Guitar Scale Acoustic Basses

[steve_rolfeca]

Here's a cool oneView attachment 5386010

That's a really interesting option.

No need to do a bridge conversion to a classical guitar, and presumably the bracing, etc., is tuned to suit the lower frequency range. La Bella, Savarez, Hannabach, etc., do contrabass strings to fit a classical bridge, so if you're willing to string it E to C instead of B to G, you're not strictly tied to the Magma strings...

$1,370 takes the GSAB category to a new price point, but it seems like a logical step up from the 23/24" competition from Taylor, Guild, Martin et al. About $1,000 less than the Esteve, and probably half or less than a custom Contrabass from a European luthier as well.

 

[steve_rolfeca]

Arrrgh...

Took the Guild to a rehearsal yesterday, and it had no output.

Checked my cable, and it was fine- so was my amp. Swapped the battery for a new one, still no sound.

Trying to hear myself over a Gospel Children's choir based on the acoustic output of an undersized AGB was not a winning proposition!

If I can find some time tomorrow, I'll have to take a look and see if a wire has come off or ???

 

[Oscar Stern]

That's a really interesting option.

No need to do a bridge conversion to a classical guitar, and presumably the bracing, etc., is tuned to suit the lower frequency range. La Bella, Savarez, Hannabach, etc., do contrabass strings to fit a classical bridge, so if you're willing to string it E to C instead of B to G, you're not strictly tied to the Magma strings...

$1,370 takes the GSAB category to a new price point, but it seems like a logical step up from the 23/24" competition from Taylor, Guild, Martin et al. About $1,000 less than the Esteve, and probably half or less than a custom Contrabass from a European luthier as well.

The BEADG tuning takes advantage of the bigger body. The strings are Nylon wound in Metal (like the Bass Strings of a Classical Guitar)

 

[Oscar Stern]

That's a really interesting option.

No need to do a bridge conversion to a classical guitar, and presumably the bracing, etc., is tuned to suit the lower frequency range. La Bella, Savarez, Hannabach, etc., do contrabass strings to fit a classical bridge, so if you're willing to string it E to C instead of B to G, you're not strictly tied to the Magma strings...

$1,370 takes the GSAB category to a new price point, but it seems like a logical step up from the 23/24" competition from Taylor, Guild, Martin et al. About $1,000 less than the Esteve, and probably half or less than a custom Contrabass from a European luthier as well.

It does bypass the need to modify the bridge because it's already built for that purpose. The strings are Nylon wound in Metal so they sustain super long.

 

[steve_rolfeca]

It does bypass the need to modify the bridge because it's already built for that purpose. The strings are Nylon wound in Metal so they sustain super long.

I have been thinking that I was done with GAS, as my current lineup of basses does pretty much everything I need (Dingwall extended scale 5-string for electric, NS Design 5-string electric upright for jazz and just about anything else that needs a little more thunder, and the 4-string Guild Jumbo Junior for acoustic sets).

However, I've been a 5-string fanatic ever since the mid-80's, and I've been quietly wishing that someone would bring the nylon-core formula to the a 5-string version of the current crop of GSAB's.

I've tried all the affordable long-scale, steel string AGB's on the market, and none of them cut the mustard. The Emerald Balor probably gets the job done, but the price bracket is way too high for me, as a newly-retired guy pushing 70!

The Magma could be just what the doctor ordered. If I sold a couple of guitars, I could easily come up with the $1,400 it costs in our devalued Canadian Pesos....

 

[Oscar Stern]

I have been thinking that I was done with GAS, as my current lineup of basses does pretty much everything I need (Dingwall extended scale 5-string for electric, NS Design 5-string electric upright for jazz and just about anything else that needs a little more thunder, and the 4-string Guild Jumbo Junior for acoustic sets).

However, I've been a 5-string fanatic ever since the mid-80's, and I've been quietly wishing that someone would bring the nylon-core formula to the a 5-string version of the current crop of GSAB's.

I've tried all the affordable long-scale, steel string AGB's on the market, and none of them cut the mustard. The Emerald Balor probably gets the job done, but the price bracket is way too high for me, as a newly-retired guy pushing 70!

The Magma could be just what the doctor ordered. If I sold a couple of guitars, I could easily come up with the $1,400 it costs in our devalued Canadian Pesos....

The Magma Transpositor Bass has a sound that falls in between a conventional Acoustic Bass & a Double Bass.

 

[JohnMalay]

Arrrgh...

Took the Guild to a rehearsal yesterday, and it had no output.

Checked my cable, and it was fine- so was my amp. Swapped the battery for a new one, still no sound.

Trying to hear myself over a Gospel Children's choir based on the acoustic output of an undersized AGB was not a winning proposition!

If I can find some time tomorrow, I'll have to take a look and see if a wire has come off or ???

That's disappointing. I didn't keep my Guild long enough to judge its reliability. My Ibanez seems bullet-proof and my Kingman is... well, it's a Fender, so it always brings the oomph.

 

[steve_rolfeca]

The Magma Transpositor Bass has a sound that falls in between a conventional Acoustic Bass & a Double Bass.

Do you know if replacement strings are still available for the Transpositor bass?

I just got spousal approval to buy one, but it's starting to look like the instrument may have been discontinued. I can't find recent references to it on any forum, YouTube, Facebook, or online marketplaces. More importantly, the BT5 set used on the bass seems to have disappeared- not just from Magma's own web stores and main website, but from other vendors that still carry other Magma string lines, like Strings By Mail.

Other classical string makers produce Contrabass sets that can be tuned E to C in a 5-string situation, but at the moment it looks like Magma would be the only source for a low B...

 

[HaphAsSard]

Do you know if replacement strings are still available for the Transpositor bass?

I just got spousal approval to buy it, but it's starting to look like the instrument has been discontinued.

Other classical string makers produce Contrabass sets that can be tuned E to C in a 5-string situation, but at the moment it looks like Magma would be the only source for a low B...

As you're probably aware, the relevant string set, the Magma BT-5, is not in stock at their Argentine store
BT-5
and not to be found anywhere at their USA store, where the instrument itself is instead available
Magma Transpositor Acoustic Bass 5 Strings Nogal

By the way, some specs for the Transpositor Bass and its strings shown here:
Fisoma 2716 Silverwrap on Nylon Core
Tensions and gauges translate to
G 040, 15.75lbs
D 053, 15.86lbs
A 063, 15.53lbs
E 095, 17.4lbs
B 120, 17.62lbs
in Imperial units.
__________

Re alternatives,

1) one could try detuning the five lowest from the Savarez GRN640R set (for Mexican guitarrón, only not in Mariachi A-A tuning but E-E as used in East-Asian, Niibori guitar orchestras).
GUITARRON NORMAL TENSION GRN640R
https://www.savarez.com/sites/default/files/public/produit/plaquette/doc_guitar_densemble_eng.pdf
Fisoma 2716 Silverwrap on Nylon Core
Gauges 080 - 080 - 069 - 087 - 116
(top ones are weird: either typos, or contructed differently from the rest).
However, precise resulting tensions are hard to pinpoint (the provided figures at E-C are in integer kilograms), but would be certainly a lot lower compared to the Magma set;

2) carefully unwinding the largest two or three strings from the "Standard" version of the Fisoma 2716 set might do the trick:
Invalid Link Removed

 

[Oscar Stern]

Do you know if replacement strings are still available for the Transpositor bass?

I just got spousal approval to buy one, but it's starting to look like the instrument may have been discontinued. I can't find recent references to it on any forum, YouTube, Facebook, or online marketplaces. More importantly, the BT5 set used on the bass seems to have disappeared- not just from Magma's own web stores and main website, but from other vendors that still carry other Magma string lines, like Strings By Mail.

Other classical string makers produce Contrabass sets that can be tuned E to C in a 5-string situation, but at the moment it looks like Magma would be the only source for a low B...

Maybe one day they'll relaunch those strings

 

[steve_rolfeca]

As you're probably aware, the relevant string set, the BT-5, is not in stock at their Argentine store
BT-5
and not to be found anywhere at their USA store, where the instrument itself is instead available
Magma Transpositor Acoustic Bass 5 Strings Nogal

By the way, some specs shown here:
Fisoma 2716 Silverwrap on Nylon Core
Tensions and gauges translate to
G 040, 15.75lbs
D 053, 15.86lbs
A 063, 15.53lbs
E 095, 17.4lbs
B 120, 17.62lbs
in Imperial units.
__________

Re alternatives,

1) one could try detuning the five lowest from the Savarez GRN640R set (for Mexican guitarrón, only not in Mariachi A-A tuning but E-E as used in East-Asian, Niibori guitar orchestras).
GUITARRON NORMAL TENSION GRN640R
https://www.savarez.com/sites/default/files/public/produit/plaquette/doc_guitar_densemble_eng.pdf
Fisoma 2716 Silverwrap on Nylon Core
Gauges 080 - 080 - 069 - 087 - 116
(top ones are weird: either typos, or contructed differently from the rest).
However, precise resulting tensions are hard to pinpoint (the provided figures at E-C are in integer kilograms), but would be certainly a lot lower compared to the Magma set;

2) carefully unwinding the largest two or three strings from the "Standard" version of the Fisoma 2716 set might do the trick:
Invalid Link Removed

I really like the idea of the higher string tension on the Magma. It would let me dig in more than I can on my Guild, and increase my dynamic range before fret slap.

Well, @#$!...

I hadn't picked up on the fact that the BT-5 sets were already out of stock- your Google-fu is better than mine, oh master.

I was toying with the idea of buying up enough sets to let me ride the Transpositor out until retirement (I turn 70 in the fall, so chances are I've only a few more years of gigging left).

But aside from the cost factor, you can't buy 'em if Magma ain't selling 'em.

Unwinding expensive strings doesn't sound like a practical solution...

I wonder if we're simply too late to the party?

 

[HaphAsSard]

I really like the idea of the higher string tension on the Magma. It would let me dig in more than I can on my Guild, and increase my dynamic range before fret slap.

Well, @#$!...

I hadn't picked up on the fact that the BT-5 sets were already out of stock- your Google-fu is better than mine, oh master.

I was toying with the idea of buying up enough sets to let me ride the Transpositor out until retirement (I turn 70 in the fall, so chances are I've only a few more years of gigging left).

But aside from the cost factor, you can't buy 'em if Magma ain't selling 'em.

Unwinding expensive strings doesn't sound like a practical solution...

I wonder if we're simply too late to the party?

The Fisomas aren't terribly expensive:
Fisoma F2716 Classical 5 string Bass Guitar 860mm Standard Tension Ball end Bass Classical 5 string
But unwinding them would be impractical all-right.

Shoot Magma an email? They might be having a temporary manufacturing hiccup. I mean, if they still want to make the basslet, and their core business is strings, they pretty much have to keep the set available.

 

[Wannabebass]

Arrrgh...

Took the Guild to a rehearsal yesterday, and it had no output.

Checked my cable, and it was fine- so was my amp. Swapped the battery for a new one, still no sound.

Trying to hear myself over a Gospel Children's choir based on the acoustic output of an undersized AGB was not a winning proposition!

If I can find some time tomorrow, I'll have to take a look and see if a wire has come off or ???

Both my ABG’s will not work when plugged into my keyboard amp using a stereo (TRS) 1/4” cable. TRS cable into my regular bass amp(rumble 25) - no problem. Mono cord (TS) into
Keyboard amp- no problem.

 

[thunderstation]

Ibanez AEGB24E

 

[Wannabebass]

Nice Bass!
I think I've seen that at our local music store - what are those strings?
Also - semi-related- it seems strange to me that guitar makers put so much emphasis on the material of the guitar top and it's acoustic properties, etc, but then place a large hunk of wood on it (finger rest) that surely alters those properties.
Just me thinking out loud.

 

[John Stephen]

@thunderstation that's a beauty. On the Youtube videos I've seen, it sounds really good too. Do you know what kind of strings it comes with (not the brand, the type of string)?

 

[mikeynets]

Just found and subbed this thread. Cool to hear from lots of other GSAB enthusiasts.

I have a Labella GSAB that takes plain-end strings for a classical guitar-style bridge. The only strings I've found so far that are compatible are Labella CB40-PE.

I could enlarge the holes on the bridge a tiny bit so that I could use ball-end strings that have slightly larger diameters for the couple of inches extending from the ball end, but I really don't want to alter the bass at all. But I don't like being stuck with just one string choice, either.

Does anyone have recommendations for other 1/2 scale, plain end strings? Or ball-end strings that don't have a thicker tail end (not sure if there's a technical term for this part of the string?)

 

[EddBass]

To all owners of Cordoba Mini II ASGBs, how do you find the stock tuners regarding tuning stability? I find the ones in my MH-E not very precise (I have to wind them quite a bit to get any change in tuning), also they lose tuning very easily. It could be a stock strings issue tho.

Are there any aftermarket tuner upgrades that would fit without modifications? I own a workshop so I could modify the lugs diameter if necessary, but I would prefer not to do so.

 

[steve_rolfeca]

I can't remember the catalog numbers, but Savarez and Hannabach both offer plain end strings.

 

[HaphAsSard]

Just found and subbed this thread. Cool to hear from lots of other GSAB enthusiasts.

I have a Labella GSAB that takes plain-end strings for a classical guitar-style bridge. The only strings I've found so far that are compatible are Labella CB40-PE.

I could enlarge the holes on the bridge a tiny bit so that I could use ball-end strings that have slightly larger diameters for the couple of inches extending from the ball end, but I really don't want to alter the bass at all. But I don't like being stuck with just one string choice, either.

Does anyone have recommendations for other 1/2 scale, plain end strings? Or ball-end strings that don't have a thicker tail end (not sure if there's a technical term for this part of the string?)

I didn't know La Bella made a guitar-scale acoustic bass. Got pics, or a model number?
_____

Anyway.

- Savarez also makes plain-end contrabass guitar strings (sets 4CB640R, 4CB640RL, 6CB640R), as do
- Hannabach (841MT 4S.75, 841MT 6S.75, 841MT 4S.90, 841MT 6S.90),
Reverb shop
- Pyramid (480 200),
- RC Strings (BJ60, BJ660),
- Fisoma (F2714T),
- Alice (ACB111)
and possibly others.

Like the La Bella CB40 you currently use (and the six-stringed CB60), all the above sets are wound to longer lengths than guitar-scale, and will have to go on tuning posts untapered.
Some (the two Hannabach 4CB, the two Hannabach .75) have significantly larger low E's, which may require some jury-rigging (be flattened to fit the post slot, or the latter be filed wider, or both).

Then there are 25.5" string sets, made to tune normal classical guitars one octave lower:
- Villela Lower Octave Strings, (either contact them here, or buy from their Invalid Link Removed)
- the Savarez LOW640R (Invalid Link Removed)
- the Magma Transpositor Mi-E Bass Sound (GCT-E) (here and here)
- the Aquila 143C (Invalid Link Removed)

as well as a handful of sets for extended-range (yet normal-scale) classical guitars
- the Ortega OCTA-8NS;
- the Magma Transpositor GCT-BG10

plus
- a weird "half bass /half guitar" Magma Transpositor set, the GCT-BG6, the low half of which could be used, integrated with an extra-light guitar low E tuned up to G
- and a 5-string bass set, also by Magma (same normal guitar scale, same materials), the BT-5.

Finally, there is a nylon-core, silver-plated copper set for (25.5" scale) Mexican guitarrón, only not in Mariachi A-A tuning but E-E (as used in East-Asian, Niibori guitar orchestras), made by Savarez, the GRN640R (Invalid Link Removed)
(There is another one, the Alice ACB110, but I have no clear idea what they're made of.)
They probably have loop ends, but it should be easier, compared to ball-ended strings, to work them into something suitable for a classical-style bridge tie-block.