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Guitar Scale Acoustic Basses

#721
lostpoet2 said:
Interesting. So I guess it's safe to say the Ibanez always has more of an "acoustic guitar" type of tone...
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I can't speak to the Ibanez PNB- they don't sell them up here.

But the AVNB1E (solid spruce top and different electronics) sounds pretty similar to the Taylor acoustically, except for slightly better intonation up high, and a little less fret rattle because of the longer scale and higher string tension.

Neither can compete with a loud dreadnaught, or produce a huge low E. But they both sound pretty balanced for an ABG.

I didn't hear a really big difference until I plugged them in.

Both sound a bit zingy up top with the EQ set flat. However, the Ibanez has a lot more output, and a punchy, round low end that the Taylor lacks. The EQ was a bit touchy, but I can tighten up the low end to get an almost electric tone, something I couldn't do on the Taylor. I also found it easier to dial out the acoustic zing up top, by dialing back the treble.

The Taylor EQ is quite musical, but it doesn't have much "umph" in comparison.
 
#722
screefer said:
Hey PNB players...As I am relatively new to bass and especially acoustic bass, I have a question. When playing D. Hood's "I'll take you There" The Staple Singers - I'll Take You There | Bass Transcription | David Hood when you play the E (g-string ninth fret) that begins the bridge, what do you hear?
I get alot of overtone/harmonics...well I don't really know how to describe it. It occurs both acoustically and plugged in. It is different then all the other notes but not in a bad way.
Does yours sound similar?
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AVNB1E here, but yes, it's zingy mildly in an acoustic guitar sort of way.

Not objectionable, but I've got a well-bedded set of La Bella CB40's on mine. IRRC, the stock strings had a little less harmonic information up there, but my bass was a store demo, so who knows how much play time it had before I got it.

When you ask about overtones and harmonics, are you talking about the difference between dead and fresh strings? Or something more objectionable, like wolf notes or rattles?

I'm not hearing anything "wrong" up there. If you do, it could be a pick or something else loose in the body, a loose brace or bridge pin, or even a bad string.

Anyway, it's much closer to the record when I plug it in.

Bass at 11 o'clock, and treble rolled back to between 9 and 10 o'clock tames it nicely. However, it doesn't get as dark and compressed as the original recording unless I dial the treble all the way back, and that sounds too muddy to my ear.

If you want to get closer to the record, try putting a foam mute under the strings, and doing a little palm muting in some places to reduce the sustain even more. This ain't no P-bass with dead flats on it!

By the way, thank you for the link to the video.

I just spent way more time than I should have, grooving along with the Staples. Brilliant!
 
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#723
I took my Guild Jumbo Jr. to rehearsal last night for the first time. I ended up using my Alvarez MSB6102 (a 27 5/8" scale with a small acoustic body; solid mahogany back/sides and a solid spruce top) mainly due to the fact that I had a set of old full scale bronze acoustic strings that I had cut down years ago.

The stock D'addario strings feel great but have a lack of bottom end when amplified... This morning I put a used set of standard Bronze acoustic strings (Martin: .045"-.098") on the Guild. What I lost in play-ability is more than made up by the amplified tone that I am now getting.


Moonshine :bassist:
 
#724
moonshinegtrs said:
I took my Guild Jumbo Jr. to rehearsal last night for the first time. I ended up using my Alvarez MSB6102 (a 27 5/8" scale with a small acoustic body; solid mahogany back/sides and a solid spruce top) mainly due to the fact that I had a set of old full scale bronze acoustic strings that I had cut down years ago.

The stock D'addario strings feel great but have a lack of bottom end when amplified... This morning I put a used set of standard Bronze acoustic strings (Martin: .045"-.098") on the Guild. What I lost in play-ability is more than made up by the amplified tone that I am now getting.


Moonshine :bassist:
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Can you post a sample of the plugged-in tone?

I had a very negative experience with a set of D’Addario nickels on my Ibanez.
 
#725
I'm going to risk ridicule :) and share my latest experiment.

I have been experimenting with a little beeswax on CB40s. It makes them even smoother feeling, and it warms up the string just a little bit without killing the string. IMHO of course. Some will think that is a bad idea for sure, but, I am really liking the result, so I thought I'd share.
 
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#726
SBassman said:
I'm going to risk ridicule :) and share my latest experiment.

I have been experimenting with a little beeswax on CB40s. It makes them even smoother feeling, and it warms up the string just a little bit without killing the string. IMHO of course. Some will think that is a bad idea for sure, but, I am really liking the result, so I thought I'd share.
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Hey, whatever works. No judgements

I've done what some may consider wacky experiments. Just this morning I started a project to cobble an Ibanez Mikro neck to a Squier Bronco body. The body has been hollowed out under the pickguard for weight reduction and had a Lace Alumitone Strat pickup installed. The neck fits the neck pocket well enough but the bridge will have to be relocated.
 
#727
mongo2 said:
Hey, whatever works. No judgements

I've done what some may consider wacky experiments. Just this morning I started a project to cobble an Ibanez Mikro neck to a Squier Bronco body. The body has been hollowed out under the pickguard for weight reduction and had a Lace Alumitone Strat pickup installed. The neck fits the neck pocket well enough but the bridge will have to be relocated.
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Cool.

I always thought Ibanez missed on an easy opportunity - using that Mikro brand name on 28" scale acoustic basses. Same head and body shape - but in a thin acoustic body. I think that would have sold big time.
[And of course, if they did that, they would need to do a Mikro-GB25 - guitar scale version of the bass. :) ]
 
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#728
Just to add a little more detail: it's not just beeswax I am using, but a formula of beeswax plus an oil. I am not actually citing the brand because I don't know if the oil they are using is healthy for people. I don't care since they are my hands :) and body, but I don't want to advocate something when I am not a chemist.

Functionally, it is working very nicely. Whether or not I glow in the dark next year, I don't know. :)
 
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#729
SBassman said:
Just to add a little more detail: it's not just beeswax I am using, but a formula of beeswax plus an oil. I am not actually citing the brand because I don't know if the oil they are using is healthy for people. I don't care since they are my hands :) and body, but I don't want to advocate something when I am not a chemist.

Functionally, it is working very nicely. Whether or not I glow in the dark next year, I don't know. :)
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Be careful.
 
#730
Great thread, I want to thank you guys for all the information.


I’ve been a fan of the short scale/guitar scale bass since I owned an Ashbory in the early part of this century. I wish I still had it but I was so pissed with the silicone strings and constant G string failure I traded it for a Flea Market Ukulele, which opened up new world for me.


The ukulele I still have, among others, I meet Owen Holt (Road Toad Music) on a ukulele forum, he made really nice ukes, including a bass uke utilizing his Pahoehoe black strings. I asked him about uke conversions to bass and he sent me a well written email on how to do it. I ordered the strings, tuners and K&K transducers from him, sometime around 2006, 2007.


I kind of went side ways on this project and built this tacky pole dancer cigarbox bass totally from scratch for the Pahoehoe strings, it has a set of Aquila Strings on it now. Mahogany neck Purple Heart fingerboard and saddle, bone nut and bridge, and mother of pearl, no volume or tone control, all eq’ed at the amp or via Sansamp DI.


I’m only on page 9 at this time so I’ll hold off on any questions until I’m current with the most recent posts.


Two days ago I picked up the Ibanez PNB14E, from the Gainesville Guitar Center. I wanted to actually play one before I purchased it. Like others here I’m a TI flats guy, though I do have round wounds on the Guild Starfire because of the way if articulates in the mix, a really good match for that instrument.


I’m drawn to the Ibanez AVNB1FE solid top fretless too, but I may just build my own. Lord knows I got enough tonewood and parts “o)
 
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#731
hushnel said:
Great thread, I want to thank you guys for all the information.


I’ve been a fan of the short scale/guitar scale bass since I owned an Ashbory in the early part of this century. I wish I still had it but I was so pissed with the silicone strings and constant G string failure I traded it for a Flea Market Ukulele, which opened up new world for me.


The ukulele I still have, among others, I meet Owen Holt (Road Toad Music) on a ukulele forum, he made really nice ukes, including a bass uke utilizing his Pahoehoe black strings. I asked him about uke conversions to bass and he sent me a well written email on how to do it. I ordered the strings, tuners and K&K transducers from him, sometime around 2006, 2007.


I kind of went side ways on this project and built this tacky pole dancer cigarbox bass totally from scratch for the Pahoehoe strings, it has a set of Aquila Strings on it now. Mahogany neck Purple Heart fingerboard and saddle, bone nut and bridge, and mother of pearl, no volume or tone control, all eq’ed at the amp or via Sansamp DI.


I’m only on page 9 at this time so I’ll hold off on any questions until I’m current with the most recent posts.


Two days ago I picked up the Ibanez PNB14E, from the Gainesville Guitar Center. I wanted to actually play one before I purchased it. Like others here I’m a TI flats guy, though I do have round wounds on the Guild Starfire because of the way if articulates in the mix, a really good match for that instrument.


I’m drawn to the Ibanez AVNB1FE solid top fretless too, but I may just build my own. Lord knows I got enough tonewood and parts “o)
Click to expand...

Welcome to the party. We love these guitar scale acoustics, and in a short period of time, we have 37 pages to prove it. :)

I came from the UBass world. I used to really love them. I used to greatly prefer the Aquila strings to the Pahoehoe strings. Almost shot my eye out putting the black Pahoehoes on once. :)
BB.png

For me, the Aquilas were far more stable and easier to work with.

Eventually though I Did kind of tire of the synthetic thing, and when I saw this class of short acoustic basses with metal strings, I jumped in the water. :)
 
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#732
I forgot to mention, I used the old school small piece of foam insulation under the strings at the bridge to tame the phosphor bronze jangle, it reins in the finger noise too.

I'm working on a feedback buster. I'm adding a thumb rest to it. This proto-type will be plain, probably just torched with propane. It may take a few tries to get the thumb rest in the right place, or any offset that may be required.
 
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#737
skycruiser said:
I love the GS Mini sound but the 23.5" scale is too short for me.
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I think that reactions to scale length are very much a function of how the player attacks the instrument, and how adaptable they are.

Some of my friends seem to carry an extra load of testosterone, and literally can’t avoid breaking strings, bridge hardware, etc.

If asked, I would advise them to stay away from short-scale ABG’s.

I’m fortunate to have an unusually light touch on electric, and get the tone I’m after by letting my amp do the work.

As a result, I don’t find myself clanking as badly as a lot of the testers on YouTube.

I still prefer the feel of the 25” Ibanez and the extra tension of the LaBellas over the stock strings. But if it wasn’t available, I could certainly live with the Guild or the Taylor.
 
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#738
steve_rolfeca said:
I think that reactions to scale length are very much a function of how the player attacks the instrument, and how adaptable they are.

Some of my friends seem to carry an extra load of testosterone, and literally can’t avoid breaking strings, bridge hardware, etc.

If asked, I would advise them to stay away from short-scale ABG’s.

I’m fortunate to have an unusually light touch on electric, and get the tone I’m after by letting my amp do the work.

As a result, I don’t find myself clanking as badly as a lot of the testers on YouTube.

I still prefer the feel of the 25” Ibanez and the extra tension of the LaBellas over the stock strings. But if it wasn’t available, I could certainly live with the Guild or the Taylor.
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I think I liked that the Ibanez has almost the exact same scale as my Yamaha 6-string acoustic, so I can transition between them with no adjustment at all. Also the shorter scale Guild and Taylor just look a little goofy being smaller than standard acoustic guitars. Looks aren't everything, but one thing I've learned reading through hundreds of discussions on this site is that looks mean a lot to a lot of people. But in any case, I couldn't get past the goofiness of the tiny bass (though standard scale acoustic bass players probably say the same about these 25" scale basses). I almost pulled the trigger on a Guild when that aspect finally pushed me toward the Ibanez. I'm glad that's where I ended up - really love the AVNB2E.
 
#739
skycruiser said:
I almost pulled the trigger on a Guild when that aspect finally pushed me toward the Ibanez. I'm glad that's where I ended up - really love the AVNB2E.
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That was the unexpected Easter egg with my AVNB1E.

I initially thought of the Ibanez as a couch toy, but it has earned it’s place as a keeper, right up there with my Dingwall.
 
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