Tanglewood TB7ABCE Blackbird Jumbo Electro-Acoustic Bass Guitar

A jumbo mahogany bass that works unplugged and amplified

The Tanglewood TB7ABCE is a jumbo-bodied acoustic bass from the Blackbird range. It is an electro acoustic bass guitar with a cutaway and onboard electronics, so you can play it quietly at home or plug it into an amp or PA.

Body and tone

An acoustic bass needs a large body to move air at low pitch, and the jumbo shape gives it room to do that. The top, back and sides are all mahogany. Expect a deep, round low end with a warm midrange and clear, articulate notes above it. It suits fingerstyle lines and gentle, rounded accompaniment.

Playing and plugging in

The cutaway makes the upper frets easier to reach, which helps when you climb the neck for melodic lines. The fingerboard is engineered wood. Tanglewood Premium Plus electronics give you tone control on the instrument, so you can shape the sound for a small venue, a rehearsal room or a recording.

Finish

Smokestack Black Satin is a dark, low-sheen finish. It looks sleek on stage and feels smooth in the hand, and the grain of the mahogany still shows through.

Acoustic basses have a longer scale and a bigger body than a guitar, so allow a little time to settle in if you are coming from a standard electric bass. The strings are thick and the notes ring out with a natural, woody character that an amplified electric bass cannot copy. Many players keep one for quiet practice, since it is audible without an amp.

• Jumbo body with cutaway
• Mahogany top, back and sides
• Tanglewood Premium Plus electronics
• Smokestack Black Satin finish

This is a good fit for bassists who play in acoustic sets, singer-songwriters who want a bass in the band, or guitarists adding low end to home recordings. It is the only bass in this part of the Tanglewood Blackbird range, so you get one clear choice. At £299 it is a practical way into acoustic bass.