Topic: acoustic electric bass
Thinking about buying an acoustic-electric bass....any thoughts on an affordable, reliable
one to start with? (Or anything to avoid.) Thanks!!
- Zurf
- Blunt but well meaning moderator
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Re: acoustic electric bass
Ibanez AEB10 or AEB45.
I have played a lot of A/E basses, plugging them in, unplugged. Of them all, the Ibanez's sound best plugged in and near the top unplugged. Even once getting into the higher end of cost, plugged in the Ibanez's continue to sound the best. They are also set up well and easy to play. I like the AEB10 for the slightly smaller body. You lose some volume, but you don't miss it plugged in.
If the Ibanez's aren't to your taste, the Michael Kelly's aren't bad. The Fender AE basses sound OK unplugged, but awful plugged in (to my ears, your mileage may vary).
Once you go up in price, there's a SWEEEEEEEET one made by Blue Ridge. Holy schmoly. Made my jaw drop. There was nothing I didn't like about it but the price. Were I to have the money, this one would be mine and the Ibanez (though a terrific value) would be forgotten.
Breedlove makes a dandy AE bass as well. Also pricier than the Michael Kelly or the Ibanez. Very nice. Good sound and projection unplugged, perhaps the best of this lot. No AE bass is going to project as well unplugged as a guitar. I don't know why that is, but it seems to be the case.
I played the Takemine one, but it definitely felt like a bass made for a guitar player to me. I'm a bass player at heart, so I want a big full neck and heavy strings. It feels 'right'. The Takemine sounded OK, and it would be easy for a guitar player to play because the fret distances and set up felt more guitar-like than bass like to me. I didn't plug it in, so can't comment on the plugged in sound.
Guild made a dandy one for a while, but it was expensive and I didn't feel that it sounded any better than the Ibanez AEC10 that costs about 1/3 the price. The AEB10 is definitely the best value I've seen out there, followed closely by Michael Kelly. The nice thing about Michael Kelly is that they make a fretless 4-string and a fretless 5-string (if you're into having a 25% string overload on your basses). Having started bass playing upright bass in a classical orchestra, I like fretless. There's good reasons to go with a fretted model, especially if you're playing mostly country or rock, though.
My indistinct ramblings, hopefully helpful.
- Zurf
Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude
Re: acoustic electric bass
Boy oh Boy Zurf ,
Sure have done your homework .........
I'm not a bass player , but recently my little bro was talking about one of those and I checked out a full bodied Johnson . I was impressed . Big sound unplugged and nice thumper plugged in . Price was under three bills .
I will say though , if you plan to play it unplugged much , I would go with the full bodied ones . Any brand will be louder than the smaller bodied cutaways .
Good luck.............Jerry
" Just reading the lyrics , it's hard to hear the song , but if the words tug at the heartstrings......it's enough for now........... "
Re: acoustic electric bass
baldwincity wrote:
Thinking about buying an acoustic-electric bass....any thoughts on an affordable, reliable
one to start with? (Or anything to avoid.) Thanks!!
Here are a few more options for your viewing pleasure;
http://www.music123.com/Dean-Playmate-E … 3.Music123
http://www.music123.com/Rogue-AB-304-Ac … 9.Music123
http://www.music123.com/Michael-Kelly-F … 9.Music123
http://www.music123.com/Ibanez-AEB10E-A … 2.Music123
The last one posted is on of the list of bass guitars Zurf suggested, as is the M.Kelly.(very good info by the way) Any of these would be a fine instrument to start out with. I've posted them beginning with the least expensive to the most expensive.
Give everything but up.
Re: acoustic electric bass
Wow, thanks for all the info. I was looking at an Ibanez electric bass, but talked to a friend of mine and thought the AE might be the way to go.
While we're on the subject, has anyone ever sang through a bass amp. I'm not a super serious musician, but am curious for any feedback on that, too. Thanks!!
- cytania
- Senior Member
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Re: acoustic electric bass
Hi Baldwin, only reason I can think of for wanting an electro acoustic bass is looks, ie. you don't want to clash with the rest of the folk band. Most decent solid body basses should summon up a soft thuddy sound that works fine.
Singing through a bass amp would be a very poor proposition. Human vocal sounds require a very different kind of speaker and mikes require connections more often found on a PA. You can play your bass through a regular guitar amp at low volume, doesn't sound nice but...
Sounds like you're either after a simple PA/mixer for small gigs or a portastudio type rig thingie for self recording. Lots of choices out there...
'The sound of the city seems to disappear'
- Zurf
- Blunt but well meaning moderator
- Offline
Re: acoustic electric bass
Electric solid-body and A/E basses have different sounds. I like A/E basses, but don't have one. I can get a mellow enough sound from my Yamaha solid body fretless. I can rough it up a bit with my Ovation Magnum. But what I can't do is get the roundness and fullness of tone that an AE gives (with a decent pre-amp). The Ibanez AE gives that tone.
That said, that tone of the AE bass is not really useful for some styles of music. While I suppose you could play punk with it, you surely aren't going to be popping and slapping any funk with it. But if you want to play country, country tinged rock, folk, or other primarily mellow vocal/lyrics driven music, I'd think an AE bass would sound good.
Again, my opinion only. Worth only what an opinion from a stranger on the internet ought to be.
- Zurf
Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude
Re: acoustic electric bass
cytania wrote:
Hi Baldwin, only reason I can think of for wanting an electro acoustic bass is looks, ie. you don't want to clash with the rest of the folk band. Most decent solid body basses should summon up a soft thuddy sound that works fine.
.
It's all in ones EQ adjustment. Feedback and a variated tone will occur with an acoustic/electric bass that won't with a solid body electric bass but with a little tweeking on the lows and mids the aoustic/electric bass is just as effective as the electric. Ever heard any tunes by the Stray Cats? Acoustic/electric bass here! TypeO Positive? Acoustic/electric bass here as well! Or Nathan East on Clapton's Unplugged. Nathan plays a acoustic/electric fretless bass that sounds amazing. Ultimately it comes down to personal preference and most all barriers and obstacles can be compensated for. If you got your heart and mind set on ther A/E bass, follow your desires..............
Give everything but up.
Re: acoustic electric bass
I haven't tried too much in the way of basses, but in my limited experience, you can't beat the sound/cost ratio of Ibanez. They sound great, look great, won't cost you and arm and a leg, the electronics are good, build-in the tuner. I couldn't be happier with mine.
Re: acoustic electric bass
Good deal. I'm definitely leaning toward Ibanez if & when I ever take the plunge on a bass.
My initial thought was to get a bass amp so I could experiment w/ singing through it, then I'd already have the amp for when I buy a bass...either A/E or just "E".