Acoustic bass suggestions? (not upright)

H

hungovermorning

Dr. Caveman.
Thee olde lady was looking to pick up an acoustic bass to kick around the house with and I did a little research and there seems to be a lot of jump out there. I'd like to buy something mid-grade where the neck won't come flying toward the body in two years. I'd really prefer not to buy a Chinese one, Korean is just peachy though. I appreciate any suggestions.

best,
scott
 
Well

I'd suggest a Fender BG-29 bass, but I dunno.

The one I got was old, scratched and the low E broke alittle after I got it, but I love it. I got it for 150$ though, so I dunno if the 300-450$ they usually go for is worth it, but it's a great sounding bass that's got some okay volume acoustically.

And yeah, it's made in Korea.
 
I've never heard or played an acoustic bass that didn't sound like shit (relative to a real bass). I think that anything you can hang around your neck just doesn't have the size to produce a satisfying bottom end.

But that's just me - a double bass player. :)
 
crazydoc said:
I've never heard or played an acoustic bass that didn't sound like shit (relative to a real bass). I think that anything you can hang around your neck just doesn't have the size to produce a satisfying bottom end.

But that's just me - a double bass player. :)
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I have to agree. I can't afford the space for a double bass anymore, but an acoustic bass is a poor substitute. The body is too small, mostly what you get is upper harmonics and fret noise. Something like a mandocello or a bouzouki is more useful.
 
Agreed, they're all awful. The only thing I've heard and played that works is a Guitarron....especially if they're balsa. They can be amazing. I know a guy in San Diego that converted one by putting a shortened Fender neck on it and it was loud and full. Why they don't make 4 string versions I don't know but you can get by by getting one with geared pegs, using 4 strings instead of 6 and tuning in 4ths from a low A.
 
philboyd studge said:
Agreed, they're all awful. The only thing I've heard and played that works is a Guitarron....especially if they're balsa. They can be amazing. I know a guy in San Diego that converted one by putting a shortened Fender neck on it and it was loud and full. Why they don't make 4 string versions I don't know but you can get by by getting one with geared pegs, using 4 strings instead of 6 and tuning in 4ths from a low A.
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I agree about the guitarrón - nice full sound for its size. Probably because of the depth (thickness) of the body (acoustic basses are thin by comparison - just made long and wide) which may be necessary to develop the low end.


However, this makes them a somewhat awkward instrument to play.

I too think there'd be a market for a guitarrón body with a 4 string bass type neck (fretted or fretless) - maybe I'll have to make one. :)
 

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Yeah, a guitarron can really cut through an acoustic group. Played in the traditional manner of octaves they have amazing projection.
 
crazydoc said:
I've never heard or played an acoustic bass that didn't sound like shit (relative to a real bass). I think that anything you can hang around your neck just doesn't have the size to produce a satisfying bottom end.

But that's just me - a double bass player. :)
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The goal is just something that can be played while The Price is Right is on without having to fire up an amplifier if ya know what I mean. I tried to sell her on a semi-hollow body but she just wouldn't listen. I blame this on The Violent Femmes.

Thanks for the suggestions on the Takamine and Fender, I'll certainly check those out.
 
hungovermorning said:
The goal is just something that can be played while The Price is Right is on without having to fire up an amplifier if ya know what I mean. I tried to sell her on a semi-hollow body but she just wouldn't listen. I blame this on The Violent Femmes.

Thanks for the suggestions on the Takamine and Fender, I'll certainly check those out.
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I've got a Tacoma Thunderchief fretless. It's the best that I tried when I was shopping for one, and I tried a lot of them. Don't waste your money on a 5 string ABG, though.
 
i went into the guitar store with intentions of buying bass strings about a year ago. Then i started playing that cheap-o $150 dean acoustic. I started to think about maybe buying it (for the exact practice reasons as your wife or whatever - ok fine, probably pure aesthetics.

anyway .. it wasn't an amazing instrument, but i was about to buy it just because the price was right and i was bored.

Then I played a Michael Kelly Club Custom.
I ended up going home with it.

its actually a decent price for a nice instrument - i'm glad i didn't get the junkie dean. Granted - it doesn't have the volume of an uprite - but if thats what you're expecting then you'd be in the market for an uprite, not this.

one of the plus factors on this bass, though, is that it has a realllly nice fishman preamp. Its made specifically for bass tones - not just a guitar pickup thrown in a bass ... so when you DOO want to plug in, it sounds purrrdy.


don't listen to me though. i waste lots of money.
 
I bought the cheap-o Dean acoustic. I've been extremely happy with it. It's not my $350 jackson 5 string. But it's a blast to play around the house. I did put on flatwound string and a K&K Pure Western Bass pickup system. Sounds good through an amp now also. Very upright sounding.

I'm primarily a guitar player. But I play this thing all the time while I'm waiting on the coffee or whatever. It must project pretty good because my kids yell at me to stop playing from their rooms cause it's waking them up.:p
 
Fusioninspace said:
I did put on flatwound
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yeah - i put flats on mine within a week or so. this takes down the volume of these acoustic basses, i think, quite a bit - but its the sound i wanted for sure.

i mainly use mine for noodling, campfire-type-gathers (but when you've got 3 or more acoustic guitars going too, you really have to beat the hell out of it to come through), and for more recently for experimenting on recording parts that maybe don't need to be electric.

i've been playing with plugging in the preamp for getting the low end, then putting my SD condensor mic on the nut to get the finger sounds and whatnot, and blending the two.


fun toy - at the very least.
 
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