Author Topic: Any acoustic basses that actually sound good ? (Read 177 times)

glocke · « **on:** September 29, 2012, 12:08:29 PM »

Suggestions for any acoustic basses that sound fairly good, and will keep up fairly well volume wise with an acoustic guitar player???

sonicus · « **Reply #1 on:** September 29, 2012, 12:42:30 PM »

A great bass was the Guild B50 . It is short sale. They pop up once in a while . I would like to find a long scale version of something in this caliber as well . Here is one currently on eBay ; http://www.ebay.com/itm/120987583903?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

A long time ago Jack Casady let me check out his after an acoustic Hot Tuna show .

terrace · « **Reply #2 on:** September 29, 2012, 01:33:53 PM »

I believe that the Tacoma Thunderchief is the loudest.
They also made an off shore version called Olympia.

dnburgess · « **Reply #3 on:** September 29, 2012, 03:57:20 PM »

At Bass People we used to have a large(ish) acoustic bass department. My favourites were the Warwick Alien and the Ovation (Nikki Sixx signature). I am not familiar with the Tacoma, but the Ovation was the loudest that we carried.

Bradley Young · « **Reply #4 on:** September 29, 2012, 04:56:22 PM »

The Halfling basses are reasonably loud.

http://rgcguitars.com/

briant · « **Reply #5 on:** September 29, 2012, 05:50:19 PM »

If you can find one a Taylor AB-3 is the Alembic of acoustic basses. They sound amazing. Loud, lots of low end, and just sound incredible.

richbass939 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 30, 2012, 08:49:17 AM »

I have been really happy with my pre-Fender Tacoma Thunderchief. The acoustic sound is really good and the amplified sound is just like it, only louder.
Rich

pace · « **Reply #7 on:** September 30, 2012, 02:41:03 PM »

Dittos on the Guild B-50. My neighbor has a fretless B-50 which I have been planting the seeds for him to sell to me for the past decade!....

Other than that, I have to cite Brian Ritchie and his EB Earthwood Bass: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLmxbS15A-c&feature=related

stout71 · « **Reply #8 on:** October 01, 2012, 06:18:27 AM »

I used to own a Tacoma Thunderchief as well. I found that playing with high-end strings made a difference. Also, I played about 4 that were in the store before I settled on the one I bought. There can be large variances in sound quality and playability in an acoustic instrument like that. I had some Fishman electronics wired in after the fact, and those made it really pop when it was amplified.

Glynn · « **Reply #9 on:** October 02, 2012, 01:19:04 AM »

I have two but they are not made any more. Fender BG 29 and Fender Victor Bailey 4. Both nice Acoustic Bass Guitars. I string them with Fender Phosphor Bronze and if you leave the strings on for longer than you would on electric bass, they develop an almost double bass sound which suits the purposes I use them for. I did try this the other week in Expresss Music Coventry UK without an amplifier and was impressed - Sigma Bmc-15e 15 Series Acoustic Bass - at ?399. I am not sure how the finish would stand up to outdoor use (rain, cold etc.) but the sound was a pleasant un-twangy one with good bottom end. Glynn

jacko · « **Reply #10 on:** October 02, 2012, 05:58:47 PM »

I really like my Michael Kelly dragonfly fretless. With Labella deep talkin flats on it sounds great played acoustically; even the B sounds great and it projects really well. It lacks something in the bottom end when it's plugged in though. (not a problem for me as I never plug it in ).

graeme

bigredbass · « **Reply #11 on:** October 03, 2012, 12:31:23 AM »

No.

There's just no way that those length frequencies can be generated by those strings on that size body. The physics involved just doesn't allow these axes to even begin to approach an upright's tone. Cello maybe . . .

Though I must admit, the Rybicki is close, but hugely expensive. It's not a cheap instrument to build, so I can see the money, but it's still a lot of money.

A five string ABG is even more impossible, but since I am not smart enough to go back and forth from four to five, I'll one day run across a used Michael Kelly and get one to maintain the five string fingering, and they're pretty nice, cheap, eye candy.

Don't even get me started on piezo pickups in electric acoustic axes . . . .

J o e y

glocke · « **Reply #12 on:** October 06, 2012, 07:40:11 AM »

thanks for the replies, I thought the answer would be no but wasn't sure...ive really only had access to budget priced ones (under $1000.00), and was underwhelmed with what I saw to to say the least.

My intention was to find something to bring to some jam session with acoustic guitars, but i guess it just ain't gonna happen.

sonicus · « **Reply #13 on:** October 06, 2012, 08:04:11 AM »

You can purchase a nice compact 1/4 sized Bass Violin for $ 500-$1000 ! Bigger sound then an acoustic bass guitar and as a bonus you can play it arco (bowed) ! It will have a 35.5 inch scale.

kungfusheriff · « **Reply #14 on:** October 09, 2012, 01:53:09 PM »

Yeah, but DB is COMPLETELY different than bass guitar, as I've been finding out the hard way over the last few years.

glocke, the only effective ABG is the Earthwood Bass, if you can find one that hasn't torn itself to pieces under string tension. The one I has was as loud as my 3/4 DB