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Recommendations for an Elec/Acoustic Bass

A

Alienwordz

Nov 4, 2007
5
0
#1
I am looking for a thin body electric/acoustic bass preferably with a 34" neck.

Does any one have any recommendations? I really want a thinner body but do not want to spend whole lot of money. A whole lot being under $800.00.
Thanks
 
#2
I have spent quite a bit of time shopping for an ABG. First, the larger ones are usually louder when unplugged. Second, the pickup system makes a difference like on any bass. Third, they lack low end when unplugged. Lately, I have been looking into a Fender Victor Bailey ABG. It's thinner and smaller than most, and has nice tuners and a Fishman piezo system. $899. Today I happened upon a Tacoma Thunderchief Fretless. Wow. That's the one. The damn thing is freakin' huge, but it has all the low end that the others seem to lack. Unfortunately, this particular one was slightly abused sitting around at GC. Go figure. :hmm: I am trying to pin one down locally before resort to ordering one. Shop hard for what you are looking for. One of them will speak to you.
 
#3
Look for an older Godin Acoustibass or the newer A4 model:

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Do a search and read the reviews. I'm very happy with mine. Mahogany body, rosewood neck, ebony thumbrest and bridge, great sound and playability.
 
#5
:cool:
I went through the Electric/Acoustic Bass thing.
It drove me crazy.

For all my time, and money.
I've come to the conclusion.

An acoustic bass, sounds great un-amplifed.
When you add electronics to it, your screwed.

That said, Rob Allan to me, makes the best Elec/Acoustic bass.
I would like to get a good, Acoustic Bass,
with no electronics, sometime?

Who makes a good one?
 
#6
The Fender Victor Bailey is pretty freakin' cool. It's gorgeous, has a really cool punchy unplugged tone and plays real nice. I've never plugged one in, but I've played one at my local GC several times and I'm still thinking about pulling the trigger on it. Did I mention that it looks really, really cool?
 
#7
I like the Godins, although I don't like their looks too much. I had one for awhile. Another one to consider, although it's not really an acoustic-electric is the Epiphone Jack Casady. I used to use mine for acoustic gigs, and it works pretty well due to the semi-hollow body. And since you're going to have to amplify any of them, it's one to consider. GC in Memphis has a used Casady for $400.00. The cool thing about it is it's Vintage Sunburst, which they only made in the early years of the Casady. You see a lot of the gold and the ebony's, but rarely see one in the VS.
 
#8
I'd strongly consider Godin. Sure, Rob Allen basses are fantastic, but they're also out of your price range.

The Godin A4 is one of the few basses I've sold that I really miss. Great value (can be found used for $600 many times), nice comfortable thin body (as opposed to a Tacoma, which I also owned), great tone, very playable. Really well made as well, considering the price.

The Tacoma sounds best unplugged, but it's still not really loud enough for most situations. Plugged in, the Godin sounds fantastic. Better than the Tacoma, IMO. Also, no feedback issues that plague most ABGs.
 
#10
I love my Godin A4.

I'd love to have expensive eye, ear and hand candy like Rob Allen, Veillette, Turner Renaissance or several others, but the A4 is a wonderful instrument, and excellent value in the used market, well within your budget.

Lurk on ebay for a while, and you can find a nice one, as I did. Mine is fretless, but the fretted models show up with regularity, too.


- Mike
 
#11
I haven't played an A4, but the Acoustibass is thinner and has a more traditional P-bass shape. It also has sort of an internal harp with metal tines that is supposed to help emulate more of an upright sound. The A4 doesn't have the long thumbrest and some seem to feel that it doesn't balance on a strap as well as the Acoustibass due to the lack of the upper horn. You will have a much easier time finding an A4 though.
 
#13
I have one thing to add about Tacoma ABG's. They are so lightweight that they feel fragile, but I can testify that they are a lot sturdier than they appear. I had mine out camping at the Kerrville Folk Festival last summer, and I was walking between campsites carrying my Tacoma in playing position. It started raining just as I was approaching shelter, so I went into sort of a trot to get out of the rain. Just as I got where I was going, I slipped on a muddy patch (alcohol may have been a contributing factor), and I planted face, falling with my full weight on my bass and trapping it between my chest and the ground. Much to my happy surprise, it was not damaged. My dignity, however was shattered. ;^)
 

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