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Pros:
- Affordable
- Interesting Sound
Cons:
- Tuning Stability Issues
- Cheap Nut
To make the acoustic bass guitar available for all, is to make the novelty of an unusual instrument into an everyday presence for each and every one of us. It means to usher a new type of music into the modern world. Which is why I always appreciate a high quality but affordable acoustic bass guitar, and which is why I am bringing the Washburn Acoustic Basses AB5K to your attention. Let’s take a closer look and see why you should pick one up.
Body Quality
The body of the guitar is made in the style of many similar to it, which is not a bad thing at all. The grand concert body shape that is traditional among acoustic bass guitars is so for a reason: it provides the instrument with a powerful projection that is unplagued by accidental distortion or the booming low tones associated with dreadnought body shapes. The shape is comfortable and nice to look at, with the cutaway on the lower side of the guitar providing a nice stylistic look and comfort during play.
The guitar is made out of a popular combination of spruce and mahogany, which allows the instrument a whole lot of well-rounded tone and sound. The spruce top of the guitar provides the instrument with a great level of resonance with high and mid-tones that you will be soloist with. The mahogany of the back and sides of the guitar resonates more with the lower tones of the guitar. This produces a bass guitar that has a very interesting, well-rounded sound that is not too heavy in terms of bass, but is lovely nonetheless. The grand concert shape keeps the guitar sounding powerful, while the mahogany and spruce make the bass guitar sturdy and lightweight.
The choice of material for the neck of the guitar is nontraditional, but still a good choice that is seen especially often among acoustic bass guitars. The mahogany used for the neck provides the instrument with a marginally more detailed low tone resonance, as well as an incredibly sturdy neck that is highly resistant to warping and most kinds of damage. The set through the body atuer of the neck allows for further neck stability. The fingerboard of the guitar is made out of rosewood, which is not only lovely to look at, but great to play with.
Hardware
The guitar comes with a rather standard rosewood bridge, often seen in acoustic bass guitars such as this one. The bridge on this guitar provides some nice action and some great string stability, while also adding onto the already powerful low tone resonance.
The nut of the guitar is made out of a cheaper plastic material. This results in the nut grinding down after a certain while, resulting in a need for replacement.
The tuning machine of the guitar is possibly the worst part of the instrument. The cheap tuners have a hard time keeping the instrument in tune for long periods of time.
Washburn Bass Sound
The guitar has a powerful sound thanks to the grand concert shape its body is designed in. Combined with the interesting resonance patterns allowed by the spruce top and the mahogany back and sides, the overall design results in a well-rounded, powerfully projected sound. The bass is great for any acoustic purpose, especially purposes such as country music and bluegrass.
Conclusion
The affordable nature of this bass guitar is possibly one of the greatest opportunities a musician can have in terms of acoustic bass guitars. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a good, cheap new instrument.
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