The 10 Best Bass Guitars of 2024

Today we are taking a look at the ten best bass guitars of 2021. There are series of top manufacturers that make the best Instrument for users. Whatever you want, a bass guitar to practice, or an upgrade from your old bass guitar, this is the right spot to get recommendations.

With many bass guitar brands and manufacturers available, it is easy for one to be confused and overwhelmed when selecting. A little help in the form of a recommendation like this review can go a long way in directing you towards choosing a suitable bass guitar that will fit your needs.

After hours of research into various bass guitars, reading customers’ reviews, and perusing the net for information, we were able to come up with these best ten bass guitars. This is a comprehensive review that contains everything users need to make the best choice. We have a detailed list of the features alongside the pros and cons and much other helpful information that is essential to making a good choice.

In addition, we have a user’s guide that explores several essential things that are important to the selection of a good bass guitar. You can trust our review as we selected top-rated products with good recommendations from previous users. The FAQ section also sheds light on answers to concerns users might have on the use and purchase of their bass guitar.

Sit back, relax as we take you through a comprehensive review of the ten best guitars.

Best Overall: Ibanez 4 String Bass Guitar, Right, Brown Sunburst (GSRM20BS)

View on Amazon(US)

With a 75% happy customer, this is a top-rated bass guitar that is proven to serve your needs. Ibanez is one of the household names when it comes to musical instruments. As a result, it is not surprising that the product made the first on our list.

This bass guitar comes in a small-scale SR body with complete size pickups. It is slim and features a maple neck. The guitar is light in weight, compact, and easy to play. The guitar has a short scale – 28.6 inches, making it ideal for beginners and people with small hands.

It is a four-string bass guitar with spring materials made of nickel, and nickel is the constituent of the neck material. It is a high-quality bass guitar that is guaranteed to meet your needs.

Best Value: Yamaha 4 String Bass Guitar, Right Handed, Black,

View on Amazon(US)

Yamaha is one of the top producers of musical instruments. With decades in the business of manufacturing high-quality musical instruments, we have absolute trust in Yamaha to consistently produce the best Instrument. As a result, we are not surprised that Yamaha TRBX174 / TRBX174EW made our list.

This is a quality bass guitar with everything users need to have a good time playing. With a vintage-style bridge, it features a mahogany body that gives it optimum strength to stand the test of time. Users will love the exotic wood top and incredible headstock that characterize this bass guitar.

It is a four-string guitar with string made from alloy steel and neck material made from maple. Everything about the guitar speaks quality, so you can rest assured of its durability.

Best Pick: Ibanez 4-String Bass Guitar, Right Handed, Metallic Purple (GSRM20MPL)

View on Amazon(US)

With 80% delighted customers, this is one of the top bass guitars users can consider getting. It features many top-quality functions, which makes it appealing to users.

It is a short-scale bass that is easy to play and available at an entry-level price. This is a six-string bass that is effective and gives a nice feel. It is suitable for male and female players and especially recommended for people with small hands.

The entire body is made of mahogany wood, so users can be assured of the quality. The guitar is 28.6 inches long with medium frets.

Best Aesthetics: Squier by Fender Bronco Bass, Torino Red with Maple Fingerboard

View on Amazon(US)

Fender is indeed one of the top-rated manufacturers of musical instruments. This explains why we have Bronco Bass, a bass guitar with 84% delighted users. This Instrument comes with a lot of player-friendly features, which makes it a top choice among users.

The bass guitar is light in weight which will not trigger any fatigue or discomfort for users. It has a 30-inch short-scale body alongside sealed die-cast tuning, which gives perfect and accurate tuning. Users will love the neck profile that comes in a “C” shape. It provides a vintage playing feel and is proven to be comfortable for series of playing styles.

Users will love the satin neck finish that gives the bass guitar a beautiful feel. It is a four-string guitar with maple neck material.

Best Price: Goplus Electric Bass Guitar Full Size 4 String

View on Amazon(US)

Also on our list of best bass guitars is this fantastic product from Goplus. It is a solid bass constructed from wood with high quality and fashionable design. The durability is top-notch, so the guitar can withstand years of heavy use.

The guitar features a carefully finished shiny surface that will wow your audience. It is an electric bass guitar that gives a smooth tone making it ideal for all music genres. The Rosewood system provides the bass with a great body that will complement the output sound.

Users will love the guitar travel bag, which makes it easy to carry it from one place to another. The bag will also house all your music accessories so you can move around freely. This product is a fantastic gift idea for guitar lovers. It comes with all the essential accessories that you need to have a good time on the guitar.

Best Choice: Best Choice Products Acoustic-Electric Bass Guitar

View on Amazon(US)

With almost 3000 customer ratings and 65% extremely satisfied users, this bass guitar from the best choice is one of the best products available. It comes with series of top features, which makes it appealing and suitable for all users.

The bass is configured to be suitable for beginners and professional players as it features a 4-band EQ7545R preamp which helps give out quality sound. The bass is made from mahogany wood that creates an appealing sound which adds beauty to all your musical section.

Users also get a built-in volume control with the guitar. This is a four-band equalizer that adjusts the presence, treble, bass, and middle. The bass guitar comes ready to use out of the box. Users will love the glossy finish that exists on this bass, alongside the chrome die-cast.

Best Ergonomic Bass Guitar: Costzon Full Size Electric 4 String Bass Guitar for Beginner

View on Amazon(US)

All beginner players out there that want to lay their hands on a bass guitar should consider this product from Costzon. It is a high-quality product with every essential quality needed to give you the perfect bass to accompany your favorite song.

You will get a full range color tone alongside a complete bass system thanks to the high-quality rose fingerboard. It is heavy, strong, durable, and resistant to wears and tears. The body is polished, which gives a shiny and brighter look.

Users will love the comfortable feel, which gives the perfect playing experience. The ergonomics surface is one of the features that stand it out. As a result, whatever position you assume, the bass is guaranteed to fit your body and allow for a comfortable playing experience. The bass is rich and full, ideal for all music genres.

Sterling by Music Man StingRay Ray5 Bass Guitar

View on Amazon(US)

Another top bass guitar user can consider getting is the StringRay Ray5 bass guitar. With 75% extremely satisfied past customers, you can be assured of optimum performance that will meet your needs. This is a high-quality and affordable bass guitar that all players will find appealing.

It is a high-quality bass guitar from the family of Ernie Music brand. The bass comes in a black finish and black pickguard and features a basswood body adorned with a maple fretboard and neck. Users get two active and strong preamps that control the treble, volume, and bass.

Every product that leaves the factory is inspected for quality so users can be assured of durability. It will also resist wear and tears, so a long and good life with the guitar is guaranteed.

Best for various playing style: Glarry Electric Bass Guitar Full Size 4 String

View on Amazon(US)

If you need a high-performance bass guitar, look no further than the Glarry electric bass guitar. It is a great bass guitar with a terrific sound that is easy to play. This makes it fit for both professional and beginner users.

The guitar enjoys a stunning finish thanks to the wooden synthetic body, which is responsible for the terrific feel and sound. The neck is comfortable, and the fingerboards are perfect for any style of playing. Users get a solid tone as a result of the adjustable bridge, which also helps sustain excellent intonation.

The freeware comes with high tensile strength, which ensures that the guitar stands the test of time. It is a reliable bass guitar ideal for lesson classes. Users will appreciate the standard spring spacing alongside a smooth neck, which gives a terrific touch. There is a portable bag which makes it easy to carry the bass around.

Best all-in-one electric guitar: Donner DPB-510S Full-Size Full Size 4 Strings Electric Bass

View on Amazon(US)

Finally, on our list of the best bass guitar is this product from Donner. It is a high-quality bass guitar that comes with several top accessories users need to have a good time on the guitar. It is safe to refer to this guitar as the best all-in-one electric guitar.

This bass guitar comes in a solid basswood body with chrome tuner keys, quality brass string alongside a PVC pickguard. Users also get tuning pegs made of steel which allows for easy tuning. It is a high-value guitar with everything users need to learn the guitar, and the price is affordable.

Domer places a natural, vibrant sound in your palms with comfort and practical features. It delivers smooth tones ideal for various music genres. Intermediate and beginner players will find this guitar immensely beneficial.

Buyer’s Guide for Bass Guitar

Many of us remember our first Instrument as it provided the channel where we learned the first chords and songs. We had a lot of memories that we cherish on this Instrument. It formed an essential part of our life, and many of us did not mind if it was cheaply made.

In time, however, as we desired to be successful, many of us had to move on to better instruments. We abandoned our first Instrument simply for the need of something better, not because it was unusable. In other words, you considered yourself developed enough to use something better. Many people also discover that they love a particular tone or needed a wide array of tonal options.

We all love the thrill, excitement, and glee of buying a new instrument. Since it is essential, it is a decision not to be taken lightly. As a result, this article will shed light on every crucial thing one needs to consider before making a choice of the best bass guitar.

What Kind of Musician are you?

Lack of identity is a worse situation for any musician. Before you commence window shopping, you need to have an idea of what you want with your bass guitar. In other words, consider your music needs, the genres you like, and the professional players you learn from.

Many people might not think this is relevant. However, a player with a keen interest in solo bass guitars will be better off getting a bass guitar with six strings. A gigging musician will also require a guitar with great aesthetics to paint the stage.

Check Your budget

Your budget also plays an essential role in selecting a bass guitar. As a warning, you should not necessarily settle for a cheap guitar if you are a beginner. The decision to buy a cheap guitar might be expensive in the future. Besides, it is not a good call if you decide to become an elite player in the future.

It is important to note that the player’s level, most time, determines the categorization of the bass guitar. With this, be ready to spend a bit if you want a premium bass guitar.

Since a bass guitar is an investment that you will use for many years, make sure to save up and buy a reliable product – a product that will still be relevant after you have advanced.

The Pickup’s Sensitivity

Pickups are necessary for an electric bass guitar, as it is essential to transmit the sound to the amplifier. Bass guitars, these days, come with a single-coil pickup or a humbucker. Also, they could be clustered into the pickup arrangement or Jazzmaster. There are bass guitars with both pickups – precision and Jazzmaster.

There is no definite guide that defines the pickup you should consider. Your style of music, however, plays a considerable role. Pickups can either be active or passive as well.

Musicians that want a mellow sound should go for passive pickups. These are bass guitars that have volume and tone control.

Active pickups, on the other hand, offer bright, rigid, and precise tone quality compared o passive pickups. This gives the user a lot of tonal sharing options.

The Guitar Size

There are many things one needs to consider before deciding on the size of the guitar. A gigging musician, for instance, needs to prioritize the lightness of the guitar in addition to the sound.

The scale length matters as well. Children and people with short hands and tiny fingers will find a bass guitar with short scale length useful. There are bass guitars of large scale length up to 34 inches.

For bass that has more than four strings, they usually come with a multi-scale length which helps keep the intonation in check.

Other features like the neck profile, the bridge structure, string gauge, and stability of the tuning peg all determine the guitar size.

Don’t Neglect Aesthetics.

While the looks of a guitar might not matter to a beginner, it is important to a gigging musician. As you advance, however, one will automatically start caring about the look of the guitar. This becomes inevitable when you have to perform for people on stage.

As a result, consider the material of the body. This has to do with the fretboard quality. The best wood materials are Rosewood and maple, as they give a comfortable feel.

It is not recommended for a beginner to consider fretless options. While these bass guitars are good-looking, they are best suited for professional players.

The accessories in terms of the gig bag and strap also matter. Ensure they are strong, durable, and can last you for the years to come.

Tone

Without a doubt, the tone is pretty important, as it is the main reason you are considering a bass guitar. Before thinking about buying a bass guitar, it is important to discover your ideal tone.

Some people might be inclined towards a bassist tone, while others might have a favorite bassist tone they prefer. The tone you want can be a guide towards the bass guitar category you should consider

Feel

This is one of the subjective factors that are essential to the choice of your bass guitar. It is a factor of the player’s preference as some might want a C-shaped neck while another person might prefer something wider or a flat neck profile.

Your comfort when handling the bass guitar is another deciding factor that should guide your choice.

While playing, you will definitely grip the guitar’s neck always. As a result, the neck profile alongside the comfort while playing, holding, and fretting the string matters a lot and determines your comfort and feel.

Consider the dimensions of the nut width (how marrow it is). Bass guitar from Fender typically has a narrower width compared to precision bass.

You also want to consider the contoured heels located at the base of the neck. With this, the player can access higher fret without any stress.

Consider the Build Quality

When it comes to guitar, you indeed get what you pay for. Thanks to development in technology and innovations, better and pretty stringent quality controls, CNC machining, there is a quality device available at a reasonable and affordable price.

You will, however, get a better product with enviable craftsmanship at a high-quality budget. Consider the lustrous finish, exotic woods, string-through neck alongside quality pickups.

Ideal Number of Strings: 4.5 or 6?

There are no special advantages or privileges that come from having a guitar with high string numbers. As a result, if you have no idea why a 5 or 6 string guitar will benefit you, make do with four strings.

The tuning of a four-string guitar is similar to a standard guitar. Besides, they have a pretty narrow neck which makes playing easier and comfortable. Guitars that come with more than four strings will have an additional low B string.

For people that use notes of a wide range, these base guitars allow for more creativity. A Six-string guitar that has an additional C string will make it easy to play fancy bass solos and licks.

Preamps and active Electronics

With active electronics, you have better control over the sound. There are basses that have more knobs compared to the norms or more switches with stacked knobs. With these controls, users can boost and control some frequencies without getting to the amplifier.

The active preamp will run on a 9V battery without the need for much charging.

An Important thing to Consider

When shopping for your bass online, be sure to check the reviews. Readers can rest assured that we picked the best of the best. The nature and type of bass guitar will determine your experience in the music world. As a result, make sure you give it all it takes.Here is a summary of what to consider in buying a bass guitar:

• What is the size: this has to do with the scale, length of the string, which all contribute to the overall size of the bass. Bass guitar can be short-scale or long scale. Your body size is the determinant of which bass guitar you should consider.

• Is the Instrument in tune? Issues with tuning are not common with basses like ordinary guitars, as the larger strings are pretty much stable. Learning will be fun and easy if your Instrument is in tune, so be sure to play for a while to access the tuning.
• The action of the string? This is the height of the strings when compared to the fretboard of the neck. With high action, playing can be difficult, while a low action as well could give a nuisance buzzing sound. As a result, the action should have an optimum height so that the strings ring true, which allows you to easily press the string down.
• The conditions of the electronics: it is important to test an electric bass with an amplifier. This is important to ensure that you can easily adjust the sound with tone and volume control. Give ear to any crackling sound that points out to a faulty wiring system.
• Check the frets level: In other words, check and make sure the fret is in level and the notes sound well all through the length of the neck on each of the strings. You do not want to deal with uneven frets as it can trigger bad notes on various parts of the neck. You should feel an even and smooth touch if you run your hands through the neck.
• The neck width: In buying a bass guitar, consider how wide the guitar neck is. The dimensions of the neck width differ, which is designed to fit players of various levels. A young player, for instance, will do well with a narrow neck as it is easy to navigate.

FAQ on Best Bass Guitar

Q: How do I know good bass Guitar?
A: In picking up a suitable bass guitar, all you have to do is run your hands through the neck. It should give a smooth and even fret. Also, consider the thickness of its neck and the width. The neck of some bass guitars is wider than others. A young and beginner player, for instance, will benefit from a narrower neck as navigation is pretty easy.

Q: What is the cost of a decent bass Guitar?
A: The average cost of a reliable traditional bass guitar with four strings should be around $150. You will, however, get cheap bass guitars around $100. A beginner, however, will also invest in the amplifier alongside the bass

Q: What is the ideal number of strings for me?
A: The most common guitar comes in 4 strings, and millions of music have been played on such. If you, however, want to learn extra tuning, consider a bass with an extra string. Also, if you will be playing a lot of music with low notes, a five-string bass is good.

Q: Can I teach myself a bass guitar
A: It might be possible to teach yourself how to play the bass guitar even though an experienced instructor will make things easier and the learning process pretty straightforward.

Q: How long does it take to learn a bass Guitar?
A: To become an experienced player with full mastery, it is recommended that you must have logged up to 10,000 hours playing the guitar. Putting about three hours every day will take you an average of 9.5 years. This equips you with the ability to play and perform complicated feats on the bass.

Q: Is a five-string bass essential?
A: While a five-string bass is not essential, you might eventually grow to love one. It gives one the ability to access various tunes and notes available, with the opportunity to add some flair.

Q: Why do most bass guitars come with extra long necks?
A: The reason for the length of a bass guitar is due to the longer scale length. A scale length that is a little long is essential to get a lower pitch that is common with bass guitars. The scale length of basses ranges from short, long, and medium depending on the one you want and the number of strings.

Conclusion

This is a comprehensive review of the best bass guitar. Make sure to read our best bass guitar review before thinking of buying a bass guitar.

For users who want a recommendation for the best bass guitar, Donner DPB-510S Full-Size Full Size 4 Strings Electric Bass is a good choice.

We also have a detailed buying guide that considers important things users need to keep in mind when making a choice of their best bass guitar.