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Is an Acoustic bass worth it
- Thread starter Kalsarikannit
- Start date
Hi. An "acoustic show" suggests you may be looking for an upright sound. If so, thanks you may wish to research a "Rob Allen Fretless. Although nothing sounds like an upright, for me, nothing comes closer. Regards
I have 6 electrics and 2 acoustic basses. Play mainly with acoustic guitar players. I like the sound of my Fender Kingman but playing with other instruments it needs amplification. Great for practice and I use it a lot. And why not have all the tools.
People gonna say uke bass but honestly nothing sounds as good acoustically as a guittaron, a 6 string bass that has a tiny scale and a giant body, you see them in mariachi bands and they sound great
and so what if it is plugged in
how does plugging it in suddenly make it unworthy
makes no sense
It doesn't make it "unworthy". It's just that if you're going to have to plug it in anyway (as you are pretty much always going to have to do with an ABG), you might as well have an electric bass (even if it of the hollow body variety).
Right? Tell him. And who needs dreadnought guitars? Might as well bring a strat!
A dreadnought guitar can be heard perfectly well without being plugged in, so it makes sense as an acoustic instrument. An ABG cannot be heard against the sound of an acoustic guitar without being plugged in, with the possible exception of a softly played nylon string. It certainly can't keep up with the sound of a dreadnought while unplugged. An ABG is useful really only for unaccompanied lounge room practice, or for "looking the part" in an acoustic band (while actually plugged in). I wish it weren't true, but it is. I have spent a decade finding this out, during which time I have owned an Ernie Ball Earthwood, a Martin B-1 and a Guild B-30. I still have the Guild, but seldom use it.
Your logic dictates a dreadnought be replaced with a strat each every time it isn't loud enough.
No, my logic says if you want to play bass in such a way as to be heard against a moderately strummed acoustic guitar, you have two options: 1) plug the bass (whether ABG or electric) in, or 2) use a double bass. Of course, if you are happy to play but have nobody hear you, by all means use an unplugged ABG.
As for this part: duh. Also duh: sometimes guitars, acoustic or not, are also not loud enough, and need to be plugged in. Also your logic, as stated two post of yours above: if an ABG needs to be plugged in, might as well bring an electric. I'm simply bringing out the implications of your logic: if an acoustic guitar isn't loud enough and has to be plugged in, one might as well use an electric guitar instead. Own it.
I am not talking about overall volume, I am talking about comparative volume. An acoustic guitar is often loud enough for unplugged playing. An ABG is pretty much never loud enough for unplugged playing if another instrument is also playing (and let's face it, the bass is an ensemble instrument). The ABG is really an affectation, created to give the appearance of an acoustic instrument for "unplugged" shows. This is is why so many ABGs are so slim. The few that do have almost enough volume are so bulky as to be unwieldy. Ever played an Ernie Ball Earthwood? I owned one for a while. It feels like you are trying to wrap your arms around a canoe, and it still isn't usefully loud.
Aria FEB FL/FN with la Bella flats
Looks great, sounds authentic and is reasonably priced...
Looks great, sounds authentic and is reasonably priced...
I say rent one. You'll get an idea of how it plays and sound.
I have had a few but never got to use one in a band.
The Kala bass is an option & I like the new Taylor Mini bass.
This could be a good opportunity to rule one in or out.
OTOH a Precision with flats is a good standard for that gig.
I have had a few but never got to use one in a band.
The Kala bass is an option & I like the new Taylor Mini bass.
This could be a good opportunity to rule one in or out.
OTOH a Precision with flats is a good standard for that gig.
This ignores the fact that, even plugged in, an ABG sounds different than any electric bass, which may be what you're going for. Same argument could be made for double bass.
I doubt there are many people who would suggest only owning an ABG (although I'm sure it works for some), but it's definitely the minority here to only own one bass.
I don't get the "you will have to amplify so just use a …"
I saw a show a while ago led by a great bass player. He was using a DB and was amplified. Wouldn't it have been easier for him to use an EUB, or a P bass using that line of reasoning?
I doubt anyone on stage or in the audience was wondering why he bothered with the hassle of the big awkward acoustic instrument.
I saw a show a while ago led by a great bass player. He was using a DB and was amplified. Wouldn't it have been easier for him to use an EUB, or a P bass using that line of reasoning?
I doubt anyone on stage or in the audience was wondering why he bothered with the hassle of the big awkward acoustic instrument.
My avatar shows I really don't have a dog in this fight but, some observations anyway.
In most performance situations where an ABG would have to be plugged in, so would the acoustic guitars so, stalemate.
I have, on multiple occasions and using three different instruments, played unplugged in ensemble and have been heard just fine.
If you really are that concerned, get yourself a 1/4 sized DB. More portable than a 3/4, can be played across the lap (although you will need a cushion for your thigh), and plenty loud. So loud, in fact, that you don't need onboard electronics. Just sit in the back and bleed into the mics the vocalists are using.
In most performance situations where an ABG would have to be plugged in, so would the acoustic guitars so, stalemate.
I have, on multiple occasions and using three different instruments, played unplugged in ensemble and have been heard just fine.
If you really are that concerned, get yourself a 1/4 sized DB. More portable than a 3/4, can be played across the lap (although you will need a cushion for your thigh), and plenty loud. So loud, in fact, that you don't need onboard electronics. Just sit in the back and bleed into the mics the vocalists are using.
Totally disagree
ABG when plugged in have their own sound and vibe.
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