Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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.
Guitar Scale Acoustic Basses
- Thread starter SBassman
- Start date
I wish I could tell you how they compare in sound and playability, but I haven't found an AVN bass to try out. The attached image shows my Short Scale Bass comparison spreadsheet for the 25" scale Ibanez basses. So you can see the spec differences anyway. Main ones are electronics, solid top and types of wood used. Curiously the specs on the Ibanez website say the AVNB2E is almost an inch deeper than the AVNB1E. I wonder if this is a mistake.
Short version:
- Fishman Sonicore piezo instead of unknown Ibanez equivalent.
- Upgraded preamp with enough beans to drive an included XLR DI output.
- Solid top instead of plywood.
- Nicer neck and fingerboard woods.
- Pseudo-vintage cosmetics make it look more "grown up".
- More sustain.
Aside from price, the only downside I see to the AVN is the period-correct unbound solid top. As with old solid mahogany-topped Martins, you have to be careful about bangs and scrapes. You can easily re-glue a popped seam on an unbound instrument, but it doesn't do much for the looks.
As with most musical instruments, the relationship between price and performance isn't close to linear. As you go higher in quality and price, it seems to get exponentially harder to claw out every percentage point of improvement.
My $2,400 Dingwall (replacement cost would be $3,600 just 6 years later) isn't 4x better than the heavily-modded Squier in my icon. The Squier cost me $600 plus labour, and while the Dingwall is definitely better in every way, I doubt that it's much more than 15-20% better in any particular respect.
Audiences never complained about the Squier, but most FOH techs and musicians I play with notice the difference, and always ask for the Dingwall. That's why the Squier is gone, yet the ABZ is still around!
Nice chart! The website used to show the AVNB1E as being 5" deep. Also a mistake.
The PNB and AVN's are made in different factories, in different countries, which probably explains the minor dimensional differences.
Generally speaking, Ibanez instruments in the $400 to $500 bracket are more consistent in terms of finish detail and setup. I've now sampled 3 AVN's, and they were close to identical. Others have reported returning a couple of PNB's because of defects.
Not a big statistical sample, but still worth considering if you're purchasing by mail order, or have to pay someone else to do setup work.
I am happy to have the improved electronics, etc., of the AVN, but I'm using it quite a lot as a stage instrument.
That said, for home/travel use, I probably would have been nearly as happy with the PNB. Also, I wouldn't be as concerned about heat/humidity, because of the laminated top.
Yes, I agree; it's the "Concept of Diminishing Returns". Thanks for the info!
This is fantastic! It really helps. It's basically better woods, solid top, bone nut/saddle instead of plastic, better piezo, nice flat radius, and an upgrade all around. Thanks!
You're welcome.
I'm still trying to figure out what your profile pic is saying about my home state.
You're welcome.
I'm still trying to figure out what your profile pic is saying about my home state.
So it's open to interpretation - I guess that's a good thing ??
Been a long time since I've seen a Strong Bad cartoon. I remember these going back to early 2000's.
Sorry for the thread diversion. Back to guitar scale ABGs.
Not if each instrument is well constructed.
The upsides to solid tops are that they are more responsive, and the sound opens up with age and use. The downside is that they are more susceptible to damage from careless handling and storage.
I would never leave an acoustic instrument out in the sun on a hot day, or store it near a steam radiator without a humidifier.
But if I did, a laminated instrument would be more likely to survive the abuse.
I think the variation in quality of sound has more to do with the hit or miss of the pickup. I went thru at least 3 or 4 that all sounded the same acoustically but plugged in was a different story. The biggest problem that I had was finding one that played uniformly from string to string. The one I finally brought home is a little weak on the D string but run thru a compressor, nobody seems to notice. Finding a good one may be a little more like an Easter egg hunt than with the higher dollar basses. If I had the money, I might have gone for the Guild.
I've had the guitar since September and I do really like it. I like the tone of the bronze strings and can get a lot of different sounds by playing closer or further from the bridge. I play in an acoustic trio right now and have tried a few different basses and everybody seems to like the baby ibby the best.
I just got mine. It was a special order so take it or leave it. The acoustic sounds are fine and I agree, where one plucks/picks really shapes the tone. Plugged in, there is a slight difference in volume between the EA and DG. Not too bad but not perfect either. Considering the "pedigree", it will suffice as I'm not a performer just an enthusiast. I will use it more acoustically as I have numerous friends who are learning the acoustic 6 string and this will be be great for playing one on one. I don't think it would be loud enough to accompany more than one guitar but I don't need it for that. I also had to fake up a CD/foam sound hole cover for when plugged in. Through a new Rumble 40 the feedback was too much at louder volumes. The sound hole cover works so I plan to make a nicer looking one at some point.
It looks and plays great...but Roger on "if I had more money". I just couldn't get the AVN past the accountant....
Bottom line....keeper!
There's no need to accept any imbalance in the plugged-in tone, at least with the major brands.
On a piezo-equipped instrument, uneven response from string to string is usually the result of poor prep.
A good guitar tech can generally fix it by flattening the bottom of the saddle, and/or levelling the bottom of the slot in the bridge. If that process lowers the action too much, it's just a matter of making a shim.
There's nothing special about doing this work on an ABG vs an acoustic guitar.
Cost should be minimal, as long as there isn't a lot of other work to be done.
I still haven't seen a Guild yet, but everything else is generally solid on Goldtone, Ibanez, and Taylor- good fretwork, clean glue joints, well-fitted nuts, etc.
My biggest concern with Taylor, would be the fact that I haven't seen one with good intonation yet. Intonation adjustments are difficult on fixed bridges, especially with a narrow saddle.
On a piezo-equipped instrument, uneven response from string to string is usually the result of poor prep.
A good guitar tech can generally fix it by flattening the bottom of the saddle, and/or levelling the bottom of the slot in the bridge. If that process lowers the action too much, it's just a matter of making a shim.
There's nothing special about doing this work on an ABG vs an acoustic guitar.
Cost should be minimal, as long as there isn't a lot of other work to be done.
I still haven't seen a Guild yet, but everything else is generally solid on Goldtone, Ibanez, and Taylor- good fretwork, clean glue joints, well-fitted nuts, etc.
My biggest concern with Taylor, would be the fact that I haven't seen one with good intonation yet. Intonation adjustments are difficult on fixed bridges, especially with a narrow saddle.
These PNBs come with a spare bridge and I plan to lower the action a bit by sanding the spare down. It isn't a big job and I have had success on six strings. Just be sure to maintain the "radius" by scribbing a line before removing stock bridge. Once it's off, I'll check the seat.
My PNB14E also has uneven volume and tone string to string as well. It's not terrible, but it does occasionally bug me.
Spending 250 to save 40 seems to be my math. The one nice thing about buying from one dealer to another is in house setup. Not many mass produced guitars under $1000 come setup perfectly all the time from the factory
