Double Bass The Bace ... Something Different.

[Kevin Hailey]

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Dubious aesthetics, horrible ergonomics and zero upper register access. Also the combination of the bridge being nearly flat and completely in the wrong place as well as no neck angle gives this very little chance of working acoustically. Seems to be a massive

 

[damonsmith]

The sound of the BACE is definitely more like an upright than most other ABGs. If you can't hear this, perhaps you should have your ears checked.

But is it is enough more justify the awkwardness? Also, is that something that should even be desirable? An acoustic bass guitar should be its own instrument. I am actually a fan of the ABG.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

Why not play a small fractional double bass with double bass strings. Something below 1/4 in size.
They exist, are not too expensive because they are made for the smaller youth and you get real DB strings that sound like them. They also have the smaller body in a similar size to a cello.

A lot of the sound of a BG lies in the construction of the string (the other one in pickup and amplification).

As I wrote elsewhere here, once I got DB prototype strings from BG string manufacturer. They made them like a flatwound BG string, only longer and with ball end and underlength.
I put them on my Stagg EDB and the Stag sounded almost exactly as a fretless BG. With DB strings the Stagg sounder a lot closer to a DB than these strings.

BG strings could not be constructed like a DB string. They need a solid steel core DB strings have parallel, spiral wound or braided steel wires as a core, if not gut or synthetic which would not work with magnetic pickups.

They also often have damping material between the layers of windings that is typically not used on BG strings. (A damped string bows easier and is more controllable with the bow.)

So expecting a DB-like sound from an instrument with BG strings (probably needed because of a BG bridge) limits the choices of strings drastically, maybe it limits so much that you are dissatisfied whatever BG string you use.

So thinking out of the box without a deeper understanding how the noise and part of the outside works can easily lead to putting a lot of work into an unsatisfying thing that could have be seen as a non-solution with some deeper understanding.

Nothing against experiments in general, but if you don‘t really know what you do, most experiments will fail or don‘t deliver the expected results.

 

[Wasnex]

But is it is enough more justify the awkwardness? Also, is that something that should even be desirable? An acoustic bass guitar should be its own instrument. I am actually a fan of the ABG.

My Tacoma Thunderchief gets uncomfortable pretty quickly. It has a really fabulous amplified tone though. Is it worth the trade off? Each person should answer that for themself, and it's best if the decision is based on an in-hand demo (minimum). I definitely would not hold the Tacoma as my only instrument, but I think it's worth keeping.

For the record I would be more tempted by the Toby Chennell Arco, or perhaps a quality fractional size UB. If I owned one of these instruments, I would consider it more of a specialty item, like the Tacoma.

 

[Paps]

A pointless extravagance for eccentric nut-jobs.
I know, but you cant offend anyone who would take this seriously!

 

[Wasnex]

you cant offend anyone who would take this seriously!

You can, but not really sure why you find it necessary or appropriate.

 

[Acoop]

But is it is enough more justify the awkwardness? Also, is that something that should even be desirable? An acoustic bass guitar should be its own instrument. I am actually a fan of the ABG.

So am I have have been playing one for near 30-years. ... I just like invention and sound.

 

[Paps]

You can, but not really sure why you find it necessary or appropriate.

No, no! You have misunderstood.
No one is out to offend anyone, but some people do get offended if they feel their opinions are not validated.
My comment was meant to be light hearted, just as I and others take this instrument!
In another forum, such light hearted comments are made in purple font to clarity humorous intent.

 

[Ketbass]

You can, but not really sure why you find it necessary or appropriate.

Ok, this video just took this thread to a whole nuther place!

 

[damonsmith]

Context is everything. Sure, out of context there is nothing wrong with this thing. Also, a bass guitar neck grafted onto a 'cello body should get you a bit closer to DB sound than a larger acoustic guitar body.
I am sure it would fun to play.
In context, the premise is about misconceptions of the double bass & it is being put forward as a workaround that really isn't going to work.

incidentally, the top 3 misconceptions about the double bass are:
1. Your hands are too small to play it
2. Your hands are big enough to use bass guitar technique
3. A double bass won't fit in your car
1 & 3 are very rarely true & 2 is never true. So the issue is someone like @Lance Bunyon thinks they need this when all they need is a couple months of lessons with classical teacher on the double bass they ALREADY own.

 

[Paps]

Again, in a light hearted way, as this is a double bass forum, we should have opinions as to what is accepted.
However, if this yoke was tuned in fifths, would we call it a cello or bass hybrid?
With that size of fingerboard and curved bridge for bow use, I would much prefer it tuned in fifths and the cellists would definitely have a clear advantage. (If we call it a bass, 5ths is a valid option!)
Would a cellist play blue-grass, rockabilly, jazz, slap-cello?
Maybe this could broaden their little horizons!
However, bass fans could stay ahead and claim it by adding a fifth string and insisting that German bow rules!

 

[Lance Bunyon]

Context is everything. Sure, out of context there is nothing wrong with this thing. Also, a bass guitar neck grafted onto a 'cello body should get you a bit closer to DB sound than a larger acoustic guitar body.
I am sure it would fun to play.
In context, the premise is about misconceptions of the double bass & it is being put forward as a workaround that really isn't going to work.

incidentally, the top 3 misconceptions about the double bass are:
1. Your hands are too small to play it
2. Your hands are big enough to use bass guitar technique
3. A double bass won't fit in your car
1 & 3 are very rarely true & 2 is never true. So the issue is someone like @Lance Bunyon thinks they need this when all they need is a couple months of lessons with classical teacher on the double bass they ALREADY own.

Or...you could look at my ad in classifieds and give Kay a better home!

 

[BassFalcon]

Let’s just go all the way;

 

[knirirr]

incidentally, the top 3 misconceptions about the double bass are:
1. Your hands are too small to play it
2. Your hands are big enough to use bass guitar technique
3. A double bass won't fit in your car

The one that dissuaded me was not 3, but that it wouldn't go up/down the staircases in my house.
Luckily, someone selling a nice 3/4 locally offered to lend it to me for a weekend, which allowed me to find out that it would, just about, with care, go upstairs if put into its bag first.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

Some staircases can be narrow and steep.
I wouldn‘t like to bring a DB up or down the staircase in an older house in the larger cities of the Netherlands even though it might be possible to do that.

 

[damonsmith]

I am a big guy and my place has a narrow twisting staircase. I sort of tuck the bass behind me hold one of the handles when I go up and hold it in front when I go down.
We can overcome all of these things. What is harder to overcome is when some has bought in to the excuse to the degree that they can't let go of it. Generally I think that is about not wanting to do the work it takes once you commit to the double rather that any of these misconceptions.

The one that dissuaded me was not 3, but that it wouldn't go up/down the staircases in my house.
Luckily, someone selling a nice 3/4 locally offered to lend it to me for a weekend, which allowed me to find out that it would, just about, with care, go upstairs if put into its bag first.

 

[Matthijs]

Some staircases can be narrow and steep.
I wouldn‘t like to bring a DB up or down the staircase in an older house in the larger cities of the Netherlands even though it might be possible to do that.

I’ve been doing that in Amsterdam several times a week for several decades now. It’s a pain, but also something you get used to. I bought an EUB for rehearsals to spare me those stairs. But ended up taking the doghouse anyway. It’s just a question of technique an perseverance, like a lot of bass related things

 

[TroyK]

My uncle was involved in a folk music society when he was alive and someone in that circle had made something like this. He wore it on a strap like that and walked around the circle playing roots and 5ths. It was a nice compliment to the xx # of dreadnaught guitars and the odd mandolin or banjo.

It had limited range and very little acoustic output. It made him and people around him happy and there is really no reason for anyone to think or feel anything negative about it.

But, he made it from a student model cello that he presumably had or bought for pocket change and he had no ambitions aside from making himself and others happy.

 

[Lance Bunyon]

My uncle was involved in a folk music society when he was alive and someone in that circle had made something like this. He wore it on a strap like that and walked around the circle playing roots and 5ths. It was a nice compliment to the xx # of dreadnaught guitars and the odd mandolin or banjo.

It had limited range and very little acoustic output. It made him and people around him happy and there is really no reason for anyone to think or feel anything negative about it.

But, he made it from a student model cello that he presumably had or bought for pocket change and he had no ambitions aside from making himself and others happy.

There are folk basses in The Philippines made with these giant jumbo guitar bodies. Always four string, always fretted. The big mystery is that the strings actually look like suspension cables.
I've never been in-country long enough to hunt down one of the builders.
They project acoustically. Tone? Well let's just say they can be heard.

 

[Paps]

I could get a 3/4 bass in through the passenger door of my previous saloon car, but the 4/4 needs an estate or hatch back.