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Why do I want an Acoustic bass?

Don M

Don M

Oct 24, 2014
586
313
53
Suburbs of Cincinnati
#1
Not only do I want an acoustic, but I want a short scale or smaller acoustic. A 32" might be okay, but I really want to go smaller than that. I think I'm most interested in the following:

Spector Timbre Jr
Guild B-240E
Michael Kelly Sojouner 4K
Guild Jumbo Jr

I know there are others..including a bunch from Ibanez..but let's stick to the above list (at least for now).

I'm really looking for users of the Spector Timbre series and the Sojourner 4K. I've read a lot about the others and the older Sojourner.

Also looking for opinions of the guitar scale acoustics and the difference between the two different scales.
 
#5
I was in the acoustic room at GC checking out guitars when I happened to see a Guild jumbo junior bass, dang thing played great and sounded (acoustically) even better. I didn't have time to plug it in but based on the acoustic tone and volume I am kinda thinking of buying one and I don't usually like spending money.
 
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#7
mikeoso said:
Cant be a bad thing. Plugged in it will gig or jam, unplugged it will noodle or practice. Just be aware that none of the shorties, and few of the bigrig abgs, are adequate for ensemble work or jamming unplugged. Keep your expectations reasonable and you avoid disappointment.
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I don't think any of them are really loud enough to play with an acoustic guitar unplugged. Not to the point where the balance between the Guitar and the bass would make me happy anyways. That's one of the reasons I bought one that has a smaller acoustic guitar sized body even thought its 34" scale is because I tried a few and none of them were particularly loud so I went for comfort over volume and if it playing with someone else I use an amp.
 
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#8
Nephilymbass said:
I don't think any of them are really loud enough to play with an acoustic guitar unplugged. Not to the point where the balance between the Guitar and the bass would make me happy anyways. That's one of the reasons I bought one that has a smaller acoustic guitar sized body even thought its 34" scale is because I tried a few and none of them were particularly loud so I went for comfort over volume and if it playing with someone else I use an amp.
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As I said, few abgs can hang in there unplugged. To get one that can, you have to spend a bunch of money and learn to play differently, because they have to be way big. You also have to hunt obsessively, since many of the usable ones are either out of production or custom/ boutique units. I play with a group of acoustic guitars every week, and get heard. But my smallest is a Martin jumbo. None of these are still in production, and one is a total one-off from a basement.
basses.jpg
 
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#17
Why do you want an ABG? Because you want something you can play when you are alone and don't want to fuss with cables and such, or you are still not convinced an ABG has to be plugged in to play in a group setting even if it's with an unplugged flat top you are playing alongside; or you just want one and have the money?
 

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