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Need Advice about ACOUSTIC Bass

bogie1519

bogie1519

Feb 25, 2012
373
490
Beaumont Tex
#1
I'm thinking about buying an acoustic bass. It would be my first acoustic bass. I've been playing for well over 25 years. I know never have owned one. What got me thinking about it, was using it for practice. I figured it would be easier just to pick it up and get after it.

So sorry to ramble any pros or con's about it. My budget is under $500 any decent ones out there for that budget. FYI my main basses are EBMMHH 4 STRING and a Fender P BASS.

Thanks for any advice...
 
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#2
One piece of advice is try to find one that sounds good plugged in. It only takes me a few seconds to plug in and flip the switch on my amp...not sure about everyone else. Hey, maybe I'm doing something wrong.
Plugging in gives you the opportunity to put on some proper strings...D'Addario black tapewounds, and get more tonal options out of your acoustic bass. It also allows you to play along to whatever you might have on your iPod...try doing that without an amp!
Other than that, acoustic basses get a lot of flack around here, but some people realize they definitely serve a purpose.
 
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#3
I'd probably look to Ibanez, fender, Cort. Maybe you can find a nice deal on a used Warwick or Yamaha acoustic. I think Martin and Washburn makes acoustic basses. I don't have much experience but any of those brands should be pretty safe bets. I know someone who loves acoustic and knows a lot more will chine in. Good luck!
 
#8
bogie1519 said:
I'm thinking about buying an acoustic bass. It would be my first acoustic bass. I've been playing for well over 25 years. I know never have owned one. What got me thinking about it, was using it for practice. I figured it would be easier just to pick it up and get after it.

So sorry to ramble any pros or con's about it. My budget is under $500 any decent ones out there for that budget. FYI my main basses are EBMMHH 4 STRING and a Fender P BASS.

Thanks for any advice...
Click to expand...
Lots of peeps here can make a recommendation.
Acoustic bass fetish club Part 2
 
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#9
Fender makes a good ABG that’s not too expensive. I agree with the genius of @jd56hawk that finding one you like plugged in gives you an additional tool. I love the way mine sounds plugged in.
Remember they are big and you need to adjust your playing style a little. Just the picking arm. It’s a cool thing to have at your side. I’m watching football and Sic’em Bears!!! And just dinking with mine right now.
 
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#11
bogie1519 said:
I'm thinking about buying an acoustic bass. It would be my first acoustic bass. I've been playing for well over 25 years. I know never have owned one. What got me thinking about it, was using it for practice. I figured it would be easier just to pick it up and get after it.

So sorry to ramble any pros or con's about it. My budget is under $500 any decent ones out there for that budget. FYI my main basses are EBMMHH 4 STRING and a Fender P BASS.

Thanks for any advice...
Click to expand...

Dean makes some nice acoustic basses for a reasonable price
 
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#12
I've owned a few and they are the only instruments I've every owned and sold. I find a small battery powered amp like Blackstar 3watt and a beater bass sound and feel better. IMHO. Of course in the past when I wanted a acoustic bass nobody could talk me out of getting one. :)
 
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#13
One more thing...there's really no replacement for an acoustic bass.
I have 3 battery-powered amps for playing wherever I want...backyard barbecues, beach-night bonfires, camping trips, etc.
I remember an open-mic night from awhile back. My friend was playing his Guild 12-string and I could've bought a P bass, a Jazz or my Thunderbird...I could've stood up, too, but I decided the best move was sitting on a stool playing this.
FB-IMG-1620429151134.jpg

It's all about tone, but looks count, too.
 
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#17
Several years back I was in the hunt for an acoustic bass. I played every one I could find, and to my ears none of them produced a satisfying sound. I then went to looking for semi hollow electric basses. I found an Epiphone Viola, a Voxton Gibson 335 copy bass, and another semi hollow whose brand name escapes me right now. Each of these basses came close to the sound I wanted, but I kept looking. (I did buy them and still have all three). Then I stumbled across an Epiphone EB 1 fretless. This is the closest to an upright sound that I have found (except for the Uke basses that are popular right now).

Some time later I found a Dean acoustic bass cheap enough that I bought it. Yes it's a bass, and yes it can be heard if there are no other instruments playing, but it has a terrible pickup and will never cut it in a live band situation. I know some folks love acoustic basses, but I'm not in that camp. If you want to be heard in a live band you need to be amped, and I have not heard an acoustic bass amped that satisfies that need for me.

Thump on,

One_Dude
 
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#18
I have one.

Just brought it with me for an away weekend.

The body is small, like a guitar, 32", not expensive, built in tuner and eq.

I don't even bring the gigbag. I just put it in the trunk, on top of the bags.

Fender CB 60-SC.

Just took this picture:

IMG_20211030_224245.jpg
 
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