Acoustic Electric Bass vs. Semi-Hollow Body Bass

[MartyNeilan]

What I mean is:
vs

The bass bug is really biting, but I am looking for something reasonably priced (!) with a more acoustic sound than a solidbody. I tried a few "Acoustic Electric Bass Guitars" today at Guitar Center and was largely disappointed - they were basically longer acoustic guitars and for the most part did not have much low end (a Breedlove and a high end Fender being the exceptions but both way above budget, and still lacking dB.) The cheapo Dean looked nice but had no sound at all. I have heard thet the Epiphone El Capitan has a bigger sound than any of them, but I was not able to try one today. I was thinking then about going the semi hollow body route, like the Epiphone Jack Cassidy (still too expensive new) or a simiar ax like the Jay Turser JTB-134.

Any thoughts???

[windshieldbug]

Get in touch with some Mariachi players. They use hollow body basses that are very distinguishable from acoustic tenors.

[The Jackson]

It's really hard to find a decent ABG. I hear that high-end Taylors are some pretty good ones, but I haven't played anything I can see in my future.

If you really just don't want a solid-body, I'd reccomend you save your dimes for the Epiphone Jack Casady.


As for the guitarron, use it as a novelty instrument. I can't really see it being used seriously. The way you play it is basically Bartók pizzicato.

[MartyNeilan]

My personal favorite for a beautiful acoustic bass sound is a Rob Allen.

Looks nice BUT...
I have the feeling they probably cost more than any low brass instrument I have ever purchased, but at least the tubas and bass trombones have always brought in some money.

[iiipopes]

There is now a Hofner China-made version of the classic Beatle Bass that retails for @$350.



There is also a company called Duesenberg, at http://www.duesenbergusa.com that makes their take on a bass, with their singular interpretation of both the B-Bass as well as the lesser known single cutaway Club Bass. And because the Club bass is a single cutaway, you can get it in Gretch-reminescent orange as well as black and sunburst. But they cost almost as much as a "real" Hofner.

Then there is the alternative retro: Danelectro

Another company that makes one along the Dano vibe is Reverend.

Gretch still has a Japanese produced short scaled version with, you guessed it, a pickup known as the Thunder-tron. (Filtertron with 4 poles)

I don't think Epi still makes a version of the Gibson EB-2, also known as a Rivoli, which is the ES bodied version with the large one humbucker at the neck for ultimate thump -- make sure to play it with your thumb with nylon wrap strings! But they do make a version bassed (get it?!) on their -Kat series guitars called the RumbleKat.

And, Jay Turser also has a B-Bass copy for @ $250, but remember you get what you pay for, and sometimes not that much.

Have fun!

[MartyNeilan]

Unfortunately, its a moot point right now. I was hoping to have a couple bills left over from the sale of the Weimar tuba, but that is not the case.
Doesn't mean I am not still interested

I will have to agree with Bloke about the fretless part; I had a decent Ovation 5 string AEB for a few years, but the thing that did it in for me was the nearly unavoidable fret buzz. Unfortunately, with my limited skill level, I think my intonation would suffer greatly without frets on anything smaller than a 3/4 Upright. I have seen way too many people playing fretless basses who have absolutely no business playing a fretless.

[The Jackson]

If you think you'll have intonation problems, why not see if you can have flat frets like on a Fenders?

[jacojdm]

Try a Michael Kelly bass. I bought one second hand about a year and a half ago, and have been very pleased with it. I use it both plugged in and not plugged in.
I believe that D&H is now distributing the Michael Kelly line.

[MartyNeilan]

Try a Michael Kelly bass. I bought one second hand about a year and a half ago, and have been very pleased with it. I use it both plugged in and not plugged in.
I believe that D&H is now distributing the Michael Kelly line.

Oh, to not be broke:
http://nashville.craigslist.org/msg/489097844.html

[iiipopes]

Here ya go: http://www.hollowbodybass.com/

And there is hollow body bass dorn as well as tuba dorn:

[MartyNeilan]

Epilogue:
There really are no acoustic bass guitars that can really cut it unplugged; laws of physics. Tried a lot, some better than others, but even the $$$$ ones easily buried by an acoustic guitar and a couple of singers.
Expensive semi-hollow body basses are nice but expensive and, obviously, useless unplugged. Inexpensive semi-hollow body basses "make very happy you" great wall hanging! Solid body seemed to be the only way to go without dropping at least a grand.
Wife surprised me with an early Christmas present:
"Tune Guitar Technology" 4 string bass, 34" full scale, with dual active pickups and 3 band eq and had setup by a top tech (benefit of living near Nashville) Slightly unusual but VERY ergonomic body, comfortable neck, and great action with no fret buzz (other than occassional user error) - let's see an ABG do that!
Korean, not Chinese made, and this particular example seems to be very well constructed to my discerning eye. If the electronics wear out or fail in a couple of years and need replacement, I will have definitely gotten my (her) money's worth.
-and-
Hartke Bass Attack pedal. VERY cool, very versatile stompbox and DI box. I am still trying to figure out how to hook my tuba to it.

She figured I would find it or find out (financially) sooner or later, so she wanted to be sure to surprise me!

[iiipopes]

Nice bass. The body is reminscent of some of the newer Alembic models.