a pain bringing a double bass just for fun little jam sessions thanks in advance.

I dig my acoustic electric because it has its own vibe but if I’m playing with others I do use an amp. They are loud enough to play alone. Just get a little battery powered setup for those campfire type jams. Pjb has put out some little battery powered amps. I’ve also used battery packs to power a 112 or 115 combo amp as well. You don’t need an amp that’s super loud to keep up with guitar and violin

 

[Eddie LeBlanc]

I mean, I spent a decade carrying a DB around everywhere I went ... you make it sound silly.

Sorry. Not meant as an insult. I did gig with my Upright for a long time also. But going to a backyard B-B-Q jam session, wouldn't be what I'd want to do with my Upright. I'll just carry my Spector Timbre.
BTW I also have a Dean Pace elect. upright also.

 

[B-Mac]

If you're going amplified and STILL want an acoustic, get the Kala U-Bass. Plugged in, it's the closest to upright I've ever heard (of course the amp is a factor). I own one, and a big ol'Guild B30. Guess which one hasn't seen daylight in years.

I can’t get past the feel of those rubbery strings

 

[BarfanyShart]

Sorry. Not meant as an insult. I did gig with my Upright for a long time also. But going to a backyard B-B-Q jam session, wouldn't be what I'd want to do with my Upright. I'll just carry my Spector Timbre.
BTW I also have a Dean Pace elect. upright also.

Yeah, an EUB changed my life.

 

[J_Bass]

I kind of like them, but hey, that's just me...
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30", 32", 34", 4 string, 5 string, fretted, fretless.
Dean, Takamine, Stagg, Micheal Kelly, Samick, Jay Turser, Epiphone
The loudest of the bunch unplugged is the very first one, The Dean EABC.
The body is close to the dimensions of the Tacoma Thunderchief.
The Takamine and the Dean Performer 34" Quilt Maple come in a 2nd place tie for unplugged loudness followed by the Dean Supreme and Epi El Capitan.

Plugged in, nothing, I mean nothing beats the Deans that have the Aphex Aural Exciter with Big Bottom Circuitry...not even a top of line Fishman. @jd56hawk can back me up on that too.

It all comes down to expectations and how you approach playing one of these. If you can't play a bass without an extremely low action and a light touch you'll never be heard on one of these when playing with an acoustic guitar accompaniment. Strings on an ABG need to be on the high side so they are free to really vibrate and make the top wood resonate and get air moving out of the sound hole. @mikeoso will attest to that. He gigs his ABGs regularly unplugged and plugged in, of course he has much higher quality ABGs than I do which helps.

An Acoustic Guitar player doesn't play an electric guitar the same way he/she plays an acoustic....why wouldn't a bassist?

I remember reading an interview with Eric Clapton saying how he had to relearn to play acoustic guitar for his famous unplugged live series of concerts after playing his Strat for so long. You just can't do the low action light touch approach on an ABG and expect to be loud.

Even plugged in they still have their own sound. I don't get the 'if I have to plug in I might as well play my slab-o-wood bass'.... Makes no sense to me as they still sound different.

Playing with a pick helps. Experimenting with strings helps. @wintremute got me into GHS pressure wound phosphor-bronze strings for louder unplugged sound. @jd56hawk got me into using tape wounds for plugged in. @McG gigs with his ABG plugged in.

They are what they are.

I have solid body, hollow body, semi-hollow body and chambered body electrics. They all do their own thing. Why can't an ABG do its own thing? Why is it expected to be something it isn't? Enjoy it for what it is.

UAU!

What a collection!
Perfect explanation of the real nature of an instrument that is often misunderstood here on TB!

 

[B-Mac]

UAU!

What a collection!
Perfect explanation of the real nature of an instrument that is often misunderstood here on TB!

Thanks
Mostly purchased used
Only two purchased new
Michael Kelly was NOS purchase.
Jay Turser is a one of a kind demo.
One bought from @ChromeDome here on TB

 

[superiorpine]

I have two Tacomas, a fretless four and a fretted 5. Both are excellent, and can work with two acoustic guitars. I have done it and played finger style. An audience member once told us that the bass was voiced like a cello, which I took as a compliment.

Brian Ritchie of the Violent Femmes plays a Guild short scale and picks the bejeesus out of it. They used to do acoustic gigs with a guitar and a snare drum.

As said above, don't expect anything other than a very large bodied instrument to push enough air to compete with anything more than a small and sedate ensemble. That said, as also posted above, they have their own vibe and own place within reasonable (modest) expectations.

 

[B-Mac]

Try to find a Dean Playmate. Inexpensive, audible. Spent a long time looking for one because I loved the idea. Tried a lot that I hated and was repeatedly saved because this that I felt like I could almost hear, or that sounded a little less than completely awful, cost more than I was willing to spend. Happened to find this one at a music festival, and one of the vendors was selling his own personal ABG. Very pleasantly surprised at the tone and volume. Well worth $175. The phosphor bronze is not as bad as some people let on.

I see you joined TB today so if no one else has said it let me be the first...Welcome to Talk Bass!!!
Have fun. Share info. Learn something. Pass along knowledge for others.

I learn quite a bit every day here!

 

[Williethump]

Guitarrón. "Big Mexican Guitar".

Guitarrón.
Guitarrón mexicano - Wikipedia

"The guitarrón mexicano (the Spanish name of a "big Mexican guitar", the suffix -ón being a Spanish augmentative) or Mexican guitarrón is a very large, deep-bodied Mexican six-string acoustic bass played traditionally in Mariachi groups. Although similar to the guitar, it is not a derivative of that instrument, but was independently developed from the sixteenth-century Spanish bajo de uña ("fingernail[-plucked] bass"). Because its great size gives it volume, it does not require electric amplification for performances in small venues. The guitarrón is fretless..."

Nothing smaller works sans amp. And fretless, so there is that.

The guitarrón was the inspiration behind Ernie Ball's development of the first modern acoustic bass guitar, released on the market in 1972.[1]

 

[BarfanyShart]

Guitarrón. "Big Mexican Guitar".
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Guitarrón.
Guitarrón mexicano - Wikipedia

"The guitarrón mexicano (the Spanish name of a "big Mexican guitar", the suffix -ón being a Spanish augmentative) or Mexican guitarrón is a very large, deep-bodied Mexican six-string acoustic bass played traditionally in Mariachi groups. Although similar to the guitar, it is not a derivative of that instrument, but was independently developed from the sixteenth-century Spanish bajo de uña ("fingernail[-plucked] bass"). Because its great size gives it volume, it does not require electric amplification for performances in small venues. The guitarrón is fretless..."

Nothing smaller works sans amp. And fretless, so there is that.

The guitarrón was the inspiration behind Ernie Ball's development of the first modern acoustic bass guitar, released on the market in 1972.[1]

I went down a rabbit hole of watching technique videos for guitarrón. Its cool how they pluck in octaves the whole time to support the volume. Try playing pentatonic scales in octaves on your six string guitar below the fifth fret to get an idea of the technique.

 

[the federalist]

I'm a fan of small AGBs. I think of it as a akin to a second car, perhaps a Mazda Miata. I don't play the acoustic every day, nor would I drive a Miata every day. But both have their place and both are fun.

My current and likely ultimate AGB is a Guild Jumbo Junior. 23 3/4" scale length. 19 frets. Bronze strings. Weight: Really light. I like how it looks, especially the arched back. The finish is very good. Hardware more than adequate. The pickup works well.

I like how it sounds with and without amplification. As I use it mainly while I'm sitting in the living room, volume either way is adequate. Unamplified it seems to offend no one, even the easily offended.

A patient person can find one used or new on sale. I got mine new for $349, which seems like a great deal.

 

[Jeff Hughes]

Check out the older Epiphone ABG (El Capitan or El Segundo). I had one and quite enjoyed it. It was loudish. Playing with a pick helps project the sound. I only sold mine because it took up a ton of space, and I never used it. The intonation wasn't great either, but my guess is you won't be doing to much above the 12th fret ripping because A: the action is usually pretty high on an acoustic above the 12th and B: unless there is a cutaway, it may be pretty challenging to reach that high anyways.

I think with ABG you have to kind of rethink the role of the bass notes. It will never sound like an electric bass through an amp in the same way that an electric guitar will never sound like an acoustic guitar without piezos and processing.

Besides, how loud do you need to be for bonfire unplugged playing?

 

[RBrownBass]

Like acoustic guitars, they have their own sound which remains their own when plugged in. For my purposes, they're a much better choice for playing seated than a slab (I don't ever use it on a strap), and that plus the style fits better with certain singer-songwriter music than a Fender. If you have some kind of dream of busking with one, forget it. That's not what they're made for, unless you're resorting to using a pick. If you're playing with some heavy-handed guitar strummer, forget it.

Probably best to accept the fact that most "acoustic" instruments (including a double bass) are going to be plugged in at most of the venues you're going to play in. There's no reason for an ABG to be different.

 

[Acoop]

Ibanez made a very expensive one years ago I thought was interesting but, I've never played one, I thought, worth the money. ... But, I play upright and I was never looking for one to do that job.

 

[BobDeRosa]

Don't bother. I searched for one for years, finally bought it, and it's the loneliest bass in America. Has sat in its case for probably a year. I was warned that I'd never use it and I didn't listen. Hope you do.

 

[GretschWretch]

Hi Hunter432



Loud acoustic basses are big or expensive or both!

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Or a cheap acoustic bass with electronics and a cheap small battery powered amp.

I wouldn't bring expensive gear to a bonfire gig!

greetings

Wise(b)ass

Boy! Talk about your neck dive.

 

[B-Mac]

Been looking for a Fender Victor Bailey ABG

 

[GretschWretch]

Great post; I agree with all of it. My crappy acoustic is an ESP Ltd TL-5. I string mine E-C so I can pretend I'm Janek Gwizdala.

I'll only add that double basses aren't really loud enough to compete with guitars and violins either, unless you have crazy callouses and know how to coax maximum volume out of the instrument. Once upon a time I showed up for a jazz gig at an historic home just off 25th & Guadalupe in Austin. The place didn't have traditional power so I had to go commando on the double bass with a brush drummer and a trumpet player. I was playing daily at the time, and I still destroyed my right hand and had to stop for about a week!

Yep. If the bonfire is very large, even a double bass will not be loud enough. Especially if you toss the guitarist and fiddle player on top of the pyre.

 

[bulldean]

Been looking for a Fender Victor Bailey ABG

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I have owned several and the Victor Bailey is the keeper.

 

[B-Mac]

looking for an acoustic bass loud enough to compete with a guitar/violin player at a bonfire so far haven't found anything. It's a pain bringing a double bass just for fun little jam sessions thanks in advance.

A fair amount of TB-ers who like them congregate here. >>>Acoustic bass fetish club Part 2<<<