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Recommended acoustic bass guitar?
- Thread starter kokox3
- Start date
You are going to get lots of questions and I will start. What do you want to do with it? Why does it have to be acoustic? How committed are you to learning? Do you have realistic expectations of an acoustic?
Reasons for questions that I listed...
- If you plan on playing with a group and want an acoustic to avoid buying an amp, think again... you will need the amp and the acoustic will have feedback issues and then you are better off with a normal electric bass.
- If you are just now learning and not sure if you will stick with it. I recommend that you spend less than $1500 in case you don’t stick with it. I would recommend a Michael Kelly or something comparable for this group.
You will get a lot of opinions, but it is best to go try some yourself in store to see what you like. The Warwick Aliens are great acoustics. Almost bought one a few years back. If you want your search to end now, buy one and you will probably be happy with it.
IMO the absolute best you can do for $1500 or less on an acoustic is a used Emerald Balor bass. They do not pop up often, particularly sub $2000, but it does happen. I paid $1400 for mine last year and have seen a couple over the years around this price (admittedly it is a rare bass and even more rare to see in the sub $1500 price range, so may not be doable in your time frame).
Reasons for questions that I listed...
- If you plan on playing with a group and want an acoustic to avoid buying an amp, think again... you will need the amp and the acoustic will have feedback issues and then you are better off with a normal electric bass.
- If you are just now learning and not sure if you will stick with it. I recommend that you spend less than $1500 in case you don’t stick with it. I would recommend a Michael Kelly or something comparable for this group.
You will get a lot of opinions, but it is best to go try some yourself in store to see what you like. The Warwick Aliens are great acoustics. Almost bought one a few years back. If you want your search to end now, buy one and you will probably be happy with it.
IMO the absolute best you can do for $1500 or less on an acoustic is a used Emerald Balor bass. They do not pop up often, particularly sub $2000, but it does happen. I paid $1400 for mine last year and have seen a couple over the years around this price (admittedly it is a rare bass and even more rare to see in the sub $1500 price range, so may not be doable in your time frame).
Hey,
thanks for the reasoned response. i want acoustic bass because i mostly play acoustic guitar, and im also a little lazy and dont have the power to plug in an amplifier
.
in terms of budget, i set a budget that isnt that low because i dont want to change a guitar every year, i want a guitar that will be with me for many years, no matter if i dont play with it (which i dont think will happen), that there is another guitar in home it is never a drawback.
thanks for the reasoned response. i want acoustic bass because i mostly play acoustic guitar, and im also a little lazy and dont have the power to plug in an amplifier
.in terms of budget, i set a budget that isnt that low because i dont want to change a guitar every year, i want a guitar that will be with me for many years, no matter if i dont play with it (which i dont think will happen), that there is another guitar in home it is never a drawback.
You could grab a new Breedlove Solo or Boulder Creek and have a good chunk of coin left over. And if taken care of, either one will last years. I bought my Takamine G series close to 13 years ago for around $350.00 off ebay, and it's still getting played.
Nothing quite like an acoustic bass with Aphex System electronics.
You won't find it in Warwick, Martin, Guild, or Tacoma acoustic basses.
Only the older Dean Exoticas...$300 or so.
Then, you'll have plenty of money left over for an amp or two, even a battery-powered Roland Micro Cube for all those times you can find a wall socket.
(Headphones are recommended)
With a Regal Bassoguitar you won't need an amp. And they still price in at under $1500.
I put a K&K Pure Bass pickup in mine, instead of the undersaddle. Along with tapewounds, sounds great.
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I’ve had a fender kingman for a couple years and it’s a solid bass. $500 new and I to like too not mess with cords and amps all the time., keep it easy. It projects well and when the fellas are over playing acoustic guitar, I.e. you can here it. It is electric as well with a built in tuner and a fishman pickup, I don’t really ever plug it in, but it’s there. For what it’s worth.
Playing an acoustic guitar has very little relation to playing an acoustic bass. They both have a similar shape. That’s where the similarity ends.
If you’re going to play with other people, you’re going to need an amp. A/E basses have no volume. If you get an amp, you might as well get an electric bass.
If you’re going to play with other people, you’re going to need an amp. A/E basses have no volume. If you get an amp, you might as well get an electric bass.
I did that with the two piezo K&K upright pickup in a Taylor. With tapes it sounds a world “abetter” than the oem electronics and under saddle piezo. Meanwhile this is not where our padwan needs to be heading.
For an acoustic bass guitar to project enough volume, a 6" deep jumbo body like the old Earthwoods would be preferable. Lamont Guitars makes an excellent flat back AGB based on the old Earthwood design. Worth a look.
Can't believe I am going to say this...did not want to believe it...
Skip the accoustic bass
I have owned the Guild B-50, Taylor / Klein AB-2, Martin B-15 and a custom boutique build
They are a lovely idea, but they don't work
Believe me I tried...phospher bronze, la bella tapes, flats
I would write / work out tunes, play solo and sing...they just don't project enough because they don't
I guess if you are moving off the grid into a no electricity zone then maybe...
Save yourself the frustration, get yourself a hollowbody and a small amp instead...or of course a Precision and small amp
I fought this a long time, didn't want to believe it either
Skip the accoustic bass
I have owned the Guild B-50, Taylor / Klein AB-2, Martin B-15 and a custom boutique build
They are a lovely idea, but they don't work
Believe me I tried...phospher bronze, la bella tapes, flats
I would write / work out tunes, play solo and sing...they just don't project enough because they don't
I guess if you are moving off the grid into a no electricity zone then maybe...
Save yourself the frustration, get yourself a hollowbody and a small amp instead...or of course a Precision and small amp
I fought this a long time, didn't want to believe it either
I have a small blackstar battery bass combo. If they are not miked with guitars, they really need something to supplement the sound sound even in quiet settings. For practising alone, they are cool.
Rogue series 2 AB304-MLP
Seriously the best sounding and playing acoustic I've ever played
Loud enough to play with an acoustic guitar and can be plugged in, has a preamp and a tuner built in.
I got mine for about $100
Seriously the best sounding and playing acoustic I've ever played
Loud enough to play with an acoustic guitar and can be plugged in, has a preamp and a tuner built in.
I got mine for about $100
