Introduction
Fender has a long history of producing high-quality acoustic basses, dating back to the 1970s with models like the Fender Concert Bass. However, in recent years there has been a rise in popularity of acoustic-electric basses – acoustic basses with built-in pickups and preamps. Musicians are drawn to the versatility of being able to easily switch between an acoustic upright bass tone and a modern electric bass tone in one instrument.
The Fender Kingman Bass SCE represents Fender’s flagship acoustic-electric bass. It combines the warm, resonant acoustic properties of a traditional upright bass with the contemporary plugged-in sound of an electric bass. This makes it an extremely versatile choice for bassists in many musical situations, from folk gigs to rock shows. The Kingman allows you to deliver thumping acoustic bass lines during intimate unplugged performances, then plug into an amp or PA system and fill larger venues with the Kingman’s electric tones.
Fender Kingman Bass SCE Specs & Features
The Fender Kingman Bass SCE delivers premium specs and features that make it a versatile acoustic-electric bass suitable for a wide range of musical genres and playing situations.
Body Style and Construction
The Kingman Bass has a classic dreadnought cutaway body shape with a solid Engelmann spruce top and mahogany back and sides. This tonewood combination produces a balanced and responsive acoustic tone, with the spruce providing crisp, articulate highs and mids, while the mahogany adds warmth and punchy low-end. The cutaway body style gives easy access to the upper frets while retaining impressive acoustic projection.
Neck Profile and Fingerboard
The Kingman Bass SCE features a slim C-shaped neck profile that will feel instantly comfortable to bass players accustomed to Fender’s standard electric bass necks. The 20-fret fingerboard is made from walnut, which enhances midrange presence and clarity. The 34" scale length provides defined string tension comparable to a standard long-scale electric bass.
Electronics and Preamp
Fender equipped the Kingman Bass SCE with their Fishman Isys III pickup and preamp system. This gives you total control over your amplified tone with blendable EQ, built-in tuner, phase control, and anti-feedback filters. The undersaddle piezo pickup accurately reproduces the Kingman’s natural acoustic voice. This makes the Kingman Bass an extremely versatile plugged-in performer in both live and studio settings.
Hardware and Aesthetics
Die-cast tuning machines keep the Kingman Bass in tune through extended playing sessions. The Fender Kingman Bass bridge is specially designed for optimal intonation and sustain. Aesthetically, the Kingman Bass SCE comes in a range of eye-catching finishes including natural, ruby red burst, and glacial blue burst.
Playability and Comfort
The Fender Kingman Bass SCE features a slim C-shaped neck profile that will feel familiar and comfortable for bassists used to playing electric instruments. The neck has a smooth satin finish that allows for fast, slick playing up and down the 20-fret walnut fingerboard.
With its 34 inch scale length, string spacing, and fret size, the Kingman Bass provides a playing experience very comparable to a standard electric bass. This makes it an easy transition for bass players who want to explore the acoustic realm.
In terms of playing feel, the Kingman Bass SCE has a light overall weight balanced by the larger dreadnought body. This gives it a very comfortable playing position either seated or standing. The smooth neck and slim waist make it easy to hold and maneuver during longer practice or gigging sessions.
When playing without an amp, the Kingman Bass has the unplugged acoustic dynamics that players expect from an acoustic instrument. It responds to your attack and playing style with a wide dynamic range. The solid spruce top provides excellent resonance and sustain.
Compared to an electric bass, the Kingman Bass requires a lighter touch and greater attention to dynamics when played unplugged. The rich acoustic tones reward a nuanced playing style. However, when plugged in, it has enough string tension and robust construction to handle an electric bass-like attack. This versatility is what makes it shine as an acoustic-electric instrument.
Unplugged Tone & Sound
The Kingman Bass SCE projects loudly when played unplugged, thanks to its dreadnought body style. The large body produces impressive acoustic volume that can keep up with acoustic guitars and other instruments in an unamplified jam session.
Tonally, the Kingman Bass has a warm, rich low end thanks to its mahogany back and sides. The solid spruce top adds crispness and articulation to the mids and highs. Together, these tonewoods produce a balanced and pleasing unplugged tone.
When playing, the Kingman Bass resonates for a long time. Notes ring out with sustain even when played softly. This resonance enhances the acoustic tone and allows basslines to sing.
Overall, the unplugged tone makes the Kingman Bass SCE well-suited for folk, country, pop, rock and other genres where a natural acoustic bass sound fits the music. The projection, warmth and resonance let an acoustic bassist shine in unplugged environments.
Amplified Performance
The Fishman Isys III preamp system gives the Kingman Bass SCE excellent amplified and plugged-in performance. This preamp features easy-to-use rotary controls for Volume, Bass, Mid, Treble, Phase, and Anti-Feedback.
The Volume control allows you to set your optimal level when plugged into an amp or PA system. The 3-band EQ gives you boost/cut of +/- 15dB on the Bass, Midrange, and Treble frequencies to shape your amplified tone. The Phase switch can help reduce feedback at higher volumes.
The Anti-Feedback control is a key feature, using an under-saddle transducer and body sensor to eliminate feedback even when playing loudly. This gives you great on-stage flexibility and freedom.
The undersaddle piezo pickup accurately captures the Kingman Bass’s natural acoustic tone and resonance when plugged in directly or through an amp. You get the full warm low end, balanced mids, and clear highs of the acoustic bass.
The onboard chromatic tuner is easily accessible when plugged in, allowing quick and convenient tuning adjustments on the fly. LED lights indicate when you are in tune.
Since it has a built-in preamp, the Kingman Bass SCE can be plugged directly into a mixing board, PA system, audio interface, or recorder. This makes it easy to use for studio recording and live performance settings.
Overall the Kingman Bass SCE’s amplified performance provides excellent acoustic tone and flexibility thanks to the Fishman preamp system. Musicians will love the accurate plugged-in sound and ability to tweak EQ settings as needed.
Pros & Cons
The Fender Kingman Bass SCE has many excellent features that make it a versatile and quality instrument. Here are some of the key pros and cons:
Standout Features
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The solid spruce top and mahogany back/sides provide warm, balanced acoustic tone with good projection. The all-solid wood construction gives it better resonance than laminate models.
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The slim neck profile and comfortable body shape make this bass very playable and ideal for long practice or gigging sessions.
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The onboard Fishman preamp gives you total control over your amplified tone. The EQ, tuner, and phase controls allow you to dial in your sound.
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The acoustic-electric design means you can play unplugged or plug in to an amp or PA system. This versatility is perfect for gigging musicians.
Potential Downsides
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It is more expensive than some other acoustic-electric bass options on the market. Players on a tight budget may want to consider the more affordable Kingman V2.
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There is some possibility of feedback at very high volumes when plugged in. This can be controlled with the preamp, but volume limits may need to be observed.
Ideal User
The Fender Kingman SCE is best suited for intermediate to advanced bass players who want the versatility of an acoustic-electric bass. It excels for live performance situations where both amplified and unplugged tones are needed. The professional build quality also makes it a great choice for studio recording.
Alternatives & Comparisons
The Fender Kingman Bass SCE sits at the top of the market for acoustic-electric basses in terms of quality and price. There are a few other comparable models worth mentioning as alternatives from other major brands.
The Ibanez AEB10E is seen as one of the main competitors to the Kingman Bass SCE. It features a similar preamp system and combines an acoustic body with electric-bass-like playability. The Ibanez has a slightly thinner acoustic tone, but provides a quality amplified sound.
For those looking for a more budget-friendly Fender option, the Fender Kingman Bass V2 delivers much of the same acoustic projection and Fishman preamp features at a lower price point. The V2 lacks some of the premium appointments but makes for a great starter acoustic-electric bass.
Fender also offers the Jazz Bass and Precision Bass in acoustic versions. These adopt the iconic Jazz and Precision bass body shapes into an acoustic form factor. The acoustic Jazz and Precision basses have a very familiar electric bass playing feel that many find comfortable.
The Kingman Bass SCE still stands out as Fender’s flagship acoustic-electric bass. But for those considering alternatives, the Ibanez AEB10E and Fender’s own Kingman V2 and other acoustic bass models provide comparable options.
Verdict
The Fender Kingman Bass SCE is a premium acoustic-electric bass that showcases the quality and craftsmanship Fender is known for. It’s an extremely versatile instrument that can handle both unplugged acoustic playing and amplified electric tones thanks to the built-in Fishman preamp system.
Some of the key strengths of the Kingman Bass SCE include its solid spruce and mahogany tonewood construction that provides excellent resonance and sustain. It has a comfortable slim neck profile and great playability that will appeal to both acoustic and electric bassists. The onboard electronics allow you to shape your tone with EQ and anti-feedback controls, making this bass gig-ready right out of the box.
Overall, this bass provides professional level features, build quality, and acoustic/electric flexibility at a reasonable price point. It’s an excellent value for those looking to invest in their first serious acoustic-electric bass or take their live and studio performances to the next level.
This bass is ideal for working musicians that play a wide variety of live shows or session work in the studio. It’s perfectly suited for gigging with acoustic acts where you need to switch between unplugged and amplified tones. The Kingman SCE also shines for recording applications where high-quality acoustic and electric bass tones are needed on the same album or even the same song.
If you’re looking for a premium, do-it-all acoustic-electric bass, the Fender Kingman SCE deserves serious consideration. It meets the needs of today’s versatile bassists who need one instrument that can master both acoustic and electric worlds.
Video Demo
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This video from Fender demonstrates the impressive tonal range of the Kingman Bass SCE in both its unplugged acoustic and amplified settings. It really showcases the versatility of this bass, from the warm, resonant acoustic tones to the punchy amplified sound thanks to the Fishman preamp system.
The player runs through examples of fingerstyle playing to bring out the acoustic resonance of the solid wood body. You can hear the crispness and articulation on the lower notes. Then when plugged in, it has that classic Fender electric bass tone with the flexibility of tone shaping through the onboard EQ controls.
Whether you need a great sounding acoustic bass or a plug-and-play electric tone for the stage, this demo highlights how the Kingman Bass SCE can handle both with ease. The acoustic projection is loud enough for small gigs while the preamp gives you stage-ready amplified tones. It’s easy to see why this is one of Fender’s most popular acoustic-electric bass options.
Related Gear
When purchasing the Fender Kingman Bass SCE, there are a few additional pieces of gear to consider that will help you get the most out of this versatile instrument.
Amplification
Since the Kingman Bass SCE is an acoustic-electric bass, you’ll want a suitable amplifier to plug into for live performances or recording situations. A good acoustic bass amp like the Fishman Loudbox or Aguilar Tone Hammer will provide enough clean headroom and EQ controls to accurately reproduce the Kingman’s tone when amplified. You’ll also want at least 200 watts of power. Another option is using an acoustic DI box like the LR Baggs Para Acoustic DI to send the bass signal directly to a PA system or audio interface.
Strings
The strings that come on the Kingman Bass from the factory are a decent starting point, but you may want to experiment with different acoustic bass string sets to find your ideal tone and tension. Roundwound and flatwound string options are available, along with different materials like nylon, stainless steel, and nickel. Standard long scale strings work well. Opt for lighter gauges like .045-.105 for ease of playability.
Case
Since the Kingman Bass SCE has a large acoustic body, you’ll need a hardshell case to properly protect it when transporting and storing it. The Fender Deluxe Molded Hardshell Case is an ideal fit and provides sturdy protection. Make sure to keep the bass in the case when not playing it. Some musicians also opt for adding a humidifier to the case to control humidity levels.
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