Does anyone like Acoustic Bass Guitars?

I play bass uke with my ukulele group of 35, so to look the part, I've had a number of acoustic versions. Recently I had problems playing many of my 31 bass ukes/mini bass guitars because of nerve damage to my neck from radiation treatments for Hodgkins disease years ago. I ended up letting go of most of them, keeping only the most comfortable, all acoustic thinline, which I've had modified just for the fun of it.

 

There are quite a few bassists here on TB that are acoustic fans, lots of threads you can peruse discussing pros/cons of ABGs. Starting here Acoustic bass fetish club Part 2 is a good place if you really want some info.

 

A Takamine B10 for jazz...



An old Takamine G Series for outside, exercise, and keeping the calluses up.



Haven't touched a slab in years.

 

I like mine. It’s a great couch/porch sitting screw arounding doodle thing.

Nobody has ever taken a full ABG camping and in the history of mankind nobody has ever played one at a campfire. But someone I’m sure will say they did just to be difficult, but no.

It’s fun to grab with a friend and hash out tunes with a single guitar. More than one and the bass needs an amp.

I play mine all the time. But ukes aside, camping with a full sized ABG is just an urban legend.

 

This is post 8. That's probably it - we've heard from all the folks that love acoustic bass guitars by now. ;-)

 

The problem with ABGs is physics. There simply isn't a body that's ergonomically big enough to create proper low fundamental tones. I've tried to love them for years. Gigged several "premium" ABGs for many years, including a Tacoma Thunderchief and a Taylor AB-1. When I recorded them acoustically, with a high quality large diaphragm condenser microphone just in front, the fundamental tones on the E string from open through fret 5 was way too weak and anemic. Of course the electronically projected sound via pickups was the same old piezo-quacky "nirvana-esque" bass that filled a sonic hole but was nothing to write home about. So I did what any bass player would do who was seeking better acoustic tone: I sold them all and bought a double bass.

btw, I've thought a lot about the recording side of ABG and even produced a how-to video. If it helps:

 

Don't care for ABG's. Not the sound, or how they feel to play. I do however play the guitarron - studied the proper technique, etc. I use it in non-mariachi acoustic folky settings sometimes and people love it (and it looks cool too--good conversation starter. And unlike an ABG, it really projects (if you play it right). But honestly, it's barely a bass guitar--it's more of a bass harp.

 

That's...progress? It is an ABG that you can hear, I'll give it that, but unfortunately it's the octave strings that you hear. The knock on ABG's is that they don't even keep up with an acoustic guitar. This one has an acoustic guitar built in so...it can't keep up with itself.

 

I've only ever owned one. It was a Regal acoustic bass with a resonator box, like a Dobro. Looked cool but even with the resonator it didn't really project sound well. I ended up selling it when I moved to a new city because I didn't want to haul around an instrument I didn't enjoy playing. I haven't felt compelled to try another one since, though I have no doubt there are better ones out there. I just don't really have a use for one.

 

Way better than headphones for quiet practice.

It sounds great plugged in too once you figure out how to fight feedback (notch filter, HPF, amp to instrument location, volume).

 

Well, seeing that my acoustic basses sound better than so many solid-body basses I won't bother to name, of course...and yes, I always use an amp, even a battery-powered one, just like I do with my L2000s, my Jazz basses, my P bass, etc.
Wouldn't trade either of my Exoticas for any uke bass made.

 

I like my Martin acoustic bass. Perfect for learning tunes at the house, prepping for a gig without having to plug it in. It’s a little bit difficult to play, but I like that because it’s like a batter on deck warming up with three bats…

 

Bunch of peeps here that like them including myself.
Acoustic bass fetish club Part 2

big part of the equation

 

… I have played it on a few acoustic bluegrass jams, guitar mandolin etc. Finger style it was too low volume. Using a pick and plucking rather aggressively, it could totally be heard in the mix. So if you don’t mind playing with a pick in those situations…