Cheap Bass Guitars

For a while, it seemed an aspiring musician was out of luck if he wanted a quality musical instrument. Instruments got so pricey that even working musicians couldn’t afford them. Fortunately, some companies figured that out and started making cheap bass guitars and six-strings.

Don’t let the verbiage fool you, though. Just because they are cheap, doesn’t mean they are poorly made. In fact, some of them are very high quality. Today, a musician can buy a great bass for only a couple hundred to a few hundred dollars. Many are made by major companies such as Fender, who sells them under its Squier brand, and Gibson, who sells them under the Epiphone brand, along with Dean, Ibanez, Yamaha, and even Hofner, who sells a Beatle Bass similar to the one Paul McCartney plays.

Reviews of cheap bass guitars are mostly positive and in the four- and five-star range. Bass players state these instruments play nearly as well as their expensive counterparts, and that the difference is negligible. They also say the sound is nearly as good.

Companies do a couple of things to be able to offer these affordable instruments. Sometimes the wood is not the same as that of a top-of-the-line axe. It is still of good quality, but less expensive. Most manufacturers glue the neck on rather than bolt it. One would be hard-pressed to find any complaints about this because the basses are sturdily built. Hardware is another place companies cut corners. It is good, but not as fancy as on a more costly model. In addition, many basses are made in countries outside of the U.S., such as Korea and Mexico.

Cheap bass guitars make great entry-level instruments. They are perfect for taking to rehearsals so the main bass doesn’t get damaged. They are also good for musicians who gig in clubs where someone might be tempted to steal an expensive axe.