10 Best Electric Bass Guitars with Ultimate Buying Guide (2018)

Add a spark to your songs and give your lyrics and melodies a new impression and deeper layer with an electric bass guitar.  You can achieve a balanced sound and rhythm with this guitar, no matter your level of skill as it is seen as the most straightforward and most commonly used guitar in the music industry all over the world. Now, you should know that there are various brands on the market, but we are going to show you how to find the best electric bass guitars suitable for your caliber of personality.

Are you an amateur or a professional? Follow us carefully on this guide as we are going to show you various brands of this musical instrument that will suit your skill set and musical orientation even if you are an amateur or a professional, you will find your brand here.

Most of the time buying a high-quality product is not an easy pick as you need to know various details about what you want to buy beforehand to enable you to choose a suitable one. Here is a table consisting of a collection of the best electric bass guitars you can find on the market.

Electric Acoustic Bass Guitar is ideal for amateurs and professionals and made to produce high-quality sounds. There is a built-in volume control, 4-band equalizer, and an adjustable truss rod. The product is polished and varnished in rich black color with a beautiful inlay, die-cast chrome tuners, and a 22-fret hardwood fretboard.

Every strum on this guitar will produce exciting and enthralling tunes that befits your favorite music. This traditional musical device has been pre-assembled by the manufacturer; no assembly is needed.

Main Features

• Electric Acoustic Guitar has built-in volume control, an adjustable truss rod, and 4-band equalizer.
• It is a full-size electric acoustic bass guitar producing high-quality sound.
• The guitar has a beautiful inlay, 22-fret hardwood fretboard, and die-cast chrome tuners.

Benefits

• It produces high-quality and clear sounds.
• This bass guitar is easy to operate by professionals and beginners alike.
• There is a fashionable and an attractive inlay with a 22-fret hardwood fretboard.
• You do not need to arrange or fix anything; the manufacturer already assembled it.
• There is a built-in volume control, 4-band equalizer, and an adjustable truss rod.

What We Like About the Product

What we love about this electric bass is that it has a built-in volume control, 4-band equalizer, and an adjustable truss rod making it easier for you to regulate the product according to your preference.

Pros

• Electric Acoustic Bass Guitar is glossed and varnished in attractive black color.

It is made of composite hardwood.

• The guitar is right-handed orientation.

Cons

• This guitar is not durable because it can quickly fall apart.
• The two pressure dings and 9V EQ do not function as publicized.

Electric Acoustic Bass Guitar is made for professionals and beginners alike as it can produce high-end sounds suitable for your lyrics and tunes. This device is user-friendly and worth buying.

Ibanez AEB5EBK Acoustic-Electric Bass guitar is a classical musical device featuring a 32- inch Scale AEL body made of Spruce and the neck and two sides are designed with mahogany. There are also four acoustic strings while the hand orientation is right-handed. You will find Abalone Rosette Chrome Die-cast tuners made to produce good quality bass.

Anyone can use Ibanez AEB5EBK because it is made for amateurs and professional musicians.  You can use this electric device to add layer and value to your musical tunes.

Main Features

• Ibanez has a Mahogany neck.
• It is made of 32 inches Scale AEL Spruce body.
• The back and sides are made of Mahogany.

Benefits

• AEB5EBK provides you with high-quality acoustic bass.
•  It is made of hardwood and durable.
• The neck, back, and sides are made of hardwood like mahogany.
• Ibanez is suitable for beginners and professionals.

What We Like about This Product

One of the useful features, why we love this electric bass guitar, is because it is made of hardwood like mahogany and suitable for beginners and professionals.

Pros

• There are Abalone Rosette Chrome Die-cast tuners.
• The hand orientation is right-handed.
• The body material is made of Spruce, and it is a 4-string bass guitar.  
• It is an electric device and loud.  

Cons

• The battery in the bass does not work.
• There are some build issues.

Ibanez AEB5EBK is an acoustic guitar weighing about 9.45 pounds and suitable for beginners and professionals too. It is durable, user-friendly, and worth buying.

This is an electric bass guitar made to produce high-end sounds for amateurs and expert guitarists alike. There is a 4-band equalizer, an adjustable truss rod, and built-in volume control. Electric Acoustic Bass Guitar features a solid wood construction polished with a natural high gloss varnish. It also has to die-cast chrome tuners and a 22-fret hardwood fretboard. There is a gorgeous inlay too.

Main Features

• It features a gorgeous construction with a beautiful inlay, 22-fret hardwood fretboard, and die-cast chrome tuners.
• The guitar has a built-in volume control.
• It produces high-quality sounds.

Benefits

• Electric Acoustic Bass Guitar is made to serve both beginners and professionals.
• It is simple to operate as it has built-in volume control and a 4-band equalizer.
• This product is durable because it is polished with natural high gloss varnish.
• The material used in making the body is solid wood while the neck is made of mahogany.

What We Like about The Product

What we love about the bass is that it has a built-in volume control and 4-band equalizer making it easy for Pros and amateurs to handle it easily.

Pros

• There are die-cast chrome tuners and a 22-fret hardwood fretboard.
• It has a beautiful and an attractive inlay.
• The hand orientation is right-handed.

Cons

• The product is not durable.

Electric Acoustic Bass Guitar is made with composite hardwood materials like mahogany used for the neck, and the body is made of solid-wood materials respectively.  This bass guitar is user-friendly and worth buying.

Ibanez PCBE12MHOPN 4- String Acoustic Bass Guitar is built on a guiding principle of acoustics, which entrenches a new method to auditory guitar practice. Due to their strong beliefs in acoustics, Ibanez designed this bass guitar to suit a wide variety of artistic and musical performances and settings. The back and sides of this product are made of mahogany while the body material is made of mahogany too. The hand orientation is right-handed orientation while the color is a natural color. It features a great style in design, playability, and tone.

Main Features

• Ibanez 4-String Acoustic Bass Guitar has a maple neck.
• There is under saddle pickup.
• It has a Rosewood fretboard

Benefits

Ibanez Acoustic Bass Guitar is designed to suit a wide variety of musical performances and settings.

• It is developed based on a guiding principle of acoustics.
• This product features a great style in design, playability, and tone.

What We Like about Tthis Product

We love the fact that Ibanez PCBE12MHOPN 4-String Acoustic Bass Guitar is designed to suit a wide variety of musical performances and settings due to variable tones.  

Pros

• The hand orientation is right-hand orientation.
• The neck and sides are made of mahogany.
• The body material is made of mahogany making it a very robust and durable bass.

Cons

• The product may come with scratches, the wires loosed and rattling.

Ibanez is designed based on the modern principles guiding the productions of sounds, and it fits various musical settings and performances. It is user-friendly and worth buying.

Do you want an affordable but high-quality electric bass guitar? Fender CB-100 CE Dreadnought Cutaway Acoustic-Electric Bass is affordable and outstanding on the market, because of some salient features like a laminated and resonant Spruce top with laminated mahogany back and sides. There is also a Scalloped X-Bracing, Fishman Isys Pickup system with Active on-board Pre-amp and Tuner. The neck material is Jazz Bass profile mahogany with 22-fret rosewood fingerboard. The body material is made of laminated wood (mahogany). You will also find a dual-action truss rod and a rosewood bridge with compensated saddle.  

Main Features

• It has a scalloped X-bracing.
• There is Fishman Isys Pickup with active onboard Pre-Amp and tuner.
• The guitar has Rosewood Bridge with compensated saddle.
• Fender CB-100 CE has a laminated spruce top with laminated mahogany back and sides.

Benefits

• The product is durable because the top is made of the laminated Spruce top while the back and sides are made of hardwood (mahogany).
• There is a Fishman Isys Pickup system with active onboard Pre-amp and Tuner.

What We Like about This Product

We love the way the top is made of laminated resonant Spruce and the back, sides, and the whole body are made of mahogany indicating that it will last longer.

Pros

• This is a 4-stringed electric bass guitar.
• It is right-handed orientation musical equipment.

Cons

• The device is poorly made and has to be adjusted to reduce fret sounds and buzz.
• It can be too large and scary for those with smaller arms because of the size. (34 inches)

This product is made for professionals and amateurs willing to improve their expertise and experience with an affordable bass guitar.  It is user-friendly and worth buying.

This electric bass guitar has Solid Wing Grover Style Tuners with an adjustable Truss Rod, and a 7545 active EQ System making it a sweet-toned and straightforward musical instrument. Cutaway Black Acoustic Electric 4-String Bass is made of laminated Linden top, Sapele back and sides with ABS body bindings. You will also find a Rosewood bridge, Delron resin saddle, pickup under the seat, independent volume, tone, and Pres controls. These features are necessary for proper regulation of the equipment.

Other relevant qualities of this guitar include 25 fret positions with MOP Dot inlay and Nickel Alloy Jumbo fret. Moreover, the device has a Delron resin nut, rosewood fingerboard, and 34-inch scale.

Main Features

• This bass guitar has a Laminated.
• Linden top, Sapele back and sides, and ABS Body Bindings.
• There are Rosewood Bridge, Delron Resin Saddle, Pickup under the Saddle, Independent volume, Tone and Pres Controls.
• You will find 25 Fret positions with MOP Dot Inlay, Nickel Alloy Jumbo Fret.
• Cutaway Black Acoustic Bass Guitar has Solid Wing Grover Style Tuners, Adjustable Truss Rod, 7545 Active EQ system.

Benefits

• This musical device has independent volume and tone controls, not built-in.
• The Truss Rod and 7545 Active EQ system can be adjusted to your preferred positions.   
• The body material is made of laminated Linden material while the neck is made of Sapele to enhance durability.
• The bass sounds reasonable enough, and you don’t need an amp before using it.

What We Like about This Product

We love the features of independent volume and tone controls. These regulators are not built-into the guitar. Therefore, it can be handled easily with the hands.

Pros

• The hand orientation is right-handed.
• There are Solid Wing Grover Style Tuners.
• It is affordable and high for the value.
• It features a thin body design, simple to handle, offers a pleasant tone.

Cons

• The EQ strings and pickups cannot be adjusted.
• You may have to adjust the neck and replace the strings.

Cutaway Black Acoustic Electric 4 String Bass is ideal for individuals that want to engage in personal practice at their homes or for professionals that want to use it and enhance their musical careers. It is user-friendly and worth buying.

Dean EAB Acoustic-Electric Bass Guitar is an ideal bass for amateurs since it does not need an amp before you can play on it. Even professionals can use it and feature on the stage for jam sessions with acoustic guitarists and bassists. There are onboard features that can help you perform well with this device. It is perfect equipment for home recording, and you will not find it difficult handling the functions such as built-in preamp with volume and treble controls, passive piezo pickup system, pearl dot inlays, Rosewood Bridge, and fretboard, die-cast Dean Tuners. There are also celluloid rosette and body binding. Moreover, Dean EAB Acoustic Bass Guitar is made of mahogany body and Spruce top.

Main Features

• The bass guitar has a diecast Dean Tuners.
• It has a mahogany body with Spruce top.
• There is celluloid rosette with body binding.
• You will find Dean passive preamp with volume control.
• The neck is made of 34-inch mahogany with rosewood fretboard and pearl dot inlays.

Benefits

• It is the best bass for beginners, and it does not require an amp before using it.
• Professionals can use it for jam sessions on stage with other guitarists and bassists.
• Dean EAB Bass Guitar is perfect for home recording.

What We Like about This Product

We love this product because it is ideal for home recording and professionals can use it for jam sessions with others on the stage.

Pros

• The bass guitar features a 34-inch mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard.
• Cellulose binding and rosette are enhancing the appearance of this instrument.
• Dean Tuners keep you in tune with the system whenever you are plugged in.
• The body is made of mahogany while the top is made of Spruce.  

Cons

• You may have to make some adjustments.
• The guitars are not packed well for transit.
• The frets are too sharp to handle and may be touching the strings.

Dean EAB is an ideal bass for home recording, suitable for beginners, and perfect for professionals that may want to participate in jam sessions on stage.  Experts recommend it as a user-friendly product and worth buying.  

Have you been looking for a bass guitar you can play anywhere? At last, Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Acoustic-Electric Travel Bass with Gig Bag is here. This is lightweight, compact, and portable and you can enjoy musical interlude, wherever you want without hassles, especially if you're going on a break from work in the afternoons, this bass will be an excellent companion for you.  It is regarded as the best bass guitar for the money.

You will enjoy the same thrilling experience as if you are playing on other more prominent brands because this Ultra-light Guitar uses the proprietary in-body tuning system, which is a standard tuning device in the bass making it possible to play on the guitar without a headstock. Additionally, it uses a custom piezo pickup enabling you to plug it into an amplifier of your choice.  You will find the built-in thumb rest and the detachable lap-rest frame that can make it simpler for you to play your bass conveniently in the smallest space available. With the included deluxe gig bag, you can take your Travel Bass to any destination and enjoy the acoustics of this top-rated bass guitar.

Main Features

• This bass guitar is ultralight musical equipment.
• It has removable lap support.
• The device features a custom piezo pickup.
• There is a proprietary in-body tuning system using standard tuning machines placed inside the structure.  

Benefits

• It gives you the opportunity to take your musical device to enjoy anywhere.  
• This is the best bass guitar with a minimalist body and an ultralight design with an in-body tuning system making it extremely portable.
• There is a custom piezo pickup enabling you to plug it into any other amp.
• It has a built-in thumb rest and a detachable lap-rest frame making it possible for you to play your bass conveniently anywhere you desire.

What We Like about The Product

What we love about this electric bass is that it has a detachable lap-rest and a built-in thumb rest making it convenient for you to use it anywhere without hitches.

Pros

• It has a laminated-wood body material and a hard maple neck material.
• It is lightweight, compact, and portable.
• The hand orientation is right-handed placement.
• It has a luxurious and deluxe gig bag to convey it to any destination.

Cons

• It looks like an assault rifle when it is inside the gig bag.
• Traveler Guitar does not resonate like a real bass guitar.
• The piezo pickup isn’t a beautiful tone.
• There is lack of quality control by the company.

This bass guitar is made exclusively for travelers, hikers, backpackers, and everyone who wants to enjoy a pleasant time with their guitar while they are away from home.  It is user-friendly and worth buying.

Fender ​Acoustic Guitars is a distinctive musical instrument with solid Spruce top and sturdy mahogany back and sides enhancing the more explicit projection of tunes and ensuring tones that are more powerful. The dual-action truss rod aids in adjusting the neck of the bass, to any particular player’s preferences. There is a hard-shell carrying case added to safeguard the guitar, whenever you are not using it.  The upper part is made of solid spruce, and the back and sides are made of durable mahogany.   You will also find a Fishman pre-amp with an electronic tuner, on/off switch, Bass, mid treble, volume, body, and light made to indicate low battery.                                                       

Main Features

• It has a solid spruce top and durable mahogany back and sides.                        
• The product has a hard-shell carrying case added to safeguard the bass when not in use.
• The dual action truss rod allows the neck to be adjusted to your preferences.
• There is Fishman Pre-Amp with Electronic tuner with ON/Off button, and bass, treble, mid, and volume control plus low battery indicator light.   

Benefits

• You will enjoy tones that are more powerful, as you use the device due to the body material, which is made of mahogany.
• You can adjust the neck of your bass to your preferences by using the dual-action truss rod.
• The hard-shell carrying case is suitable for safeguarding the guitar whenever the bass is not in use and if it fails suddenly.

What We Like about The Product

One of the useful features, why we love this device, is because of the hard-shell carrying case capable of safeguarding the bass when it is not in use.                                                 

Pros

• The top is made of spruce, and the body material is made of mahogany.
• There is Fishman’s pre-amp with electronic tuner using the on/off buttons.
• It does not have extra battery boxes or requires dismantling any of its parts before changing.          

Cons

• The product is heavy.
• It is not as loud and resonating as it ought to be.

Fenders Acoustic Guitars are made for those that want to enjoy the sound of an acoustic bass. It is user-friendly and worth buying.      

Ordinarily, to make a buying decision concerning any product is not easy but you need to understand some essential features of the item you want to purchase and that will guide you to the best bass guitar for the money.  Some of these aspects include

The Quality of Sound Produced by Electric Bass Guitars

The sound is the key to having great guitars because if the device is not producing quality tunes, then select a better one. The type of sounds produced by a bass guitar matters so much to a professional guitarist and depends on various features like the type of wood used in making the body and neck. An example of such timber is tonewoods.

The Tonewoods  

As we said earlier, the best consideration for purchasing a bass guitar is the quality of sounds produced by the device. The type of wood used in making your bass is a determinant factor in describing how the music will be. Woods with tonal properties are great for making guitars as they influence the sonorousness and resonance of the instrument. It is necessary to know the types of forests used in making bass guitars like tonewoods such as mahogany, ash, maple woods, agathis, and basswood.

Guitars with Mahogany Neck and Body Materials 

Check the materials used in making the back and sides; if they are mahogany, then you will enjoy the quality and full acoustic tunes from your bass. One of the most original tonewoods used in making guitars is mahogany with low to medium mass or density indicating the simple feature of the bass.

Guitars Made of Ash Body

Bass guitars with ash bodies are beautiful and attractive as the varnish and gloss on these musical instruments are remarkable.  You will get melodious and harmonious tones or pitches that will befit any music and settings alike.  

Maple Wood Guitars

Maple wood guitars provide high definition sounds and clarity, and it is one of the best tonewoods available on the market. It is made of dense woods making the tone hard and sharp. You may not see basses with necks made of maple because they are not common.  

Agathis Body Materials

Agathis body materials are used for affordable and cheap guitars because the wood itself is not expensive. Most persons purchase it for their children who are willing to undergo musical training. It is a mid-ranged instrument featuring partially ash and partially mahogany.

Basswood Guitars

Basswood guitars are suitable for various music styles and settings. The wood is soft and has the capability for absorbing the vibrations and sounds coming from the system. It is made for experienced bassists with high-level expertise.

Pricing and Value of Money

The prices of different musical instruments vary, and every buyer always thinks this first. High-end bass guitars are expensive and may cost above $200 while others can cost below $100, which is an affordable fee.  

Although these prices are based on the values, you will get by purchasing these musical devices. Such benefits include an outstanding finish, high-quality sounds, etc.

Travel Bass

Travel basses are ideal for travelers who may want to make themselves happy while away from their homes.  These types of acoustic bass are lightweight, compact, and portable. You will get the same quality of sounds produced by the more prominent basses. It has a gig bag and detachable lap support with built-in thumb rest for greater convenience.

Acoustic Bass Guitars

Acoustic bass guitars are made to provide you with a musical device with a hollow body and thick, resounding, and sonorous sounds. Nowadays, electric acoustic basses have the options of plugging into an amp, and it is necessary to enhance the volume significantly, even though, you can produce these sounds unplugged too.  

Bass Pickups

You should consider the two types of bass pickups available such as active pickups and passive pickups. Any guitar with active and passive pickups usually has clearer and brighter tones. The systems can produce a louder or greater sound output using the built-in preamps functioning with an internal battery. Therefore, you can choose active or passive pickups for your devices.  

The Parts of the Guitar

It is advisable to determine the quality of bass you want to buy by assessing the parts and understanding how they can affect your usage of the guitar successfully. Check for loose parts like bolts, nuts, or broken parts as the case may be, and you will know if you can return it for a refund or replacement as long as the warranty period is still valid.

The Number of Frets on Each Bass

Considering the number of frets on each bass useful but not necessary because the differences in these figures are not significant. Although this is a personal choice, most bassists play on lower string basses.

Coated and Uncoated Fingerboards

Coated fingerboards are known for producing a low definition, fretless, and trebly sound while uncoated fingerboards produce natural and welcoming tones.  Most guitarists prefer uncoated fingerboards due to this peculiar feature. However, coated fingerboards are not great buys because of their poor features.

The Scale Lengths

Acoustic bass guitars usually have various scale lengths. Those with long necks are known for producing well-defined low strings. Meanwhile, guitars such as a 30-inch bass are considered a short scale length acoustic instrument better and ideal for persons whose hands are quicker.

Enclosed or Open Turning Machines

Some of the guitars have turning machines, which may be inserted or open. Enclosed turning machines are regarded to be better than open devices because they can withstand rust and corrosion. That is the reason why most persons prefer bass guitars with enclosed turning machines.

The Shape of the Neck

The neck of bass guitars comes in various shapes and designs, which affects the quality of sounds they can produce.  You will see round shapes, oval, slim, and flat back shapes accordingly. Depending on the design that suits your interests, you can make a choice.

Having carefully analyzed the great features of electric bass guitars, and how you can find the best one on the market, our top pick is Electric Acoustic Bass Guitar Black Solid Wood Construction with Equalizer. This musical instrument has a built-in volume control, 4-band equalizer, and an adjustable truss rod. The body material is solid wood, while the neck material is mahogany, and the hand orientation is right handed with four strings. This musical instrument is a full-sized electric acoustic bass weighing 6.61 pounds and producing a high-quality sound.