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ABGs are not meant to be heard unplugged in an ensemble.
OK, I mean if any builder CLAIMS that their ABG is meant to
be heard in ensemble, then that builder is delusional. I have
played the loudest ABG I've ever played, a luthier-built bass
available locally, used, for under $2000 from a friend of mine.
While it is DISTINCTLY louder, and deeper voiced, than any
other I've tried, it's got about zero utility played unplugged
ensemblewise. It's still an AGB ... i.e. doomed to be amped.
It's impressive in it's degree of superiority, but it still can't
hold it's own. No acoustic bass can. An AGB has less than
half the topside surface of an URB. URBs are routinely either
mic'ed or plugged in for ensemble play [for pizz, anyway ....
arco CAN cut it in certain ensemble situations, mainly those
without drum kits].
To assume that Warwick is not delusional, one hasta allow
that the Alien exists due to market pressure, pressure thaz
exerted by delusional players. An AGB is more fragile and
more awkward than a thinline [aka "semi-acoustic"] and will
sound approx the same in a band with drums. Without the
drums, you CAN hear the difference that the bigger body
offers, a more airy and woody voice. OTOH, and ABG will
feed back VERY easily while a thinline is far less vulnerable
to the same provocation.
A large part of what makes an amped ABG sound "acoustic"
is it's "acoustic" [usually piezo] pickup. A thinline has the
same pickup [some exceptions exist] and the proof of this
pudding is that a thinline is usually not even hollow, but is
just a chambered, or "semi-semi-hollow" body.
Woodworking design concerns aside, another element that
prevents any ABG or thinline from fully expressing whatever
woody voice it may possess is the metal frets. Wooden frets
would/wood sound more woody, but would wear too quickly.
So, if you wanna remove the metal klank from your ABG or
thinline's voice, you gotta avoid frets. A solid body fretless
electric bass with acoustic PUs will sound approx equally as
acoustic as a hollow or semi-hollow that has metal frets.
Finally .... since you gotta amp your ABG anyway, you can't
get all worried about how loud it is ... or isn't ... when it's
played unplugged. You hafta plug it in, and so you hafta do
something to avoid feedback. To reduce feedback, stuff a
fairly large trash bag into the body [access thru the "sound
hole"]. Don't use a thin filmy/flimsy bag, but one thaz stiff
enuf that you can "fluff it up" in there, and expect it to hold
its loft [fill the interior and not settle to the bottom]. This
will reduce feedback and barely effects the airy woodiness
of AGB tone. Look around inside first and take note of any
wiring, etc so that you don't brutalize it in the process.
but whatever, im more
Really? I have two Martin guitars (6-stringers, not ABGs) - one laminate and one all solid. Guess which is louder.
