New Acoustic Bass?

[Melee]

I’m really tempted to pull the trigger on a GS Mini bass. I’ve never played bass but I’ve been messing around with the demo one at a GC across the street from my work a few times a week and have fallen in love. HOWEVER I’m concerned since the bass has been out for about 5 years now that a newer model is just around the corner. Normally that doesn’t bother me too much I could totally see them making a GT bass with a little more boom. Or a Bass plus with an Aerocase and ES2 electronics on board. Either of those would cause instant regret. Just curious if anyone has heard any rumblings about a new model? Thank you!

[SDTaylorman]

I think the GS Mini Bass was/is the only foray of Taylor into that specialty. As such I doubt very much that they're going to expand the line. Too many other irons in the fire. Of course I could always be wrong....ask any of my ex's. 

[Earl]

Like SDT, I doubt that they have anything new "up their sleeve" in terms of basses but have no insider information.  I have played the GS Mini Bass a few times, and it acquits itself quite nicely.  Be aware that a special set of strings is needed to work with those bridge pins.

When it was time to put down the electric bass I opted for the Kala U-Bass instead.  Nice fat upright doghouse bass tones when amplified.  The Mini Bass is still audible in quiet settings without an amp, whereas the U-bass is not.  Those polyurethane strings and small tenor uke body size need amplification to even compete with one guitar or one ukulele in the living room.  I played mine on stage about 90 minutes after buying it.  After our set someone came up to the stage and asked, "I heard the upright bass but could not see it.  Where was he hiding?"  I simply handed him my U-bass and watched his jaw drop.

[gscratchutay]

I played a (not Taylor) acoustic bass for a while and did not ever get very good with it and gave it up.

A friend had a U-bass and I bought one on a whim.  I love it.  My band-mate has absolutely taken to it.  We play it though a PA, but it actually sounds better thru an actual bass amp.

[Earl]

A few years ago I attended a very good upright bass workshop at a festival and was getting fairly serious about buying one.  They ain't cheap, even the plywood versions!  Doghouse bass is a bulky and awkward thing to transport anywhere.  At festivals I always see upright bass players using a cart or a trolley of some sort to wheel their instrument around.  Many even choose their vehicles around fitting their bass inside.

A good steady bass player is welcome at almost any jam, but there is a price to pay for the sound of that big body.  The Kala U-bass plus a decent amp is far more portable, especially if your amp can run on battery power.  I had an Olympia acoustic bass guitar for a while (cheaper version of the Tacoma Thunderchief) and even it was anemic acoustically.  You are locked into amplification unless you choose an upright double-bass.

[DennisG]

For those who care about such things, I recently purchased a Spark Mini amp, which is slightly taller than an iPhone and produces plenty of sound for my acoustic bass player to be heard at the farmers market we play at.  It's rechargeable through USB-C and is a pleasure to use.  I just plop it in my open guitar case, plug her in, and make music.  Without it, my partner's acoustic bass would never be heard.

[Edward]

For those who care about such things, I recently purchased a Spark Mini amp ...  Without it, my partner's acoustic bass would never be heard.

FWIW, I think these acoustic basses are cool to play with, as in goof around for fun.  But if one actually is playing with any other instrument, these basses are utterly useless without amplification.  The body size just isn't capable of delivering any bass notes of worth once another instrument is in the mix ...even just for fun.  Small amps are inexpensive, lots to choose from, and absolutely required if you're going to play one of these little things along with another player(s).  But yeah, rock on!

Edward