Acoustic Bass Guitar

Jerry Gleason · From: Eugene, Oregon, USA

I'm in the market for an acoustic bass guitar, and I'm seeking recommendations. My goal is to have an instrument that sounds less like an electric bass and more like an upright bass when amplified. I play upright bass now, so I think I'd prefer a fretless instrument, but I haven't been able to locate a fretless one locally to try out.

Does anyone have any recommendations for instruments, or suggestions for brands of strings to achieve a good "upright" bass tone for jazz?

erik · Posted 12 Jun 2005 3:02 pm

I was just reading about the Dean version @ musiciansfriend.com Gets some high marks and is very inexpensive. Take a look. I believe one reviewer said he was also an upright player.

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-johnson

Ron Randall · From: Dallas, Texas, USA

I can recommend a Martin. It sounds like a wood bass, if you play it that way. It comes with a bridge pickup that does a very good job plugged in. Rich sound going direct to a mixing board for recording or PA.
I have used Takamine and they are OK. The sound is good, but does not play like a MArtin. I was really hot for a Taylor until I played one. I love Taylors but not the bass.

hope this helps.

Ron

Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

I played a Tacoma recently that I liked. The (fairly small) soundhole is in the upper left bout. I never cared for the 'standard' large round soundhole in the middle.

I am not primarily a bass player, but I think one gets a more upright-like bass sound with flatwound strings - keep the action reasonable but not low enough to rattle, and play with a fairly light touch with your right-hand fingers (or a felt pick if you must use a pick). The bronze strings that some of these are set up with sound really tinny to my ears. I also hear people play these real hard, which tends to make them audibly rattle a lot. YMMV, but that is my experience with these. Of course, I have to try 50 out to find something I really like.

Dave Grafe · From: Hudson River Valley NY

Guild also makes a decent Guitaron, I believe it's available with an internal pickup and active electronics.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Michael Kelly makes some very nice acoustic basses, fretted and fretless, 4 or 5 string.
They come with a Fishman active preamp and pickup.

Erv

Russ Rickmann · From: Texas, USA

Hey Jerry, I have been playing a Martin B25 bass for years and found it to be exactly what I was looking for. Playing up around the sound hole and towards the head piece will give you a real “close” upright bass sound…..and yet playing towards the bridge will provide a nice acoustic/electric sound.

This is a long scale and pushes the sound out very well without an amp,especially when playing with acoustic instruments and vocals without a PA…

It’s definitely not the least expensive acoustic bass on the market, but I believe it to be the all-around best. In fact I was so pleased with the B25 that I had Martin make a custom 5 string with a high C, along with the Tree of Life inlay on the neck and the D41 mother of pearl inlay……a really beautiful and great sounding bass!

Hey, check with Jody Cameron on how it sounds……I've have the good fortune to play bass on some projects we’re involved in……. Russ

Jody Cameron · From: Angleton, TX,, USA

I'm certainly no expert on acoustic basses, but I can tell you that Russ Rickman gets an absolutely amazing tone out his Martins...really fills the room up without shear volume when going to an amp (or not). But of course, Russ IS a great bass player as well as an expert on the acoustic basses, so I would definitely trust his sage input on this matter.
J

Kevin Lange · From: Dickson, TN

I just recently played a Breedlove on a job and really liked it. I think they use their own pick-ups. I have played around with various acoustic basses in the past and the other one that I liked was a used Guild. I missed buying that one while I was trying do decide whether I could justify buying it. A group of us have started to do some "Unplugged" acoustic classic country music dates here in central MN so now I can get one. I have noticed that every one I played needs to be amplified, especially if your playing with more than one other instrument. I guess there is a reason those "doghouse" basses took up sp much room.

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