sdguitars Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Hi folks, Does anyone know make of acoustic-only basses ie. not electro-acoustic. The music service I teach for has a specific requirement for non-electric acoustic basses. Any recommendations? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~tl Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 I don't think you'll find many that have absolutely no kind of pickup/pre-amp system. Good luck anyway... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorks5stringer Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 I might be missing something ( and very thick) but surely an electro-acoustic bass not plugged in becomes an acoustic bass.....? I'm sure some learned luthier may be along to mention that the reason the electro-acoustic basses have some kind of pickup is because their bodies are not built big or deep enough to amplify the low freq. adequately and that to get a decent sound from an entirely acoutic bass the body need to be massive, but I'm sure there are some about and a search on the subject may even yield some photos! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franzbassist Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Most of the more bespoke luthiers, such as Fylde, Brook etc., are more than happy to supply their instruments without electrics if that is what you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cytania Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 I'm preparing to be shot down here but... Acoustic basses don't make alot of noise, that's why they only really came about once they could be plugged in. I'm sure played solo they'll be lovely up close but combined with other instruments you'll be losing all that nice acoustic subtlety trying to be heard on louder passages. Would a double bass be more the thing? They at least have a history of holding their own in combos... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassmanc Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 [quote name='cytania' post='385496' date='Jan 19 2009, 10:14 PM']I'm preparing to be shot down here but... Acoustic basses don't make alot of noise, that's why they only really came about once they could be plugged in. I'm sure played solo they'll be lovely up close but combined with other instruments you'll be losing all that nice acoustic subtlety trying to be heard on louder passages. Would a double bass be more the thing? They at least have a history of holding their own in combos...[/quote] And here's your shot - I have a beautiful Fylde King John Acoustic bass guitar. Sure it's huge, 34" scale and a deep dreadnaught jumbo body, but it's as lond as you need to accompany other acoustic instruments. The range has changed at Fylde, and the King John has been replaced by the 'Magician' but Roger still builds the best acoustic instruments on the planet, but you have to pay for this level of quality...you get a few quid change from £3000 for one of these babies! www.fyldeguitars.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdguitars Posted January 29, 2009 Author Share Posted January 29, 2009 Thanks guys....the requirement from the music service is to have acoustic only basses to loan to students for school lessons. They don't want the kids faffing around with the electrics, hence the requrement for acoustic only. My own personal feeling is they're going to have to like it and lump it.... cost of bespoke luthiers is well out of the range of Council funds! Thanks for your answers guys - much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinbass7750 Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 [quote name='sdguitars' post='394308' date='Jan 29 2009, 07:45 AM']Thanks guys....the requirement from the music service is to have acoustic only basses to loan to students for school lessons. They don't want the kids faffing around with the electrics, hence the requrement for acoustic only. My own personal feeling is they're going to have to like it and lump it.... cost of bespoke luthiers is well out of the range of Council funds! Thanks for your answers guys - much appreciated.[/quote] You could always remove the pre-amp part of the electrics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Cooke Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 (edited) [quote name='martinbass7750' post='394317' date='Jan 29 2009, 08:18 AM']You could always remove the pre-amp part of the electrics[/quote] would leave a big ugly hole... Getting a guitar shop luthier/technician to desolder the connections to the battery box and jacksocket and tying them back would probably be better. It would then be a simple reversal to recommission them prior to selling them off or if one was needed to be amplified for a concert. ps. Steve, I've found this one: [url="http://www.reverb-store.co.uk/product-detail.asp?prod=722"]http://www.reverb-store.co.uk/product-detail.asp?prod=722[/url] [url="http://www.absolutemusic.co.uk/shop/view_product.php?product=avsmsb1"]http://www.absolutemusic.co.uk/shop/view_p...product=avsmsb1[/url] from the writeups, it only has a passive pickup, no electrics onboard at all and it has a short scale and small body. (It's intended as a travel bass) here's the manufacturer's page for it: [url="http://www.alvarezgtr.com/prod_page.php?SeriesID=1&ItemID=119"]http://www.alvarezgtr.com/prod_page.php?Se...&ItemID=119[/url] It would be very easy to disable it and plug the jacksocket hole up Edited January 29, 2009 by Paul Cooke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franzbassist Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 [quote name='Bassmanc' post='391860' date='Jan 26 2009, 04:10 PM']I have a beautiful Fylde King John Acoustic bass guitar. Sure it's huge, 34" scale and a deep dreadnaught jumbo body, but it's as lond as you need to accompany other acoustic instruments.[/quote] Ooh, let's see some pictures please! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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