Looking for an acoustic bass guitar

[3rd_ray]

I've never played one, but I'm pretty sure Stanley Clarke used an Epiphone El Capitan on East River Drive. I see them on eBay every now and then, 4 and 5 strings.  
 
The bigger the body, the louder it will be. The El Capitan looks fairly large.  
 
Mike

[eligilam]

I recently played a very large-body acoustic Dean at the (gulp) local Guitar Center...I don't know much about sound quality, but it was pretty loud, at least in the store.  Sticker was $199.

[glocke]

Ive played some in the local GC's, some fenders, a Michael Kelly, maybe a takamine.  I have yet to find one that is loud enough.

[glocke]

Ive played some in the local GC's, some fenders, a Michael Kelly, maybe a takamine.  I have yet to find one that is loud enough.

[dfung60]

robinc - Yes, the Taylor I was talking about (the only one they ever made, I believe) were the AB-1 and AB-2.  The models were largely the same except for the body materials - one has a light colored spruce top, the other was all imbuia which is a dark wood.  
 
The construction is eccentric and really cool at the same time.  The offset soundhole and unusual body shape are obvious from any picture, but what you really notice when you handle one is that the body cross section is very asymmetrical - the side profile is heavily wedge-shaped (I can't remember, but I think the bottom is the thick side) with the wide shell being much deeper than an acoustic guitar.  It's also wedge shaped from the cutaway end of the body to the end pin.  The workmanship was very nice, although in the vein of the eco-styled Taylors (e.g., not like a shiny Martin).    
 
I believe they cost $2500-3000 new which is as expensive as any acoustic bass guitar I remember seeing.  There were probably good opportunities to get them for a lot less toward the end of the production run.
 
David Fung

[crobbins]

Here's a Carvin AC40
 
http://www.elderly.com/vintage/items/55U-4126.htm

[thumbsup]

Check out an Ibenez 5 accoustic. (hope thats not a nasty word here!I have one I've been happy with for the money.And its in you price range. You will still have trouble keeping up accousticly with what ever bass you deside. Its like David stated,its hard for an accoustic bass to push enough air to produce volume sound, even for the top line Takamine & Taylor.

[keurosix]

Doesn't Phil Jones make a battery powered suitcase bass amp perfect for acoustic gigs where no power plug can be found? This would free up the selection to ANY of the basses mentioned. I've played the Michael Kelly, and the Turner Renaissance. The MK is hard to beat for the money. Turner almost sounds like a double bass - but like the doghouse, not much variation: One trick pony. Saw the Dean Taylor and Takamine at GC. Dean is loud & cheap. Takamine better quality. Taylor really great quality but way out of your price range (and mine!) Happy hunting!
Kris

[3rd_ray]

Roland also makes a small amp that will run on batteries...
 
http://www.roland.com/PRODUCTS/en/MICRO_CUBE_BASS_RX/index.html
 
Here's the Phil Jones amp...
 
http://www.philjonesbass.com/products-combos-briefcase.htm
 
I've played both and neither are very loud, but they might be okay for an acoustic set. The Roland is cheap and has some good modeled amp sounds and effects.  
 
Mike

[richbass939]

Robin,
I agree with David Fung.  I never expected an ABG to keep up, volume-wise, with other instruments.  I have gigged with mine in low volume settings with a small amp and it was fine.
I have had my Tacoma Thunderchief 4 string for about 5 or 6 years.  I really like it.  It has a good, rich tone.  The amplified sound is very much like the acoustic sound, which is just what I wanted.
Mine was made before Tacoma was bought by Fender or Gibson or whoever it was that owns them now.  I don't know if the quality has changed or not.  I think they are still somewhere around $1000.
Rich

[jacko]

I bought my Kelly as I don't have a practice amp for my Alembics. Means I can hear myself while I'm working out songs or playing along with the Hi-Fi without having to set up my gigging rig. I've only once played along with the rest of the band acoustically and I was drowned out by the two guitarists who both had pretty small acoustics.
 
Graeme

[bkbass]

Robin, I own 6 ABG's of them are four ABG's built for me by Bil Mitchell Guitars @ wwwguitarpalour.com. They are: 4 strg fretted, 4 strg fretless, 8 strg fretted and a 4 strg fretted piccolo all with Fishman systems in them. They are quite loud and can keep up with Martins acoustically. Bil can make a 5 strg with no problem he has three build slots left allotted for ABG's afterwhich he will not build them any more. By now you would have guessed that their a little more than $500.00. They start around $2,500.00 and then go up from there. Let me remind you that you are on an Alembic site so moneywise quality costs what it costs. I also own a Taylor AB2 and most recently an Ibanez 4strg fretless that is around the 500.00 mark. It had a different and wonderful speaking voice for solos. I have played all of the Ibanez exotic wood ABG's and the 4 strgs shine for the money. Nearly every 5 strg ABG I have played on all had the B string flap and have had extreme volume rolloff because the bodies are just not big enough to handle the volume of air physically needed to produce the low notes accurately. The one and only exception in my travels was several years ago at the Martin factory where in their showroom a used noncutaway 5strg was for sale. All I can say is that it was magic except for the price. I recommend the Ibanez four strg exotic top models except for the 5strg for the aforementioned reasons. The exotic tops have that sharp cutaway. The flat black finish one is the least expensive of the brood and also the loudest acoustically. Purely from a tone /volume point of view your around 2k-4k for real music making ABG's I hope this and the other comments help you to make an informed decision. It all begs the question of when Alembic will make a debut of something truely amazing in this type of instrument. Please write us back with your purchase decision as it adds to the general knowledge base of the club. Happy hunting and God Bless.B.

[funkyjazzjunky]

Can you play double-bass?  
 
You may get a decent sounding 'student' bass-viol that will be inexpensive and give you volume.

[robinc]

Double bass was my first instrument, I have only recently been moving into bass guitar territory. I have been playing double bass in a classical setting for about 9 years now. Needless to say, my double bass is far too nice an instrument (and of course way too big) for travel.
 
My dad is a luthier by profession. He focuses on violins and violas but is more than qualified to do work on just about any stringed instrument, excluding pianos and guitars. He actually set up my bass and made a new bridge for it. I have literally grown up around the workshop and in the midst of some very extraordinary instruments, so Barry's comment about 'quality costs what it costs' is a mentality I am quite accustomed to. Unfortunately for me, as a young man on a college student's budget I simply don't have the $ to invest in all of the nice equipment that i would like to. Hence, I am cursed to wait until the day I have enough disposable income to make my dreams of acquiring these beautiful instruments a reality. Someday...

[jazzyvee]

I recently got a Micheael Kelly acoustic bass guitar but it only has the one strap button at the end of the body. I have a gig coming up next month with an acoustic band and would need to use a strap. Where is the best place for the other strap button to be. I have seen some pictures of where the strap button is fitted in different places on the base of the neck where it joins the body some on top some in the curve of the neck and others on the underside of the neck. I only want to drill one hole so where is the best place to put it for proper balance and playability.