c.2011 Rigel Acoustic Bass Guitar

Here, Heather Lynne (bassist & co-conspirator from Rick Redington & The Luv) is holding up a trophy of an "acoustic bass guitar" -- but wait -- is it?

This hybrid instrument was made by Pete Langdell (of Rigel mandolin fame) and is a bass that meets somewhere between an upright instrument, fretted electric bass, and big-body archtop guitar.

I don't know how much of its design is hush-hush, but I can tell you I'm darn impressed by the engineering that went into it. What I will tell you also, though, is that like an upright it uses a tailpiece design and soundpost.

It's a big instrument -- but due to the clever craftsmanship it handles like a smaller one -- this feels no harder to play than a P or J bass, partially due to...

...the wedge-shaped body which conforms to the player's body but still gives tons of airspace inside.

The lack of air inside most "acoustic bass guitars" is what makes them so extremely weak without a pickup signal (yes, even very expensive ones -- it's just a design flaw to use a jumbo guitar sized body with such low tunings). This fella lacks none of that and is very nicely loud in the range of a 3/4 upright (from my ears). I'd love to hear what it could do with a set of flatwounds, too! It's totally an instrument suited to folk duos, trios, or quartets looking for pure acoustic volume without the hassle of a bull fiddle.