kristo Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 I've been looking for a new electro acoustic guitar for a few weeks now. I play in a blues trio with a slide guitarist (with resonator) and cajon. I play mainly rhythm stuff and a few walking chord bits. I'm looking for an acoustic with a very strong bass presence, which will hopefully work with the trebley resonator and make the walking bass sections sound fuller. What have people found to be the 'bassiest' acoustic guitar? I've played a couple of Martin's which have been really bassy, but unfortunately don't have that kind of cash right now. I'd like to keep it under £500 if I can. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 Is this for totally acoustic settings or mostly amplified? If it's the latter I'd suggest getting the most old-school magnetic pickup you can find as that will have a low-mid thickness that a piezo pickup or straight acoustic guitar doesn't have. Acoustically I'd seek out something with a large body, jumbo or dreadnought. You might want to experiment with different strings too, as nickel acoustic strings like the John Pearse pure nickel sets have a thick earthiness about them that's less zingy than bronze. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristo Posted August 4, 2014 Author Share Posted August 4, 2014 It'll be for both really. We do a lot of purely acoustic gigs, but also those where a little amplification is needed. I was using a resonator bass and switching to my parlour acoustic, but I'd like something to cover both as I'm playing more 6 strings on these gigs and switching is a pain! Funny you mention magnetic pickups as these have caught my eye but I haven't had a chance to try one yet: http://www.gretschguitars.com/products/index.php?partno=2714031552 Thinking with that I could cover the acoustic stuff, and then plug in to an amp and still have a nice tone. If anything needs a bassier tone I could use an octave pedal to get that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 For purely acoustic work I'd go for a mahogany top & body or a cedar top as these will be warmer/darker sounding than a spruce top, especially the all mahogany option. When amplified you're at the mercy of how good your pickup is, but if it's bass response you want I'd avoid anything with a piezo under the bridge saddle. You're probably going to struggle on that budget though unless you buy secondhand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chiliwailer Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 (edited) [quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1407169215' post='2518006'] For purely acoustic work I'd go for a mahogany top & body or a cedar top as these will be warmer/darker sounding than a spruce top, especially the all mahogany option. When amplified you're at the mercy of how good your pickup is, but if it's bass response you want I'd avoid anything with a piezo under the bridge saddle. You're probably going to struggle on that budget though unless you buy secondhand. [/quote] +1 - well put mate! The new all Mahogany Sigma's aren't bad if buying new. My mate just got one after falling in love with my Martin (Jeff Tweedy Model). Second Hand, there is a Simon & Patrick cedar model on Basschat - excellent value for money and very bluesy to my ears. EDIT: http://basschat.co.uk/topic/241687-fs-simon-and-patrick-sp-6-cedar-acoustic-guitar/ Edited August 4, 2014 by Chiliwailer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristinaelias Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 Try out an Epi EJ200. The jumbo shape gives you fantastic bass and the natural coloured ones have a solid spruce top (though may be a laminate top on the sunbursts & blacks?). They come with nanomag pickup at the end of the fretboard & a nanoflex under the bridge, so you can keep the sound bassy by keeping the balance towards / exclusively on the nanomag neck pickup. My EJ200 came with a bone saddle, I just upgraded to bone nut & bridge pins. I've played Gibson J200s since doing the upgrades & concluded you really pay alot for some flame maple & a different headstock, with very little, if any better tone. For your £500 budget you could buy new, upgrade the nut & still have change. Epi EJ200s also seem to have an odd kind of street cred despite not 'being a Gibson' - courtesy of Noel Gallagher who seemed to do okay with his Epi! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMV Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 I used to have a Fender CJ...something jumbo electro acoustic that had a huge bassy sound to my ears. Like, really ballsy and fat. Hope that helps! [url="http://www.gak.co.uk/en/fender-cj-290-sce-jumbo-maple-upgraded/44380?gclid=CjwKEAjwgYKfBRDvgJeylem9xDUSJACjeQ7AdX96OSkXn3yqZjbPRsdKV2V-I4_M2s7zF7H2IYlQzxoCi27w_wcB"]It was something very similar to this[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristo Posted August 6, 2014 Author Share Posted August 6, 2014 Thanks for the recommendations, a lot to look into. I do like those Epiphones.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KK Jale Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 Bassiest acoustic in your budget that I ever used was a Norman... solid cedar/mahogany, Canadian, same family as Godin/Simon & Patrick. Superb utilitarian gig guitar. Chuck a Fishman Neo D in the soundhole and you're good to go. Oh and they’re VERY cheap. There's one on Gumtree in Stevenage for fifty quid. No affiliation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftybassman392 Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 A bit leftfield perhaps, but have you thought about getting a baritone guitar and rethinking your chord patterns to suit? Something like this perhaps... [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Alvarez-ABT60-Baritone-Acoustic-Guitar-/261422786183?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3cde032687"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Alvarez-ABT60-Baritone-Acoustic-Guitar-/261422786183?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3cde032687[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronner Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 (edited) Seagull S6 Cedar Top. Get the one with the satin (thin) finish. The more lacquer on the top, the less bass response you will get. Don't believe me? Spray paint your bass amp speaker and see what happens. The top of an acoustic guitar is the 'speaker,' in a word. Thinner finish = more bass. Now that it has a thinner finish, you have to take greater care of it because it's easier to crack. (N.B. If you're planning on dropping the guitar or leaving it out in the snow, get one with a thicker finish.) Disclaimer: I used to formally endorse Seagull / Godin guitars many moons ago. I am more than happy to give them a plug now because their instruments were always first rate as was their artist support. I originally bought my first S6 (a couple of US hundred dollars at that time) and they asked me if I wanted to promote the guitar. They were a relatively unknown brand back then. The rest I got free (Thanks Seagull!). I never looked at another Martin or Taylor. Some of the higher end ones they made for me were works of art in terms of wood work and design, but even the lower priced ones were exceptional instruments. Seagull Price to Quality is [u][b]amazing[/b][/u]: Ultra [u]low[/u] price, Ultra [u]high[/u] quality. [sharedmedia=core:attachments:185508] Also big respect to Seagull for supporting Blues musicians when nobody else would. [u][b]Sound clip[/b][/u]: This is the 12 String version of the S6 on the song '[i][b]Little Wing[/b][/i]' -- all the shimmer and jangle you can dream about. (Track #5) [url="https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/freddieroulettedaphneblu"]https://www.cdbaby.c...ulettedaphneblu[/url] [u][b]Rest of the instruments[/b][/u]: National Lap Steel, '74 Strat + Marshall Plexi + Univibe; Warwick Corvette Fretless Passive, Fender Rhodes, Hammond Organ, Drums. Edited March 19, 2015 by Bronner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Kristo I haven't played any of these as I stick to bass but some of the Harley Benton custom line acoustics have the wooden bodies others have suggested would help. This dreadnought has a cedar top with mahogany body for £209, no pickup though I'm afraid. http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_cld_30scm_solidwood.htm The mahogany top and body models go for around £150 with Fishman preamps. Not back in stock till next month. Here's a list of their steel strung acoustics to look through,might find one that works for you. http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_steel_string_acoustic_guitars.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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