What bass should i get

They are hollow and have a sound hole in the top. Though rarely used in rock and pop songs, they are more common in genres like folk and world music. They have a mellower sound than the electric bass. Fretless electric basses, which have the metal frets that intonate the neck removed, are much more difficult to learn to play on because they require the player to have an already refined ear. Upright basses, a type of acoustic fretless bass typically used in jazz and bluegrass music, are also difficult to learn on due to their size.

Standard electric basses have four strings, but there are many models available that have five or even six strings. While the additional strings do add an expanded range of notes, inexperienced bass players will probably want to start on a four-string bass, which is easier to learn on and by far the most common type of bass used in rock and pop music.

Fans of modern heavy metal may opt to buy a five-string as their first bass guitar since the lower range of notes available on the fifth string are commonly used in that genre. Expert players, particularly jazz musicians, may favor six-string basses, but the neck width makes playing them difficult even for adult beginners, let alone younger players. Choosing the best bass guitar size is an important consideration for any beginner.

Full-scale basses are long instruments and smaller bassists may want to consider a short-scale model. For younger bassists, many manufacturers offer even smaller student sizes. To test for size, sit or stand with the bass in playing position. Your left hand should comfortably reach the first fret, with your elbow comfortably bent and relaxed. The Squier brand manufactured by Fender, a company known to have some of the best bass guitars around has several fantastic models that will satisfy the needs of almost any new bassist.

Likewise, Epiphone makes great affordable versions of their classic Gibson models like the EB-3 and the Thunderbird. There are other manufacturers competing at the same price point, such as Ibanez and Yamaha, that are making instruments of comparable quality.

Gretsch also carries a short-scale line that is very affordable. If you take a step up the cost scale, there are enough options to make your head spin. There are affordable Fender Jazz and Precision basses, popular Gibson models in the SG and Les Paul styles, and upscale instruments made by a lot of other brands that are totally cool.

Some lesser-known brands, such as Rickenbacker, Lakland, and Warwick, offer basses with unique looks and sounds. All these bass guitar brands have good reputations for making quality instruments — the most important thing is whether the bass inspires the student.

Starting out on a good instrument will also make learning much easier. By buying a better bass, you will not only save money in the long run but also be happier and more inspired to practice. Playing a recognized brand makes a beginner feel like a pro and gives them confidence. We hope that with this guide makes buying your first bass guitar an easy, exciting and affordable experience.

Make sure you try out several models to find the one that best fits your size, plays well and has the sound and style that you like. We specialize in teaching beginners to play bass guitar and getting them playing with others almost immediately. Our staff of professional musicians will not only teach you how to play but also help you with picking out that first instrument that will start you on your musical journey.

Share Facebook Twitter. What to look for when buying a bass guitar When looking for your first bass, there are many things to consider. Here are a few things to look for: What size is it? The scale, or string length, will determine the size of the bass. Does the bass stay in tune? Tuning issues are rare with basses, as compared to guitars; the larger strings tend to be more stable.

View all Guides. Should I buy a Shell pack or drum kit? Beginners guide to cymbals More Buyer's Guides. Do I want an electric or acoustic kit? Ultimate Guide to Electric Bass Guitars Whether you're buying your very first bass guitar or you're making an upgrade, it helps to know what details to look out for.

What is a Bass Guitar? The Bass Body The first thing you will notice on any bass is the body. Normally found with a single pickup and a smaller body. Perfect for Rock, Punk but also widely used in dub bass styles like Reggae. This bass has a larger body normally with a pair of single coil pickups and therefore a larger range of sounds compared to the P-Bass style. This is suited to pretty much any style where accuracy and subtlety are needed more than aggression. Modern Modern-style basses are normally fitted with soapbar or humbucking pickups with a large thick body.

Brands like Fender, Ernie Ball, Ibanez and Chapman Guitars make basses in this style that work really well for a wide range of styles although you will most commonly see them used with rock and metal players. Bass Guitar Woods Now this is a complex subject and one that takes up a lot of time to explain but I will keep it brief here. Alder This is considered to be the most balanced and versatile of any bass tonewood. If you want one bass for any style check out Alder. Ash Ash is very similar to Alder tonally but it does have some slight differences.

With Ash you will generally get a bit more high end and faster attack. These small differences make this the perfect wood if you are a slap player that also needs to play with a pick or fingers as well.

Mahogany Mahogany is a deep warm wood that works brilliantly for picked and fingered styles that need to really hold up the low end in a mix.

The main issue with mahogany is that is weighs a lot which when used on such a large instrument can make it a pain to play. Basswood Warmer than Alder but not as dark as Mahogany, Basswood has an interesting sound that you will either love or hate.

It has a beautifully balanced sound but with a bit more low end to carry the mix. This is most commonly used on basses with active preamps as it lets you take advantage of that balanced sound. Electronics In A Bass This is where things start to get a little complicated.

Active electronics give you much more control over your sound from your guitar allowing you to not only cut but boost frequencies without having to touch your amplifier. Active electronics do require a battery to run normally 9v which will need to be changed out every few months to a year.

Passive Preamps Although not strictly a preamp when it is passive the circuitry in the guitar would act much like any other guitar you may have seen. Normally you would have at least 1 volume control and 1 tone control as well as possibly a blend control or second volume if you have multiple pickups. This system lacks control when compared to an active circuit but it does affect the tone.

A lot of bassists prefer a passive system for a more natural rounded tone that works better for jazz, blues and other similar styles. Pickups Just like the electronics the pickups come in active and passive forms but also different sizes and shapes.

Straight Single Coil J-Bass The Jazz style pickup is by far the most common type of single coil pickup you will see as depending on your amplifier you can use these with pretty much any style. They will never sound quite as raw or fat as a P-Bass pickup though you do get a much clearer definition. Split Coil P-Bass Normally used as the only pickup on a bass or with a straight single coil pickup in the bridge position. These pickups are loved by rockers for their tight, clear and punchy sound that works well with high gain distorted guitars in a mix.

They also produce a very large, round sound that works amazingly for some vintage rock style tones. Normally humbuckers will be found with an active preamp for a more diverse range of sounds. Contact Us On Contact Form. Sign up for our newsletter Please enter a valid email address. The biggest challenge when taking up the bass is getting acclimatized to the fingerboard geography. It's longer, wider and the frets are further apart - Guitarists who are crossing over will notice this especially.

This will pass in time, and your fingertips will harden. In the meantime, just take a break when things start to get a bit sore. The scale length of a stringed instrument is the distance between the nut and the bridge. This is considerably longer than a guitar, but it helps the bass maintain string tension and keep the tone and feel while playing in lower frequencies.

It can be a bit of a stretch for some, but if you get used to a long-scale bass then you'll have a much wider range of products to choose from when you come to upgrade. Sometimes these are preferred for their more rounded low-end, which can really work well when playing with other instruments. But they are definitely a great option to consider for younger players, and cheaper short scale basses are often aimed at this market.

If you'd prefer something in the middle, then a medium-scale bass is probably the one for you. Passive basses generate percent of their sound through their pickups. Active basses will have an onboard preamp, typically powered by either one or two 9V batteries.

Neither is better, per se. Some will argue that the passive bass is more dynamic, bringing out the nuances in your playing, and that you need never worry about a battery draining mid-performance. Advocates for the active basses might counter this by citing the hum-cancelling and tone-shaping properties of the onboard preamp.

Many like that the active signal is a little more compressed, evening out your playing. When choosing the best beginner bass guitar for you, it's good to know which wood your bass is made from, and how it affects your tone - hence the term 'tonewood'. Just as mahogany evokes Gibson, Alder-bodied instruments always call to mind Fender guitars, with full-bodied clarity and solid low-end, while basswood offers a typically well-balanced tone with a decent bit of weight to the low-end.

Jonathan Horsley has been writing about guitars since , playing them since , and regularly contributes to MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitar World. Guitar World. Included in this guide: 1. Yamaha BB Body: Alder. Neck: Maple, bolt-on. Fingerboard: Rosewood. Frets: 21, medium. Pickups: Custom V3 single-coil bridge , Custom V3 split-coil middle.

Controls: 2x Volume, tone. Hardware: Vintage-style bridge, lightweight open-gear tuners, chrome. Left-handed: Yes. Reasons to avoid - A blend control knob would be nice - Some players prefer an active bass.

Body: Agathis. Scale: Fingerboard: Jatoba. Hardware: Ibanez B bridge, chrome. Reasons to avoid - Some players prefer a longer scale. Body: Poplar with quilt maple veneer. Fingerboard: Laurel. Frets: 24, jumbo. Pickups: 2x Jackson medium-output mini-humbuckers bridge and middle. Hardware: HiMass bridge, die-cast tuners, Chrome. Left-handed: No. Reasons to avoid - Not much.