I’ve only seen a few musicians play acoustic bass - John McVie, Gene Simmons (well, on Unplugged), Chris Squire, to name a very few.
Any players out there? How’s the sound and feel compared to electric?
I am a poor bass guitarist (still learning), and I own an acoustic bass guitar (4 strings, fretted).
Some models, such as this Fender I saw once, approximate electric bass action, while others (like my Hohner) have a considerably higher action. The strings are generally harder than standard electric strings as they are bronze.
Volume is the main disadvantage of an acoustic bass guitar, due to the size of the body. If volume is desired above playability, it’s a good thing to get a model with a bigger body. Many guitars (including mine) have a built-in piezo pickup with EQ, which allows for amplification while capturing the unique sound: somewhat bass guitarish, but with a hint of upright (moreso with the fretless models).
Overall, I’m pleased with the uniqueness of such an instrument, but it’s a good instrument to get lumbered down on (as Paul McCartney would put it) unless your hands are strong. In most cases, an electric bass guitar or an upright bass are more feasible.
The sound and feel are both spectacular. My pal has a washburn acoustic bass in his room and whenever I go in there I fiddle around with it. It’s just awesome. If I had the 350 he paid for it I’d get one of my own. It’s loud, it’s deep, it sounds great, and I don’t know how to explain it, but to me it just feels and flows better than electric bass. Go into a shop and check one out, I hope you’ll be as impressed as I was.