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Guitar Scale Acoustic Basses

#1,781
steve_rolfeca said:
One thing to consider about my experiences with the 4 Martins I sampled: Yes, they all had some odd tonal and volume imbalances out of the box.

OTOH, this is really common with acoustic basses that sell in a price range where the distributor and dealer are not going to put a bunch of work into the pre-sales setup.

Asian-made instruments spend a lot of time being tossed around in container ships, exposed to crazy temperature, salt, and humidity extremes- sometimes for months. Mexican-made instruments (Cough, MARTIN, cough) tend to get a little less attention to detail because of economic factors.

As a result, a good tech often has to spend some time with new affordable AGB's to get them playing and sounding right.

Here in the Guitar Scale Acoustic Bass group, you can find reports of wide variances between similar models. I got lucky with both the more expensive AVN1BE Ibanez, and with my Guild JJB. But we did have other buyers who had to send theirs out for some TLC.

Personally, I wouldn't rule out an Alvarez, a Guild, an Ibanez, a Martin, or an Ortega at this price because of it needed work. Once properly set up by a good luthier, acoustics rarely go bad after the fact.

That's even more true than normal when it comes to GSAB's, because of the unusually low string tension. These little guys are highly unlikely to pull themselves apart because of humidity changes over the first winter...
Click to expand...
Great info. I'm just now returning a Fender CB-60SCE I just received last Friday because of multiple issues (at least to me). Instead of a direct replacement, I decided to upgrade to the Alvarez AB60CE. I think I made a good decision and I have a Luither just blocks away and I take all of my basses and acoustic guitars to him for periodic inspection and string changes anyway.
 
#1,783
Yes, all true. there is also Strings and beyond that has in charge these new flat spirals sets.

I would like to add more explanations:
1) I modified just a little the way of the 1st G and 2nd D are made: they are now even more robust, they stretch less so no risk that the metal wire become loose (it is uncommon but with the fist prototypes it sometime happened)

2) I have found a solutions about the final portion of the string addressed to the head concerning the grey silk upon the string. With this solution and with 3 different sets we cover not not only the traditional Kala bass ukulele with scale 18 to 21 inches but also the wide range of the so called 'medium size basses' such as those of Tyler; our Shortbassone; the Goldtone models etc etc. of 23 to 25 inches.
Then the traditional acoustic bass guitars in the range 30 up to 34 inches. In short: we cover all thew ranges now.

3) I have for all these models of the point 2) even the high C and the low B strings. So one can employ them on a 5 strings (with high C or low B) or also a 6 strings low B E ADG and high c.

It was a really hard job guys, but I was never alone: I need always thanks Sbassman and Karl Kaminski for their kind and free support
Mimmo (from this warm Italy)
 
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#1,784
I'd appreciate some help on fingering G.S.A.B. I'm a fiddle player with medium size adult hands who has also played cello (with longer cello fingering 1-2-4 and 1-3-4 rather than fiddle/mandolin 1-2-3-4). I once played a bit of full scale electric bass back in prehistory, using the famous technique of 'does this note sound right?'. I now have a Guild Jumbo Junior G.S.A.B., and I'm hoping to do it better this time. I'm aiming at melodic accompaniment of fiddle tunes and such with the mostly acoustic bands I play in, using a pick and a small battery amp (a Roland Bass Cube RX). I got me a well known Bass Method book, which looks useful 'cos it's comprehensive, and does both TAB and standard notation so I should get to sight reading bass as I go. But, this book is aimed at playing a regular long scale bass, so I don't know whether the fingering patterns will be optimal for the short scale bass I have.

So, what do you do guys - do you use your regular long scale bass fingerings on G.S.A.B., or some kind of other system based on a specific instructor book or otherwise, or just whatever fits? Thanks, Max

P.S. I guss this is strictly speaking be a 'Technique' topic, but I posted here hoping to get some G.S.A.B. players to advise.
 
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#1,786
Maxra said:
I'd appreciate some help on fingering G.S.A.B. I'm a fiddle player with medium size adult hands who has also played cello (with longer cello fingering 1-2-4 and 1-3-4 rather than fiddle/mandolin 1-2-3-4). I once played a bit of full scale electric bass back in prehistory, using the famous technique of 'does this note sound right?'. I now have a Guild Jumbo Junior G.S.A.B., and I'm hoping to do it better this time. I'm aiming at melodic accompaniment of fiddle tunes and such with the mostly acoustic bands I play in, using a pick and a small battery amp (a Roland Bass Cube RX). I got me a well known Bass Method book, which looks useful 'cos it's comprehensive, and does both TAB and standard notation so I should get to sight reading bass as I go. But, this book is aimed at playing a regular long scale bass, so I don't know whether the fingering patterns will be optimal for the short scale bass I have.

So, what do you do guys - do you use your regular long scale bass fingerings on G.S.A.B., or some kind of other system based on a specific instructor book or otherwise, or just whatever fits? Thanks, Max

P.S. I guss this is strictly speaking be a 'Technique' topic, but I posted here hoping to get some G.S.A.B. players to advise.
Click to expand...
Check out these Forums
Technique [BG]

General Instruction [BG]

Tablature and Notation [BG]
 
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#1,788
So, I just wanted to put this out there - as a public service. ;)

I am picking up my bass again this morning. You see - I am really just a weekend warrior player. I work a full schedule, and I often don't get much of a chance to pick up the bass during the week. This means I sometimes feel like I get to rediscover fun stuff with my gear.

This Aquila flat spirals are the greatest acoustic bass strings I have ever felt, heard, played.
It's going to take quite a big innovation for someone to knock me off these strings now.
And if it happens, it will probably be from Mimmo at Aquila. :)

Seriously, these strings are so good. So, so much better than the stock strings from DAddario for these basses.
And so, so much better than any other phosphor bronze acoustic bass string out there.

I currently have two acoustic basses, and I will absolutely keep Aquila coppers on both of them for the long haul. The strings are now stocked at multiple online string shops for uke, mini/guitar scale, and 34" scales.
 
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#1,789
SBassman said:
So, I just wanted to put this out there - as a public service. ;)

I am picking up my bass again this morning. You see - I am really just a weekend warrior player. I work a full schedule, and I often don't get much of a chance to pick up the bass during the week. This means I sometimes feel like I get to rediscover fun stuff with my gear.

This Aquila flat spirals are the greatest acoustic bass strings I have ever felt, heard, played.
It's going to take quite a big innovation for someone to knock me off these strings now.
And if it happens, it will probably be from Mimmo at Aquila. :)

Seriously, these strings are so good. So, so much better than the stock strings from DAddario for these basses.
And so, so much better than any other phosphor bronze acoustic bass string out there.

I currently have two acoustic basses, and I will absolutely keep Aquila coppers on both of them for the long haul. The strings are now stocked at multiple online string shops for uke, mini/guitar scale, and 34" scales.
Click to expand...
Sounds like a must try these out set of strings on whatever AEBG I decide on.
 
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#1,794
SBassman said:
So, I just wanted to put this out there - as a public service. ;)

I am picking up my bass again this morning. You see - I am really just a weekend warrior player. I work a full schedule, and I often don't get much of a chance to pick up the bass during the week. This means I sometimes feel like I get to rediscover fun stuff with my gear.

This Aquila flat spirals are the greatest acoustic bass strings I have ever felt, heard, played.
It's going to take quite a big innovation for someone to knock me off these strings now.
And if it happens, it will probably be from Mimmo at Aquila. :)

Seriously, these strings are so good. So, so much better than the stock strings from DAddario for these basses.
And so, so much better than any other phosphor bronze acoustic bass string out there.

I currently have two acoustic basses, and I will absolutely keep Aquila coppers on both of them for the long haul. The strings are now stocked at multiple online string shops for uke, mini/guitar scale, and 34" scales.
Click to expand...
 
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#1,798
Hey all! I found a Cordoba Mini ii mahogany for sale locally and am going to pick it up tomorrow. Been looking at strings already. The Aquila flat spirals look to be the leader here but I'm just wanting to ask a few questions before dropping $60+ on a set of ABG strings. I looking through this thread but admittedly did not read all 90 pages so please forgive me if I missed something!

Does the nut need any filing for the Aquila strings to work? Are they direct drop in ready?

I saw a comment on a YouTube video of someone suggesting using Dunlop tapewounds on this bass. If you cut regular scale tapewounds for a scale this short, that would ruin the string and would not work, correct?
 
#1,800
timendous said:
I saw a comment on a YouTube video of someone suggesting using Dunlop tapewounds on this bass. If you cut regular scale tapewounds for a scale this short, that would ruin the string and would not work, correct?
Click to expand...
"Tapewounds" in the 1960s sense of metal flat ribbonwounds (nowadays mostly known as "flatwounds"), I'm assuming. Dunlop does not make black nylon tapewounds.
@Prodigus Filius has successfully shortened flats at the ball end side.
The real question is: are you able to find Dunlop flats at a significantly lower price than the Aquila Flat Spirals anymore?
Additionally, be warned that steel-core strings are a lot stiffer than the nylon-core strings the Cordoba currently wears, and will mis-intonate sharp on the instrument, unless you reposition the bridge saddle aways back ( = away from the neck). The Aquilas have a bioplastic core and won't need such a procedure.
 
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