Most I have tried out need a small amp to get any volume. Acoustic guitar's are over taking my bass. Thanks.
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Need a recommendation for a good acoustic bass.
- Thread starter Sacto Kevin
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These are good acoustic basses.....
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You'll still need an amp to be heard though
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You'll still need an amp to be heard though
The only acoustic I know of that is loud enough to keep up is an old Ernie Ball. The body was huge, but that is what it takes. That is why uprights are the size they are.
What bass are you playing, and with what other instruments?
Acoustics, by nature, are limited in volume. If you like the tone but it's not loud enough, plug it in, that's why they come with pups and onboard electronics.
I play a Warwick Alien Deluxe with La Bella Deep Talkin Bass tapewound strings. I can leave it unplugged if I'm jamming with just one acoustic guitar. Add two or more guitars and the sound gets lost. If it's strictly an acoustic jam with a couple of players, I have a David Eden Micro Bass 2W amp Invalid Link Removed that runs on batteries and gives me enough volume to keep up. Anything else I plug into a MarkBass CMD 102p. I understand that the Tacoma Thunderchief is loud enough to keep up unplugged but I've never had the opportunity to try one.
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I agree apart from an Ernie Ball Earthwood you need to amplify so I just use one of my solid bodies or often my '65 Rivoli with Rotosound tapes through my Berlin combo with appropriate volume levels.
You can get good tone from several abgs. Martins are great, Breedloves, too. Tacoma, if you find one. Anyone who makes a fine acoustic guitar is likely to make a good-sounding bass too. Unplugged volume is always an issue, unless you buy a monster. Earthwood or a guitarron, or a huge custom.
How do you plan to use one?
How do you plan to use one?
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Some simple reasons why your ABG may not be working for you...
> False expectations - player thinks the ABG will function, on its own in a band. Seriously!? There's a reason they come with onboard electronics.
> The limp wrist theory - player is just plain weak, and is unable to generate any kind of acoustic volume, so clearly, the ABG is a faulty instrument.
> The low/fast set up - face it, you wont get any volume if you don't get the strings moving, and that ain't gonna happen if the strings are sitting two hairs above the board.
> Knuckle bleeders - the steel string guitar players who start and stop at triple forte; a jackhammer would have a rough time.
Of course YMMV, IMHO blah blah blah....
> False expectations - player thinks the ABG will function, on its own in a band. Seriously!? There's a reason they come with onboard electronics.
> The limp wrist theory - player is just plain weak, and is unable to generate any kind of acoustic volume, so clearly, the ABG is a faulty instrument.
> The low/fast set up - face it, you wont get any volume if you don't get the strings moving, and that ain't gonna happen if the strings are sitting two hairs above the board.
> Knuckle bleeders - the steel string guitar players who start and stop at triple forte; a jackhammer would have a rough time.
Of course YMMV, IMHO blah blah blah....
jdthebassman
play to live live to play
I have a 1993 guild b-30 inmo it is the best out there sounds great unplugged or through an amp. short scale neck nice large body.
I have a Fender Victor Bailey sig aeb that looks and sounds great. Has a Jazz sized neck that is very nice. However, I bought it for practice by myself without an amp and that's it's only purpose. I could play it live through an amp but it kinda defeats the purpose to me. In that situation I may as well play my L-2000 (which I enjoy much more). One of these days I'll have to try out a double bass.
I love my Fender Victor Bailey acoustic bass. Thin body plays great. It doesn't project too loud but its great just jamming around with a couple of people or practice.
- Oct 7, 2000
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The loudest unplugged acoustic bass I ever played or owned was a $150 Carlo Robelli that I won. Plugged in it sounded like crap, but acoustically it blew away a Michael Kelly I own, a JBP, and pretty much any other ABG I've played.
That being said, I'll repeat what has already been said - they all need to be plugged in.
What I found MUCH more useful for jamming acoustically is one of these, which has become my favorite travel instrument. Fits in an overhead, and is gig worthy when you plug it into an amp.
Vox Apache:
Vox Apache on a cruise, with me, last year:
That being said, I'll repeat what has already been said - they all need to be plugged in.
What I found MUCH more useful for jamming acoustically is one of these, which has become my favorite travel instrument. Fits in an overhead, and is gig worthy when you plug it into an amp.
Vox Apache:
Vox Apache on a cruise, with me, last year:
Loudest one o ever heard was the Tacoma thunder chief. Don't think they make them anymore.
