Conference napalm::guitar

    
    There are three that were covered in a recent issue of Frets (within
    the last three or four months)
    
    Kramer Ferrington:  This has a P-bass shaped body, bolt-on neck,
    piezo bridge pickup, preamp with volume, bass and treble controls.
    Available in two models, one with neck binding.  I played one just
    yesterday.  It's not loud enough to replace a string bass unless
    amplified, otherwise sounds OK.  About $400-500 with a case.  It's
    made in Japan, I think.  This can be heard (recorded) on the
    Emmylou/Dolly/Linda "Trio" album.
    
    Guild B-50 (???) Ask Ram Sudama about this, he has a fretless one.
    Like an overgrown D-50 Guild.  Also has a bridge pickup.  Over $1000
    I think.  Guild's financial problems may make this harder to find.
    It was originally introduced in the 70s, then discontinued, then
    reissued a few years ago.

    Larrivee:  Don't know anything beyond what Frets said.   The smallest
    body of the three.  Frets thought it was weak in the low end.  Find
    someone who deals with Larrivee guitars for more info on this one.
    
    Ernie Ball Earthwood: I think this is no longer made.  Oversized
    jumbo body and very plain finish.  Used by Freebo and John McVie
    amongst others.

    Eko: Made in Italy, I played a fretless one about seven years ago.
    Cheap, only about $300, sounded pretty awful.  I would think it
    would be hard to find one even if you wanted to.
    
    Also, talk to your local luthier.  A guy here in Worcester, MA has
    built a few for folks.  

    I remember a guy at McDuff's was making Acoustic basses
    for folks.  Seemed really nice too...Hand made.
    
    jc

    Thanks.  I'll look through my Fretses.  I have another friend who's
    planning to make some, but he's got a few other projects in the
    queue ahead of it, so I figure it'll be at least a year before that
    happens.  
    
    Bob

    I do have a Guild B-50, and in fact I might be interested in selling
    it. I bought it about 5 years ago, and have hardly had time to play it.
    It is really in mint condition. I went down to the Guild factory and
    had the neck custom made as a fretless with black bindings set where
    the frets would be. From a distance the fret markings are not visible,
    but when you're playing with other people and can't hear yourself well
    it makes it easier to maintain good intonation.
    
    Generally the B-50 is a real nice bass. It has a nice acoustic tone
    over the entire range, and it very playable. Of course, it is not as
    fat sounding as an upright bass or an electric, but it fits in very
    nicely with other acoustic instruments. I have also amplified it using
    a Seymour Duncan acoustic guitar pickup, which makes it sound fatter
    and a little more on the electric side.
    
    I'd be glad to show this to your friend, even if they are not
    interested in buying it. I'm not even sure I want to sell it,
    considering that they are pretty hard to find, it is in such good
    condition, and now Guild has passed away. But I hate to hold on to
    instruments I am not using that someone else might be making good music
    on, so I might be talked into it.
    
    - Ram

    
    Your friend just got lucky, Bob....
    
    Martin showed an acoustic bass guitar at NAMM this winter.  A picture
    I saw of it yesterday showed blonde sides (???) and some knobs,
    most likely for a bridge pickup.  It looked like a D-28 with a long
    neck.  If it's all US made it must be a pretty penny, if it's in
    the Shenandoah series, maybe it would be affordable for us mere
    mortals 8^)  8^)  8^)
    
    I'd suggest ringing up your local Martin dealer for the whole poop.

    SYS$THANKS.
    
    I'm looking at old Frets issues and haven't found the aforementioned
    article yet.
    
    Bob

    The FRETS that showed the Martin was last months, the one with Johnny
    Cash on the cover.  The latest issue of JAZZIZ magazine also
    spotlighted it.
    
    _stew-

    Aha!  I lent that one out.  Thanks.

    TA-DA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I just read that washburn came out with one
    -----good write-up(in the local rag)looks like a guitar but instead
    of the soundhole or f-holes;it has slots angularly(?)below the neck
    so as not to weaken the design.Of course,no price listed!

    
    Re: .5
    
    I saw a price for the Martin, it's available with either maple or
    rosewood sides and back.  Sit down....
    
    $2295.
    
    Hope that includes the case 8^)  8^)  8^)  8^)

    Gasp!  Choke!! Sputter....

    So nearly three years later...
    
    Are these things for real?  You see 'em on MTV and such, and almost
    everybody is making them, but that doesn't mean it's anything more than
    trendiness.
    
    I've tried a few and never been impressed with the *acoustic* sound. 
    Yeah, they sound great plugged in, but I already own a couple of
    *electric* basses, thank you.  They are also not too loud, which is not
    good in a group context, say a bluegrass band where you have to compete
    with fiddle, banjo and mandolin, the three loudest things in the world
    8^)  8^)  8^)
    
    I really can't see using one instead of a string bass except for one
    application:  they do sound nice for sitting down and fingerpicking. 
    I don't find playing solo string bass too much fun, but these babies
    are interesting for this. Not much else tho  8^(
    
    Comments?  Flames?  Apathy?  8^)
    
    						Brian

    I've played the Washburn one and liked it's acoustic sound.  Problem
    was that it didn't seem to have real good volume that way.  I guess
    it'd be fine for practicing, but I think it'd need some reinforcement
    to keep up with other acoustic instruments.
    
    Greg

    
    I have not seen one except of mtv, but i was talking with the local
    high school band director, and he said his bass player has one in 
    the jazz band, and it sounds terrific.   I'm gonna have take an
    afternoon and go check it out!
    
    I can't see using one as an upright as a bow is a nice thing to have
    on an upright, even for jazz, folk and country.
    
    	bob
    

    
    Like everything thing else, I'm sure this is a matter of personal
    taste.  It's true that these basses don't have much volume unplugged,
    and most likely wouldn't be able to compete even with an acoustic
    guitar unless it was really hammered.  But when plugged in, the sound
    is very unusual, full and resonant - quite different from any electric
    solid-body I've played.
    
    Sandy, still a Sigma owner :^}
    

    Some physics type would be able to explain why,.. all I know is that
    you'll never get an acoustic stringed instrument that is still of small
    enough size for one human being to play that can produce adequate
    volume in the low register of the bass. You have to move too much
    air,.. which is why you need the amp.. where adequate is defined
    as "as loud as this here Martin Acoustic guitar" or whatever.
    
    			`				/Bill

    
    
    
>    Sandy, still a Sigma owner :^}
    
    
    Gee, I was halfway waiting to see a for sale note on this one...
    
    You're right, the sound out of the acoustic/electric basses I've heard
    is definitely different from anything else.
    

	I'd whip it out for Violent Femmes covers. NOT. But I do like
	the distinctive hollow-piezo sound.

A friend of mine has designed an acoustic bass and has a prototype about 
halfway finished.  Local legend has it that he made a few protos about 
fourteen years ago (before I knew him) that were very loud and satisfying.
A shady business partner absconded with them and my friend lost interest
in the project.  He was planning to have one finished by now, but got 
sidetracked on a violin project.  He thinks he has learned one of Stradivari's
secrets.  

If he ever finishes the bass, I'll report back.


Bob

    
    In honor of the fact that it's too damn quiet in here lately
    and never enough bass talk anyway :-)....
    
    I've been at least moderately interested in acoustic basses
    for awhile now....and it ain't due to MTV-wannabe syndrome,
    either (I'm too damn old for that :-). I just find the sound
    that one can get from these things to be interesting....not
    that I'd want a steady diet of it, mind you, but it does make
    for something different.
    
    So, a visit to a music store would usually find me pharting
    around with whatever brand of acoustic bass (as opposed to
    string bass) they had in stock. What I found was that were
    usually "too".....too big, too expensive, all of the above.
    I like the Martin sound, but a list of >$2K is a bit steep for
    a guy thats buying diapers :-). The Guild B50 is damn nice,
    but too damn fat. The Ovation sounds pisser but is another one
    priced in the thousands.....no thanks. Martin's Sigma line is
    as big and clumsy as the Martin itself but without the nice
    deep tone the Martin generates (a good comparison between solid
    spruce tops and plywood, if nothing else). Alverez now offers
    one that looks good in the pictures anyway, but I've never had
    the opportunity to see one up close.
    
    Hell, all I'd want is to be able to fart around with this thing
    unamplified or take it camping. All I could find that seemed to fit
    the bill would be the Applause model. They have all the warmth of a
    2 X 4, but actually can produce some volume thanks to the roundback
    design. That same roundback design, however, also makes it tough to
    play (note that it is extremely deep compared to their 6-strings) and
    tone is somewhat lacking....in other words, it sounds like shit (but
    loud shit :-).
    
    So, I couldn't seem to find much middle ground...and it ain't like
    I really *needed* one of these things. Until Friday, that was. I
    happened to be at Rockley Music in Denver and picked up a new model
    that Guild just put out; B4-CE. It's a thinline acoustic bass with
    a short scale neck...but it *talks*. I both played it and listened
    to it (I was with another bass player) and we were both favorably
    impressed. We also A/B'd it with the Guild B50 that Rockley had..I
    swear that this new one is louder despite its' smaller and more
    manageable size. Best of all, the list is $995....which should
    discount down to a price that would at least be justifiable for what
    I want it for. Its a little plainer than your usual Guild, but its
    miles ahead of what else is in its' price range in both sound and
    feel. Nice bass!!
    
    DAP
     

    Sounds nice, except for the short scale part.  Do they make a long
    scale version?  Are there any on-board electronics?
    
    /rick

    
    re .21
    
    In typical Guild quality, the electronics were Fishman. BTW, all
    my earlier comments about sound were related to its' acoustic
    abilities....we did plug the bass in and it sounded *wonderful*.
    However, Rockley usually stacks the deck by plugging you into
    an SWR or a Trace. I usually evaluate basses standalone, particularly
    acoustics.....after all, thats what I would want it for :-).
    
    Regarding short vs long scale....the big Guild also has a short
    scale neck. This becomes a matter of religion, I have found. For
    a bass to make good tone in an acoustic configuration, there are
    those that feel a long scale neck is necessary. Only trouble is
    that they also have large bodies to produce them beautiful low
    freqs.....and you wind up with all this mass in your hand (or in
    your lap). The big Guild is extremely thick in the body, which
    is most likely what helps it sound good with a short scale neck.
    The body seems even larger and deeper than the Martin..and thats
    going some. The trouble with the Martin is that it seems even
    longer than your normal long-scale bass...the reach to the low F
    is something you have to feel to believe :-). 
    
    So, in this type of bass, I actually prefer the Guild style with
    a short scale......and this new one is smaller than a Winnebago :-)
    
    DAP 
     
     

    
    So as not to leave any bass either unmentioned (or unslagged :-),
    and along the lines of "everybody wants to get into the act"....I
    forgot to mention the most horrific thing I have ever seen. Charvel
    makes an acoustic bass...sorta. The only word I can think of that
    does is justice is "gross"....and I don't mean twelve dozen. This
    thing is supposed to fit into the Surfcaster line; it has no sound-
    hole but instead a teardrop hole in the side. It feels vaguely like
    the plastic guitar I bought for my daughter. The neck has a very
    pronounced "V" to it....any sharper and it'd cut yer thumb :-). Put
    it this way, its the only one I've ever picked up and put right
    back down...didn't need to play it :-). This thing makes the Applause
    seem a Martin...and worst of all, it was priced in the high $400
    range. Look forward to seeing them in next years Musicians Fiend
    closeout section.
    
    Somewhat better, and certainly more popular, is another I overlooked:
    the Washburn AB20. Initially, I liked this bass....that is, until I
    played my first Guild. Its really not all that bad; the angular slashes
    in the body take some getting used to and it sounds wimpy unless
    you plug it in. The problem with it (for me anyway) was price; it sells
    in the catalogs for around $600 without case. Put it in your hand and
    you'll wonder how they can charge that kinda money for something that
    feels like model airplane wood. In this price range, the Sigma is a
    much better choice. Additionally, there is an upscale model, the AB40
    but I've never seen one......its Japanese-made where the AB20 is 
    Korean but the $1800 list would scare me away in any event. Guilds
    are much better for less money.
    
    Lastly, many of these basses are available in 5-strings and/or
    fretless models. While the fretless ones sound even better than the
    fretted models, the lo-B on the 5-strings doesn't seem to carry at
    all if the bass is unamplified (note careful avoidance of the word
    "unplugged" :-). And of course, all the above opinions are based 
    on my own personal shopping experiences. All the usual disclaimers
    apply: IHMO, your mileage may vary, one man's meat is another man's
    poison, fer sher dude. :-)
    
    DAP
    
    

    I've played a few of the Applause basses, both fretted and fretless. 
    While not the cream of the crop, the low price (about $400, less
    used) makes it a good choice.  The fretless when amplified is quite
    seductive.  *Almost* made me want to get one.  
    
    I'm still waiting for someone to really make a mark using one of these
    beasts and put it on the map the way Jaco made the world safe for
    fretless J-basses  8^)  8^)  Jonas Hellborg might be on the way to
    doing that, if only one could find his recordings...he's one a couple
    of albums featuring himself on a Wechter acoustic bass guitar.  One
    features him competing with drummer Tony Williams so I guess the
    Wechter can get pretty loud  8^)  8^)
    
    						Cedric Rainwater

    re .23
    
    It's interesting to hear that your impressions of the Washburn are very
    similar to mine; I thought it was very disappointing unplugged, and yeah,
    "model airplane wood" is a good description.  Given what you've said, I
    really want to try out one of these smaller Guilds now.
    
    /rick

    
    Fwiw, I had a Sigma for a while, and while the sound was pretty neat
    once I got used to it, I could never get comfortable with the body.  My
    right hand would tend to get numb after a while as the blood drained
    away and couldn't get back in :^}
    
    

    
    To keep this discussion going: I had a chance yesterday to
    finally have a close enounter with the Alverez bass. One of
    my spies reported seeing one at Rice Music here in the Springs,
    so I went over there to see/play it. One thing that the
    picture in the Elderly Instruments didn't bring out, and was
    a pleasant surprise, is that this is also a thin body bass.
    It appears that manufacturers are getting away from the
    deep-as-a-well syndrome ala Martin/Sigma and the original
    Guild.
    
    Those that were turned off by the Guild's short scale neck will
    be pleased to find that this is a long scale instrument. Better
    still, this bass had the absolute lowest action I've found yet
    on acoustics......not sure if this is representative of the
    breed or just this individual instrument, but it played very
    well. Somehow the long scale neck on this bass doesn't seem to
    require the reach that the Martin does to the lower frets; body
    size probably contributes to this.
    
    The bass in the Elderly catalog has 3 knobs on the top; this
    bass (later model perhaps?) has a control panel in the bout like
    most of the others on the market. Volume knob, 3 EQ sliders and
    another knob that I disremember (shape, mebbe?). I didn't have time
    to plug it in.....I'll save that until I'm in a buying position :-).
    This helps keep GTS under control.
    
    Due to being alone, I also didn't have the opportunity to
    stand back and listen to it being played to judge it's
    projection. At first pass, it might not have the punch of the
    new Guild, but thats hard to evaluate alone. Price is in the
    same ballpark as the new Guild; it was wearing a $1K price tag,
    same as the Guild at Rockley. I didn't waste their time talking
    price on either as I'm not ready to buy (yet :-). BTW, Elderly
    quoted my $739 a few months back for the Alverez with case.
    
    It's not quite love at first feel, but its close :-). Nice
    bass!
    
    DAP
    

    
    The gene pool continues to expand for acoustic bass....over
    the weekend I saw something interesting. Somewhere in this
    file there was mention of Gretsch making a comeback. I stumbled
    into a place in Denver that has a whole buncha new Gretsch
    guitars (see note 1257)....and a new Gretsch acoustic bass!
    
    Overall, a very striking instrument.....although only a half-
    step from being too gaudy. Its a thinbody acoustic, long scale,
    electronic panel/sliders on the upper bout with cutaway. The
    neck is bound and had fancy fret marker inlays. The soundhole
    is almost heart-shaped and surrounded by some gaudy trim. The
    hardware is gold......between that and the way they did the
    soundhole would normally be enough to send me running away in
    gag mode :-). The damn thing just plays like a dream, however.
    
    This bass was the only one they had, and the dealer made the
    most of that fact (claimed limited production). It was available
    fretted in only that burnt orange color...he said that a fretless
    was available in a mahogany only. I was quoted $815 with Gretsch
    case for this bass (model number 6175, if anyone cares). I didn't
    have a lot of time that day but what time I did spend with it
    left me wanting more. I found it to be a very attractive instrument;
    fit and finish were very good......and it played very smoothly.
    I'd certainly include this bass in any final roundup prior to
    purchase. If one ever found themselves in a rhinestone cowboy band,
    this thing would be a "must". :-)
    
    DAP
    

    I saw someone playing one of the Martin acoustic basses at a church
    last week.  It had a curly maple back and sides and was truly beautiful
    to look at.  I didn't have time to check it out in depth though.  
    
    As far as sound, well...I couldn't hear it well enough to tell.
    
    Greg

Al just had an acoustic samik that was gorgeous! Blew the doors off the ovation
he had in a while back, both in sound and playability...someday soon samik is
going to be a major player, their guitars (the ones I've tried 10-15 of them)
have all been very playable and they sound good, and best of all their cheap.

dbii

    
    
    What's the best price you've seen on one of those Ovation fretless
    semi-acoustic basses?  Every once in a while I get an urge to go for
    that "unplugged" sound...most of the time I get over it pretty quick,
    though...
    
    

    Re: .31
    
    The Applause models seem to be about $400, then there is one that is
    also imported but says Ovation on it (Celebrity series or something
    like that?) that is about $100 or so more.  Then you jump to the
    high-end model with the Elite/Adamas type soundholes at about $2K. 
    Actually, I haven't seen any around lately, I guess the fad is dying
    out  8^)
    
    							K-Man

    
    K-Man be spot on, as always. The Applause (helluva name for
    that hunka trash; Thrown Tomatoes would be more appropriate)
    is around $400. It sounds better as a fretless than it does
    a fretted model, but thats very subjective as they both
    drive like a truck and sound very weak unamplified. I had a
    chance to play the Ovation model and it is better than the
    Applause in both quality and sound. The extra $100 or so it
    costs would be well spent if you can stand that salad-bowl
    back. [Note that this is not the Ovation model with the floral
    soundholes and $2500 list price.]
    
    I've probably said it before, but I'll say it again...there seems
    to be very little middle ground on these type of basses. Low
    bucks (by comparison anyway, $400+ for an Applause is still a
    good size chunka change) gets you low quality and the next increment
    is in the $1K range. From there, it goes up for Martins and
    the like. In other words, this is a hard itch to scratch for any
    kind of short money if you want a decent instrument.
    
    I still feel that the very best value is the Guild B4CE. I had
    a chance to play one again recently and I still like that bass.
    It sits nice in the lap as its a thinbody. Somehow, despite the
    thin body, it generates acceptable volume unamplified. The neck
    feels very nice....and with a $1K list, it discounts to around
    $600 or so if you shop around. The big Guild B30 is a higher
    grade of instrument, of course, and produces better/deeper lows...
    but now the list goes back to some $1400+. 
    
    If anybody has the chance and the interest, try the B4 and feel
    free to correct me :-). At least, don't buy anything else without
    trying this model first.
    
    DAP           
    

    Yesterday I had the opportunity to try out a Godin "Acoustibass". 
    These are made in Canada by the same company that builds Seagull
    guitars. The one I tried was fretted, but a fretless is available as
    are guitar versions.
    
    The Acoustibass looks like a P-bass with a Tele headstock and a bridge
    off a Martin.  There is *no* pickup on the body so it looks pretty
    naked.  The pickup is a Lloyd Baggs AB-4 mounted in the bridge.  In
    addition there is a small "harp" of tuned metal resonators attached to
    the bridge.  The idea is that the resonators add frequencies that are
    common resonances found in upright basses.  The result through an amp
    is a sound *very* much like an upright.  The illusion is spoiled a bit
    by the frets but I am **very** interested in trying a fretless one.
    
    Construction: a maple neck with rosewood board (fretlesses use ebony),
    a spruce top and ebony bridge.  The body is mahogany for natural and
    sunburst finishes, limewood for opaque finishes.  There is a rosewood
    thumbrest running parallel to the E string (8" long!) to help those of
    us used to resting our thumbs on a pickup.  Tuners were Gotohs on the
    one I played, the catalog showed Grovers, though.
    
    A preamp is mounted on the upper bout with four slide controls: gain,
    bass (100 hz), mid (1100 hz) and treble (5 khz).  The 9V battery is
    reached by removing the preamp control plate (four screws).
    
    The neck I tried was P-style, but a narrower J-style neck is available
    for the same price.  It was satin finished and played like a good
    Fender.  The overall weight is much less than a P-bass because of the
    hollow body, but it does become a bit neck-heavy (maybe why they
    switched from Grovers to Gotohs).
    
    This is a real interesting bass in that it does sound a *lot* like an
    upright, more so than the usual flat-top style acoustic basses, but
    makes no attempt to actually be usable acoustically...it has no
    soundholes of any kind!  Based on what I heard with the fretted model,
    I would bet that the fretless model could fool quite a few listeners
    into thinking it was an upright, which makes it a real nice idea for a
    jazz player.  In fact the dealer said he's sold a few already to GB
    players.  At about $1000, it's not super-expensive, either.
    
    Has anyone tried the guitar version?  Wondering if the harp resonators
    help bring back the "woodiness" missing from most bridge transducer
    systems.
    
    								Brian

Brian,
    
>    Has anyone tried the guitar version?  Wondering if the harp resonators
>    help bring back the "woodiness" missing from most bridge transducer
>    systems.
 

	I've tried a couple of the Godin Guitar versions that are similiar
to the bass you describe in your note. They were used and were around $500
price range. I didn't notice the harp resonators? They both were a tellie 
style body and had a very acoustical guitar sound to them. Spruce top,same 
volume tone setup on the top. Long ago when I was looking at Ferringtons 
and equivalents it would have been a nice guitar to have,and perhaps with a 
pickup installed in the neck a very utility type instrument. The Godins I've 
played seem to be a high quality instruments for this kind of design. 
(bolt on neck acoustic electric's) The neck to body joining always seems 
exact/very tight with no gaps. Every Godin I've played has also been very 
appealing as far the weight is concerned including a Tellie electric I played. 
	A fretless acoustic sound without the backache or the van you need
to carry around a "boat" sounds like a big plus.
    
							Rick
    
    

    Re: .34, .35
    
    The resonator harp on the Godins is attached to the underside of the
    bridge.  It's visible in a shot in the catalog which shows a body
    before assembly.  If you didn't know it was there, you couldn't tell by
    looking at the guitar.
    
    As far as having a neck pickup, Fender makes acoustic Teles and
    P-basses in a similar style to the Godins.  The Fenders have F-holes
    but no resonators, and a magnetic pickup as well as the bridge pickup.
    Price is about the same, $1000 for the bass, although they are Japanese
    made.  For some stupid reason, these Fenders are part of the "Heavy
    Metal" line, complete with hockey stick headstocks!
    				
    							Brian

    I have tried the fretless version of the Acoustibass, and Brian's
    right; you can get awfully close to an upright sound with it.  One
    thing that impressed me was the responsiveness to the tone sliders;
    you get radically different sounds with small tweak and the bass 
    still sounds good.  I think this would be an extremely flexible
    instrument.
    
    Also, 'light' doesn't begin to describe the weight.  After years of
    slinging real-man basses around, this feels like nothing's there.
    
    /count_bassy

>    /count_bassy
    
    HAHAHAHA!!!

    re .36
    
    I've tried a few of the Fender series that you mentioned,and I'd choose 
    the Godin without question,as it had better sound/tone and was lighter.
    The Fender's front pickup tone was terrible. As far as all around
    quality was concerned the Godin rated higher.....   long term I dunno
    but I'd take my chance with the Godin over the Fender.
    
    							Rick
    

    Based on the expert advice in .39  8^) , I ordered a fretless Godin and
    it arrived last night.  This thing totally blows away *all* the
    flat-top acoustic basses I've heard, and is more comfortable to play
    since it is essentially a P-bass form factor.
    
    							Brian

    Sounds interesting, Brian.  You going to bring it to the next Bulldawg
    Jam so we can all hear it?
    
    Dave

Hi,

I have not seen any acoustic bass talk for some time now.  I am currently on
the market for one, have not even started hunting in the music stores yet.

Still playing my Peavey Foundation with the 4 piece band, but the guitar
player and I have started some work with just the 2 of us for an acoustic act.
I bought and Alysis (sp?) SR-16 drum machine , which is working out great so
far.  I'm a busy little programmer with that baby.

Joe has several acoustic guitars he uses with the act, including a Martin,
and a beautiful sounding ovation.  

I've been "winging it" with my peavey bass and a little minx amp, 35 watts.
It sounds cool, but I'd like to try out some acoustic stuff and see if the
sound fits better.  Plus, we can practice without power if I have one, I hope.
Often times this past summer I wish I had one.

I've read through this note and I'm hoping prices have perhaps come down a 
little since some of the postings.  I live in Worcester and plan to start 
hitting the local music shops later this week.  I'm also interested in seeing
if the person who was making them is still in operation.

Anyone have any updates on the availability , quality, price info of acoustic
basses these days ?  I guess my first thought is to find one with pickups 
built in, so I can always run it through my amp or the pa.

Any help greatly appreciated,

Dave