decent, cheap ABG / A-EBG?

[rch427]

I'm looking for a cheap acoustic bass guitar that sounds decent unplugged, for a home recording project. I'll be micing it, trying to get as close of a sound to an upright bass as is possible (other than going fretless).

 

Just about every review I've read has gone on about acoustic bass guitar's amplified sound, and the lack of projection in live performance. Neither of these things matter to me, so it's been hard to get any info about what I'm looking for.

 

I see basses (mostly Chinese ones) going on eBay all the time for $100-150, which is what I'm looking to spend. Many of them don't have their maker listed, and some of them--such as Dean--have Western-sounding labels, but I presume are made at the same Chinese factories as the "nameless" ones.

 

Does anyone have any experience with any of these things? I'd appreciate hearing opinions about which of these things has decent unamplified sound. Thanks in advance.

 

-- Robert

[NV43345]

Check out your local Sam Ash store for a brand called Carlo Robeli.

I have a couple of them, decent price, good sound & construction.

Make sure it has Phospher Bronze strings on it, standard Steel or Nickel Bass strings dont put out enough volume when playing un-plugged. If your going to play pluged in, get yourself a sound hole cover, cause they feedback really easy.

[ARES]

brownsville. i think it's a sam ash brand and while i don't like to recommend scram ass, my guitarist picked up an electric/acoustic bass for $150 and it's quite nice.

 

i mean it's no martin by any stretch of the imagination, but it plays well and has good volume. i don't think any of us have ever plugged it in though, it's strictly for band-only acoustic jamming.

[greenshag]

flame away...but the Rogue ABG is not that bad for the money IMO, I used to play one with some guys doing an acoustic blues style jam, and it worked pretty well for that, but yes, not alot of projection volume, but with a little fender frontman 15b, that problem was solved...

[ARES]

also i think michael kelly acoustic basses go for cheap on ze bay, i've never played one but have heard good things about them.

 

seen them go for under $300.

[greenshag]

 

Originally posted by ARES also i think michael kelly acoustic basses go for cheap on ze bay, i've never played one but have heard good things about them. seen them go for under $300.

 

 

my buddy has one of them, also very nice for the price...but alas, once again, not too much projection, but still sounded good unplugged. I did find the preamp to be a bit noisy when plugged in (i.e. you could hear every string when fretted).

[rch427]

I don't know how much of an issue projection will be, since I'll be micing it up close with a large-diaphragm condensor mic. I'm mostly interested in it having a decent, "woody" tone. I guess all of these are going to have plywood tops, right?

 

What about the Applause fiberglass bowl-backed ABGs? I was just outbid for one on eBay for under $150. Do they sound "plasticky"?

 

Also, I've heard great things about the Thomastik ABG strings. Would they make enough difference for a cheap bass like these to justify the $40 price tag?

[rch427]

How 'bout the Dean Playmates?

[SB]

TANGLEWOOD

[Thrash Jazz]

Beaver Creek BCB05. With a better set of strings, a better nut and saddle, it actually sounds pretty good acoustically.

[sunburstbasser]

Cort makes some pretty nice ABGs overall. I've played a couple. They sound more like a massive guitar than an upright, though.

 

I'd guess the Rogue ABGs come out of the same factory, and possibly several others mentioned so far. Dean has their own factory, so it'll be completely different from Cort. I don't know about the Kellys.