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Double Bass Portable Subsitute?

D

Dulahey

Oct 19, 2010
62
0
Norman, OK
#1
So the guys that I play with were talking about going camping sometime soon. They want to take some time to relax and just hang out. This means sitting around playing our instruments all day lol.

Well this got me thinking... there is no way I would ever want to take my big ole bass camping. So what instrument do/would you guys have as a more portable option.

I've kind of wanted to get an electric, but sometimes, such as camping, that wouldn't always work with lack of electricity. Someone else mentioned the acoustic basses that look like big guitars. (What on earth are these called????) You always see the like in mariachi bands.

The other option would be to just fore-go the bass and just get another portable instrument, such as a ukulele, to take on trips.

Any thoughts?
 
#2
Well those Kala U-bass things seem somewhat popular and designed for what you are talking about. I understand they need to still be amplified if you are playing with any other instruments. I wouldn't pay $700 or whatever for them though... How about a mouth harp or a travel didgeri-do?? Those things are bad-assed.:hyper:
 
#3
I almost feel like I'm posting in another forum over 'this side,' but I'm an electric bass player and have a Roland MicroCube Bass RX as my portable rig.. you get a good ten hours out of it on batteries, it actually sounds pretty good and has a few decent examples of some effects built in (though you don't want to put any outboard effects in front of it due to the digital front end). Could be perfect for what you're talking about!
 
#5
Really? I've heard that Kala u basses can keep up with acoustic instruments without an amp. I wouldn't pay $700 for one but a few have came up for sale used on the bass guitar classifieds recently.
 
#7
I own a Kaia U-bass.

It is downright quiet without an amp. I mean to say that is barely audible.

I have taken it on trips just to have something to play, but, frankly, I am the only person who can hear it, and only if there is no other sound in the room.

Don't buy one if you are expecting to play it, acoustically, and hope to be heard. Consider it as an electric instrument, IMHO.

The strings are basically very floppy rubber bands. If you play right down on the bridge, you can get a little sound, but not much. You might as well play an EB with no amp, for the amount of acoustic volume it puts out.


All to say that as an actual Kaia owner, I would suggest that you look elsewhere for something you can play around the campfire, without an amp...
 
#8
If you can find one,a resonator bass would probably work for you. I have a National Resophonic WB resonator bass that I use for situations when carting my upright is just to much trouble. National no longer makes a bass, but there are other brands out there that show up on ebay once in a while.
 
#9
Acoustic bass guitars get a bad rap but are worth considering.

I have one made by Breedlove, an Atlas model. An ABG will never be as loud as a DB, but the Breedlove, Martin, and Tacoma brands generally have respectable volume and can certainly keep up around the campfire.

Most have a built in pickup, so they can do double duty plugged in. Try one, they are incredibly fun!
 

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