Guitar Scale Acoustic Basses

[Gee Man]

Got it on Saturday, but had a busy weekend. Finally played it a bit yesterday, and again today. Set up out of the gate was very good, although I did need to twist the truss rod a little to straighten out the neck, not really surprising on any instrument coming from a different climate.

I will start by saying the fit and finish is excellent, especially at the price point. The body woods are all a laminate, as expected given the wood and price, but it still sounds really good. If you look closely, you can see the neck as a scarf joint up towards the headstock and another joint down near where it meets the body, but very well done. The neck itself is very comfortable. I didn't really expect it to be quite so small, not that there is anything wrong with that, just caught me a little off guard. I took a pic next to my Martin OM-21 and my Hofner Club CT to give you a perspective of just how small. It only came with the strap button at the heal, but not at the neck, so either wear it old school with a tie around the headstock, or do as I plan on doing, adding a strap button on the underside of the neck near where it meets the body. The sound port does indeed allow the player to hear themselves pretty well. It appears to have as much volume as larger AGBs I have played, with perhaps more mid-range, as would be expected from the small box. Plugged in it sounds huge, easily a giggable instrument, although you may confuse the heck out of your audience.

Enough rambling, here is some pics I took. Hard to get any without reflections as the finish is a nice high gloss that appears nice and thin.

 

[SBassman]

Gorgeous. Your post reminded me of the fact that I installed my own strap buttons.

Nice wooden ones from Stew Mac.

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[Killing Floor]

Ughhh, you guys are making me jelly. I have a gigantic Kramer Ferrington that survived touring when all that hair was cool. Recently took it to a local pro to rebuild the trusses on top due to bulging, they were built poorly. Now it looks new-ish and plays great despite the mandatory reach-around to get your right hand all the way to the strings.

So let me ask y'all, any recommendations for strings?

 

[SBassman]

Ughhh, you guys are making me jelly. I have a gigantic Kramer Ferrington that survived touring when all that hair was cool. Recently took it to a local pro to rebuild the trusses on top due to bulging, they were built poorly. Now it looks new-ish and plays great despite the mandatory reach-around to get your right hand all the way to the strings.

So let me ask y'all, any recommendations for strings?

You want to read the thread. There is a great deal of string dialog here.

 

[steve_rolfeca]

Ughhh, you guys are making me jelly. I have a gigantic Kramer Ferrington that survived touring when all that hair was cool. Recently took it to a local pro to rebuild the trusses on top due to bulging, they were built poorly. Now it looks new-ish and plays great despite the mandatory reach-around to get your right hand all the way to the strings.

So let me ask y'all, any recommendations for strings?

If you want strings for the Kramer, I would recommend either nylon tapes, or Thomastik Acousticore bronze strings.

The Acousticores are Thomastik's 34" scale version of the nylon-core strings that are on most of these little guitar-scale ABG's. They are low tension, and they roll around under your fingers a bit, just like playing a nylon-strung Flamenco or classical guitar. They last a lot longer than steel strings, although they are still subject to corrosion if you have sweaty hands.

Tone-wise, they would definitely be my first choice, even though they are quite expensive. Rick Turner ships all of his beautiful long-scale Renaissance hollow-body basses with Acousticores, and they sound amazing.

However, not everybody can cope with the soft feel. If that's the case, my second choice would be tape-wound steels. They give you something of a flat-wound feeling and no finger noise, which some people find important. At the same time, they retain more overtones than flats. At least to my ear, flats ruin the tone of a good ABG, which is why I prefer strongly prefer tapes over regular flats.

Brand-wise, I've had good results with La Bella, D'Addario and Rotosound tapes over the years.

 

[HaphAsSard]

any recommendations for strings?

Savarez 4CB640RL.
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Only seventeen (bucks). Silver-plated copper on a nylon-core.
I use and love the medium-scale version. You owe to yourself to at least try them.
Loop ends, so you need to either tie the string ends into knots or add used ball-ends.

 

[SBassman]

Savarez 4CB640RL.
Invalid Link Removed
Only seventeen (bucks). Silver-plated copper on a nylon-core.
I use and love the medium-scale version. You owe to yourself to at least try them.
Loop ends, so you need to either tie the string ends into knots or add used ball-ends.

I am aware of these strings, but I never took the plunge myself.
Maybe you can tell us more.

1. Have you also tried the La Bella CB40s? I suspect these are very similar. Would you agree?

2. How long does it take for them to be stable?

3. Can you show us a picture of exactly how you are using them without ball ends?

4. Do you find they wear out and tarnish quicker than other strings?

5. What kind of feel do the strings have?

Thank you.

 

[HaphAsSard]

I am aware of these strings, but I never took the plunge myself.
Maybe you can tell us more.

1. Have you also tried the La Bella CB40s? I suspect these are very similar. Would you agree?

2. How long does it take for them to be stable?

3. Can you show us a picture of exactly how you are using them without ball ends?

4. Do you find they wear out and tarnish quicker than other strings?

5. What kind of feel do the strings have?

Thank you.

I haven't tried the CB40: they're short-scale only, more expensive and harder to come by where I live. I also suspect they're similar. I'm afraid I don't remember how long the Savarez took to become stable. In my experience they last significantly more than nickel or steel rounds. The grain is different from string to string, but I like how they feel. They do twist a bit under the fingers (the core is a lot more flexible than steel).
On my ABG the strings are loaded through the soundhole, so taking a picture is not a straightforward operation, but I'll see what I can do, when I have time.

 

[Killing Floor]

Ok you guys are great. Thanks for the tips. I can give these both a try over the next month. Not really busy anyway so this will be a way to add some fun to the waiting. LB and Savarez. I play LaBella on a fretless regularly so glad to try them. I'm familiar with Savarez brand. Not scared of peg ends, I can make them work. Never afraid to try different strings. Hang in there and stay positive.

 

[fermata]

Got it on Saturday, but had a busy weekend. Finally played it a bit yesterday, and again today. Set up out of the gate was very good, although I did need to twist the truss rod a little to straighten out the neck, not really surprising on any instrument coming from a different climate.

I will start by saying the fit and finish is excellent, especially at the price point. The body woods are all a laminate, as expected given the wood and price, but it still sounds really good. If you look closely, you can see the neck as a scarf joint up towards the headstock and another joint down near where it meets the body, but very well done. The neck itself is very comfortable. I didn't really expect it to be quite so small, not that there is anything wrong with that, just caught me a little off guard. I took a pic next to my Martin OM-21 and my Hofner Club CT to give you a perspective of just how small. It only came with the strap button at the heal, but not at the neck, so either wear it old school with a tie around the headstock, or do as I plan on doing, adding a strap button on the underside of the neck near where it meets the body. The sound port does indeed allow the player to hear themselves pretty well. It appears to have as much volume as larger AGBs I have played, with perhaps more mid-range, as would be expected from the small box. Plugged in it sounds huge, easily a giggable instrument, although you may confuse the heck out of your audience.

Enough rambling, here is some pics I took. Hard to get any without reflections as the finish is a nice high gloss that appears nice and thin.

View attachment 3775142 View attachment 3775143 View attachment 3775144 View attachment 3775145 View attachment 3775146

Lovely instrument—congrats! Can you comment on the unplugged/acoustic tone? The only demo I’ve found is plugged in.

 

[Gee Man]

Sure can. Surprisingly loud for its size, has as much volume as most ABGs I've played, (not many,) but a little more pronounced mid-range, though not boxy. I would guess it would cut through in pretty well with others, but to be honest, I have not had a chance to play it with another instrument, and not sure when I will at this point. Needless to say, it is a pleasing sound to the ears, not boxy or toy like, despite its diminutive size.

 

[fermata]

Sure can. Surprisingly loud for its size, has as much volume as most ABGs I've played, (not many,) but a little more pronounced mid-range, though not boxy. I would guess it would cut through in pretty well with others, but to be honest, I have not had a chance to play it with another instrument, and not sure when I will at this point. Needless to say, it is a pleasing sound to the ears, not boxy or toy like, despite its diminutive size.

That description moves it up in my GAS list! My main concern, since it has steel-core strings, was twang/boxy-ness, but it seems like I may have been overthinking that.

The MK Sojourn Port has a lot going for it in terms of overall design and aesthetics (and a competitive price). The other contender, for me, is the Guild Jumbo Junior, because of its bassy/warm sound (due in part to its nylon-core strings). Choices, choices...

 

[SBassman]

Get em both.

 

[fermata]

Get em both.

It's the TalkBass way! (But not a path I can/want to follow. But whichever way I go, it doesn't seem like I'll go far wrong, so that's encouraging.)

 

[TBLuthier]

Curious if anyone has this issue. Fender bg29, 30” scale. Labella cb40s. Hipshot detuner on the E. Fit fine. tuning= No-go. I expected a bit of a problem due to the lower tension but I cannot even get 1/2 step. It is ok. I’m not complaining. I certainly could and am capable of modding the hipshot but it doesn’t look to me that enough travel can be achieved with the configuration as is. I would almost have to re-build the hipshot. Any one else?

 

[HaphAsSard]

Curious if anyone has this issue. Fender bg29, 30” scale. Labella cb40s. Hipshot detuner on the E. Fit fine. tuning= No-go. I expected a bit of a problem due to the lower tension but I cannot even get 1/2 step. It is ok. I’m not complaining. I certainly could and am capable of modding the hipshot but it doesn’t look to me that enough travel can be achieved with the configuration as is. I would almost have to re-build the hipshot. Any one else?

My SWAG is the same would happen if one swapped a classical guitar low E on an electric guitar with a D-tuner. The core is a lot more elastic. Hard to get full-step bends on classicals, for the same reason.

 

[steve_rolfeca]

My SWAG is the same would happen if one swapped a classical guitar low E on an electric guitar with a D-tuner. The core is a lot more elastic. Hard to get full-step bends on classicals, for the same reason.

Exactly.

This is also why it takes so many turns of the peg to raise the pitch a half-step...

 

[Oberst]

I blame you guys and isolation. Ordered the Taylor for home delivery today. Now have to explain to my wife that it was due to being cooped up, I need it for “medicinal” purposes!

 

[SBassman]

I blame you guys and isolation. Ordered the Taylor for home delivery today. Now have to explain to my wife that it was due to being cooped up, I need it for “medicinal” purposes!

When you talk to your wife, definitely blame it on us. Tell her we are a really bad influence.

Enjoy it when it arrives. Plentiful pics are required.

 

[Oberst]

When you talk to your wife, definitely blame it on us. Tell her we are a really bad influence.

Enjoy it when it arrives. Plentiful pics are required.

I will! Working from home and spending all day on the phone and often “listening” to calls on mute, an acoustic is perfect to keep me sane.