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Guitar Scale Acoustic Basses
- Thread starter SBassman
- Start date
This is an instrument I purchased from a small music stores wall. It just continued to call to me every time I pass the place. And that cutaway was one of the main things that kept speaking the loudest.
I've been drooling over that one for a while. The inlays are a special touch too!
I do have a cordoba mini bass which is a good second place.
I've searched this thread and the web in general, but I am looking for suggestions on strings to convert my cordoba to a piccolo bass (EADG but one octave up.) I'm thinking this might be a way of getting a bit of easy-ish chording ability without having to learn to play guitar. I'm sure the GSAB brain trust must have some knowledge to share on this.
Thanks in advance.
Andy
I do have a cordoba mini bass which is a good second place.
I've searched this thread and the web in general, but I am looking for suggestions on strings to convert my cordoba to a piccolo bass (EADG but one octave up.) I'm thinking this might be a way of getting a bit of easy-ish chording ability without having to learn to play guitar. I'm sure the GSAB brain trust must have some knowledge to share on this.
Thanks in advance.
Andy
1) Get an extra-hard tension classical guitar string set, use the four lowest. If you don't like the idea of the plain-nylon G, look for a wound-G set;
2) if you feel adventurous, get this set:
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Put away the plain trebles, install the wounds.
Tension will be quite a bit more (~50%) than the factory set; then again,
- the Cordoba has a truss rod
- is the top so underbuilt it cannot take the extra tension?
- tone and feel will be bassier.
Your call. I decline any and all responsibilities.
Either case, tie the plain ends of the strings into knots for bridge-pin installation.
This has me interested. One of my bands recently lost our lead guitar player and for now we’re carrying on as a trio: acoustic git/singer, drummer, me on bass.
I’ve been picking up some of the lead parts on bass but I think I really need the higher register. I just built a 3 string cigar box guitar that I’m keen on using, but my luthier skills are garbage and its hard to keep in tune so I’ve been thinking about a GSAB or an actual guitar with just three strings, like every other string because I just struggle so much with guitar string spacing.
Any advice on what would be the least bodgy solution to play a hybrid of bass lines and some simplified guitar leads?
I’ve been picking up some of the lead parts on bass but I think I really need the higher register. I just built a 3 string cigar box guitar that I’m keen on using, but my luthier skills are garbage and its hard to keep in tune so I’ve been thinking about a GSAB or an actual guitar with just three strings, like every other string because I just struggle so much with guitar string spacing.
Any advice on what would be the least bodgy solution to play a hybrid of bass lines and some simplified guitar leads?
Thanks for those suggestions. I'm a complete newb in terms of tension/gauge and strings in general. Since the original strings are nylon core, would another option be just the E,A,D,G from a nylon core short scale guitar set since I'm basically in the guitar register anyway??
Thanks
Both my suggestions above are nylon-core. (Steel-core strings would intonate poorly on the Cordoba, because the position at which the bridge has been glued is optimised for the stock D'Addario nylon-core strings.)
Strings for 3/4 classical guitar are about as massive as extra-hard standard-scale ones; 1/2 sets would have a smidgen more tension.
1/4 (or 1/8, assuming they're long enough in total length) would have yet more tension, split the difference between my two suggestions, and the G is wound in at least some of them. Indeed an option to explore.
Got it - so nylon core is essential for maintaining intonation, and ideally I will find a set where the G is wound as well.
Stupid question: it seems like classical guitar strings are not typically EADGbe, and when they refer to the trebles and basses, it's usually 3 and 3. Therefore finding a set that has EADG all wound will be a challenge, yes?
Thanks for all your help with this.
Andy
I'm looking to trade my u-bass in for something about this scale. I love the convenience of the u-bass, but I don't really enjoy playing it. It's just a bit too cramped. While this is certainly mostly a skill issue on my part, I'm in the hobby for fun and after playing a few of these in a store I think the slight extra length makes a real difference.
I don't know much about what I should be looking for though. There were some, including an Ibanez, for about $300 and then quite a few for about $800. Independent of price, some had black squeaky strings, which I didn't like. What's up with that? But my main question, is what am I getting if I go to the $800 range? I suspect I don't need to, especially as I didn't notice a huge difference (although one of the $800 felt most comfortable).
If it's all in the pick-up, that's great---this will be 90+% for unplugged noodling, so I'd even be happy to drop the electronic option entirely (although I guess it'll be nice to have now and then). But if it's a quality thing that is either durability or subtle sound issues that I'll notice more as I improve, then I might be tempted to get one of the more expensive ones.
And off-topic here, but are there 28-30" scale ones out there? The store I was in jumped from guitar-ish to full scale, but I don't know if that's just an idiosyncrasy of their collection.
Thanks for any advice!
I don't know much about what I should be looking for though. There were some, including an Ibanez, for about $300 and then quite a few for about $800. Independent of price, some had black squeaky strings, which I didn't like. What's up with that? But my main question, is what am I getting if I go to the $800 range? I suspect I don't need to, especially as I didn't notice a huge difference (although one of the $800 felt most comfortable).
If it's all in the pick-up, that's great---this will be 90+% for unplugged noodling, so I'd even be happy to drop the electronic option entirely (although I guess it'll be nice to have now and then). But if it's a quality thing that is either durability or subtle sound issues that I'll notice more as I improve, then I might be tempted to get one of the more expensive ones.
And off-topic here, but are there 28-30" scale ones out there? The store I was in jumped from guitar-ish to full scale, but I don't know if that's just an idiosyncrasy of their collection.
Thanks for any advice!
30" scale acoustic bass guitars are scarcer than 32" and 34", but there is usually a handful of them in the market at any given time.
28" I'm not aware of any.
27" is the scale length of the Journey OB660
You searched for bass - Journey Instruments
and the long-discontinued Alvarez MSB1.
Fender Kingman II: 30" scale, round wound strings, piezo pickup.
Taylor, Guild and Martin have GSL models, from around $600-1100.
I have an Ibanez GSL I think I paid $220 for. Sounds great.
I also have a Mitchell GSL I said even less for. Sounds OK, not quite like the Ibanez.
I'm one of the biggest acoustic-bass fans here....I've been playing Dean Exoticas for ten years...and I've tried so many other acoustic basses I've lost track.
Not a short-scale fan, but this one's as good as it gets...$499.99, good electronics, coated strings, which are much nicer than the clangy factory bronzewounds found on most acoustic basses.
When I see one hanging up at Guitar Center, I always plug in and have some fun...hey, no one else probably plays them.
I can get a good thumping tone out of it...came as a big surprise because it has only a bass and treble control, so I'm guessing the strings have a lot to do with it.
Seriously, I wouldn't consider anything else.
Ibanez AEGB24E AEG Acoustic-electric Bass
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Unless they were all used and each former owner had decided to equip theirs with either black nylon tapewounds (you would have noticed, because tape is very smooth, and you wouldn't have found them squeaky) or other black coated strings (DR Black Beauties, Rotosound Nexus, Pyramid Black Wires, Aurora); or, I'd say even more unlikely, they were new but the store made the same decision...
...yes they are. Ibanez IABS4XC32 (medium scale; there's also a long-scale version, the IABS4XC, but I don't think there are long-scale Ibby ABGs currently in the market)
STRINGS | PRODUCTS | Ibanez guitars
Find a great collection of STRINGS at Ibanez. Ibanez offers electric guitars, bass guitars, acoustic guitars, effect and pedals, amps, plus guitar accessories like tuners, straps and picks.
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Possibly.
Did you play any Ibanez acoustic basses?
No squeaking on the few I've tried.
Not as smooth as black tapewounds, but felt better than roundwounds.
At least one was Ibanez, and I think there were a few. It was very much an exploratory trip to go from absolute zero knowledge to having a vague idea what I like and am looking for. When I go back I'll pay more attention to some of these details.
Introduction BAT8E BASS /BAT8EFL BASS
www.bromoguitars.com
I thought I posted about my Bromo, another thread, no doubt..
I got the fretless one.
I really like it a lot. Even well past the honeymoon.
Nice wood, neck fits my decrepit hands, good craftsmanship, decent electronics & tuners.
Only thing I didn't like was the strings it came with, but I knew I wasn't gonna like those before I bought it
A set of Aguila Spiral Rounds and a bit of a sanding on the bridge saddle and it's perfect for me.
$420 delivered is quite the bargain, IMO...
Maybe you'll get lucky and find something with tapewounds or flatwounds.
You'll be able to tell by the way they feel and sound...and after closer inspection, by the way they look.
The Ibanez SRH500-DEF SRH semi-hollow Bass comes with D'Addario flatwounds. Not sure, but I think ond of their acoustic basses does, too.
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A bandmate has a Bromo 12-string acoustic. Sounds good, low price.
Hi All. A september update:
So Matt at Strings by mail gave me this advice:
Hi Andy, I am not sure it this will work.
I would give these a try
| NYL020W | G |
| L | |
| F | 196 |
| TENSION | |
| NYL028W | D |
| L | |
| F | 146.84 |
| TENSION | |
| NYL033W | A |
| L | |
| F | 110 |
| TENSION | |
| NYL048W | E |
| L | |
| F | 82.41 |
| TENSION | |
| Total lbs | |
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11.23603973
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23
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12.41113025
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23
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11.869495
[/td][td]
23
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15.39709236
[/td][td]
50.91375735
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| Image | Item | Price | Quantity | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invalid Link Removed | Invalid Link Removed | $1.59 |
| Invalid Link Removed Invalid Link Removed | $1.59 | ||
| Invalid Link Removed | Invalid Link Removed | $2.69 |
| Invalid Link Removed Invalid Link Removed | $2.69 | ||
| Invalid Link Removed | Invalid Link Removed | $2.69 |
| Invalid Link Removed Invalid Link Removed | $2.69 | ||
| Invalid Link Removed | Invalid Link Removed | $2.99 |
| Invalid Link Removed Invalid Link Removed | $2.99 | ||
| Invalid Link Removed | Invalid Link Removed | $3.19 |
| Invalid Link Removed Invalid Link Removed | $3.19 |
| Product Subtotal in USD: | $13.15 |
Plus shipping
These are tie end strings. You will need to tie knots in the end to get them to hold with the endpins.
With any experiment you will want to be careful while in stalling them. I would bring them a set or 2 below pitch and see how they feel. If not to tight then continue to pitch.
Cheers,
Matt
Strings By Mail
I installed them this afternoon and so far so good. They are classical strings, so no ball end - I just tied a big gnarly knot in the end and put them in with the pins. Didn't have to do anything to the truss rod or the nut, and didn't hear or see anything concerning as I brought them to pitch. Intonation looks great too. I may slack the strings off overnight just to make sure nothing explodes in the next 12 hours!
Never having played guitar, I'm loving being able to strum some (very basic) chords and generally noodle about in the higher register. I can see this helping to learn the fretboard in a different way and generally being a good addition to playing a normal bass, for both fun and expanding my musical knowledge.
Cheers
Andy
