6 String Electric Bass Guitar For Sale (2024 Update)

Overall: I wandered into a national Music store chain one day in Oct 2016 and went straight to the used guitars that were hanging on the wall in the used section. I'm always trying to keep an eye out on a good used Music Man electric as I try to collect these fine instruments. That particular day there was pretty slim pickings so I wandered through amps, effects and I ended in the pass guitar section. (I do play bass but usually when I write my own tunes) and this 6 string bass caught my eye. It didn't look cheap so I asked one of the vultures hovering there ( employees, just doing their gig) what he could tell me about this bass. It was pretty light-weight, first impression, so he gave me the run-down on the thing and I asked him if I could put it through the paces that I knew and we plugged it into an Ampeg mini brute what ever it was called and began a 45 minute of exploration where I passed this through an extensive test regarding tone, intonation,ease of reaching pots, tome control, The bass boost, I checked out the spec's which were pretty tight on with what was written. The balance was great, ease of use overall in case I plan to take a 6 string bass to a gig and perform for 3 hours was good weight-wise. I was particularly impressed with the bright tome. I was impressed in the selection of pickups that were available with this instrument. I've been performing on stage since I was 8 years old but mostly on guitar. I understood first you are usually someone and I was tithe whoweEric

Overall: I bought this simply to see if I want to pursue playing a 6 string. Beyond a few brief encounters in music stores, I have not played one and opted to try the tried-and-true Ibanez brand. The price point had me a little scared but this was a great purchase. I don't expect to have this long being I will either continue on the 6 string, or it will be flipped into something else. This is my first Ibanez and I will likely give the higher end SR models a closer look regardless of string count. The Good: Price, the setup was perfectly playable out of the box, tone is decent, weight is good for a 6 string, the fret ends a dressed. The Bad: doesn't balance well (Raw leather strap helped), finish is thin and wood not worth keeping natural (wanted the black model but, out of stock), Odd EQC.j.

I had no trouble setting up this bass. I was able set the intonation perfectly. Even the low strings sustain pitch very well and were easy to tune. I added a slight relief to the neck, because there was a lot of string buzz. After this slight adjustment to the truss rods, there is only a buzz when playing hard on the bottom 3 frets of the lowest string. The action is still low and it is very easy to play (though I do have long fingers). The stock strings are very cheap. As someone else stated, I feel upgrading to higher quality strings may resolve the low B buzz issue. The tone is amazing thanks to the built in EQ bass boost. I found it easier to play harmonics than my other basses. Walking bass lines sound smooth and percussive playing sounds pro. This is my new favorite bass. I can't wait to play it with the band.Michael O

Pros: This is a beautiful neck-through bass with a luscious satin mahogany body, and matte gold hardware. 5 control knobs – volume, pickup selector/tone, then 3 band EQ. Stays in tune. Great tone. Cons: The active pickups/EQ require TWO 9v batteries! Don't need changing often though (like every few years, playing 2 hours a week). The matte gold hardware is prone to some mild patina formation. In some electronic environments you get a bit of hiss from the pickups. I think fluorescent lights contribute to this. Mitigated by turning down the treble EQ knob, and fixed if your sound guy kills the highs on the mixer.blueflame1611

Overall: Absolutely BEAUTIFUL looking 5-string bass!!!! In your hands, in your sight, and in your lap, this guy is stunning. Stunning to look at and to handle. Schecter really nailed it on the Stiletto series. That low B sting is what I have been looking for in a bass for a while now. I mostly am into classic rock & country type of stuff. But I am also into 70's funk like Stevie Wonder. The low B is a MUST for old school funk and reggae. When I first got the guitar, it was way out of tune and every string vibrated like mad. So when you first get your guitar from zZounds, it is not set up. That is a chore for the end user. Which is great because a musician should not have to be completely reliant on a "professional" tech in order to perform basic comprehensive maintenance on their instrument. So, I emailed zZounds requesting some help and advice from them for the proper setup of my newly bought bass. As quick as that, they replied with a bunch of links to help me get myself up to speed. After reviewing the guides, I was able to tune my bass and set the truss rod properly. Now my Stiletto sounds dang near perfect! To be honest, I am not that great of a player. I do have a musical background, but I am pretty new on the bass. But I can tell you that the more I practice with this guy and listen and appreciate its wonderful sound through the Markbass I'm using, the more I am happy with this purchase. TL;DR Excellent instrument. Excellent fitment of components (this guy was assembled in Indonesia) Marvellous to feel and to hold Emits beautifully clear, super deep bass notes Wish I knew about Schecter's stuff before I dropped over 2K on my LĀKLAND 😉Billy

I now own 5 solid body neck-throughs: Two 4003's, two Warwicks, and this Schector, which just arrived yesterday. I don't think I'm a good enough expert to sit and analyze each bass's pros and cons, and then try them out with a bunch of different amp/speaker combinations. That's what they pay the guys at Bass Player for. All I can say is I haven't stopped grinning about this Studio-4 since I opened the box. Easy playability, excellent build quality, sexy looks, and a good, loud, punchy sound. What's not to like ? I will say this: The EQ knobs don't do a wide range of tone-shifting. The EMG pickups are very bright, modern-sounding, and with the stock Ernie Ball RW strings, that's exactly what I wanted. Plenty of glass up top, and a bit (maybe a bit too much) at the bottom. If you're looking for P-bass thud-thud Motown sound, my first thought is this may not be your best bet, although with flatwounds it would probably be within dial-able range on your rig. The rest is all good, and this would make a great bass for a student, a working bassist or the dedicated hack (that's me). If you're a world-famous bass soloist, this may not necessarily be the axe you'd take the stage with, but I'm betting you'd spend lots of time practicing your moves on it. It will keep up. One more thing. It arrived set up as nicely as I've ever seen, right out of the box.doc

Fantastic bass guitar, great for scales and solos. Very thin neck for a 6-string and beautiful colours. Feels great to play, surprisingly better feel with the fan frets. Awesome !!! 😃Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Overall: I'm a guitar player that switched to bass 20 years ago. I've missed the ability to play full chords and solo in a range that can be easily heard. I tune this bass an octave lover than guitar with the same string relationships. Low E, not B. This bass allows me to do that with no set up issues. If youre coming from a 4 string this will be a wide neck, but 5 string users will adust. It's well balanced and finely finished. LONG REACH TO 1ST FRET ON LOWEST STRING, which is F for me, but I can get it. The fan fret design probably helps to keep string tension equal. I have a Novax (Ralph Novak invented the fret system) so I'm okay with it.Jeff

The Mikro bass plays, looks and sounds great. The extra-short scale length does not compromise the traditional bass tone it produces. I have played 6-string guitar for over 40 years, including many professional gigs and teaching. I own over a dozen topnotch guitars. But this is my first bass, and I chose Mikro on the recommendation of a trustworthy friend. I have been doing my own repair work on guitars for decades, and can say the Mikro bass is impressively well made, and arrived decently set up with new, good strings. Fret work, neck, nut, tuning machines, bridge, fingerboard, finish, electronics are all virtually flawless; and the tobacco sunburst color I chose looks really nice, with a "vintage" vibe. I replaced the stock chrome dome knobs (which are nice ones) with Gibson-style knobs so I can see numbers for volume and tone settings. I really like the tone of the Mikro, especially the "Precision" style pickup–the one closer to the neck, from which it's easy to get a classic P-bass tone in conjunction with the tone control, which also works great. Ibanez chose a great capacitor value for the tone knob. The bridge position ("Jazz" style) pickup is just OK–usable, and not bad, but nothing remarkable, and it's especially lackluster when used solo, without any of the P-style pickup dialed in. That is the only part of this bass, other than the knobs, I would consider upgrading in the near future (maybe also the potentiometers, but even those feel smooth and responsive out of the box). The satin-finish neck feels great, and is a breeze to play, even for someone like me, who is coming to the bass from years on guitar. The tuning stability of the Mikro is remarkably great. So the latest versions of the Mikro basses are a phenomenal bargain! I would not hesitate to recommend a Mikro to anyone considering moving from guitar to bass, or to someone with smaller hands. From what my bassist friends tell me, the Mikro is great for any bassist PERIOD.NYC Slide Guitarist trying bass

Overall: I've been playing for years, mostly Fenders, Tobias and a heavily modified Decca short scale from the 60s. This is my first Ibanez bass and I am blown away! I chose the brown burst finish, and took a chance on the "blemished" version. Been looking at it all day and I can't find any imperfection anywhere. Definitely wanted short scale, light weight and a fast neck, this one has all 3 and then some. Set up out of the box was close, very close, with only a slight fret buzz on the E string. A very small adjustment at the saddle took care of it. The stock pickups sound good, the tone knob has useful range, everything sounds quite good through everything I've played it through so far (Fender, Orange, antique Earth head, etc.). Overall, I couldn't be happier!Bryan

An utterly great bass overall. It's perfect for someone with a low budget, or someone who's new to learning bass. Also good for children or people with small hands since it's a short-scale. This was my first bass and I still play it a lot. Not only is it cheap, but it has a really good tone, a nice feel to it, and a beautiful orange finish (if that is the finish you chose). The only bad thing I have to say about this is that it got some fret buzz to it but in all honesty, it's not that bad. I love Ibanez basses, I own several and this one is absolutly great.Logan

I recently recieved my LTD B-206SM and absolutely love it. It is well constructed, solidly built, and heavy. It has a incredible thick, punchy tone. The controls give a variety of tonal capabilities. Because of the mass of the body and 6 strings, I would suggest getting a large FretWrap to cut down on string vibration. If you play standing up, I would also suggest getting a wide, padded bass strap such as the Gruv Gear Neo 4" strap. I sit down most of the time when playing, but use a wide strap anyway. The case in my photo is the Ibanez MRB500C and it fits perfectly. The B-206SM is an excellent bass and an incredible value with a not too high price. I would recommend it highly.RJD

I've had one for about a year and a half and I can't say enough about this beautiful beast. I got it because I wanted to have one bass flexible enough to provide any tone I'd need for 4 hours of rock/blues/country covers. With some 6 string basses, the output and tone can be terribly inconsistent from string to string, particularly if you have a run that uses all 6 of them. This one, however, has an extremely focused and consistent tone and level no matter where you are on the neck. Playing power chords on the 3 treble-side strings sounds clean and almost guitar-like. I'm a tech and a luthier, so naturally when I buy a bass, I go over it with a fine-toothed comb, adjusting and looking for inconsistencies. The setup was already near-perfect and the cavities are tidy and well-shielded and grounded. Yes, it's heavy. It's a serious bass that uses its weight well. strap balance is great, and i got used to the weight and enjoyed the sustain and resonance that solid weight can bring. There are basses with higher end preamps, more sensitive pickups, more exotic woods, but you will not find a better one than this for twice the money. Exceptional finish, build, balance, broad palette of tones, sustain, and playability. Not to mention the wow factor every time someone new sees it. The price has gone up since I bought it, so pick one up before ESP wises up and charges what it's worth.Jamison

I have been playing a 5 string for the past 4 years or so. My bass right before this one was the Ibanez Srff805. Though the neck is wider on the srac806 there wasnt much of an adjustment to the 6. I thought i'd miss the strings often while playing due to the spacing or get lost on Which key i was in buuut the transition was pretty easy and the neck plays pretty well like most ibanez necks in my opinion. I would recommend trying ibanez basses for anyone who hasnt reallt played then before especially for extended range basses. They are really good at extended range instrumentsClaysherr

What can I say. This bass has an amazing range of tones. The neck through design gives it a great mid range punch, and also keeps it from being too heavy at the headstock. The built in EQ system does the job, but it is also nice that you can bypass it in favor of your own EQ as well. All and all a great bass for the price.Colin

It is a great six string bass, no problems in any fashion. Easy to play, good dynamics and the quality is typical Ibanez- a lot of bass for the money!Ice

This bass is INCREDIBLE!!! Range of tone for days!!! Whether you like it smooth and pretty or if you like to thump and be funky you can do it all!!! I play it out of my Ampeg rig and whewwwww I’m glad I have great neighbors who don’t mind ?? Get this bass today!!! You won’t be disappointedMontrelia Burns

Slap, tap, finger style, whatever. This bass makes them matter. While it takes some time to adjust to multi scale, it takes zero time to appreciate the human ergonomic factors that went into this design. This is the next level bass.Mauteman

There are things that I love about this bass: the weight, the balance, the uniqueness. Despite being really expensive, it's probably my go to travel instrument just for the weight and size. Having said that, for the price the quality and fit and finish is really disappointing. The thin veneer is beautiful, but really thin and easy to damage. Beyond that mine was clearly not put together well. I alternate between playing with fingers and a pick and couldn't figure out why I kept hearing an odd noise when playing with the pick. Well, one of the four neck bolts was installed incorrectly and the washer is just rattling around, but the bolt is unable to be loosened or tightened, so obviously it was cross threaded on installation. My biggest complaint is the frets were not installed on the neck correctly, they actually hang off one side a bit and cut my left hand to shreds while playing fast. For the price it should have been comfortably playable out of the box, not needing as much work as a used guitar. I'd be really hesitant to buy another Ibanez after this experience.Andy

Bought one of these basses after searching high and low for used Attitudes and always wanted to play one. Finally found a III online at GC used. It was basically brand new out of the box. Once I received it I was totally blown away. I have Fender P and J basses and am very familiar witht the P neck, my first bass and have it for over 25 years. The ABIII neck is so comfortable and the action is amazing. The playability blows all of my Fenders away and I hate to admit that because I still love playing them but this bass just raises the bar. Construction is top notch. The neck through construction is solid and the body is solid but very light. Hardware is excellent and the recessed bridge just adds to the low action and sustain. Harmonics are bright and clear, there's no fret buzz and the bass plays very fast. Comes with a set of BS strings which I really like. I'm not sure if it's the strings themselves or the neck profile but bending is quite easy to do everywhere on the fretboard and not just where the neck is scalloped. Which brings me to that section…. just a great feature that adds to new inspiring riffs and soloing ideas. I would never try or do that on my other basses as it was just such an effort to bend and not buzz or be difficult to do but the scalloped frets make it a breeze. Fiinally, the tone. The EBO-esque neck pickup really keeps a nice low end thump and they are very complimentary to the P pups. I would recommend this bass to anyone that was thinking about a high end "players" bass. This thing is meant to played and played hard.Joeglow

Bought one of these because I always loved the look and sound of Billy's bass but more importantly the P bass sound with the extra grind he has. I started to do research on the new one and didn't find too much on it but decided to jump in. So glad I did! The action is unreal and the tightest of all of my boutique basses with no fret buzz anywhere. The neck is chunky but very comfortable. Smooth palm rest and very fast playing. All of my guitar buddies are flawed by how low the action is and how great it feels. The quality is bar none. The bass is super responsive and sounds great with no effects used. Great P bass tone on the single plug in. When I ran 2 amps to try the 2 pickups in separate channels it just really added an immediate boost to the tone. There's so much dynamic range that the possibilities are endless. The scalloped neck was something I never had before and it is such a great feature to have if you like to bend notes. Very easy and super clean tone. The finish and construction quality of the bass is flawless. Very light overall bass, lighter than my Fender American Standard Jazz bass. Very comfortable right hand placement on the pickups or behind, I play in several positions but those are my most often used. Slap sound is very good as well. The neck has a little scoop taken off the end of the fretboard to accommodate your plucking finger. Great Bass, Great sound, super quality. I'd recommend this bass to anyone looking for a high end instrument. It's no wonder you can't find any of the older Attitudes for sale used. People just don't get rid of them!Joesph Loscacco

Bought this because I love the look and feel of a P bass but of course because of Billy. The feel and playability is unmatched by any of my boutique basses. Super low action with no fret buzz. The action is what a guitar player would die for and no wonder Billy can fly around on this thing. It's a shredder bass with the authentic P bass tone. Chunky yet very comfortable neck. scalloped frets were something new to me and I am totally in love with them. Clean work on the fret dressing, no burs or sharp ends. Total attention to the details on the neck. The body is super light and very well made. The D tuner is something I used on all of my basses and this comes standard. The P pickups have a great punch to them as expected from a split system and as authentic sounding as any Fender I own. I think they have a bit more meat to them which is great, I think just an overall upgrade to the classic design. The neck pickup has this EBO like tone that captures that nice sub kind of thump but it's not over the top and clear. It totally compliments the P pickups. A great pairing to my ears. I played the bass totally clean and flat EQ at first and was totally impressed then added some grit distortion to the mix and there's Billy's sound! I split the stereo outputs to a clean and distorted amp to mix the 2 channels and you get the best of both this way. You can also get both pickups through on amp as well but I wanted to try it the way he does to get the full experience. Hardware, tuners and bridge are all excellent quality, no complaints there. The recessed bridge is a great addition as it aids to keeping the strings as low as possible without over compensating them or having to adjust the neck angle or saddles. Intonates perfectly. I'd stack this up against of my Fenders or any of my other high end basses any day. It's no wonder you can't find the other Attitude versions for sale used on the net. They hold value and people just don't get rid of them. Now I know why.Joesph Loscacco

Ordered a Warwick Corvette B-stock. That is what I got. Blemish was identified with tape arrow. Minor crack in finish at neck joint. Super hard to see. I had to do the set up for string height, neck relief and saddle height which was easy with the instructions and the multi adjustable bridge, nut and truss rod. I didn't feel a need to adjust the nut. Maybe a first timer would be reluctant to adjust their new bass but I think try it, you're not going to hurt it unless you crank really hard on something. Package came double boxes and labeled "fragile". It was a good thing too because there was a 1" diameter hole in the outer box. Other than that the boxes was in great shape. guitar was wrapped carefully with factory wrapping. Shipping was a little longer than I am used to (about a week from day I ordered to day I got it) but it came from across the country. Great experience.Mjbehrendt

Overall: Hopefully this review helps? For starters, the bass is assembled out of Indonesia but don't let that scare you you away. Warwick lives up to its standards, and this afordable model is a true testament on what Warwick basses are all about. I purchased the natural model and the wood alone is amazing! It's got a nice weight to it and the neck is smaller in width compared to other basses. The humbucker pickups makes this bass a beast sound wise. Incredible for slap players. It has three knobs that control the pick ups to a sound you're comfortable and happy with. You can pull the knobs upward and push down so you have full control of the pickups. The bass is passive so no need to worry about purchasing a 9 volt battery. It also comes with the lock strap hardware and tools to for adjustment. You may want to adjust the bridge because the strings have a slight buzz, and don't forget to stretch out the strings that come with the bass. Overall, the bass is built with pride and it does not dissapoint! For those that can't afford the German models, this is definitely the best 2nd alternative for those who want a Warwick.Dino

This is the fourth bass I've owned, and I am quite satisfied with it. My one complaint with it is that the pots are loose and don't have a center detente. But that's nothing that new pots and a soldering iron won't fix so I'm not bothered by it. I also bought it used; it could be a singularity but other people have had some trouble with the electronics. But this thing is passive and re soldering it is a walk in the park. I absolutely love the tone variety that I can get from this bass. With new strings on and on a bridge heavy tone you can coax out that signature Warwick growl using fingers or a pick; both sound good. It isn't a one trick pony though, if panned onto the neck you can get a nice fat sound that is sufficiently toned down but not so much so that you get lost in the mix. If you have both pickups at a similar level, you get a good balance of tone. I vastly prefer the placement of the pickups so you get a more ballsy sound than from something like my Schecter Stiletto. I also like that a tone knob is used instead of an onboard EQ- it's simpler but just as versatile especially when still figuring out the tone that you like. I put Power Slinkys on as soon as I got it and they work great. I play through a Hartke LH500 into a 1×15 cab, the only effects I use are a Xotic RC booster and an MxR comp. I love both, the comp is an always on pedal for me and the RC booster really brings this thing to life and gives it a little extra body and oomph so you really cut through the mix. I haven't tried this thing with distortion yet, so I can't speak to that if that's something you're looking into. This thing really can do just about anything; I played it in church and the sound guy loved it and I play hard rock/ metal tunes for fun at home and it rocks for both. Word of warning though, if you're used to covered pickups the open magnets may throw you if you're used to plucking pretty hard (guilty). Bottom line, if you want a versatile bass that tends toward an aggressive tone, buy this. Try and find one used, it's a much better deal. I don't know that I would've bought this at the new price. I would advise playing one in person first; I picked up a Warwick at a store a few years ago and didn't like it but then picked this one up recently in store and loved it. So it isn't for everyone. But for the price, the tones you get from this thing are real hard to beat, even if you buy new.Ajgriff

This bass was a horrible buy. Poor craftsmanship. Heavy as all hell, Finish was unbelieveably tacky and the neck was ridiculously difficult to play. While the Idea of MM style pickups on a five string seemed like a good idea, the sound was far below what it should have been at this price. The control knobs were so loose they would sometimes even roll on their own and knock your volume and tone settings way off. I dont know if this is common of all instruments in the Rockbass series. But nevertheless, shame on you Warwick. Sold it for a new Soundgear.Arctic bassist

Overall: I have owned a German-made Warwick Fortress One Masterman for nearly 20 years. I have always loved the tone and playability of this particular instrument. With this in mind, I was in the hunt for a back-up 4 string bass for a 3 piece acoustic gig. I knew that I did not want a used piece, but perhaps a new, entry level model Yamaha or Ibanez as a suitable back-up. I was close to getting the trbx505 Yamaha for about $500.00. So when I price comparison shopped online, I came across this beautiful Warwick RockBass Corvette $$. What?? 8 payments, No interest, No credit. I was tempted to give this a try and man am I ever glad that I did. 4 days after my order was completed, this brand new, factory sealed Warwick in my hands. The playability is much like the Fortress one German bass and the tone and sustain of this beauty is absolutely remarkable. Serial to parallel switching in both volume pots, and tone enhance on another pot. The high and low mids are exceptional. the dual humbuckers (passive) offer a very punchy low growl at higher volumes. Use a compressor/enhancer and you will be in hog heaven as I was. I you are loyal to the Warwick brand and have not tried a RockBass, you might be very suprised. The balance, weight, adjust-a-nut III, 3pc bridge bring a very familiar feel to the German counterparts. M.E.C. electronics are the same as well. Now, with the comparisons aside this Warwick Rockbass does just that, it Rocks the Bass.Best bang for the Double Buck out there.I am very satisfied with my purchase to this point and zZounds made it all possible.Thanks guys!!!!! Some advice, play as many basses at your local guitar vendor that you can, ask questions, settle on the sound and feel that you want, then go for it.Thomas

Found the width of the fretboard to be perfect, 6 strings tent to be too wide, a little on the heavy side, but with all the options tone wise and the beautiful wood finish, there's more pluses to love.Art Rom

This bass has become one of my favorite bass. Im really impressed with the shorter neck for faster actions, the smooth frets, its weight and length. Its so much easier to go up and down the frets. Believe me I’ve compared this bass to my higher end bass guitars and I’m still more impressed with this Bass. Great harmonics, great for slap and thump bass. Overall a great bass.Muzic2yourears

the good – this bass is fantastic. it feels and sounds really good to me. I love the adjustable nut as well as the super adjustable bridge. the pot cavity plate isn't screwed on, it attaches kind of like a battery cover. the included strap-locks seem to work very well, don't see any issues with them. the width at the nut is an inch and a half and the neck is a D shape I believe. it's a smidge chunkier than an Ibanez neck. two volume and one tone works like a champ – lots of different tones can be had. the whole bass is balanced really well. the bad – I got an open box discounted bass. what can I say, it was calling to me and they were back ordered a month or two plus it was listed as "mint". when I opened the carton my heart sank. normally there is the shipping box and another one containing the instrument. my bass was put in the shipping box and then half heartedly covered in bubble wrap and paper. it looked like a five year old with greasy potato chip hands packed it. the bass was not "mint" at all. there is a good sized gouge at the rear of the body undoubtedly caused by the included eight inch long truss rod allen wrench that was floating around in the one and only box. packed by a five year old. with greasy potato chip hands. if this bass was anything but brilliant I would have requested a refund. despite the bad, which is not the fault of Warwick, I would buy this bass again in a heartbeat.Bob

Warwick Streamer Stage II P-Nut signature Neck Thru: Amazing Bass!!!!!! I Love it! One of the Best Basses that I played. Very versatile and if you want it sounds like a Monster!hydrauniverse