Resonator Basses

[zontar]

It is cool, and it makes me wonder if that fiddle is also a reso...
(Probably not--but that would be cool too)

 

[rekesbass]

I like the way Les Claypool uses it the latest Primus album,his two privious solo albums and his new project Duo De Twang...if you're looking for that bizarre different sound a resonator or banjo bass is it..I kinda like it because it is so different

 

[Feral Feline]

It is cool, and it makes me wonder if that fiddle is also a reso...
(Probably not--but that would be cool too)

There was another thread on here or Double Bass Chat about that pic. Supposedly the whole band had resonator instruments, IIRC.
The site the pic came from (and it's on many different sites) has a pic of an alloy-bodied fiddle with TwO resonators!
Check the link ^ It's on the stairs.


Rekesbass, a friend of mine has a banjo bass, it's great and has a more pleasing (to my ear) twang than most of the reso-ABGs. These instruments definitely have a niche to fill.

 

[zontar]

There was another thread on here or Double Bass Chat about that pic. Supposedly the whole band had resonator instruments, IIRC.
The site the pic came from (and it's on many different sites) has a pic of an alloy-bodied fiddle with TwO resonators!
Check the link ^ It's on the stairs.


Rekesbass, a friend of mine has a banjo bass, it's great and has a more pleasing (to my ear) twang than most of the reso-ABGs. These instruments definitely have a niche to fill.

That's cool.

I have now bookmarked it for future use.

Thanks.

 

[rekesbass]

I had a chance to buy a banjo bass a few years back that was at a local music store and I didn't...wish I had because I haven't seen one since..very unique sounding and pretty loud for an acoustic instrument. it had a movable pup inside the body..I believe it was a Goldtone??

 

[hopdemon]

Nope. Bassplayer mag reviewed a resonator bass way back in the 90ies. Don't remember the brand, but I think it was from Dobro. I think that one had been around for a few years by then too.

Then there's the upright resonator bass from the 30ies. It wasn't very successful, and I'm not defending the concept here. I'm just saying that FMIC didn't invent the resonator bass.

The resonator bass that Bassplayer mag reviewed was a National Resophonic Estralita wood body bass.If I remember correctly it got good reviews. I have one and use it when I don't feel like carting my upright around.I have it strung with black tapewounds and don't get a twangy sound from it at all.I called Nat.Reso.to get some info and found out they are discontinued except as a special order, and the bass player from The Band Perry uses one.

 

[bassbenj]

So eloquently put... down. Stating "monstrosities" and "gimmick" is really quite helpful in perpetuating the bad rep these instruments get and goes so well towards turning this thread into another bash-fest. Bravo, you tried one and didn't like it.

After trying many of these reso-basses I find they're not my cup-of-tone, but I don't feel the need to denigrate them and in so doing also desparaging those who do like them.

I've heard some that sounded okay and others that were too twangy for my tastes. String choice (as already noted in the thread) and playing technique have a huge impact on how they sound. What I haven't heard is how one of the old upright-sized ones sound like – That I would like to hear.

Having tried some reso-basses (owned by some other local players) and listenting to them in a venue situation I"m afraid that Bongolation isn't all that far off. And understand that I own a LOT of resoguitars (guitars not basses) and play them all the time. I will say that the one in the initial video is getting close to what you want. In fact, it looks just like one of my guitars which I modded with neck magnetic pickup, Resonator piezo, and Fishman active Power Chip. It even does stereo (sort like Ric-o-sound) and sounds absolutely killer. But it's a guitar not a bass.

The point being that some things work and some don't and if everyone agrees that they don't work then it's not just a matter of "taste". They tend to sound like a$$. But that said, I think just being negative isn't an answer either. The question is if the thing isn't working what do you do to GET it working. And for a bass it seems to me one obvious answer would be to increase the body size. Note that a Guitarron has proven that it works for a long time! Deeper larger body. And THAT is what makes the photo so interesting. So does that larger version work better? Well, you'd have to hear it to judge, but it's sure a step in the right direction toward fixing the shortcomings of resobasses.

 

[Aidenn7]

 

[Feral Feline]

That sounded pretty good to me, on my laptop speakers and not even earphones.

Would've been nice to have heard him play a solid bass groove instead of guitar-noodling.

I don't think brass strings he intends to get will make it sound better; nothing I've heard in terms of ABGs sounds good with brass strings (at least to me).
I'm guessing brass strings are used on ABGs just to make them heard, but the brass always sounds shrill to me for any ABG I've picked up that has them (which is most, alas).



@bassbenj Late reply, but this thread was off my radar til the vid above bumped it. Yes, agreed some things work and some things don't — full stop. A boat with a huge hole in the hull comes to mind, so regardless of taste in boat design it's not going to work. However...

Uke basses shouldn't work in the same way bumble-bees shouldn't be able to fly. I'll classify the reso-basses in with things that could work.
I liked your Guitarron reference and other comments, observations such as what could make a reso-bass sound better. I've still yet to come across in person a reso-bass as big as the one beside the plane in the pic I posted; the alternative would be to attempt to make one instead of hoping I might find one. My skillset forgoes that option (I'd imagine a custom-sized resonator would be needed, not just the oversized woodwork), so I'll continue to hope and dream a pre-existing reso-standup-bass-guitarren contraption comes my way.

 

[Feral Feline]

Dave's World of Fun Stuff, time stamped link; Dave referring to resonator-cone needed-size for a reso-bass:

 

[B-Mac]