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Guitar Scale Acoustic Basses

#1,581
Well, that was fun while it lasted.

While researching measurements for that last post, I came across an article on the Ibanez WIKI indicating that the entire line of nicer acoustic basses (Artwood Vintage models) have been discontinued for 2021.

Sure enough, this is all that's left in Ibanez USA's ABG lineup:
ACOUSTIC BASS | PRODUCTS | Ibanez guitars

Same thing with their archtop basses. Only the cheap 200-series AGB and AFB are left, so if you were on the fence about upgrading before, now is the time to pick up a deal on an end-of-line model...
 
#1,582
SBassman said:
I'm having so much fun with my 24.7" Ibanez PNB14E Parlor bass that I have to keep singing the praises of this class of instrument. I thought I would set up a thread specifically for guitar scale / 23 to 25" scale acoustic basses. There are now a bunch on the market:

- Ibanez PNB14E
- Ibanez AVNB1E
- Guild Jumbo Junior
- Taylor GS Mini
- Goldtone

Let's talk about these basses and strings. I replaced the DAddario EXPPBB190 strings that came on my PNB14E - with La Bella CB40 Contrabass strings. It's so much fun to play.

Let's help grow this segment so that manufacturers consider other models of these ridiculously fun to play basses. View attachment 3120295
Click to expand...
SBassman said:
I'm having so much fun with my 24.7" Ibanez PNB14E Parlor bass that I have to keep singing the praises of this class of instrument. I thought I would set up a thread specifically for guitar scale / 23 to 25" scale acoustic basses. There are now a bunch on the market:

- Ibanez PNB14E
- Ibanez AVNB1E
- Guild Jumbo Junior
- Taylor GS Mini
- Goldtone

Let's talk about these basses and strings. I replaced the DAddario EXPPBB190 strings that came on my PNB14E - with La Bella CB40 Contrabass strings. It's so much fun to play.

Let's help grow this segment so that manufacturers consider other models of these ridiculously fun to play basses. View attachment 3120295
Click to expand...
Like a few others, I have basal thumb arthritis. I Played guitar for decades and gave it up when I couldn't stand the pain anymore. I successfully transitioned to a Rondo Hadean 23" but would like something with lower action and maybe a little sustain, but it needs to be really easy to fret. I live over a hundred miles from a music store so will be shopping online. I've been looking at the Guild Jumbo Junior, Taylor GS Mini and (maybe) an Ibanez Mikro. Any suggestions??
 
#1,584
The Hadean 23" uses poly strings which are much easier to fret. The action is so high beyond the 7th fret, though, my fingers stumble over the strings on moderately fast bass lines. I was hoping the nylon core bass strings on the Guild and the Taylor would allow a lower action with the same (or better) pressing ease as the bass uke poly strings. (Oh, by the way; I switched from (finger picking) guitar to bass to avoid chord shapes and wear and tear on fingers and thumbs on both hands. I want to play something in my old(er) age :bassist:)
 
#1,586
I’m still able to play my acoustic guitars, I’ve adjusted the action on both of the Martins, I find that I can play the classical guitars with out any fatigue at all. I’ve been wanting to try one of the Cordoba C9 Parlor Acoustic Nylon String guitars. I’m tempted to just order one, though I don’t like purchasing instruments without playing them first. I like the idea that it’s a shorter scale nylon with a slightly narrower nut. Bar chords should be easier than on the level necked classicals. One of the reasons I want to try one.

The PNB14E gets a lot of use, occasionally i run it through the the Phil Jones Double Four. I’ve been able to pull it off at acoustic Song Farmer type get togethers. Even with the guy playing the Doghouse it goes over well, I put the PJ under my chair, at the end of the evening, while packing up, I get a lot of “I didn’t know you were using an amp.”

Normally the side mounted pre-amp/eq control is a deal killer for me, particularly in high end instruments. I’ve gotten really used to it on the Little Ibanez. Though I wouldn’t consider one on either of my Martins. If they ever needed to be set up with pickups I’d use bridge plate transducers with the strap button phone plug out. I did this to my old fretless Guild B-50.
 
#1,588
hushnel said:
I’m still able to play my acoustic guitars, I’ve adjusted the action on both of the Martins, I find that I can play the classical guitars with out any fatigue at all. I’ve been wanting to try one of the Cordoba C9 Parlor Acoustic Nylon String guitars. I’m tempted to just order one, though I don’t like purchasing instruments without playing them first. I like the idea that it’s a shorter scale nylon with a slightly narrower nut. Bar chords should be easier than on the level necked classicals. One of the reasons I want to try one.

The PNB14E gets a lot of use, occasionally i run it through the the Phil Jones Double Four. I’ve been able to pull it off at acoustic Song Farmer type get togethers. Even with the guy playing the Doghouse it goes over well, I put the PJ under my chair, at the end of the evening, while packing up, I get a lot of “I didn’t know you were using an amp.”

Normally the side mounted pre-amp/eq control is a deal killer for me, particularly in high end instruments. I’ve gotten really used to it on the Little Ibanez. Though I wouldn’t consider one on either of my Martins. If they ever needed to be set up with pickups I’d use bridge plate transducers with the strap button phone plug out. I did this to my old fretless Guild B-50.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the response. I've thought about the Cordoba C9 (Great minds think alike!); but I think I'm going to stick with the bass. I'm hoping that having "soft" low action on my left hand, and using only two fingers on my right, will get me through the rest of my life without succumbing to hand surgery. It seems to be working with the Hadean so far. (I'm trying to find someone within a hundred miles that has a PNB14E (along with the Taylor and/or the Guild) to try out.)
 
#1,589
Gregury said:
Like a few others, I have basal thumb arthritis. I Played guitar for decades and gave it up when I couldn't stand the pain anymore. I successfully transitioned to a Rondo Hadean 23" but would like something with lower action and maybe a little sustain, but it needs to be really easy to fret. I live over a hundred miles from a music store so will be shopping online. I've been looking at the Guild Jumbo Junior, Taylor GS Mini and (maybe) an Ibanez Mikro. Any suggestions??
Click to expand...

I love my Cordoba Mini II Bass MH-E. I'm sure you can get one online.
 
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#1,591
“I think I'm going to stick with the bass” Me too.

Bass is my instrument, though it’s a bit awkward playing solo in acoustic settings, Victor I ain’t. Playing a little guitar music around the campfire, or sitting around my neighbors Tiki Bar on quiet Sunday afternoons keeps me entertained. Pretty much any place I find myself in situations were music may be appropriate, which means not much is going on, I’ll play the guitar. I stopped drinking alcohol 30 years ago and I can get a little bored when everyone else is drinking, so I’ll pick up my acoustic and play in the background, if no other music is available.

I actually started playing the guitar a year or so before the bass, I learned Puff the Magic Dragon in a summer library class 1962“o). Later it helped with knowing what to play on bass / what notes were available to me. This was all visual, I knew what notes on the guitar were the same on the bass. I didn’t really know the fretboard that well back in those days. If I could see the guitarist hand on the fretboard I could figure out a bass line. In the very beginning I learned the bass lines from recordings, not knowing the fretboard at all, tuning the instrument was about as technical as I got, I still have that tuning fork, I was little more than a Perrot back in the beginning. We practiced acoustically with electric instruments, only having access to amps when we played out. My one redeeming quality is a good sense of timing.

I think that even today the guitar helps my hands maintain dexterity. Finger picking is how I play guitar, the right arm has the elbow radial head fused, and the bicep is paralyzed along with some muscles in my neck.

At home just sitting around I pick up a guitar. If I hear something cool on the radio or TV I grab a bass. I alway have a guitar tune I’m working on that is way above my level . An example is Hendrix’s intro to Little Wing, more recently I’m work on Chan Chan by the Buena Vista Social Club. I just love how that tune starts.
 
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#1,592
I was thinking about buying another uke bass to replace a Gold Tone Microbass. I didn't think I could do much with it because we all know that you can't hear one of these basses over a guitar unless you use an amp, right? I kept looking, anyway. Lo and behold, I came across the Cordoba Mini Bass II. I read the reviews. Everyone had nice things to say about it.

HOWEVER, I came to one review in which the reviewer said that a tech suggested that he could play his bass through his bluetooth speaker by plugging the bass into the input jack of the speaker. I happen to have the bluetooth speaker a model up from the reviewer's, specifically a JBL Charge 3. So I bought the bass and brought it to my band practice to hear whether or not my speaker would amplify my bass to a point where it could be heard above three guitars, an accordion, and my cajon.

The bass player in my band is WAY above my skill level at bass. He plays upright in an orchestra. I took up the instrument as a retirement hobby.

I was sitting about eight feet from our bassist and could hear my bass perfectly. I don't know how this would work out doors. I also understand that one must still bring something to amplify an ABG. However, a bluetooth speaker does not need to be plugged in if the battery is charged.
 
#1,593
Orangeclawhammr said:
I love my Cordoba Mini II Bass MH-E. I'm sure you can get one online.
Click to expand...

I expectedly jumped into these waters this week. Now playing one of these Cordoba Mini IIs. Liking it very much. Beautiful looking build, and sounding very nice plugged in. Nice even tone across the strings.

Very nice build. The Mahogany version at 229 is a solid value.

If you ever listened to the Cordoba demo and weren't impressed, ignore it. The Cordoba demo is terribly recorded. There are other demos by owners online that do a much better job of showing what the bass sounds like.
 
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#1,594
Oh boy just finished skimming through this entire thread! Lots of helpful info here, thanks to all those who contributed. I got an Ibanez PNB14E about a week ago for quiet indoor practice, and it's been a lot of fun to play. Really digging the unamplified tone, and I can't overstate how handy it is to have around for practicing on the couch.
PNB14E.jpeg

It has the phosphor bronzes in standard tuning right now, but I want to try tuning it in fifths at cello pitch. I asked around a bit on another thread for some recommendations for strings. I'll go back and study what others have mentioned here.

As to why I want to change the tuning, that's a long story for another day. ;)

-Cal.
 
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#1,595
I'm bonding with my Cordoba Mini II Mahogany.
They did a very nice job on this bass.
Did my usual setup stuff, and it is playing like butter.

Was tempted to experiment with CB40s on it, but I'm thinking the shorter scale might be in the unstable range.
For now, I'm still using the stock Phosphor Bronze.
If only DAddario made the stocks with Nickel instead of Phosphor Bronze, we'd be cookin then. :)

Cordoba Mini II Mahogany.png
 
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#1,600
Hello everyone, I apologize in advance if this question has already been answered, but this is such a huge thread that it is easy to miss the information that I need.

I want to buy a mini acoustic bass primarily for practicing and learning new songs. I've narrowed my choices to:
1. Guild Jumbo Junior Bass Westerly (€500) - solid top
2. Ibanez AVNB1EBV (€500)- solid top
3. Ibanez PNB14E (€230) - laminated top
4. Harley Benton CLB-10SE Travel Bass (€200) - solid top

I'm very tempted to buy Harley Benton because it is the cheapest one and it has a solid top, but I am willing to go up to €500 if it is really going to get me the following:
1. Good tone unplugged - this is subjective, but also he most important thing to me
2. Loud enough to hear myself when playing the music from stereo or Bluetooth speaker, just above normal conversation level
3. Nice feel and setup - I'd like to avoid any flaw that will require a visit to the shop (sharp fret edges, uneven slots etc)

I don't care a lot about plugged-in tone.

Again, the cheapest bass is the most tempting, but I'm reading a lot of positive things about cheaper Ibanez, but it doesn't have a solid top.

Any input is appreciated, thank you!
 

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