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Recommended cheap ABG?

abarson

abarson

Nov 6, 2003
7,379
1
13,624
63
Santa Cruz
#1
I'm looking for a cheap but decent acoustic bass guitar for living room practice and campfire jams.
I've tried the Dean offerings, and they are passable. Thought they sounded a bit thin.
The Michael Kelly's that I've found are nice, but possibly too nice for the outdoors.
Don't care for the Fender offerings.
The ultra-cheap ebay boxes look too cheap.
Anyone have experience with the Simba/Copley CAB-36?
Any other recommendations?
 
#3
abarson said:
I'm looking for a cheap but decent acoustic bass guitar for living room practice and campfire jams.
I've tried the Dean offerings, and they are passable. Thought they sounded a bit thin.
The Michael Kelly's that I've found are nice, but possibly too nice for the outdoors.
Don't care for the Fender offerings.
The ultra-cheap ebay boxes look too cheap.
Anyone have experience with the Simba/Copley CAB-36?
Any other recommendations?
Click to expand...

I have a Tacoma Thunderchief. It's mid-priced (~$1000) and sounds really good. I can keep up, volume-wise, with a couple of acoustic guitars if they aren't pounding.
 
#4
MF sells a pretty cheap ABG under the Rogue brand. Freltess or fretted, with a piezo pup and a cheap but workable electronics. It sounds fine and for the money you won't feel bad if it gets a bit roughed up. If you like the feel of an ABG, then you could move up in quality later.

I think they run less than $200

Sorry, never even heard of the Simba/Copley

enjoy!
 
#5
Look for a used Olympia. I liked it better than the Michael Kelly ABGs I've played (except for one MK Solid AB, which was pretty nice).

It's the Korean (I think) version of the venerable Tacoma, and can be had for under $300 used, or a little over $400 new. It will get about as loud as any ABG out there, which isn't that loud.

The body is big, like the Tacoma. That provides the volume, but makes it uncomfortable for many folks to play.

Here's one on ebay that's for sale in my neck of the woods.
 
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#7
Mine was a Brownsville (Sam Ash brand) that I picked up for $100 out the door. Had a few tiny paint chips, missing one bridge pin, but it worked for a while.

It ended up being my project bass for defretting, and a few other little projects.

Needless to say, don't pay attention to the brand and just grab everything off the wall that you can afford.

If I could do it again in a sub $500 price range, Michael Kelly for sure.
 
#8
ggunn said:
I have a Tacoma Thunderchief. It's mid-priced (~$1000) and sounds really good. I can keep up, volume-wise, with a couple of acoustic guitars if they aren't pounding.
Click to expand...

$1000 is mid-priced? It's certainly high-end as production guitars go; Of those I've seen only Taylors are more expensive. However, you could probably get an Olympia (Taylor's budget brand) for a decent sum.

I do like the Taylors, but I wouldn't take one camping; it's just too much money for a beater IMHO.
 
#9
Liko said:
$1000 is mid-priced? It's certainly high-end as production guitars go; Of those I've seen only Taylors are more expensive. However, you could probably get an Olympia (Taylor's budget brand) for a decent sum.

I do like the Taylors, but I wouldn't take one camping; it's just too much money for a beater IMHO.
Click to expand...

+1 that $1000 is steep for a budget instrument.

However, Olympia is the Tacoma import/budget brand. Taylor doesn't have a budget brand, AFAIK.
 
#11
I do know that the Copley CAB-36 has a cedar top, I think laminated. I had looked up an article/interview about them a few years ago. Never seen one in person.
Ibanez AEB10 is quite anemic.

If you like the Kelly bass, try to find also the Takamine EG-something ABG. It's got a big tone and is a bit cheaper as I recall. I think the Tak blows away the laminate maple Kelly Dragonflies, although they also made the Tak model in all-maple. Psychedelic orange looking thing.
I think the best ABG though in the sub-Tacoma price range is probably the Breedlove Atlas.
 

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