Takamine TB10 or DB10? What’s the difference?

[Rob MacKillop]

According to the Takamine website, the TB10 is discontinued, but they have no mention at all of the DB10. What’s going on? They both look and sound the same on the videos I’ve heard. 

[Rob MacKillop]

To answer my own query…I found a German Takamine sight which gives more information:

 

The DB10 Pro Series bass is entirely handcrafted, leveraging the wealth of experience we've accumulated over five decades.
This unique hybrid bass guitar retains the familiar 34" scale length, but the neck radius corresponds to that of a double bass—you can even use a bow to play it. It includes a retractable endpin specifically for this alternative use. This fretless instrument (without frets) produces a rich and powerful bass sound with harmonics familiar from a double bass.
Its Palathetic™ pickup from Takamine is considered by experts to be one of the most accurate and natural electro-acoustic pickups available.

 

The TB10 Pro Series bass is entirely handcrafted, leveraging the wealth of experience we've accumulated over five decades.
This unique hybrid bass guitar retains the familiar 34" scale length, but the neck radius corresponds to that of a double bass – you can even use a bow to play it. It includes a retractable endpin specifically for this alternative use. This fretless instrument (without frets) produces a rich and powerful bass sound with harmonics familiar from a double bass.
Its Palathetic™ pickup from Takamine is considered by experts to be one of the most accurate and natural electro-acoustic pickups available. With the Cool Tube® preamp, the only tube preamp for acoustic guitar, you can leave nothing to chance when it comes to amplification.

 

So, both models are the same, but the discontinued TB110 has the addition of the Cool Tube preamp. 

 

I love the double-bass sound of these basses, much closer to an upright than anything else I’ve heard. The negative for me is that I did try one for 30 seconds 12 years ago, and found it required a really strong right-hand pluck. I’m not from that school at all, unfortunately. 

 

So my quest for a DB sound with a lighter technique continues. Perhaps the Godin Ultras might get me close. I’m not a fan of the Mwah! that it seems is coveted by most fretless players. 

 

Edited Monday at 20:23 by Rob MacKillop

[itu]

Then a professional setup would change the bass entirely. 

[Rob MacKillop]

Yes, rather negatively I fear. 

[Hellzero]

Rob, the Godin definitely sounds like a fretless...

 

You are right when saying the Takamine TB10 or (D)B10 sounds close to a double bass.

 

I had both, but didn't like that really really really thick neck (even if I have big hands with piano player fingers), that said mine were set up with a low action and Thomastik JF strings, which are (very) light tension and helped the ease of play.

 

That said, if you could find a Leduc U-Basse with its patented free floating top, I think it would tick all your boxes, especially the first generation with a bolt-on neck and twin Fishman piezo, but you have to like the headless design.

 

These basses do have the acoustic sound you're after (with regular gauge flatwound strings) and very little mwah inherent to the construction.

 

Use a translator as it's in French: http://ubass.free.fr/index.php?page=22

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Many thanks, Hellzero. I had not heard of the Leduc U-Basse. It sounds very interesting. However, I have just ordered the Godin A5 Ultra…it should arrive on Tuesday. If that fails, I’ll look for the Leduc! 

[Bolo]

On 06/10/2025 at 22:23, Rob MacKillop said:

Yes, rather negatively I fear. 

Would you care to give some background on this? As it seems like a counter-intuitive response.

[Rob MacKillop]

It does, I agree. My thinking was that the DB and TB both need thick double bass strings and high tension in order to I get the sound they do. By getting a tech to make it more playable for me - I have a fairly light touch - it would change the nature of the instrument for the worse. I decided the basses were perfect as they were, and the problem was me. I looked elsewhere, and bought the Godin A5 Ultra. We shall see how I get with that when it arrives Wednesday next week. 

[Beedster]

1 hour ago, Bolo said:

Would you care to give some background on this? As it seems like a counter-intuitive response.

I read it as inferring that an important element of it’s DB-like tone is the high action, that if you lower the action it will sound increasingly like a fretless electric bass, albeit a very large and slightly unergonomic one.
 

I had one for a year or so, yes it can do DB, but as is so often said, if you want a true DB sound, it’s so much easier to do it on a DB.
 

The Takamine is beautifully designed and beautifully engineered but as an instrument it is neither one thing or the other. If I had the funds spare I still wouldn’t buy another 

[Beedster]

4 minutes ago, Rob MacKillop said:

It does, I agree. My thinking was that the DB and TB both need thick double bass strings and high tension in order to I get the sound they do. By getting a tech to make it more playable for me - I have a fairly light touch - it would change the nature of the instrument for the worse. I decided the basses were perfect as they were, and the problem was me. I looked elsewhere, and bought the Godin A5 Ultra. We shall see how I get with that when it arrives Wednesday next week. 

 

2 minutes ago, Beedster said:

I read it as inferring that an important element of it’s DB-like tone is the high action, that if you lower the action it will sound increasingly like a fretless electric bass, albeit a very large and slightly unergonomic one.
 

I had one for a year or so, yes it can do DB, but as is so often said, if you want a true DB sound, it’s so much easier to do it on a DB.
 

The Takamine is beautifully designed and beautifully engineered but as an instrument it is neither one thing or the other. If I had the funds spare I still wouldn’t buy another 

Great minds 👍

[Bolo]

That makes sense, thanks for the replies