| Base guitar selection is a very personal thing as some | | | | Bass players learned that sitka tops may scream a bit |
| players prefer more tone, others prefer 5 strings to | | | | if played softly like an ordinary acoustic guitar. |
| four - the selection criteria is endless. But there are a | | | | Once you selected the wood on your guitar, count the |
| few very basic aspects of your prospective guitar | | | | frets. Most bass guitars have twenty one, two or |
| that you must decide on before buying the perfect | | | | twenty four frets. Choose the total that suits your |
| acoustic bass guitar. | | | | style of playing best. |
| Bass acoustic guitar sound depends very much on the | | | | While in than area, hold the neck and feel how it sits in |
| shape of the sound box as well as the wood it was | | | | your hand. Bass guitars may have many different |
| made from. Light weight woods produce crispier tones | | | | shaped necks that range from oval to round with |
| as in comparison the heavier woods that have an | | | | some flat variations in between. |
| inclination to produce more moody deep sounds. Keep | | | | Have a look at the tuning machines at the top of the |
| in mind how your instrument will blend in with other | | | | neck. Good tuners make for perfect pitch in tuning, but |
| instruments. | | | | poor tuners will see your pitch slide away as they can |
| Many guitar makers learned that the wood they used | | | | not hold on to the setting of the string. |
| to carve the top of the guitar from may be the most | | | | Many bass players prefer a coated finger board to |
| important factor as far as sound reproduction is | | | | get maximum vibration sounds going up and down the |
| concerned. They choose woods according to the | | | | neck. Coated boards help prevent that sliding sound |
| sound velocity properties of that specific wood. | | | | some of us hate so much. Classic base players go for |
| Mahogany wood as top will bring out strong solid tones | | | | the uncoated neck as they chase clear and precise |
| that can accommodate higher ends of the sound | | | | notes rather than harmonies. |
| spectrum. Many country guitar players enjoy the sound | | | | Never forget to test the intonation of the bass with |
| of mahogany instruments. | | | | any other instrument that is in tune. Give special |
| Opposite to mahogany, rose wood tops are very light | | | | attention to the frets from number 12 upwards, as |
| and produce very clear and light sounds. Rose wood | | | | most problems occur in this range. Should the frets be |
| has a very high velocity sound index, making it perfect | | | | too far or too near to each other, your ear will |
| for a wide spectrum of uses in guitar building. Bass | | | | immediately pick up the intonation going out of sync |
| acoustic guitars with rose wood tops are very popular | | | | with the other instrument you are using as a test. |
| as they tend to have a great playability. | | | | There are very more factors to consider before |
| Players that play their instrument quite hard, rely on the | | | | buying an instrument, but these should cover the |
| fast tonal velocity of Sitka Spruce. This lightweight | | | | basics. Should you find these in place, you can go on |
| wood is very strong and widely used in the | | | | and start looking at finishes, makes and models to |
| manufacturing of many different musical instruments. | | | | choose from. |