Bass Guitar Buying Guide For Beginning And Intermediate Players
What Types of Bass Guitar are Available?
What Types of Bass Guitar are Available?
There are a number of different types of basses, but the two most common groups are the stand-up basses (or string bass) and bass guitars (both acoustic and electric).
A stand-up bass is widely used in classical applications and sometimes in blues or jazz bands. It is enormous instrument that the player stands on its end and plays standing up. Increasingly, the stand-up bass is being used in acoustic groups that tend to play more popular music as well.
More common, however, is the bass guitar. Bass guitars come in two primary variants the electric bass and the acoustic bass. There are even acoustic-electric bass guitars.
Electric Bass Guitars
Electric bass guitars function on the same principle as electric guitars where the body is normally solid, and electronic pickups are used to capture the string vibrations and transmit them to an amplifier which then increases the volume of the signal. Electric bass guitars are most common in the 4-string variant, but are increasingly being found in 5 and 6 string models. These instruments are still tuned an octave lower, however the additional strings provide the accomplished player with more options for expanding their playing. As noted, electric basses require bass guitar amplifiers to amplify their signal.
Acoustic Bass Guitars
Similar to the acoustic guitar, the acoustic bass guitar has a large sound cavity that is normally constructed of wood and a sound-hole that projects the sound made by plucking or strumming the strings. Acoustic bass guitars are sometimes thought of as impractical to a band as their projection is somewhat limited, however the quality and resonance of the tone is what keeps many bass players interested. Many groups that like to put on an acoustic show will include an acoustic bass, acoustic guitar, and bongos or congas for percussion. You can also mic an acoustic bass if youre going for an interesting sound.
Acoustic-Electric Bass Guitars
Add a piezo or other pickup to an acoustic bass and guess what youve got? Thats right, acoustic basses also come in an acoustic-electric variant which really gives you the flexibility to run through a pa system or amplifier, as well as gain the benefits of the acoustic tone. Weve seen several jazz bands taking this approach, and again, normally amplified bands that appeared on MTVs series Unplugged. Ideally, this is the model that you would want if you are looking for the benefits of both.
What Type of Bass Guitar Do I Want?
While this can certainly be a very personal choice, youre probably going to want to start with an electric bass guitar. This variant is the most widely used, its the easiest to play, and most common. Also, if you are a beginner, wed recommend you stick with a 4 string model to learn and improve on. Sometimes its better to keep things simple, and the 4 string electric bass is the way to go.
If you are tempted by the idea of an acoustic bass, wed highly recommend you at least go with an acoustic-electric, and preferably, one with as large a surface area as possible on the body. This will help project when youre not amplified and at least the instrument will have the electronics built in if you ever decide you need to plug it in.
What About 5 String and 6 String Bass Guitars?
Unless youre an accomplished bass player, wed recommend you stay away from anything higher than 4 strings. Its better to keep it simple, and with more strings, comes more complication. Additionally, 5 and 6 string basses can be harder to play and have a much wider fretboard, which can be a challenge for small or inexperienced hands. Unless youre comfortable and have been playing a while, we wouldnt recommend it. On the other hand, if you are an experienced bassist, you may want to consider a 5 or 6 string bass. The instrument will give you more range and flexibility to showcase your talents, and also provide more ranges and octaves for you to work with in your playing. Bass soloing has really caught on in the last few decades and to really impress, its better to have the additional strings and range.
What About Scale?
Scale is used to indentify the length of the bass from the nut to the bridge. Obviously the longer the distance the more vibration you can expect and therefore longer length strings can allow you to play much deeper tones. While most bass guitars are about 34 inches long, there are incrementally shorter and longer varieties that are much a matter of personal choice. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that as your scale length grows, so does the amount of flexibility needed to accurately play those notes. Thats right, with scale increases, come increases in distance between the frets so be careful, although it might seem cool and challenging to play a longer scale bass, you could end up looking sloppy in your style if take this route.
What Are Some Of The Most Popular Bass Guitar Brands?
If youve spent any amount of time looking at bass guitars, youve probably noticed a preponderance of the Fender P and J models. Available in both American and internally made models, these electric basses have almost become the standard others have been measured by. Dont limit your choices though! Other manufacturers make great basses as well, including Gibson, Epiphone, Dean, and Warwick on the high end.
Where do I fine more tips for Buying Bass Guitars?
For
bass guitar reviews of specific brands, please visit the
bass guitars page on MusicGearReview. This is a site by musicians and for musicians with over 10,000 music equipment reviews submitted by real musicians to help you research before you buy or make a purchase. We provide tips from our readers as well as for them.
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