So what's a good acoustic bass guitar?

Gear_Junky

Gear_Junky

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Does anybody know a really good acoustic bass guitar? Please exclude Carlo Robelli of SamAsh. I tried Fender's, but it didn't impress me at all. It may sound allright plugged-in, but acoustically - nah, it couldn't compete with an acoustic unplugged guitar. There was one that really impressed me - a Martin. It was about $2000, though.

So how about something more realistic, but sounding good acoustically - I mean martin D-15 kinda good - warm, woody, etc. It should be loud and low enough to be played over acoustic guitars unplugged. I would assume that jumbo-body is desirable. If you know of any such instruments please note where you saw or bought them and how much they cost there. Thank you!
 
I own a Larrivee 6 string guitar which I really enjoy.I have yet to play on one,but on their website Larrivee announced the introduction of an acoustic/electric bass.If it's anything like their 6 strings,I'm confident it will be impressive.Cheers!
 
Thanks for that info, Virtual.Ray. I'll be sure to check it out. As for me, I only know one other ac/el bass that seems worth checking out. Actually they make more than one model - I'm talking about Ovation acoustic basses. I have an old Applause 6-string, which served me well for 3 years. Those things are tough! Does anybody have an Ovation bass? How are they acoustically? (we all know they "shine plugged-in" :)

Has anyone bought a Martin mahogany bass from the 15 series yet? They just came out with a bass and a 12-string.

Thanx!
 
Gear_Junkey

Save your money, don't buy the Applause!
It's going to be real hard to find a affordable acoustic bass that could keep up with a 6 string. I've been looking for about 10 years. Taylor makes one with a big sound hole by the bottem, it's a big body exotic wood bass that sounds great. About $1800.00

The best cheap one I tried was a Honer $300
I played it at Sam Ash. Let me know what you find.
Keep Pumping;
RussP
 
Thanks, Russ! Hey, did you try any others? I saw a nice looking Alvarez with case on ebay. Epiphone makes these "El Capitans". Did you try any Martin? I can see you dig what I'm looking for, so some more feedback would be apreciated. Thank you.
 
I remember six to eight years ago playing an "Eko" acoustic bass. LOVED IT. It was fretless, had one of these thin oval soundholes, and blew my mind. I think it was $800 used at a local music shop in San Antonio, and I kick myself for not finding a way to get that sucker.

Damn!

The guy said it was Italian (i don't know). Does this help?
 
Interesting... never heard of it. I think Epiphone's 'El Capitans' have an oval soundhole.

I was told that the Takoma acoustic bass is supposed to sound very resonant and loud - "almost like a grand piano". Has anybody tried it?
 
The Taylor bass was designed by Steve Klein, who builds extremely high end custom guitars in the Kasha / Schneider vein. (If you ever see one up close, look inside and you'll flip. The braces look like they're alive and resemble a family of snakes). There's quite a bit of math and acoustic engineering at work in a Kasha design. Nothing is taken for granted.

The flying buttresses inside transfer energy and stress in a controlled manner throughout the instrument - to the top, to the sides, to the back. The top can be built in a more acoustically responsive manner without imploding from stress. The designs are internally asymmetric, and play with many of our assumptions about what a box with strings does.

But the main thing is their killer sound! $1800 is a flat out bargain.
 
Have you tried that black taylor at the mayfield GC?
I also saw a 5 string fretless Epiphone at the musicians swapshop on Madison in Lakewood.
Sodjas carries the Tacoma line, I have a Chief and love it, The bass has the same offset sound hole, allowing the sound board to really sing.
 
Hey, Charley, I'm from Cleveland, too. I saw a big black acoustic bass at Guitar Center, Mayfield. It had the soundhole "off-set" and looked way bigger than other basses. I tried it with a guy who was playing an ac. guitar not too loud. The bass was very quiet and I didn't feel anything special. I tried two Martin basses that they had there (one - new for around 900 bones and one used for $1500) and they were louder, warmer and felt better. I don't like GC at all anymore.

Sodja is a really good place. I'm gonna wait till they get a Tacoma, will try it and possibly buy it (as soon as they sell my Washburn 12-string ac. guitar and my 1973 Gibson Ripper fretless). Their guitar feels really nice, so the bass should be as good. Charlie, can you tell me some more details - how do you like your Chief? Is it loud enough to be played acoustically with ac. guitars? How's the tone? Which transducer option (if any) did you get? How's it sound plugged in? What did it cost you with the case and how long have you had it? Also, which strings came with it and which strings do you like with it? Thanx!
 
I can vouch for the qualities of Steve Klein's acoustic guitar design as described so well by Treeline. Years ago at a trade show I played one and was blown away by how responsive and even the guitar was. Like Kelly Holdridge and the Eko, I wish there was a way I could've gotten one of those for my own. Maybe someday I'll be able to put aside a couple of grand and get in line on Mr. Klein's waiting list...
 
I love my chief, That guitar likes to be played.
Each string is very prenounced all the way up the fretboard. the overall tone is very even, and it came w/a fishman matrix pickup. I think this guitar is built to be plugged in. It really sings. Check out Roxanne, www.mp3.com/charliemosbrook . I ran it directinto my mackie on this recording. overall I like to mike my guitars. but I thought it worked this way.
I use D'dario 11 gauge acoustic. I think sodja's sells them with elixer. probably the way to go, I get a lot string friction sound when sliding.
Mine was $550 used at GT. used bass strings is nasty though and I wouldn't blam you for not going back.
Talk to Rob in the future and tell him I sent you. He should help you out.

[This message has been edited by Charlie Mosbrook (edited 07-17-2000).]
 
i've not played a bass by taylor or larrivee yet, but i have played an epiphone el capitan, and it really impressed me. it's a very large bass (i think it's a long-scale), and it projects more than any of the others i've heard. really holds its own against acoustic guitars, unlike many acoustic basses-and the one i played had active electronics, too, just like my epi pr-7e! i understand the new selling price is in the 4 to 500 range, maybe more for the 5-string, i'm not sure which one that was for. give it a try-i don't know that it's going to be quite the bass the taylor or larrivee is, but if you want to be able to keep up with your angry steelstring-playing friends, you might want to consider it. i know i'd like to have one.
 
Thanks again, Charlie. You said that it's meant to be plugged in. Does that mean it's not loud enough acoustically?

Looks like you got a pretty good price.

They offer it with either just a pickup or also with a preamp (which means a big rectangular hole in the side of the instrument). I own a Tech21 SansAmp Acoustic DI and SansAmp Bass DI so I'm thinking of getting it w/o a preamp thingie. It's only $60 cheaper, but at least I'll be getting an entire bass :)

Thanx.
 
It is plenty loud enough, I just mean that it was designed with a pick up in mind.
My other Guitar is an Alverez Yari with a martin thin line and an external fishman preamp. I really enjoy the convenience of having an onboard pre while on stage.
 
Allright, thanks! I'm pretty sure now that I'll be getting one of these babies. Nobody said so far that there was a better bass (unless maybe it costs like a piano :)
 
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