Bob-Dubery Ray, there is answer to this little conumdrum. You don't have to lie awake wondering any more. On Saturday The Government and I were at the Irish Ale House's Solstice Festival (yes, I know). On fairly early in the day were Steve Newman and the Magaliesberg Nosepickers. The bass player (didn't catch the name) played the most big ass acoustic bass you ever did see. It was made by Mervyn Davis. The body was bigger than a cello. Mervyn described it as being based on a "mariachi bass" but it has a full octave between nut and body. 5 strings. Big fixed bridge and a trapeze tailpiece. The amplification was via a pickup system of a type that I have seen double bass players using, which has a transducer mounted on the tailpiece (or perhaps the jack is on the tail piece and the transducer is attached to the bridge). I wanted to get a photo, but I have been too lazy/stingy to go out and buy a camera and The Government's camera is out on loan somewhere and may come home one day. But take my word that such an instrument exists and was built in Broederstroom. Despite it's non-trivial dimensions it is portable, and the bass player had it slung on a strap over his shoulder and didn't need any scaffolding or such.
Bob-Dubery Aha! There's a picture on Mervyn's web site. Though there's no player to lend perspective.
Keira-WitherKay well the interseting thing is that after getting my acoustic bass guitar recently , and with my history as starting my career as a double bass player... i can say with confidence that the 2 instruments are NOT similar at all............ and that the playing position and fretboard feel of the "acoustic bass guitar that you strap on ( ? ok let me rephrase that ) ... one you wear with a strap ..... is more akin to an electric bass, and NONE of the vibe of playing an upright/double bass, is in the playing experience or the tone.....even tho amplified( mine has a fishman SST pickup ) the acoustic bass guitar sounds great but more like an electric bass guitar not even close to the tone of a double bass............. but i wanted the acoustic bass guitar with the acoustic box so i could do the "keira percussion technique" with the bass too....... and it works i get same percussion as on the classical............ BUT for me if i can find a double bass knocking around i will buy it ........... 2nd hand of course ....... good new ones are way too expensive...pity my double bass i used for touring gigs is in australia now........... the things we sell when we move on, but shouldn't have .......... aaai!!! cos the vibe of a double bass mostly because of the scale of strings makes it a deeper sound by far to any bass guitar .......and of course the ability to stand and play, the fretless neck and the ability to use a bow too makes it a different beast completely yet both can cover the same musical parts
