The bass guitar is a versatile instrument that can be used in many different genres of music. Whether you’re just beginning to learn how to play or are an experienced musician, there’s a cheap bass guitar for you. From beginner-level instruments to high-end models, we’ve compiled the best cheap bass guitars on the market today!
Table of Contents
What is a bass guitar and why should I get one
Bass guitars have been around for as long as people and they’re a lot like other instruments in the way that you can get them either electric or acoustic guitars. The thing about basses though, is their sound: deep rumbling notes with lots of lows make up what’s called rock-n-roll – but it also has its place on classical records too!
Bass guitars are the backbone of any good band. They provide an essential rhythm and steady sound in harmony, often playing with only their voices or other instruments like drums to create different sounds that can’t really be made by anything else on a guitar!
Top 7 best bass guitars
Ibanez GSRM20 Mikro (Short Scale)
The Ibanez GSRM20 Mikro (Short Scale) is a great choice for those who want to learn guitar, but don’t have the time or space. This adorable miniaturized dreadnought has all of the features you need in one small package and doesn’t take up very much room at home!
Features
- Neck Profile: Slim
- Fingerboard Radius: 12″
- Frets: 22 Medium
- Body: Mahogany
- Bridge Pickup: PSND Single-Coil
- Controls: Volume 1, Volume 2, EQ, Tone
Pros
- Younger and older players alike commend the Ibanez GSRM20 bass guitar, saying it is surprisingly high quality for its low price.
- The Ibanez GSRM20 is a bass guitar that has been praised for being comfortable and easy on the hands.
- Ibanez GSRM20 is a bass guitar that has both beginner and experienced players praising its easy-to-use design.
Cons
There are some complaints about the tuning stability and fret buzz on guitars with low action.
Squier Mini Precision Bass Guitar (Short Scale)
This is the perfect instrument for any aspiring musician. With its short scale, it’s easier to handle than other bass guitars and can be tuned in seconds!
Squier is a company that builds guitars for beginners and experts. The Mini Precision Bass guitar offers great tone with an ergonomic design to make playing easier than ever before!
The Squier Mini Precision Bass Guitar is a smaller, more compact alternative to its full-sized sibling. It has an sleek and lightweight body that reduces neck strain for extended periods of time on stage or in practice sessions where you don’t want your hands getting tired out early!
There’s also lots more depth than other bass guitars while still maintaining easy access markers around frets one through four thanks so much those nifty little dots every inch or two apart up near the highest note range available just waiting there patiently waitin’ until I need ’em
Features
- Fingerboard Radius: 9.5″
- Frets: 20 Narrow Tall
- Body: Poplar
- Bridge Pickup: Precision Split Single-coil
- Controls: Volume 1, Tone
Pros
- Bass players appreciate the smooth neck and great tone of this bass guitar.
- The bass has a smooth neck and action, which results in a very easy playability.
Cons
- Some people recommend replacing some of the default strings with ones that are more appropriate.
- This text is about the string set up process and its problems.
Ibanez TMB30 Bass Guitar
This Ibanez TMB30 bass guitar has a rich, deep tone that’s perfect for beginners and experts alike. The maple neck is easy on your hands while still being capable of producing strong tones thanks to its JEM compound radius fretboard!
Fretted instruments have been around since 1834 when composer Michael Jackson created his famous “patentlvlle” cello using catgut strings made from sheep intestines because he could not afford normal gut-based heliconians at the time (not only do they sound better but also last MUCH longer). They were popular among professional musicians until just over 100 years ago – ask any Victorian lady what type she played if you know what I mean.
Today, they are cheap and available to all players but of course there is a trade off between price and quality – cheap instruments tend not to be very durable or reliable so it’s important that you know what kind of budget you have before buying one! Of course this doesn’t mean that cheap bass guitars can’t sound great as cheap doesn’t necessarily mean bad!
Features
- Fingerboard Radius: 9.4″
- Frets: 20 Medium
- Body: Poplar
- Bridge Pickup: Precision Split Single-coil Neck, Jazz Bass Singlecoil Bridge.
- Controls: 2 x Volume 1, Tone
Pros
- The Ibanez TMB30 is an excellent bass for beginners and experienced players alike.
- The reviews for this bass are positive, with many experienced players recommending it as a good beginner’s instrument.
Cons
Some people find the shape of bass guitars bothersome, while others like its offset design.
Ibanez TMB100 Bass Guitar
The Ibanez TMB100 bass guitar is designed for the player looking to take their performance quality up a notch. With its lightweight construction, this instrument feels comfortable and seamless in your hands as you perform on any stage or venue with ease knowing that no matter what happens- it will never let down!
For the musician who is looking for a bass that’s not only great sounding but also beautiful, Ibanez has come up with their TMB100. This instrument comes in shades and styles to suit any taste or style; it will be your new go-to piece of equipment!
Features
- Fingerboard: Jatoba
- Frets: 20 Medium
- Body: Poplar
- Bridge Pickup: Dynamix J Single-coil
- Controls: 1 x Volume/Balancer, 1 x Treble/Bass Boost/Cut
Pros
The Ibanez TMB-100 bass guitar has been given positive reviews from beginners and experienced musicians.
Cons
Some people say that this guitar’s sound is too plain, but it does have a good range of sonic flexibility for its price.
Yamaha TRBX174 Bass Guitar
The TRBX174 is an awesome bass guitar, with its thoughtful design and luxurious features. From the wood body that’s been carved to perfection for your sound needs; through each fret wire saturated in chrome Tune-Rests keep things sounding fresh all day long!
I’m no stranger when it comes time play anything from rockabilly tunes like “Rock This Town” by The Stray Cats or even some metal classics such as Metallica’s “Enter Sandman.” But there are many more styles out their I’ll be reaching into my trusty Yamaha gear case every now again just so you know how great they can
Features
- Fingerboard Radius: 9.5″
- Frets: 24
- Body: Mahogany
- Pickups: Precision Split Single-coil Neck, Jazz Bass Singlecoil Bridge
- Controls: 2 x Volume, 1 x Tone
Pros
- Many people have praised this bass for its good looks and sound, while some experienced players were impressed with how well it can handle an alternate tuning.
- The Yamaha bass guitar is a comfortable, good-quality instrument that works well for both beginners and experienced players.
Cons
Some people report string action issues, and buyers should buy from a reputable seller.
Fender Squier Affinity Precision PJ
The Fender Squier Affinity Precision is a perfect choice for any musician on the go. It’s lightweight, portable design means that you can take it with you anywhere and start jamming right away! With its single-coil pickup system equipped throughout this baby blue beauty; your sound will be full of tone without ever having to worry about feedback or interference from other instruments because they’ll thank too much volume coming outta their own amp (or mic). And don’t forget – all three electronics in the Fender Squier Affinity Precision are controlled by one volume knob; making your life when you need to find that sweet spot of tone a lot easier!
- Fender Squier Affinity Precision
- Fits in most guitar bags and cases for easy transport
- All electronics (including three band EQ) connected with single volume knob
- Single coil pickup system for full, punchy tone without feedback or interference from other instruments
Features
- Fingerboard Radius: 9.5″
- Frets: 20 Medium Jumbo
- Body: Alder
- Bridge Pickup: Single-Coil Jazz
- Controls: Master Tone, Volume 1 and Volume 2
Pros
- Fender Squier Affinity Precision is a perfect choice for any musician on the go. It’s lightweight, portable design means that you can take it with you anywhere and start jamming right away!
- This bass is well-liked by beginners, experienced musicians, and their parents.
Cons
Some people who have new instruments in this price range complain about the frets being a bit sharp.
Gretsch G2220 Junior Jet II
The Gretsch G2220 II Junior Jet is an electric bass guitar, with 30.3″ scale length and the “Jet” profile – only this one has a bit more compact body to make it easier for younger students or those who want something less bulky when playing their instrument of choice!
One of the most popular guitars in Gretsch’s line-up is their sleek, lightweight guitar -the junior jet II. It features dual pickups and chrome hardware that can stand up to just about anything you throw at it with its durable construction made for beginners or pros alike!
Features
- Fingerboard Radius: 12″
- Frets: 20 Medium Jumbo
- Body: Basswood
- Bridge: Standard 4-saddle Bridge
- Controls: Master Tone, Master Volume, Pickup Selector
Pros
- The bass is easy to play and has a pleasing design.
- This bass is easy to play, and gets lots of positive feedback from other instruments.
Cons
The reviewers mention some issues with the string quality, but those who replaced them found it to be much better
The benefits of owning a bass guitar
A bass guitar is a great way to get your hands on the perfect instrument. The sound produced when playing one can be compared with that of an electric piano or upright bass, and there are many different types from which you could choose – including fusion jazz guitars!
Bass guitars are great for beginners because they’re relatively cheap compared to other instruments like the electric guitar or piano. If you can remember that a few pence saved is a penny earned then it really doesn’t matter how cheap your first bass guitar turns out to be – you’ll have still got your hands on an instrument that can be played for years!
The benefits of owning a cheap bass guitar go beyond the instrument itself: it’s also an introduction into learning more instruments in the future. If you’re just starting out with cheap bass guitars, you can always move on to learning other stringed instruments like the ukelele or even guitar!
- can practice without worrying about damaging an expensive instrument – cheaper than othe stringr instruments – cheap bass guitars can be used for other stringed instruments as well
- even cheap bass guitars have a rich, full sound that makes the instrument worth playing and investing in.
- cheap bass guitars can be a great way to learn about music theory and composition.
- cheap bass guitars are portable, so they’re easy to bring with you when travelling or on vacation!
How to choose the right size and shape of your first instrument
The first step to choosing the right size and shape of your bass guitar is determining what type you want. Do not simply go by looks; play one at least once before buying so that its sound fills up space in more ways than just with vibrations on strings! If money’s tight, start small – even those little ones pack a punch when tuned correctly (and it will take less time for beginners). But don’t be afraid if this isn’t possible: there are plenty of quality instruments out there made from different materials such as wood or metal which can still provide good tone regardless due their construction methods.
Also, make sure you get a cheap bass guitar that doesn’t have “starter” written on it! There’s nothing wrong with buying from starter manufacturers but don’t just buy because its cheap. Remember the adage: if something seems too good to be true then it probably is! You can find cheap bass guitars out there for under $200 but it’s worth spending a few pounds more if you have the cash to do so.
The only other thing to consider is whether or not your cheap bass guitar has frets – these are those metal bars that stick out from the neck of the instrument and form an ‘F’ shape which tells you where to stop placing your fingers down for each note. Some cheap bass guitars are fretless, meaning you’ll have to rely on your ear alone for producing tunes – which can be difficult at first! If you’re buying online make sure the site has a returns policy so that if it turns up and they’ve skimped out on using frets then you won’t lose any money in the process!
Related Articles: types of microphones | best volume pedal | types of electric guitars
Tips on how to play your new instrument well
As with any cheap bass guitars, practice makes perfect! Make sure you’ve read a cheap book to help get yourself started if it’s been a while since your last lesson. The internet is also full of tutorials for all kinds of cheap instruments so sign up to YouTube or bookmark some great sites that can give you pointers and encourage an ear for music! You’ll soon notice that cheap bass guitars aren’t just for beginners and they’re a great tool to have around when you start learning more about different styles of music.
A cheap instrument can be an absolute lifesaver if it means your progress is not hindered by money issues – but don’t buy the first cheap bass guitar you see! Do some research and get yourself a cheap bass that will last you for years to come. You’ll be glad when your playing is complete, but it’s even better if the cheap one you bought has actually helped make this possible!
