MarkP Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 Me and a couple of mates are taking the plunge and are setting up our first band. We intend to do unplugged style songs to try and keep the equipment costs down as we are all fathers of young children and money is tight. I have volounteered to play bass as it is something I have been meaning to do for a while now after playing guitar for several years. I'm really after some advice on what sort of bass to get. As it will be an unplugged band should I get myself an electro acoustic bass or a normal electric? Also I'm assuming I would need an amplifer for the electro acoustic, or would it go straight through the PA? Could anyone recommend a good value for money bass and amp for either option too. I have played a Washburn T12 and really liked it, it also came in a natural finish too which looked great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutToPlayJazz Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 Tanglewood do a nice electro-accoustic bass with a really deep body which sounds really thick for about £250-£300. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s_u_y_* Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 In my own personal experience, a cheap electric bass is much better than a cheap electroacoustic. But then again, the electroacoustic does really look the part, cheap or not. Either way, you can go straight through the PA if you want. Alternately you can pick up a amp modeller simulator like the original Line 6 Bass Pod for peanuts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkP Posted April 6, 2009 Author Share Posted April 6, 2009 Sorry, should have mentioned, got an overall budget for bass and amp of £270 at the minute if I was to get buying and playing straight away, otherewise could take a couple of months to get going and we're pretty much waiting on me to get the bass and one of the guitarists to get a pickup sorted for his guitar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 Hi Mark, I play my Lakland in a duo with a quietly amplified acoustic. As long as you are sympathetic to the numbers and the other players you shouldn't have a problem with an electric bass. I'd always use an amp. The guitarist has a small AER which is DI'ed through the PA and I use my Markbass LM2 and the 1x12 and don't go through the PA. We get a good balance, good reviews and happy audiences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmer61 Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 (edited) [quote name='s_u_y_*' post='455530' date='Apr 6 2009, 03:06 PM']In my own personal experience, a cheap electric bass is much better than a cheap electroacoustic. But then again, the electroacoustic does really look the part, cheap or not. Either way, you can go straight through the PA if you want. Alternately you can pick up a amp modeller simulator like the original Line 6 Bass Pod for peanuts.[/quote] +1, the acoustics look great, but once plugged in don't sound that much better and are a bit of a pain to play if you're used to a standard bass. IMO get an electric bass and put through a bass DI like a Tech 21 Sansamp through to the PA. ps had a Takamine Acoustic but was not loud enough unplugged and you needed 6 ft arms to play it! Edited April 6, 2009 by farmer61 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 When the blues band I'm in plays acoustically (guitar/vocal/drums/harp totally unamplified) I play one on my rubber-stringed [url="http://www.o5b.co.uk/category/bass/"]ashborys[/url] through a 12Watt practice amp. It sounds good to me and is a lot more portable than my double bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimmyC Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 Can't really go wrong with a precision. Def keep it electric as you'll have to plug it into an amp to be heard anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry norton Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 I played in an acoustic pop band for a long time using a fretless Precision through a mega cheap practice amp. I found most electro acoustic basses a bit rubbish - they certainly didn't have the acoustic volume needed to compete with our guitar palyer or percussionist, and there were quite a few engineers who wouldn't let me DI (presumably because most 'acoustic' type venues don't feel the need for a decent PA) and double bass was a humungus pain in the backside to move around. Nobody ever commented on my playing an electric. Don't worry too much about the equipment - just play the music!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deep Thought Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 From what I gather from previous posts on the subject, an unplugged acoustic bass hasn't got a hope in hell of being heard over any number of unamplified acoustic guitars. You're going to need amplifying anyway, so go for whatever floats your boat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Cooke Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 I run my Tanglewood via my Zoom A2.1U to the house PA using the DI out and also a small monitor arrangement for myself using a practice amp pointed up at my ears... I use the Zoom purely because of the handy "silent" tuner and the feedback killing function where I can kill feedback automatically by pressing a footswitch. I use the other effects on the Zoom very sparingly. The Tanglewood can be loud, but from the playing position, it's hard to hear when everyone else is playing as the sound is quite directional out the front... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leschirons Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 (edited) Maybe a semi acoustic electric bass would be good compromise so you can go full on electric afterwards if you want without having to change your instrument. Edited April 6, 2009 by leschirons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkP Posted April 7, 2009 Author Share Posted April 7, 2009 Thanks for the feedback guys. I think I'l go with the electric bass from the start, then if I get hooked I won't have to change instruments Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 Try and source an electric bass that has piezos in the bridge. You can then mix and match and get a very useable acoustic bass tone but you'd have none of the problems associated with an acoustic bass and all of the benefits of an electric. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leschirons Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 [quote name='warwickhunt' post='456063' date='Apr 7 2009, 07:58 AM']Try and source an electric bass that has piezos in the bridge. You can then mix and match and get a very useable acoustic bass tone but you'd have none of the problems associated with an acoustic bass and all of the benefits of an electric.[/quote] That's a good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 Going with the electric bass also means you'll have a much wider selection to choose from, and you'll be able to test more of them out. For an amp, avoid the cheapo Stagg/Eastcoast ones (anything really, really small anyway) and try to find a second-hand one such as a Hartke kickback (there's plenty more compact inexpensive combos, like Warwicks, Laneys, and Peaveys, but I haven't any personal experience of them). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkP Posted April 7, 2009 Author Share Posted April 7, 2009 What watt amp do you think I should be aiming for, would 15 be loud enough? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 [quote name='MarkP' post='456305' date='Apr 7 2009, 12:17 PM']What watt amp do you think I should be aiming for, would 15 be loud enough?[/quote] Without wanting to get too technical (though it isn't rocket science ) it isn't just down to the number of watts, it's dependent upon the speaker, manufacturers credibility with ratings etc. However, I'd say that 'generally' speaking, cheapie 15w amps/combos are not worth considering if you intend gigging. If you do a quick search on the subject you'll likely find that most 'gigging' bassists would recommend 250watts as a good starting point BUT (before you have a fit) that is assuming you are playing pubs etc with a drummer and a guitarist playing through 50-100w amp. You can obviously subtract from that rating if you are DEFINITELY not going to be playing along with an energetic drummer and your guitar players are playing acoustics either through a very small PA or small combos. However I'd say you want to be aiming for 100w and preferably a 12"/15" driver rather than a 10" (or heaven forbid a cheap 8"). The thing to bear in mind is that you can always turn a bigger amp down... it's not so easy to turn an underpowered amp up (well not without farty noises ). Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkP Posted April 7, 2009 Author Share Posted April 7, 2009 Ah right I see, so something like this [url="http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/a-70/12550"]http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/a-70/12550[/url] or this [url="http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/take-12/12511"]http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/take-12/12511[/url] These were the 2 amps I have been looking at previously, might have to take a better look at them as second hand they would come into my price range Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 [quote name='MarkP' post='456328' date='Apr 7 2009, 12:38 PM']Ah right I see, so something like this [url="http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/a-70/12550"]http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/a-70/12550[/url] or this [url="http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/take-12/12511"]http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/take-12/12511[/url] These were the 2 amps I have been looking at previously, might have to take a better look at them as second hand they would come into my price range[/quote] That kind of thing would be fine. Just be sure that your drummer doesn't use lead sticks and your guitarists know how to turn down as well as up. As you say 2nd hand will get you more bang for your buck and be sure to check the forum sale section regularly, the kind of thing you are after is exactly the kind of amp that people upgrade from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkP Posted April 7, 2009 Author Share Posted April 7, 2009 (edited) thanks for the help warwickhunt just found out a mate of a mate is selling a gear4music own brand p-bass in natural for peanuts, might have to give him a call, some new tuning heads and pickup and I'll be sorted for a bass for next to nothing (he says.........) Edited April 7, 2009 by MarkP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 [quote name='farmer61' post='455682' date='Apr 6 2009, 05:36 PM']+1, the acoustics look great, but once plugged in don't sound that much better and are a bit of a pain to play if you're used to a standard bass.[/quote] The exception to this norm is the Washburn AB34, by a mile the best acoustic bass guitar I have ever played. Has a 24 fret neck, and thanks to a clever neck joint & cutaway you can use all of them. It feels just like a good electric. Loud acoustically, sounds brilliant plugged in. Wonderful, if I ever come across one and I have the cash, it will be mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoonBassAlpha Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 [quote name='MarkP' post='456305' date='Apr 7 2009, 12:17 PM']What watt amp do you think I should be aiming for, would 15 be loud enough?[/quote] I currently use a Roland Bass Cube 30 and that's fine with a drummer with a light touch playing using Hot Rods (a halfway-house between brushes and sticks). Also, fretless bass seems to go nicely with acoustic guitar and soft drums in this "unplugged" scenario. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 +1 for fretless bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkP Posted April 7, 2009 Author Share Posted April 7, 2009 Only thing is this will be my first bass, isn't it harder to play fretless?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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