NBD - my first acoustic bass guitar

[Brandon Shea]

For our anniversary this year, my wife and I got each other some musical gifts. Her gift to me was a really cool Breedlove medium scale acoustic bass guitar that she found used at Guitar Center. It needed a little love (and new strings), but now that it's fixed up, it sure is fun to pick up and play! The electronics are dead simple, which I really approve of. There's a volume knob (no tone) and two buttons for phase and contour.

I replaced the original phosphor bronze strings with D'Addario tapes - ETB92M. In addition to this being my first ABG, this is also my first time using tapewound strings. They're pretty neat! I have a feeling this could send me down another string rabbit hole...

Anyway, obligatory pic now that it's set up and playing beautifully:

 

[StyleOverShow]

Nice looking bass. I have a chambered fretless that I play all the time, not as full a tone as this acoustic but much better than a slab. Yeah, strings become a whole new universe to explore…

 

[bassist4dalord]

Congrats, and happy anniversary! My wife bought me an Ibanez AEB5E acoustic bass for our first Christmas as a married couple, 14 years ago. We didn't have two Pennies to rub together but she was able to buy it without me knowing and surprise me with it on Christmas Day. I still have it and it is one of my most prized possessions. ABGs are super cool in my opinion.

D'Addario Tapes are fantastic on ABGs. My Ibanez currently has Elixir Phosphor Bronze; they are totally awesome because they have the cool sound of PB without the nasty smell and screeching of uncoated PB. Definitely worth a try for you someday.

Enjoy the new bass, the new strings and another year with what sounds like an amazing wife!

 

[Michael Jewels]

Hey, congrats and good luck with your new Breedlove, Bradon.

I have one too!

The difference with mine is, I have only a volume control inside the sound hole.

Mine is also a 32" scale; most of the newer ones are 34" scale.

They are very nice sounding basses.

Enjoy!

Mike

 

[Michael Jewels]

Here's mine

 

[jd56hawk]

Looks pretty good to me, and the black tapewounds are the perfect string choice.
I've been playing acoustic bass for fourteen years...I don't even play unplugged when I'm tuning up...I believe in the MTV Unplugged school of thought...plug in!
How's the one with the phase out when you're using an amp?
(My favorite setting on my Dean Exotica.)


Slightly warmer tone here.

 

[Brandon Shea]

Congrats, and happy anniversary! My wife bought me an Ibanez AEB5E acoustic bass for our first Christmas as a married couple, 14 years ago. We didn't have two Pennies to rub together but she was able to buy it without me knowing and surprise me with it on Christmas Day. I still have it and it is one of my most prized possessions. ABGs are super cool in my opinion.

D'Addario Tapes are fantastic on ABGs. My Ibanez currently has Elixir Phosphor Bronze; they are totally awesome because they have the cool sound of PB without the nasty smell and screeching of uncoated PB. Definitely worth a try for you someday.

Enjoy the new bass, the new strings and another year with what sounds like an amazing wife!

Cool story, and glad to hear you're still enjoying your Ibanez all these years later!

So far so good with the tapes, and good to know about the Elixir PB strings. I don't hate the tone of phosphor bronze necessarily, but the smell and screech you described are exactly the reasons I had to get something else on here right away.

 

[Brandon Shea]

Here's mine
View attachment 7499670

Looks great! Big fan of the 32" scale so far, the neck is super comfortable.

 

[Brandon Shea]

Looks pretty good to me, and the black tapewounds are the perfect string choice.
I've been playing acoustic bass for fourteen years...I don't even play unplugged when I'm tuning up...I believe in the MTV Unplugged school of thought...plug in!
How's the one with the phase out when you're using an amp?
(My favorite setting on my Dean Exotica.)


Slightly warmer tone here.

Thanks for posting those videos! I stumbled across one of them while trying to figure out which strings I should pick up, and I placed the order for my D'Addario tapes shortly after that.

I think mine sounds pretty good with the phase out... I should really record it with a few different settings to see what I think of everything in a mix. Might be a fun weekend project!

 

[jd56hawk]

Thanks for posting those videos! I stumbled across one of them while trying to figure out which strings I should pick up, and I placed the order for my D'Addario tapes shortly after that.

I think mine sounds pretty good with the phase out... I should really record it with a few different settings to see what I think of everything in a mix. Might be a fun weekend project!

You're welcome.
Planning on an open mic night in June.
I'm probably going to use my Exotica because my buddy will be playing his Guild 12-string acoustic.
Good luck with yours.