Acoustic Basses..?

[WillEdwards]

Hi Guys,

A simple question... can anyone recommend a nice acoustic bass (guitar that is)?

I realise that 'nice' can be interpreted in many ways and basses will vary in price (as ever) but if you could name drop so that I, and others who may be interested, could have a look into them that would be fantastic. Both cheaper and more expensive ones would be appreciated so I have something to compare.

Cheers.

[Sercet]

The Taylor is very good.

[3below]

Depends what you want to do. I have an ancient EKO (34 yrs with me?), built like a b.. s...house. Low acoustic volume compared to upmarket kit, but has proved indestructible. The plus is, when fitted with a Jazz bass pick up in sound hole . The negative - try finding a case. Final plus, when they turn up, excellent prices If you want to amp up, buy cheap and see what you think. For nice acoustic tones either dig deep in wallet or get lucky with cheapy.

Edited July 2, 2012 by 3below

[goblin]

Get lucky with a cheapy - Harley Benton (amazingly good considering it cost me....nothing )

Otherwise I'd be looking at a Fylde Ariel or similar. Fred Baker has mentioned his a couple of times to me, I think it's called a LaMack or something similar. Can't find anything on the net though.

[PURPOLARIS]

I use a Washburn AB40SH Custom.

This was the 3rd time lucky for me as I had an Ibanez and a Crafter before this which didn't really do the job (feedback). I had it imported from the States, it's an absolutely fantastic Bass with no feedback at all in a live situation. Intonation is adjustable as it has individual saddles and it has the Buzz Feiten tuning system which means that intonation is spot on all the way down the neck.

I see you're in Oxford so I'm not too far from you. You're welcome to come and try it out if you want.

[url="http://www.washburn.com/products/basses/sh/ab40sh.php"]http://www.washburn.com/products/basses/sh/ab40sh.php[/url]

[KiOgon]

I had a Tanglewood Odyssey, budget bass, well made & finished, look great - played OK. Pay a bit more & get better if you can
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v48/kjon51/Other%20Bass%20Pics/02-10-09_1659.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v48/kjon51/Other%20Bass%20Pics/02-10-09_1700.jpg[/IMG]

[bigsmokebass]

ive heard good stuff from Tanglewood and Boulder Creek

BSB

[bigsmokebass]

[quote name='KiOgon' timestamp='1341299931' post='1716429']
I had a Tanglewood Odyssey, budget bass, well made & finished, look great - played OK. Pay a bit more & get better if you can

[/quote]

nice Ovation styled head but that fretboard looks lovely

BSB

[BigRedX]

What do you intend to use it for?

"Acoustic" gigs? Noodling at home? Something else?

[oggiesnr]

If you can find one (the firm got bought by Fender who wanted the factory but stopped making the guitars) the Tacoma Thunderchief holds it's own in most acoustic company and sounds good when amplified. They come up every so often on the Tacoma Guitars forum.

Steve

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1341313631' post='1716702']
What do you intend to use it for?

"Acoustic" gigs? Noodling at home? Something else?
[/quote]
Yeah - I'd be intrigued to know, too.

Then again, I've never quite seen the point of acoustic basses.

[PURPOLARIS]

I use mine in my Acoustic Band, it's more for the image than the sound although the sound of my Acoustic through my Clarus 2 amp sounds great.

[longtimefred]

i have a cheapy Brunswick acoustic. dunno the model number but for a cheapy it aint half bad. Its nice and big so you get a good enough sound coming out of it.

Might be worth a look.

[mart]

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1341314180' post='1716714']...Then again, I've never quite seen the point of acoustic basses.
[/quote]
I was wondering how long it would take before somebody questioned the need for an acoustic bass.

I've heard various reasons given, but last weekend I discovered another reason: I had a gig lined up, but my shoulder had been killing me all day and I didn't fancy the weight of a solid-body, so I took my acoustic instead. My shoulder was immensely grateful, and by standing in the right spot I managed to hear myself without feedback becoming a problem. And as a bonus I got a few people complementing me on the sound.

[Stompbox]

Just jumping in here - I've been really fired up about getting a Fender Kingman acoustic bass ever since I played on one in a shop a few weeks ago- I've sold various pedals & bits & pieces to get some cash together.

Now I've thought about it I'm thinking - "Hmmmmm- do I need one and would I use one?"

Yes - I still WANT an electro, and I love jazz bass necks, but it might well wind up hung on the wall next to my very old Framus bass - but hey - that's a semi acoustic as well.

Might just hang onto the cash, and play the Framus.

[lojo]

Going back a bit since I brought and played 6 strings, but on a budget Westfields and Tanglewoods always seemed way above their price range

[Leon Transaxle]

You could always buy my Crafter fretless acoustic!

[HazBeen]

What is your budget? Taylor AB1 is probably (one of) the best our there, but not cheap.

[url="http://www.kleinguitars.com/taylorab1/taylorab1.htm"]http://www.kleinguit...1/taylorab1.htm[/url]
[url="http://www.harmonycentral.com/products/90692"]http://www.harmonycentral.com/products/90692[/url]

Boulder Creek, Ortega (I have one) and Michael Kelly I would say are the ones to go to for lower-medium price range.

You also need to consider that some acoustic basses are really soft acoustically. No issue if you plug into the desk, put if you play 100% unplugged you might run into issues.

Edited July 4, 2012 by HazBeen

[lozbass]

I had a Wechter 9400 for a short while - a beautiful hand-built monster - absolutely gorgeous tonewoods and staggeringly good construction. The downside was that it's a very big bass and physically just too much for me. I think they're around £3500 in the UK and well worth consideration if you're looking for something high-end (and have incredibly long arms). Also, if you can find one second hand, they go for about £1400 I think. Try this link:

[url="http://www.wechterguitars.com/customs/9400_bass"]http://www.wechterguitars.com/customs/9400_bass[/url]

[winterfire666]

Washburn AB20

[WillEdwards]

Thanks guys for the feed back. There are a lot of options to look at here! Many hours of internet browsing here we come.

Just to answer a few questions.

My budget isn't high. Probably about £500. I'm a student so don't have much money and I haven't had an acoustic before so there is not need to go all out just yet. But still it is interesting to read and try more expensive models to see what it's like to then play a cheap model.

I mostly play jazz and funk, so on the funk side it won't help, but on the jazz side it would do. The tones of an acoustic would be really nice and they tend to be brighter than the electrics, and I think this sounds 'jazzier' like a guitar although unlike a double bass. Also, it would be for tinkering at home as well. Sometimes it is seems like such an effort if you are watching a cool YouTube clip to then take your laptop near to your amp and then plug in the bass, get the right volume and tone. Sometimes I want to leave the computer and just go grab a bass. The problem with this is the amp! So an acoustic would be convenient here.

I went to London to the Bass Gallery (it's awesome by the way!) and tried some acoustics out. They had enough to try but it wasn't a massive choice (although not many places will have a big choice) but I tried all of them and quite liked a blue Dean like they have on the website, I think a Crafter fretless, and then a second hand Fender, all four string but I can't remember what any of their makes were, annoyingly, and I didn't take photos either! I didn't buy any of them because I wasn't fully happy so I'm still looking that is if I still want an acoustic. Not entirely sure now that I have tried some...

I would definitely go for a fretted above a fretless though because I already have a Warwick Standard Fretless which has such a nice tone, so having frets for the practice element would be handy.

[fumps]

I've been looking for a cheap camp fire acoustic for years but never found one that actually knocks out enough noise to sit & play with others......the pickings are slim in Leeds shops so I am yet to find one that is worth the money.

Although I did try the Ibanez semi that made me GAS for a while.......but i'm yet to drop lucky on a cheapy for camping !!!

I also just want to add that a mate of mine landed on one for £40 in a local junk shop last week....grrrrr why is it never me ?

[LemonCello]

I've got a Vintage 430. Cost about £190 new and it's great for home noodling, good neck, not that loud un-plugged and I fitted a front strap button coz it doesn't come with one. Good VFM.

LC

[stingrayPete1977]

I have a fiddle with mine most days! It's an Ozark, solid top, mahogany back and sides, built in microphone, cost me £250 second hand from a local shop. It's great

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

I steered clear from a Taylor as I don't want any of my money channeled into supporting scientology. I tried a few and couldn't afford a takamine so ended up buying a tanglewood rosewood reserve which is absolutely brilliant.

The sound of any electro acoustic bass is improved with a behringer ADI-21 preamp pedal

To prevent feedback when gigging a rubber "feedback buster" in the soundhole works wonders (as does a CD stuck with blu-tak over the soundhole.