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High-End Fretless Acoustic Basses

#21
The Azola Deco has a remarkable tone, but it's quite expensive and rare. I owned a Turner Renaissance which had a lovely sound, but the attack was so soft I really didn't like it. I do get a great many compliments from jazzers on the Godin a4's tone when I play it. It's also a good deal less costly than some of your other options. I also played a Washburn ABG, an old one from the 80's, and that gets a splendid upright-style sound --it's often used in recording studios for that (listen to Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me" for a taste). They are rather unbalanced in tone from string to string, or at least mine was.

I agree with the other posts that no ABG is really going to sound enough like an acoustic to satisfy the craving for a true acoustic upright tone, but they can certainly come close. If you have an instrument that sounds and looks beautiful, and you're happy with the sound, I think that time playing it will be well spent.
 
#22
I just got a Warwick Alien fretless 6, and the thing sounds amazing. The body is bigger than other AEBs that I've played; pretty close to a Tacoma Thunderchief. It sounds great and is fairly loud compared to others.

Will it sound like an upright? Absolutely not.
 
#24
One great post after the next. Thanks, again, everyone. It looks like there are a lot of great options I wasn't aware of. I do have an upright and do know that I'm not going to emulate the sound precisely. I think I need to start finding and trying out some of the basses that have been listed.

I may have been unclear in my earlier post, but I'm not necessarily looking for a bass that's loud enough to play without amplification. I'm more interested in a bass that has upright-like qualities that I can amplify/mike, but in any event is an acoustic instrument. I hope that last part made sense. It will be a bonus if I can use the bass acoustically, without amplification.
 
#29
Lobaw said:
I may have been unclear in my earlier post, but I'm not necessarily looking for a bass that's loud enough to play without amplification. I'm more interested in a bass that has upright-like qualities that I can amplify/mike, but in any event is an acoustic instrument. I hope that last part made sense. It will be a bonus if I can use the bass acoustically, without amplification.
Click to expand...

Most upright qualities would probably be the Takamine B/TB10, as mentioned. Its finger board radius is very much like that of an upright. Almost bowable. It can also be played in a vertical position with its 30" endpin. It has a great plugged in tone, but not terribly loud on its own. What's your budget?

B10radius.jpg


B10mutes.jpg
 
#30
while i love my Tacoma (acoustic with a very cool Fishman piezo/condenser system), the minute you plug in and amplify an acoustic bass guitar you're probably better off with a Turner/Rob Allen style bass.

But since you're looking for something more "acoustic" there's some amazing instruments coming from our very own Martin Keith (he also builds with the legendary Joe Veillette).

I ran into him at the Woodstock guitar show. He's doing incredible things with wrapped carbon fiber and wood.

I thought I had cured my addiction....
 
#31
I'm still checking out the different basses you fine folks have written about. If I had the skills, I'd cut down a tree in my backyard and build one myself!! As I'm learning more about the different basses out there, I'm adding to the bass fund. So, I may be in the custom build territory soon. I'm very intrigued by what folks have been saying about the Breedlove, Tacoma and Boulder Creek basses. It looks like you can get a very nice bass for the money. I will also check Warwick. I imagine it will be similar to the sound that Jonas Hellborg gets.

For this bass, it's important to me that I can record it acoustically and unamplified. I really want to be able to get the room sound while playing the bass. Thanks, again.
 
#32
Lobaw said:
I'm still checking out the different basses you fine folks have written about. If I had the skills, I'd cut down a tree in my backyard and build one myself!! As I'm learning more about the different basses out there, I'm adding to the bass fund. So, I may be in the custom build territory soon. I'm very intrigued by what folks have been saying about the Breedlove, Tacoma and Boulder Creek basses. It looks like you can get a very nice bass for the money. I will also check Warwick. I imagine it will be similar to the sound that Jonas Hellborg gets.

For this bass, it's important to me that I can record it acoustically and unamplified. I really want to be able to get the room sound while playing the bass. Thanks, again.
Click to expand...

I don't think you'd go wrong with any of them.
Warwick sounds good. The bass.
 
#36
I just bought a BC fretless 5er last Friday. First off was very glad the "natural" cedar top is much darker in color than the pics I saw. Very pretty bass. Took it to band rehearsal first time tonite. But I did not take an amp this time. "Sir Macca" was holding court at "The Juice Box" (Min Maid Stadium) about 3 blocks away from us in downtown Houston. Vehicle and foot traffic was murder in the area, so I was trying to get to practice space with a lightload as possible, just bass and a gearbag. ( Hey I know, I shoulda been at that concert instead) :crying:

So I just ran it thru the rehearsal rooms small PA; thought I was gona rip their little speakers apart. This bass has such a nice big bottomed tone. Plus I was running thru my Eden WTDI pedal into the PA. So that really had it thumping.

I've only been rehearsing at home with CD's using my crappy little Rumble 100 combo, again with the WTDI inline. And I also ran it thru my TB153 cab using my Markbass F1 head; that was very nice indeed.

Placed a piece of soft foam under the strings at bridge and it just thumps real nice n big. I felt it was like an upright sorta. A upright with strings way above the fingerboard that is, it was like 'percussive'. But still pretty nice.

My plan is to use it with my Neox 112T cab and either the F1 or LMII head. That cab is at another practice place so will try that next week. I'm pretty impressed with the BC so far, though this is my first ABG so may not be saying much. :p

Now, I'm still trying to get more comfy with the wide body, feels like it was cutting into my right forearm as I try to bring my arm over the top to play it. And I've been hating those darn D'Ada Bronze strings it came with, trashing my fingertips. But suddenly either I'm getting used to them or they're settling down or just getting dirty from use. Because they are now sounding much less zingy/twangy and more smooth and almost flats-like....almost. Just ordered some D'Ad Nylon Flats, first time for those too, hope I like em on this BC.

Still experimenting with what amp head/bass cab to use it with, got about 6 combinations to try still. And I've got about 3 more weeks that I can return it for full refund, so I need find out real quick if its gonna stay or go. Tone wise, its' very nice. Comfort wise, I'm trying to get there.

If it goes back, I'd like to try a Godin A5 Fretless next. A5 costs about twice as much but much slimmer body, unlined board; two things I'm learning I prefer. Not real sure of the A5 tone besides YouTube vids I've watched. But I bought this BC based only on a couple vids also, so the BC might just make the cut still, we'll see.
 
#37
I think they're no longer being produced, but I have an Ibanez EWB20 fretless that's pretty nice. To me, it feels better than some of what you'd find at GC. Big fat body, 34" scale, comfortable neck. I plug it straight into my Mackie mixer with a mic cable since it also has an XLR jack and it pumps out a ton of round warm bass along with plenty of mwah.
 

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