Acoustic bass?

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guitarcookie1guitarcookie1 Frets: 461
edited October 2014 in Bass
Not having tried one before, would one cut it in a small group, completely unmiked, with three other acoustic guitarists or would it be lost in the mix?
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Comments

  • martmart Frets: 5205
    No hope. Mine is drowned out by a single acoustic guitar. They simply have to be amplified.

    That leads people to think they are useless things, but the fact is that, even amplified, they sound unlike any other sort of bass. And yes, a little more like the holy grail of sounding a bit like a double bass.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71963
    There are a very few that will work - just - acoustically, but they're mostly huge and expensive… Guild, an old Ernie Ball one, possibly others. The only one I know of which is not expensive - but is still huge - is an Eko from the 70s, but they're very rare. I had a fretless one years ago, it was just about usable unamplified in a duo with a guitar and a quiet vocalist, but it might struggle against three guitars.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • martmart Frets: 5205
    Who says you can't use a Flying V in folk music.
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  • ToneControlToneControl Frets: 11791
    I have a Kala u-bass
    through a PA  it sounds almost exactly like a double bass, or less acoustic if you like, it is excellent, and I would not touch an normal acoustic bass now I've heard this thing. They are amazing 
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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23966
    The Kalas are great.

    You have to spend Rob Allen money to do better
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  • That's a shame, have to rethink my plans...
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  • IanSavageIanSavage Frets: 1319
    With the size of an acoustic bass, you'll do better taking along an electric bass and a little practise amp of some sort. Probably less cumbersome than an acoustic bass and considerably louder and clearer.
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  • VimFuegoVimFuego Frets: 15477
    I have a Kala u-bass
    through a PA  it sounds almost exactly like a double bass, or less acoustic if you like, it is excellent, and I would not touch an normal acoustic bass now I've heard this thing. They are amazing 
    how loud played acoustically are they?

    I'm not locked in here with you, you are locked in here with me.

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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23966
    VimFuego said:
    I have a Kala u-bass
    through a PA  it sounds almost exactly like a double bass, or less acoustic if you like, it is excellent, and I would not touch an normal acoustic bass now I've heard this thing. They are amazing 
    how loud played acoustically are they?
    Quiet solo practice only.
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  • VimFuegoVimFuego Frets: 15477

    thanks. I was hoping it would be louder but hey ho. In the folk orchestra I play in we do have a DB player and a cello player, but they tend to get drowned out by all the fiddles and squeeze boxes, so I was hoping I could help supplement the low end a bit. If I ask if I can bring along an amplifier I suspect they'll string me up in the market square.

    I'm not locked in here with you, you are locked in here with me.

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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71963
    IanSavage said:
    With the size of an acoustic bass, you'll do better taking along an electric bass and a little practise amp of some sort. Probably less cumbersome than an acoustic bass and considerably louder and clearer.
    You're not wrong!


    And that's one of the very few that does have usable acoustic volume… apparently, I've never played one - I'm not sure I could, I'm only a small guy :).

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • ICBM said:
    IanSavage said:
    With the size of an acoustic bass, you'll do better taking along an electric bass and a little practise amp of some sort. Probably less cumbersome than an acoustic bass and considerably louder and clearer.
    You're not wrong!


    And that's one of the very few that does have usable acoustic volume… apparently, I've never played one - I'm not sure I could, I'm only a small guy :).
    I'd probably die of laughter just trying to hold it before I sounded a note :)
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  • xmrchixmrchi Frets: 2810
    My Ibanez EWB30p was the loudest Acoustic bass I owned, and happily cut through with acoustics, Granted it is huge, but it did sound good.
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