Guide to the best bass guitar brands
Perhaps the first step in creating such a guide is this: determine what the bass will be used for and who will be playing it. That information will eliminate two of the major mistakes made in the instrument-purchasing saga: 1) buying a bass that would be better used by a professional, when the instrument will actually be played by a young beginner, 2) buying a bass that will be used by a young beginner, but the workmanship is so poor that the bass will not even serve an amateur.
In the first case, a family should avoid spending $ 1,000 – $ 2,000 on a Fender Precision or a Music Man if the instrument will be the young player’s first attempt at producing music. It certainly would not be wise to purchase Warwick to $ 4,000 or spend $ 1,800 on a Peavey under these circumstancces. In the second instance, a family should avoid spending $ 100 – $ 200 on a copy of a Fender or Music Man (or any other bass) just because the price is right for the budget. In some cases, this will only lead to frustration when the bass is Unplayed.
From this point, the selection of a “best” bass can be a matter of personal choice. Use the general guideline of trying to find something in the $ 200 – $ 500 range for a beginner. Of course, there are a few instruments available at the low end of this spectrum that also come with an inexpensive amplifier, a chord and a strap. In some cases, this will be sufficient for a beginner, but if the young player does not continue with learning bass, it may be hard to resell the “kit” for more than a few dollars. It would probably be best to take home a model of the Fender Squier Jazz Bass, for example. The initial cost of $ 300 might seem a bit high, but that particular instrument will probably have some good resale value. In addition, it will be just fine for the first teenager starting a band. The sound and playability are actually good. The same could be said for some of the Yamaha models, such as the RB and BB series basses. These are generally in the $ 300 range and provide some good playability. Other brands that will provide playability for $ 300 to $ 500 are some of the Epiphone EB basses or the Dean Z / ML Vintage series.
Moving into the $ 800 range for basses, then up to the $ 1,200 + category, the question of the “best” bass truly becomes one of personal choice. This is when the semi-professional or professional player must do some research and find a bass that is of a comfortable weight, has the right tone for the style of music and has a smooth, playable neck (whether it’s rosewood or maple). Looks should be one of the last things a true bass player considers, though it is difficult to stay away from that “beautiful” bass with the gleaming hardware.
A final thought, no matter the level of expertise – pay particular attention to the height of the strings off the neck. There is a happy medium for bass – too low and the heavy strings will click audibly during a song, too high and the player will wear out before the night is through. Have a happy time on the low end!
Related posts: