Alvarez Electric Bass Guitar For Sale (2024 Update)

I am an intermediate player. I was looking for a parlor guitar in part due to the guitar lessons on Active Melody, where the instructor, Brian, uses a similar model, which sounds fantastic. I bought a "scratch and dent" to save some money, but it is verydifficult to see the blemishes. MF described the cosmetic blems perfectly, but they were much more minor than I expected. My wife could not find them. The set up was perfect right out of the box. I put on new strings when it arrived, and have not put the guitar down since (about a week ago). I use it mainly for finger picking, and it sounds great. It is amazing to be able to purchase such a beautiful instrument for so little. I have several more-expensive guitars, including a 15-year old Martin D16GT and a newer Seagull S6, but I am drawn to this Alverez's warm sound and projection. It is also easier to play than the Martin. I had a bit of trouble finding a case that fits, but eventually bought the Luna LLFP. It much more sturdy and padded than the standard gig bag, and the guitar fits nicely. It is also much lighter than a hard shell, and about half the price. (But the case also arrived with a nasty chemical smell inside, but I guess this will fade.) In summary, I am very happy with the Alverez AP70, and I would highly happily recommend it to my friends. I wish I had this one when I was just starting out.rabbitt

Bought this model to get back to playing after a bad accident stopped me playing at a time when I owned a seriously expensive guitar. Didn’t want to spend too much in case I couldn’t get back into playing but I can’t praise this guitar too highly. The tone is outstanding and it’s playability is second to none. The guitar is set up perfectly, no need to have it set up at your expense as with a lot of guitars out there. The build quality is superb and as it sits it the stand encourages you to get it off and play it. This model belies the price you pay because in my opinion it it a 400 to 500 pound guitar in all respects. It is delivered ‘mummified’ in bubble wrap to ensure safe passage and was delivered as promised. Can’t thank PMT enough for their advice. Great people to deal with. Need to get back to playing now.Mal H.

I wanted a small, inexpensive guitar that sounded good and played well. I pick up and play a guitar every night while I watch TV. The Takemine dreadnaught I was primarily using was carelessly broken and unremarkable. After reading about this AP70 and listening to Alvarez promotional and YouTube videos, I decided to buy this. It seemed like the thing to do, especially because of the low price and apparent sound quality; it seemed like the best value. It was on back order and wasn't supposed to ship until Feb 9, but I was pleasantly surprised when I received it on Feb 2. It was packed well and mostly in tune already. The construction quality is fantastic, and the sound was pretty good, but not as good as I expected. One of the other disappointments was that it wouldn't stay in tune and the intonation seemed off. After close inspection it seemed that there were not enough wraps of string around the tuners, the quality of the strings used were sub-par and more of a medium than a light gauge, making it difficult and frustrating to play. I immediately replaced the factory strings with Elixer bronze 80/20 nanoweb strings and that made all the difference in the sound, intonation, stability and playability. It's now an enjoyable instrument to play and a great value, in my opinion.The Deeski

I went from a new yamaha with active pickups to this jackson with passive pickups. I don't play much bass, so Literally I was looking for a cheap guitar to record with. It has a solid low end grunt but still maintains the mid bang "slap" as you might call it. No its not spotless, the wood is not colored along some of the seems and its not the prettiest style wise, but for someone who just wants an easy playing, solid sounding bass track, this is a great weapon.Jeremy

I give this bass 5 stars, not because it's comparable to a high end instrument, but because of the quality at this unbelievable price point. I was looking for a passive P-style bass that wouldn't break the bank; my expectations were that I would have to do some work to it (fret level, polish, sharp ends, etc.) However, I was very pleasantly surprised to find that none of those issues existed when it arrived, and it was even actually in tune! I lowered the action to my preference, as should be done with every instrument. The neck is extremely comfortable and fast. The plastic nut is cut quite well, bridge is more than adequate, tuners are sufficient and hold tune even with heavy handed attack. The real surprise though, was the strong sustained growling punch of the pickup! This bass actually sounds quite good! I wouldn't hesitate to gig with it: and it's an excellent backup or first bass, that you won't soon outgrow. For reference – I have been playing guitar for 32 years, bass for 25 years and have a MIM Fender Jazz V, and several Ibanez basses (mid grade – professional grade, 4, 5, & 6 string variations). This Jackson isn't in the same class as my others, but that doesn't really mean anything, because it still delivers exceptional quality and value. It is very fun to play, and the tonality is quite useable and shapeable. Bottom line is – this bass is a huge bang for buck!Shasal

This was the first bass I bought myself and im very glad I did. I bought this bass around last December and have been in love ever since. I bought this bass mainly cause of the price tag but also because I was wanting a bass with humbuckers. The epiphone thunderbird had my eye but wasn't exactly in my budget at the time but then I came across this bass. Great price tag and a familiar (body) P bass shape. Fast forward to today and this bass still rocks. The body was put together nicely along with it's finish but you can tell where quality was sacrificed which was the neck. Not terrible or unplayable but you can tell it's a fairly cheap neck. Otherwise the tone, playability, and feel is amazing.Brandon F

I got the hotrod yellow. How often do you see a yellow guitar? I also have a $1600 bass and this sounds just as good! I had to do a complete setup which is unusual, adjust the truss rod,saddles,pickup height. It plays and sounds amazing now. Downsides are, you have to buy an adaptor(if you can find one) to use regular strings of your choice. The strap extender which made the bass sit right and more playable cannot be found and is no longer made. Lastly you need to buy a special stand which is also hard to find cause it wont fit on a standard one. I managed to buy the adaptor and the stand from Reverb. As always American musical delivers excellent service and has made many purchases become a reality with the payment system! I no longer shop at music stores all my buisness is done here! The crafstmanship is better then you would expect for the price point. The fit and finnish seems great no sharp edges. The gigbag has a larger pocket and seems a little better quality then the one I got with my GT-Pro years ago. I would recommend a hardshell if you play out a lot with this.Scott G.

I bought this guitar because my back and shoulder have been hurting a lot recently, even with reasonably light guitars. I also tried the Strandberg Boden, but although it was lighter than this I could not justify the huge amount of money and didn't feel it was worth it. So I went with this, the original headless! (or version of) For the money, you can't fault it – I am very happy and play it all the time. So in many ways it deserves 5 stars. There are some bits I don't love though: The volume knob is so close to the strings I knock it a lot. If you are a very precise player this won't be an issue, but if you're going at it Cobain style you will. For the size, it could be lighter. It is still considerably lighter than a "normal" guitar though. The pickups are not great. However, I knew this going in, and with the guitar being so affordable and pickups being the easiest component to replace, this is what I plan on doing. The middle pickup is too close to the strings – I hit it a lot. Again, fixable. The neck profile gets weirdly thinner the closer you get to fret 1. I use this guitar for metal, so I don't mind, but I can't play chords on it, for that I need some girth! I want to end on a high, so here are the things I really like! General playability – it plays really well! A joy. Fretwork – top notch. Tremolo system – Why do more guitars not have the knob at the back to adjust the spring tension? It is fantastic. As is the quick way to lock it off. I've not had a floating trem in years because of the hassle, this is much better. Flip out leg rest – just what you need for seated playing. The look – Marmite for sure, but I love it. Retro yet futuristic.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

I saw this guitar and after a while decided to buy it , it looks nice but im not very happy with the sound or feel of the fretboard , I havent changed the strings to see if that will help , but the way i feel is i probably will end up selling or giving it away and looking for a different acustic guitar , i figured a Alarez would be good , but sorry to say i am not pleased with this guitar . I had a estabon acustic that was given to me , which i think is junk , and i gave it away after i bought the alvarez , wish i kept it sounded much betterPaul

I wanted a smaller acoustic guitar but did not want to spend a huge amout. I'm very pleased with the sound (this one has the mahogany top) and playability and price. The electronics + mic are OK so it's good having the option to plug in.James C.

Comfortable to play and has a good tone. Good action right out of the box. Love the tuner and electronics. Had several friends, some have played for 40 years, fell in love with it. Said I got a good guitar. Also got an FC1 case to go with guitar. Perfect fit.Bags'

I told my wife of 46 years that I fell in love all over again…not only with her…but with my new Alvarez ABT60E! (BTW…I love living in the garage now! Just kidding! HA!) I was able to play one of these a few weeks ago and after playing, decided to purchase one of my own….one of the best purchases I have made in my 50+ years of performing, recording and of buying and playing guitars! SWEET, mellow sounds both acoustically and electric that can't be described! Love it in live performance and the studio! Thanks!Country Boy

Overall: I decided on the ABT60E after looking at every Baritone acoustic I could find. It seemed to have all the features I wanted and the price was very reasonable. I was concerned that the specs on the zZounds website were not the same as the Alvarez website, which showed some up-dated features on this model that I wanted. (LR Baggs Pickup, 1 3/4" nut). I placed the order and was approved for the "pay as you play" financing, which really helps ease the burden of buying a new instrument. The guitar arrived in two days! Everything on the guitar was perfect out of the box! I was relieved see it did have all of the up-dated features as shown on Alvarez's website. The build quality on the guitar is outstanding for a guitar in this price range! The gloss finish on the solid Sitka top is flawless, the satin finish on the B/S is a smooth as can be. The bound neck and fret work are super-smooth, and set-up is perfect, nice and low with no fret out's or buzz. Neck angle is perfect, and the neck is straight. Intonation is spot-on! As for tone, it is very full and rich with lot's of low-end and mids. The size of the guitar is a bit daunting at first, and the 27.5" scale neck along with 16-70 baritone strings take some getting used to for sure! The ONLY complaint I have with this guitar is that I hear some buzzing inside the guitar on some of the low note overtones. I can't quite place where they are coming from, but I suspect the electronics. This is annoying but doesn't affect the amplified sound at all, just when played acoustically. I'll have to take it to my luthier to fix if I can't solve it myself. zZounds did a great job on this order! This is my second purchase from zZounds, and I am sure there will be more. I also ordered the Gator Jumbo Hardshell case zZounds recommended and had it shipped in it. ( I never ship an acoustic guitar without being in a hard case). The Gator case is very nice, good, tight fit and seems well made. Overall, I am very happy with this purchase and would highly recommend this ABT60E to anyone looking to add a little "depth" to their guitar bench for not a lot of money. I really had a hard time putting it down, it's a lot of fun to play! This guitar is a great value! Thanks zZounds!Mike

I've been playing guitar for almost 15 years and I was looking for something different. I read up on the Alvarez baritone and saw on many sites that users were more than impressed with it, so I waited patiently for my store to order a unit. I took it off the rack, dropped to one knee, positioned it on my leg and gave it a strum. I froze momentarily and then uttered : I'll take it. It literally is that good. My friend, a pro musician playing on a $4500 Taylor 600 series had exactly the same reaction after I strummed the guitar once. It has a super deep, rich sound, well manufactured – a real beauty. I read on several sites that this guitar was "perfect right out of the box". I have to say that once I tuned the strings on std baritone tuning it was … well, a little bit unplayable really. I suppose due to the very high string tension the neck was taking some heavy strain and I noticed that the saddle was pretty high as well. Taking this one for a decent setup is a must for sure. Also, the salesmen didn't really have any idea which case would go with this big boy, but luckily I read up that the Gator Jumbo case worked well, and sure enough it was a perfect fit. For the price this is a joke – it's worth much more.Kiepa

I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING ACOUSTIC BARITONE GUITARS FOR A WHILE AND THEN FOUND THIS IRRESISTIBLY PRICED ALVAREZ ABT 60 SHADOWBURST INSTRUMENT FROM GC. UPON ARRIVAL IN A VERY WELL PACKAGED BOX , MY INITIAL IMPRESSION WAS THAT THIS WAS A VERY WELL CONSTRUCTED , BEAUTIFUL INSTRUMENT, ESPECIALLY TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION ITS SALE PRICE BELOW $ 250. THE SET UP WAS VERY GOOD AND DID NOT REQUIRE ANY ADJUSTMENT. TUNED AS IT SHOULD BE FROM B TO B , THIS GUITAR IS MAGICAL. IN THE LOWER REGISTERS, THE TONE IS DEEP, DARK AND CLEAR AND CHORDS STRUMMED OR FLAT/FINGERPICKED CREATE A HAUNTING BEAUTIFUL SOUND. IT MADE ME RETHINK THE WAY I PLAYED OLD SONGS AND PAY MORE ATTENTION TO CREATING A BASS LINE ALONG WITH THE MELODY. INSTANT DUO. ONCE I STARTED EXPERIMENTING WITH ALTERNATE TUNINGS , IT WAS HARD TO PUT DOWN. THIS GUITAR INSPIRES YOU TO REDISCOVER SONGS IN A DIFFERENT WAY THAT YOU MAY NEVER HAVE THOUGHT WERE POSSIBLE. IT HAS ITS OWN LANE . IF YOU ARE A GUITAR PLAYER, YOU HAVE TO TREAT YOURSELF TO HAVING ONE OF THESE INSTRUMENTS. YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT.GUITARDOC

I wanted an acoustic-electric baritone for some acoustic gigs coming up and saw this was on sale for a price I could not pass up. I also know that Alvarez is a quality brand. I saw a demo video and noticed that the sound seemed a little thin but as I would be electrifying it it wouldn't matter. The bad news is that the pickup is quite lame. If I want to use this live, I will have to invest in a better pickup. Also the notes are not consistent. The second string seems quieter than all the others. The tuners could be better. They seem cheap with a low gear ratio but the guitar does stay in tune reasonably well. Overall I am satisfied. It feels like a solid guitar, the action is reasonable and the intonation is perfect.Most Cowbell Guy

Having never played a baritone guitar before, I am truly amazed at the great sound and play-ability of this guitar. Some reviews on YouTube complain about the electronics are poor, while they are vary basic they work just fine in carrying the signal to the amplifier. I am very happy with this great guitar it is already boosting my creativity!Nicholas

I told my wife of 46 years that I fell in love all over again…not only with her…but with my new Alvarez ABT60E! (BTW…I love living in the garage now! Just kidding! HA!) I was able to play one of these a few weeks ago and after playing, decided to purchase one of my own….one of the best purchases I have made in my 50+ years of performing, recording and of buying and playing guitars! SWEET, mellow sounds both acoustically and electric that can't be described! Love it in live performance and the studio! Thanks!Country Boy

Overall: I decided on the ABT60E after looking at every Baritone acoustic I could find. It seemed to have all the features I wanted and the price was very reasonable. I was concerned that the specs on the zZounds website were not the same as the Alvarez website, which showed some up-dated features on this model that I wanted. (LR Baggs Pickup, 1 3/4" nut). I placed the order and was approved for the "pay as you play" financing, which really helps ease the burden of buying a new instrument. The guitar arrived in two days! Everything on the guitar was perfect out of the box! I was relieved see it did have all of the up-dated features as shown on Alvarez's website. The build quality on the guitar is outstanding for a guitar in this price range! The gloss finish on the solid Sitka top is flawless, the satin finish on the B/S is a smooth as can be. The bound neck and fret work are super-smooth, and set-up is perfect, nice and low with no fret out's or buzz. Neck angle is perfect, and the neck is straight. Intonation is spot-on! As for tone, it is very full and rich with lot's of low-end and mids. The size of the guitar is a bit daunting at first, and the 27.5" scale neck along with 16-70 baritone strings take some getting used to for sure! The ONLY complaint I have with this guitar is that I hear some buzzing inside the guitar on some of the low note overtones. I can't quite place where they are coming from, but I suspect the electronics. This is annoying but doesn't affect the amplified sound at all, just when played acoustically. I'll have to take it to my luthier to fix if I can't solve it myself. zZounds did a great job on this order! This is my second purchase from zZounds, and I am sure there will be more. I also ordered the Gator Jumbo Hardshell case zZounds recommended and had it shipped in it. ( I never ship an acoustic guitar without being in a hard case). The Gator case is very nice, good, tight fit and seems well made. Overall, I am very happy with this purchase and would highly recommend this ABT60E to anyone looking to add a little "depth" to their guitar bench for not a lot of money. I really had a hard time putting it down, it's a lot of fun to play! This guitar is a great value! Thanks zZounds!Mike

I've been playing guitar for almost 15 years and I was looking for something different. I read up on the Alvarez baritone and saw on many sites that users were more than impressed with it, so I waited patiently for my store to order a unit. I took it off the rack, dropped to one knee, positioned it on my leg and gave it a strum. I froze momentarily and then uttered : I'll take it. It literally is that good. My friend, a pro musician playing on a $4500 Taylor 600 series had exactly the same reaction after I strummed the guitar once. It has a super deep, rich sound, well manufactured – a real beauty. I read on several sites that this guitar was "perfect right out of the box". I have to say that once I tuned the strings on std baritone tuning it was … well, a little bit unplayable really. I suppose due to the very high string tension the neck was taking some heavy strain and I noticed that the saddle was pretty high as well. Taking this one for a decent setup is a must for sure. Also, the salesmen didn't really have any idea which case would go with this big boy, but luckily I read up that the Gator Jumbo case worked well, and sure enough it was a perfect fit. For the price this is a joke – it's worth much more.Kiepa

I brought this for a signature book for our wedding, we wanted a playable momento, but didn't want to spend a lot of money. It's a great $88 guitar, we have guitars upwards of $500 so of course it would not be as good. Well built, tunes easily, buy needs frequent tuning. I think if we replace with high quality strings we would definitely take this guitar up a notch. Good for beginners and will definitely teach them tuning skills.Tasha S.

I purchase this bass being motivated by its price and rave reviews. Let me just say that when I received my bass today I was blown over at the fit and finish on this bass. It looks like a $500.00+ guitar! I've been playing it for hours and the deep bass is so sweet. The action is a tad high but I kind of like it that way. The great sound projection from this bass made me chuckle while I was playing because the bass made a silver cup I have on a wall mounted shelf rattle! Now that's impressive sound projection! I can't wait to plug in this bass to my friend's Ampeg that's a 1X15 ported bass amp. It should be wild! For the money this Best Choice acoustic had got to be the deal of a lifetime if you're in the market for an acoustic bass guitar.Jason

This is a great acoustic-electric bass. I originally purchased it to use as an alternative to plugging in my electric bass. I instantly fell in love with it. It stays in tune. The nut is of appropriate measurements and the frets are greatly positioned. I changed the factory installed strings with some acoustic bass strings and it sounded so nice! For the price, I didn't expect to get a good value, but I was surprised once I immediately opened the box. Good job Best Choice products!consumer

A fun little guitar that holds its own against larger larger and more expensive, models. Surprisingly good quality and outstanding value. It pulls off the amazing feat of being travel-sized without sacrificing anything!Peter S.

Bought this for my girlfriend to learn guitar because she couldn’t hold the bigger size guitars. She hasn’t been able to get hold of it yet because I won’t put it down! Great tone, nice action, cracking little guitar.Gavin W.

This is a fabulous travel companion. I leave Colorado in the spring and spend the summer in Maine on a sailboat. Very different conditions. This guitar handles the changes in elevation and humidity and keeps on smiling. I did have a set up done by my luthier and had him pull the original tuners and install mini Grovers. Since then it just sings! It is so comfortable to play. Stays in tune. Great neck and playability. I am using DR Veritas lights 12-54. The sound, tone, timbre all make me smile. I have expensive acoustic guitars that absolutely sound better and cost thousands more. But this guitar does it all very well for me. Strum. Finger style, and flat pick. Bone nut and saddle on a guitar at this price is amazing. And I can take it anywhere and have zero concerns. The volume projection is really good for this size guitar. It has an arched back that I suspect adds to the great projection of sound. As well as a bi-level bridge. It looks good too. I believe the 'mini jumbo' name fits it perfectly. It is no little sounding guitar. Trebles and mids and bass notes are all clear and not muddy. I would recommend this guitar and I would buy it again quickly if I lost it. Out of many parlor/travel sized guitars I have played ( been playing for 50 years) I really this one. Give it a go. Have a good set up. These Alvarez guitars are among the best bang for buck on the market. And their higher priced acoustics just get better. Thank GC and St. Louis Music!Bill

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 have been playing bass for over 55 years! I've owned hundreds of basses. Every conceivable size shape and manufacturer. This bass by far is one of my favorite basses. Flawless construction. Compares favorably to my Epiphone Jack Casady. Great pickups on this viola. It's has a darker finish than it's online picture. Absolutely beautiful! I was stunned when I fired it up. I was expecting a dark subdued thud, what I got was thick rich tastiness. I'm blown away.Ronnie

I did not buy the bass but I was trying it out not to long ago because I'm looking for my first solid bass. Or one that'll be a keeper and a step up from my Epiphone EB-0. I wasn't terribly impressed with the hofner ignition sound wise I grabbed this Epiphone bass and ran it through an Ampeg combo. I'm a smaller guy and the short scale fits naturally on me. First thing I checked was the sound. A nice trebly sound with the muddiness of short scale. I checked the tone control for each pickup. There is a noticeable difference when the knob is at 0, 5 and 10 for both pickups. This is what I look for with bass tone controls! The electronics are fine no scratch sounds. And the if you mess with the volume knobs you get a variety of tones surprisingly! If I bought it, I'd put Labella flats on it. I'm a flats guy! Compared to the mudbucker on my two Epiphones (An EB-0 and EB-3) you get much more tonal variety with these mini humbuckers. Your ears will thank you two with about 1/3 the output. I give it five stars because this is the potential Epiphone is meant to be quality wise. The only grip some people may have is there's some neck dive cause it's a hollow body. But it's child's play compared to my EB-3. I wish it had a pickguard thought.C.J.

I went from a new yamaha with active pickups to this jackson with passive pickups. I don't play much bass, so Literally I was looking for a cheap guitar to record with. It has a solid low end grunt but still maintains the mid bang "slap" as you might call it. No its not spotless, the wood is not colored along some of the seems and its not the prettiest style wise, but for someone who just wants an easy playing, solid sounding bass track, this is a great weapon.Jeremy

I give this bass 5 stars, not because it's comparable to a high end instrument, but because of the quality at this unbelievable price point. I was looking for a passive P-style bass that wouldn't break the bank; my expectations were that I would have to do some work to it (fret level, polish, sharp ends, etc.) However, I was very pleasantly surprised to find that none of those issues existed when it arrived, and it was even actually in tune! I lowered the action to my preference, as should be done with every instrument. The neck is extremely comfortable and fast. The plastic nut is cut quite well, bridge is more than adequate, tuners are sufficient and hold tune even with heavy handed attack. The real surprise though, was the strong sustained growling punch of the pickup! This bass actually sounds quite good! I wouldn't hesitate to gig with it: and it's an excellent backup or first bass, that you won't soon outgrow. For reference – I have been playing guitar for 32 years, bass for 25 years and have a MIM Fender Jazz V, and several Ibanez basses (mid grade – professional grade, 4, 5, & 6 string variations). This Jackson isn't in the same class as my others, but that doesn't really mean anything, because it still delivers exceptional quality and value. It is very fun to play, and the tonality is quite useable and shapeable. Bottom line is – this bass is a huge bang for buck!Shasal

This was the first bass I bought myself and im very glad I did. I bought this bass around last December and have been in love ever since. I bought this bass mainly cause of the price tag but also because I was wanting a bass with humbuckers. The epiphone thunderbird had my eye but wasn't exactly in my budget at the time but then I came across this bass. Great price tag and a familiar (body) P bass shape. Fast forward to today and this bass still rocks. The body was put together nicely along with it's finish but you can tell where quality was sacrificed which was the neck. Not terrible or unplayable but you can tell it's a fairly cheap neck. Otherwise the tone, playability, and feel is amazing.Brandon F

After the initial COVID lockdown I landed a gig where I had to have a 5 string bass. So like a red blooded American I took my cash down to the local GC store to buy a fender 5 string American jazz. There wasn't any. I looked for an Ibenez. There wasn't any. I looked for anything and we'll there wasn't any. As the date grew near for our first show, I happened in and they had this one. I was disappointed that this was all there was, but out of desperation, I bought it thinking I would trade it once something I wanted became available. It took me about two months and 10 gigs later when I realized I love this thing. 9 months in and I don't know how many dates later, I wouldn't want to live without it. It plays awesome after a quick and minor setup on the action. The tone is big on the bottom and the mids and highs are as shapable as you want. It is a dream to play and guess what, when I finally got to put my hands on the fender I wanted, I didn't want it anymore. This bass is very much like the high end Ibenez basses. Probably too much for Ibenez's liking actually. I run through a 800w mark bass head with a 2×10 cab and a 1×15 cab. It sounds incredible. The big thing for me is when I run through my amp using the direct out in bypass, it sounds amazing. It is like having a sans amp in the bass. The electrics are that good. I have gotten tons of compliments on the tone and questions about how I got it. I literally just plugged it in. Also I can play it all night and even though it is a five, I am less fatigued then when I play the four fender American jazz I already own. The string spacing and scale I believe is responsible for that. If you are serious about playing a 5 string, at any level, then this bass is one you should look at. I am not super crazy about the esthetics but I get a surprising amount of complements on it. So if that is your thing then rock on I guess. I am getting over the fact that I was a fender snob. Also I believe Jackso is made by fender sooo….Chris

My one only bass for the past 20 years has been a Ibanez SR405 (2001 year model). I feel like I've purchased a big upgrade with this Jackson X Series Spectra. In comparison to the Ibanez, the Jackson's neck is fatter, lower fret sizes are slightly wider and the string spacing is slightly wider. The playability is a lot smoother for my larger fingers/hands. The pickups and active EQ systems are powerful. Need to have some amp/di box control to contain the powerful output when in smaller venues. I use the passive pickup control when in smaller venues and small churches. I feel that what sets this apart from other basses I've tried is how great it sounds to play the d and g strings as well as going above the 12th fret. The stock strings (D'Addario) sound really pretty when playing the higher octaves. The Elixir strings I'm currently using give the B string a BIG SMOOTH THUMP. For those worried about setup out of the box, I live in high altitude. Setup post manufacturer is usually a must because of that. I have been able to get fairly low action without fret buzz after casually messing with adjustments.Zach

After the initial COVID lockdown I landed a gig where I had to have a 5 string bass. So like a red blooded American I took my cash down to the local GC store to buy a fender 5 string American jazz. There wasn't any. I looked for an Ibenez. There wasn't any. I looked for anything and we'll there wasn't any. As the date grew near for our first show, I happened in and they had this one. I was disappointed that this was all there was, but out of desperation, I bought it thinking I would trade it once something I wanted became available. It took me about two months and 10 gigs later when I realized I love this thing. 9 months in and I don't know how many dates later, I wouldn't want to live without it. It plays awesome after a quick and minor setup on the action. The tone is big on the bottom and the mids and highs are as shapable as you want. It is a dream to play and guess what, when I finally got to put my hands on the fender I wanted, I didn't want it anymore. This bass is very much like the high end Ibenez basses. Probably too much for Ibenez's liking actually. I run through a 800w mark bass head with a 2×10 cab and a 1×15 cab. It sounds incredible. The big thing for me is when I run through my amp using the direct out in bypass, it sounds amazing. It is like having a sans amp in the bass. The electrics are that good. I have gotten tons of compliments on the tone and questions about how I got it. I literally just plugged it in. Also I can play it all night and even though it is a five, I am less fatigued then when I play the four fender American jazz I already own. The string spacing and scale I believe is responsible for that. If you are serious about playing a 5 string, at any level, then this bass is one you should look at. I am not super crazy about the esthetics but I get a surprising amount of complements on it. So if that is your thing then rock on I guess. I am getting over the fact that I was a fender snob. Also I believe Jackso is made by fender sooo….Chris

My one only bass for the past 20 years has been a Ibanez SR405 (2001 year model). I feel like I've purchased a big upgrade with this Jackson X Series Spectra. In comparison to the Ibanez, the Jackson's neck is fatter, lower fret sizes are slightly wider and the string spacing is slightly wider. The playability is a lot smoother for my larger fingers/hands. The pickups and active EQ systems are powerful. Need to have some amp/di box control to contain the powerful output when in smaller venues. I use the passive pickup control when in smaller venues and small churches. I feel that what sets this apart from other basses I've tried is how great it sounds to play the d and g strings as well as going above the 12th fret. The stock strings (D'Addario) sound really pretty when playing the higher octaves. The Elixir strings I'm currently using give the B string a BIG SMOOTH THUMP. For those worried about setup out of the box, I live in high altitude. Setup post manufacturer is usually a must because of that. I have been able to get fairly low action without fret buzz after casually messing with adjustments.Zach

got one used in good condition but discounting the minor scratches and a minor ding near the strap button the quality of the workmanship was excellent for a bass in this price range. Plays really well and only a minor bit of fret buzz which was easy to get rid of by raising the bridge a bit. Action was really low when i got it so it could easily stand to get raised a fraction. The sound is very bass heavy on the neck pickup by itself. You can dial in a bit more treble by using setting 2 and mixing the volume level and tone of the two pickups. The bridge pickup is very treble sounding – almost too thin. If you turn down the tone on the bridge pickup it sounds better. I am not using the bridge p/u by itself ever – seems to be good for maybe only a few songs. Going forward I could see routing out the cavity and putting in a MM type pickup. Other than that the sound can get very close to Jack Bruce/Cream sound along with good Hard Rock to Heavy Metal sounds. You can dial in an acceptable jazz sound or R&B sound but it's not quite there so I'm using this baby for mostly Cream, Steppenwolf, CCR, etc. Works good for old-time R&R. Nice sleek black finish and chrome hardware gives it a nice dark appeal. Pots and controls work well and are smooth. Tuners are good but make the neck a little heavy so maybe replace with ultralights at some point. The neck does tend to dive so I'm moving the strap button nearer to the neck – almost at the end and move the strap button at the end of the body up an inch. I would also recommend a thick strap with rough leather on your shoulder to keep it from slipping – don't use a web strap as this will just let it neck dive when you let go. I'm hoping once i get lighter tuners and move the strap buttons the issue goes away but i can live with it for now. Well worth the asking price but if you can get one in good condition used it will still be a good deal even with minor cosmetic flaws.Bones

The Epiphone EB-3 cherry Bass is one beautiful guitar, but has cosmetic quality issues: The mahogany laminate on the face of the body, was glued on at a very "VERY" slight perpendicular angle, and not parallel with the neckline. (the back laminate IS straight). The fret markers are beautiful pearl, but the ninth fret marker is "blatantly" FLAT WHITE, and stands out like a neon light among the other markers. I can't understand how the person installing them, fail's to do a simple "match" of the inlays (either make them ALL white, or else ALL pearl!)(or REJECT a mismatched one!). (in comparison, my Epiphone Les Paul, has excellent matching pearl fret markers). I ordered a second EB-3, to see if I could get a better one, and had the chance to compare the two within the 45 day grace return period. The second one was worse, and had "TWO" mismatched white fret markers, with the other ones being "pearl". The mahogany laminate of the second guitar was not at all as deep and hypnotically mesmerizing as the first one they had sent, with the second guitar's mahogany appearing very flat, or dead/dull looking. (even though both guitars have polished clear gloss finish).(mahogany wood grain usually looks like a "natural mile deep 3D hologram iridescence", and the grain "dances and changes shapes" in the light as you move it around). Also the red tint on the sides of the second guitar appeared to be a shade lighter, and slightly mismatched appearing to the tint of the laminate tint to me. The first guitar's sides were slightly darker, and matched the laminate beautifully. On the second guitar, the bridge pickup holes were all half misaligned upon the poles with the cover tightened down anyways, right upon the poles permanently crimping each hole distorted over up on the pickup cover. The cover holes are half covering the poles. I kept the first guitar. It had a bit of fret buzz, but my technician fixed it in about 15 minutes. It plays perfect, sounds great!, and looks beautiful!Sir Ripstring

Overall: First of let me say this- the photos on zZounds website, while perfectly fine and acceptable, do not do this bass justice. It is absolutely gorgeous. The quality is high and there are no sharp frets or concerns anywhere. The first thing I did was fiddle with the pickup selector, and the volume and tone knobs to see what I could get out of it. There is a wide spectrum of sound. At it's brightest, it's not super bright, but then again, the first thing I did was put flatwounds on it, so that was expected. But let me tell you- this is one fat bottomed girl! The lows are expressive and the sustain on every string is amazing. There have always been the old Squier vs Fender and Epiphone vs Gibson debates. Epiphone, with this bass, has made the differences a lot harder to spot.Bruce

The strings and sound of this bass are great, when it stays in tune. It turns out, the holes drilled for the tuning pegs are too big, so the pegs slip and cause the bass to fall out of tune with almost no use. We only found this out because we thought the pegs were bad, but upon taking them off to install new ones, we realized this fault. If you want a good bass for practice, this one will do fine. I would not recommend it for professionals, unless you want to spend the extra money to drill the holes out further to put in fittings for the pegs.Ryan

Being that there arent any very popular (or effective) battery operated bass amps out there, an Acoustic Bass is really the only option for someone who doesn't have access to a wall outlet, or doesn't want to carry a heavy amp with them. I was hoping to pick one up, but very few were in a price range that I, as a college student, could afford. That is when I found this little gem. The general rule I have found when buying a bass, at least as far as my experiences go, that anything under 300 that you buy will have to have something taken out of it; you can only make an instrument so cheap before it becomes more of a hassle than your time is worth. However, Ibanez has found a way to break this rule time and time again. Starting with the downsides: Do not get this bass expecting it to stand up against the drums and electric guitar unamplified. There isn't an acoustic bass on earth that can pull that off, and if there is, it is way to big to bother with. The pre-amp is OK, but only OK. The output jack is in an odd place. and the wiring would be a pain to deal with as you would have to reach down into the body to get to it. And now for the many, many upsides: It is a bit fat in size, but is very light weight. I usually play an 11 1/2 lb jazz bass, and this thing is such a literal weight off my back (at least a whole 4 lbs). It has an amazing, earthy tone that you just cant get out of a solid body bass. the body is very study, braced very heavily on the inside. As far as Acoustic basses go, this is one of the loudest I have played. The tuner is surprisingly accurate, and very useful. It is also very comfortable to play standing up, and won't strain your back. And the Icing on the cake is that it allow you to practice anywhere, any time, without the need for power. In short, It is very nice, and should be part of your arsenal today. Do not hesitate on this purchase ^_^Koren Rain

This bass exceeded expectations by a country mile. I've had acoustic basses before, and this one plays and projects far better than others I've had that cost a lot more. The Ibanez name tells me that the unit will remain stable and that the company will stand behind it. The factory set-up is fine. Ibanez supplies a higher bridge and hex wrench for neck adjustment, but neither were necessary. Other reviews point to action, "buzz" and low volume. In some cases, these reports may be accurate, but I suspect a lot of folks buy these instruments with unrealistic expectations. Simply stated, acoustic instruments slap, squeak and generally misbehave. This goes for Martins, Ibanez, Guilds…you name it. It is part of the charm of playing acoustic music. Bass strings move more across a long scale length, so you are going to get this in spades. Raising string height to stratospheric levels to overcome these natural traits seems to be something like training a wolf to herd sheep. To me, random tonal excursions are part of the package. Frankly its why I bought the thing and even at that, this bass is pretty well behaved. If you want perfect tones, perhaps a Fender Precision or even a MIDI synthesizer is a better choice for you. As for volume, well, lower tones need far more amplification to carry than their higher pitched cousins. 100 watts out of your Strat needs to be matched by some 400 watts from the accompanying bass. That's simple physics. This bass projects amazingly well, but if you are going to jam in a large group or hall, consider adding a small combo amp. That would go both for this bass or a $2000 custom instrument. Overall, I love the thing. I would buy it again, and I would recommend it without reservation.Ankeny Picker

I'd been looking for an affordable but quality 4 string for a long time. I originally bought a Hofner but it was not up to par so my advisor suggested this Ibanez AFB200. I love the size and weight. The hollow body is great because you can jam unplugged if you want and it still projects. Plugged in sounds great too. Not for Metal or Heavy Rock but perfect for acoustic, funk, blues, country and just jamming. Pretty enough to have it sitting in the living room. Perfect purchase for me.TI Singer Dude

I really like this Bass! It is just lovely to play. The neck is beautifully shaped and makes a big difference. Also, the slightly shorter length allows one to make chords far more easily (shorter frets) and to keep one finger on a root note while dancing around with the others- something I could never do so easily with a longer necked Bass. I couldn't put it down for days!George W.

This is a sweet guitar from American Musical Supply, they always come through, this was the fastest delivery I ever got! (2-day Fedex) The Alvarez "Artists Series" guitar has a good even, full bodied sound and actually sounds great plugged in too. The neck is on the wider side, but that is ok, this has a true "Dreadnaught" feel with the nice cutaway design. Action needed nothing, easy to play and real bone saddle and nut makes a difference.Bobby Freedom (kerr)

I was looking for an inexpensive acoustic but with preamp ability. I am very satisfied with the Alvarez. It’s tone and tuning ability makes it a steal at this price.STEVEAUX

Overall: This guitar is very well made with great quality material. The tone is beautiful and playability is easy. I looked months online trying to decide what guitar I wanted and I chose the Alvarez, due to the fact, you get better quality and constructed guitar for the money. I am extremely happy with my purchase and like the fact zZounds has a "Play as you Pay" which helps when on a tight budget.Alan