Is an Acoustic bass worth it

[Kalsarikannit]

Our band has a upcoming acoustic show coming up and they say that I should get an
acoustic bass for the gig. I have a fretless precision bass and was thinking should I just put nylon strings on it and roll off the tone. I will be playing direct through a pa so I don't know that it would make any difference. Some of the band are not fans of fretless bass but I do use it for a few songs when we play live. Any thought on this?
thanks.

 

[MD]

Is the band buying?

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

Nylon strings? Will there be any tone to roll off?

 

[mongo2]

I use nylon tapewound strings and technique on a fretted Hofner Club Bass, Ibanez AFB200 or fretted shortscale solidbody to mimic my upright bass.

The AFB200 does it best and doesn't feedback like an acoustic bass might.

I'd say the fretless P with either flats or tapes should do well.

 

[J_Bass]

Don't forget that you'll have to plug it in, or nobody will hear you.


Have you considered a uke bass? I don't have one, but a lot of people like them.

 

[Kalsarikannit]

Yes. I'm trying get a thumping tone more than anything.

 

[Kalsarikannit]

I'm going direct into the pa. If I get the acoustic, I may use a q-strip as a preamp.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Our band has a upcoming acoustic show coming up and they say that I should get an
acoustic bass for the gig.

If it's just for the look, make a cardboard cutout and stick in front of your bass.

If it's for the sound, make a cardboard cutout and stick in front of your bass.

 

[TNCreature]

Don't bother is my invaluable (as in without value) opinion.
It sounds like a waste of money for a look

 

[spade2you]

Your band wants you to buy something and doesn't like your fretless? Are they paying a lot? If not, I wouldn't consider that a good omen.

 

[Pings Bass]

I used to play "acoustic" gigs on a fretless P/J, for what it's worth. Plug into the PA and play simple. Easy peasy

ABGs have their fans, and the fans have their reasons, but they're not for me. (Also, I'm fortunate to have a DB for truly unplugged playing.)

 

[Jughead6]

I love playing my acoustic bass live. But if you've never played an acoustic bass guitar, then it is probably not ideal to start learning at a gig. You'll need time to get acquainted with the idiosyncrasies of the instrument.

They typically do not sound like a double bass. For anything other than bedroom practice, they need to be amplified and are prone to feedback. You'll probably need to learn about phase shifting, high pass filters, notch filters and where to stand on stage to avoid aforementioned feedback. They typically have higher action than electric basses. They often neck dive and they have deep bodies, so chances are your posture will change. You'll probably feel like you're stretching to get to the lower frets.

Did I mention feedback?

I'm not trying to dissuade you at all. Just recommending that you take your time to fall in love with the instrument.

 

[Killing Floor]

When someone in your band doesn’t like when you play fretless it means they don’t like the color. Play a different color fretless if you want.

ABGs are cool but I wouldn’t buy one unless you want one. I like mine. They are a lot of fun. But only if you will use it.

 

[mikewalker]

That is so KIND of your band to all chip in and buy you an ABG!!!

I suggest you let them pick out their favorite one of these: Current Stock - Emerald Guitars

 

[Wasnex]

Only you can decide. I own a Tacoma CB10 and here is what I think:

ABGs do tend to have a unique tone that is similar to the low strings on an acoustic guitar. I think a large part of this is due to the phosphor bronze strings most of them come with, which produce sort of a grindy sound on the higher strings.

My Tacoma is considered fairly loud for an ABG. Acoustically it will work with vocals, a couple of acoustic guitars, and cajon. However, it won't have the fat low end most people associate with electric bass. The audience will hear and appreciate the bass, but I personally find it frustrating to play it acoustically and would prefer to use a small amp. Normally you feel sort of in control as a bass player. IMHO you are unlikely to feel this sort of power and control when playing an ABG without an amp.

The Tacoma sounds really awesome when amped. The lows are very fat and resonant. This particular instrument cannot play with a lot of gain due to the way it is designed. Because it is so resonant, it has a tendency to feedback if you turn it up too much. But it gets loud enough for most situations where it would be appropriate.

The ergonomics are a bit rough due to the large body. I find that it gets uncomfortable to play fairly quickly. It's a bit better on a strap than sitting.

There are quite a few ABGs with smaller bodies that amplify well. A smaller, less-resonant instrument may be a better choice than trying to find an ABG that is loud acoustically. In truth, even the best ABGs are rarely loud enough acoustically to be satisfying, so it's hard to justify the extra cost and discomfort. A smaller, less-resonant body will have less feedback problems with an amp, and also probably be more comfortable to play.

IMHO, before buying, you definitely want to research and demo ABGs. This will allow you to make a much better decision based on your own first-hand experience.

I think the unique amplified tone ABGs produce can make them worth owning. But in truth I rarely use mine, and I don't consider it a must have.

 

[B-Mac]

Our band has a upcoming acoustic show coming up and they say that I should get an
acoustic bass for the gig. I have a fretless precision bass and was thinking should I just put nylon strings on it and roll off the tone. I will be playing direct through a pa so I don't know that it would make any difference. Some of the band are not fans of fretless bass but I do use it for a few songs when we play live. Any thought on this?
thanks.

If you want information from people who actually use them and enjoy them visit here.
Acoustic bass fetish club Part 2
If you're just trolling, well....

ABG's are a different animal. People will say they don't sound like a DB. Well, no kidding. They never were supposed to sound like a DB. They have their own sound whether plugged in or not plugged in. Others will say if I have to plug in I might as well play my electric slab O'wood bass with magnetic pups...well, you certainly can but it won't sound like an ABG.

An ABG is an ABG, just like an acoustic guitar isn't an electric guitar, an ABG whether plugged in or not is not an electric bass guitar. They are a different animal and have their own sound and vibe.

 

[Johnny Fingers]

Control Freaks.

 

[DaveParker39]

Just to be crystal clear, when you say "nylon" you mean "nylon-wrapped" right? Because all-nylon strings wouldn't work on an instrument with a magnetic pickup.

 

[Wfrance3]

I had a 5 string fretless AEB with elixirs that did a pretty decent upright tone if you rolled off some eq. Thing with one of those is that it’s apt to feedback because of the sound holes.
I also had a u bass. Was one of the goldstone ones that was a longer scale 25” maybe? I never really bonded with either and have sold both. But, yea you could cop a decent upright tone with either.
I can do a different approach on my flat wound p bass. Similar procedure, roll off some tone, play over the front of the fretboard, fingers, not a pick (obv). Play with the meatiest part of your fingers. Nothing sounds like an upright, but that works pretty well. If you don’t have a p bass, go with the front most pickup and no back pickup. Roll off some if not all tone depending on the bass. For me a passive bass works best ymmv. Hope this helps!

 

[Kalsarikannit]

If you want information from people who actually use then and enjoy them visit here.
Acoustic bass fetish club Part 2
If you're just trolling, well....

ABG's are a different animal. People will say they don't sound like a DB. Well, no kidding. They never were supposed to sound like a DB. They have their own sound whether plugged in or not plugged in. Others will say if I have to plug in I might as well play my electric slab O'wood bass with magnetic pups...well, you certainly can but it won't sound like an ABG.

An ABG is an ABG, just like an acoustic guitar isn't an electric guitar, an ABG whether plugged in or not is not an electric bass guitar. They are a different animal and have their own sound and vibe.

I did like the Ibanez that I played today much more than the Taylor. I just don't know how many acoustic gigs we will have in the future. I liked the size and the tone but the feedback was loud.