Nice budget electro-acoustic bass: suggestions?

[lanark]

because so often I just can't be bothered connecting up to the amp to practice.

I love the idea of an acoustic bass with flatties on, because I reckon I'd practice an awful lot more if I didn't have to go through the rigmarole of plugging in the amp, finding a lead, connecting the lead etc .... humph .....

So ... two questions for those who know ....


a) what should I be looking for in a decent, budget priced electro-acoustic bass and what are recommended models (I'm talking under £250 if possible - preferably lower)

and

b ) can they be fitted with flats and what do they sound like with flats fitted? (I've gone right off the twang and slide of rounds).

Edited August 26, 2010 by lanark

[Cat Burrito]

I have flats on my dobro electro acoustic bass & it sounds great. It sounded terrible with roundwounds too.

I had an Aria which was really big bodied a few years back. They are good for home use /recording but in a band situation you can get a little lost in the mix, so just bear that in mind.

Don't buy online if it's acoustic, check it out personally & get one with a bigger body to get more volume

[Circle_of_Fifths]

I hope this helps at least a little. I'm not too sure of the UK/US money conversion factors though.

I own an Ibanez AEB10E-BK that has tremendous tone and sustain and playability. Plus it looks good too!





I opted to keep the round-wound bronze strings on it since I found that any clank or string-zip was MY playing style and I have learned how to make them quiet now. Be careful with adding higher tension or thicker strings as they won't fit well and the nut break-over point will be rounded and noisy.

One can damage the bridge and actually rip it off the body if one doesn't replace strings intelligently. Dean acoustics are notorious for this problem!

As far as playing for practice, that's all well-n-good, but if you ever think you can play one naked (without an amp), you'll be in for a surprise. They'll get swallowed up by even a couple of loud acoustic guitars, and if you add a drummer, then you might just as well stay home.

OK - the good points:
[list=1]
[*]They can force you to play with a lot more control and that's always good.
[*]They will teach you about harmonics, which a slab bass might not do so well
[*]They have tons of sustain
[*]They have tons of tone
[*]They are a real attention-grabber to the audience when they 1) see it 2) hear it.
[/list]
The not so good points:
[list=1]
[*]They are big
[*]They are lots more fragile than a slab and cannot be used defensively to exit a hostile pub/bar
[*]They need an amplifier
[*]They can create a lot of feedback (Sonderns) if you don't get a sound hole plug
[/list]

My opinion?

Get one and leave the bronze wound rounds on it.
Pay enough to get one with a decent preamp and tuner built in.
Obviously - get a hard case for it!!! Emphasis on HARD.

Listen to/watch the [b][url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4hv_8TXFWg&feature=fvsr#"]Clapton concert with Nathan East[/url][/b] on an acoustic 5-er bass. You will be a believer after that.

[Stu-khag]

I bought a cheap one off ebay a few years ago. chinese made and new for about 70 quid (think it was godman branded). I put up a review a few years back on the old bassworld site. sounded fine for just practice, not the nicest thing I've played, too twangy for my tastes but never plugged it in really. I did have fun with the harmonics on it. I bought one so that I would practice more... cant say I did anymore on it and kept going back to my electric- for the money it was a good buy but alas I sold it on as it was taking up too much space.
I tried out an epiphone el capitan a couple of years ago- that was very nice although I have a feeling its a different model to the current ones