• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Bass guitar with upright like tone?

#21
I had a Takamine TB10, and it sounded pretty close to an upright, but was so huge there was no putting a strap on it (and even no way to set it down without it falling over). Gorgeous instrument BTW.

Sold it and bought a NS Omni bass. Magnetic pickups (which I rarely use) plus a transducer under the bridge saddle that sounds like an upright.

Actually to be fair what it sounds like is an amplified acoustic bass, if that makes sense. The decay that would make it a 100% match to an unamplified upright is not quite there. I have thought about using foam mutes but because of the highly radiused bridge this would be tricky.
 
  • Like
Reactions: magnaton and amper
#22
chazolson said:
I had a Takamine TB10, and it sounded pretty close to an upright, but was so huge there was no putting a strap on it (and even no way to set it down without it falling over). Gorgeous instrument BTW.

Sold it and bought a NS Omni bass. Magnetic pickups (which I rarely use) plus a transducer under the bridge saddle that sounds like an upright.

Actually to be fair what it sounds like is an amplified acoustic bass, if that makes sense. The decay that would make it a 100% match to an unamplified upright is not quite there. I have thought about using foam mutes but because of the highly radiused bridge this would be tricky.
Click to expand...
And yes, you can get the Omni bass with frets.
 
  • Like
Reactions: amper
#26
oren said:
Mine has Chromes on it, perhaps it would sound more like an upright with tape wounds.
Click to expand...

The Godin sounds as close to a double bass as I've ever heard from a bass guitar. I've never seen anyone string a double bass with tapewounds, so I can't imagine why anyone would think the sound of a double bass can be had with tapewounds.

My StingRay sounds nearly as good. I use Rotosound Monel flats, by the way. I don't expect it to sound identical to a double bass, and it has exactly the sound I want from it. I really have zero interest in owning a double bass. My life cannot accommodate such a huge, fragile instrument.

I think the Toby Chennell clip demonstrates pretty readily that the sound of a double bass comes mainly from the construction, not the scale length. The Chennell Arco is essentially a 1/4 size double bass, and so it sounds identical to a double bass. You'll get a similar sound if you take a 4/4 cello (27.5" scale length) and string it with D'Addario Helicore 4ths Tunings strings (which are designed to be tuned EADG, the same as bass guitar).
 
Last edited:
#32
oren said:
Charlie Haden did have the most amazing huge tone ever. He is truly missed.

The Godin Acoustibass was specifically designed to sound like an upright, with a piezo pickup and Preamp designed by LR Baggs, and a set of resonating tines inside its hollow body. They were only made for a few years in the 90s. I recently posted about mine, with a sound clip, at
OBD - Godin Acoustibass

Mine has Chromes on it, perhaps it would sound more like an upright with tape wounds.
Click to expand...

Is there a significant difference between a 90s acoustibass and the current A4/A5? It looks awfully similar.
 
#33
mikeoso said:
A big-body acoustic bass guitar, tapewounds, and an under-saddle transducer. Use the side of your fingers or your thumb, and get close to the neck. Use damping when you can.
Click to expand...

^This. I can get surprisingly close to an upright soloing tone out of my Epiphone El Capitan ABG. Rather than tapewounds, I have an old played to death set of phosphor-bronze strings on mine which I dread eventually replacing since they give me the exact tone I want.

Unfortunately the El Capitan has a very deep body (and I'm average in size) so it's not the most comfortable bass to play. But it's a small price to pay to get that upright-ish vibe going. It's more an impression of the upright sound rather than a close copy. But it's close enough for my purposes.
 
#36
hrodbert696 said:
This, though I wouldn't say it has to be big-body. I use a fretless Godin A4 ultra, and I'd say it's as close as anything I've heard.
Click to expand...

True that.

I have Godin L.R.Baggs Acoustibass which is the forerunner of their A4 series. It was specifically designed to cop the upright sound. And it also does a good impression of one with a good amp and if you fiddle with the EQ a bit.

Mine is a little fussy to play due to the somewhat annoying sensitivity of the piezo. But that said it's a really nice fretless that delivers on its promises.
 
  • Like
Reactions: oren and hrodbert696
#37
SpazzTheBassist said:
For ballpark, on any bass: you can use any string, including roundwounds, but tapewounds work best (just not practical for me if I need to get Marcus Miller slap on the following song).....if you have two pickups, use the one closest to the neck (Roll down tone to taste for passive bass; roll down highs for active...the type of string dictates how much you remove)....Move your plucking hand to the area where you normally would play slap bass toward the neck.....Using the side of your thumb, gently "pick" the string with a palm mute...It takes a little practice to get the thumb pick/palm mute timing correctly. For left hand, slide into some of the hanging notes..Back in the 80s, this was the "faux upright" technique used by us working bass players in Top 40 bands
....Doesnt sound like an upright by itself but works very well in the context of the band
Click to expand...

After experimenting with strings, pickup and preamp settings, and a foam mute this is exactly what I settled on. I play with a loud band and we do a fifties medley that this technique kills on.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rich48
#39
So far, a borrowed Kala has been by far the best I've tried but it is too small.
Apparently, there must be some issue with that design and a 34" scale.
Kala with a long scale is what I'm waiting for.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back