Best 4 String Bass Guitar (2024 Update)

Ordered one of these (In Pearl White) because of a good experience with another one. Of course I had to do some set up to alleviate fret buzz, adjust neck, string height etc. Once it was set up to my liking and a fresh set of my gauge strings, this bass was ready for just about anything! I have used it for a couple of outdoor shows with medium and very large P.A support and the sound was very good overall. Through my stage amp, I was able to dial in a very usable sound quickly. The bass is very light weight .(Which helps those of us with back issues.) Yet is still able to get a decent tone. The bass I received was a newer model with a poplar body and a Jatoba fret board which still has the characteristics of rosewood (slightly lighter in color) with a hint of a maple type bite. Personally, I liked the overall sound with this particular fret board. Speaking of which, the fret board is very easy to play (when properly set up) with a smooth, fast neck. The electronics are decent enough although the "bass boost" knob should be used sparingly and judiciously just to add some deep flavor on occasion for certain styles. All in all, a pretty decent machine that can easily be used by beginners and seasoned pro's (ok, it won't match up with a "boutique bass" by any means but still a very usable product!) Very good value for the price!Heard the Bass

This bass is really amazing for the price of it. The neck is so smooth and a bit thinner than other regular bass, perfect for my small hands and the weight wow it is really light. the built quality is top notch. The sound is really good and you've got plenty of sound you can experiment with it. Overall it's an all rounder bass from beginners to pronelson c.

The Ibanez GSR 200 is one of the best "bang for your buck" basses on the market. They are made with excellent quality, lightweight wood, agathis, maple, rosewood. The onboard P/J pickups and electronics sound good. They play good out of the box but they play excellently if set up by a guitar tech. These were choice basses for many of the bass players supporting MWR tours. Musicians would take Ibanez GRS 200 basses on tour and raffle them off to service members on the last gig.matt4717

Purchased the Fender Player Jazz bass. Overall great looks and sound, but some quality issues from the Fender Mexico factory (not Andertons' fault): – First bass had very clear weird uneven blemish under the varnish on the sunburst body. Not awful, but if I was in-store I would never have chosen that particular item. Returned and swapped by Andertons, no quibbles. Second bass arrived. Overall happy, sounds great, but still a few issues with quality control and design. – Control plate was missing 2 screws and was moving around – how does that get through Fender quality control? Replacement screws sent free of charge by Andertons. – Nut has not been slotted correctly – high G must have been passed through a machine and slipped, string is clearly a couple of mm too close to fretboard edge and you can see the failed first pass. Doesn't really affect playability, but is annoying and I will get it corrected at some point. Again, points to poor quality control. – Fretboard (Pau Ferro) is really thin – on the Player series, at least. Neck fret dot markers in white are half over the mid-dark fretboard, half over the light maple neck. Very hard to see in low light levels. OK, so they're just an indicator for position, but the design isn't great. So overall, the bass sounds great and Andertons service was very good. Fender quality control loses the one star from the review.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

…and falls in love. Let me start by saying I actually have owned one other P-Bass. I had a 50s reissue Precision, but honestly the neck was just too thick for my liking after years of playing Jazz basses. Honestly, it felt thicker than the neck on my Yamaha 5-string. So, I picked this bass up after always dancing around getting what would be considered a more standard P-Bass. I have a 70s Jazz with a ton of modifications, I've had quite a few other brands of basses, but I wanted to see what the fuss was about. I ordered this a few weeks ago, and have been very pleasantly surprised. The action was pretty good out of the box. I adjusted it a bit, made a few tiny tweaks to the intonation, and now it's super smooth. And, on the pickups, let me say it's a great sounding bass. Pickups are clear, bass sounds great. I play through a little Ampeg Micro cabinet. Earlier this week, I bought some Flats to throw on it (because that's what you do with a P-bass, right?) and now it's quickly becoming one of my favorite instruments to jam with. It really cuts through the mix when playing in a group. I see why folks really love the sound of a precision. My Jazz still has it's place, but man, I really like the sound of this bass. The Player P is a great value for what you get. I've never owned an older MIM, but I research the heck out of pretty much any purchase I make, and it looks like Fender really stepped it up with this rendition of their MIM Precision basses. Good tone out of the box, no discernible pickup noise, good action, a beautiful neck, and a Tidepool Blue finish that just shines and shines.Dennis F

I bought this bass because a friend had one that worked great and played great and I loved it. When I purchased mine I had it sent to my house. 5 days later and it comes in with busted knobs and I had to take it in for a refund. They had another in stock and I took it home. Well the second is busted too. Huge disappointment considering how much I enjoy playing this bass. Absolutely unreliable and I won't be getting a third one.James

Overall: This is a long term review of this bass. I didn't get mine from zZounds but have bought from them before. I want to mainly go over how this bass holds up and how it works in a band long term. When it was new it was good quality out of the box. Just needed a set up. I've used this bass on countless gigs over the years. If you play rock then it will definitely get the job done. Finish quality is good and durable. It doesn't like to chip but will if it takes a hard hit. Scratches are only really cosmetic, the poly is pretty thick. Keep it clean and don't abuse it and the bass will look good years down the road. The neck is pretty stable, I rarely need to adjust the truss rod. The three point bridge is fairly solid too, Paint on it is durable as well. The posts for the bridge can pull out the bushings but mine has not. The tuning keys are starting to get worn out. I'd replace them if possible. They still hold tune but not as well as new. Pickups and electronics are good too. No scratchy pots. Output Jack is still solid. Frets are pretty worn as well. Still got a lot of life but will wear faster than a more expensive bass. Overall a very durable bass considering what it's been through.Dominic

I read many glowing reviews of this bass on the sites of MF and GC, so I decided to buy one. Huge disappointment. Maybe I got a stinker or maybe the writers of the reviews don't venture beyond the 7th fret…who knows. Mine looks and sounds GREAT. However, the fret finishing beyond the 12th fret is essentially non-existent. Frets 15 and 16 are completely dead unless you keep the action at factory height, which is just not practical. The old-school three-point bridge looks great, but it's time to retire this dinosaur, even at this price point. It would be functional if Gibson/Epiphone would replace saddles 4 and 5 with additional 1 and 2 saddles for the E and A strings respectively (three-point bridge users will understand that lingo…). Even an inexpensive Gotoh bridge would improve the function immensely; a Hipshot would send it through the roof. I've played both professionally and casually here in Nashville since 1999, and have played bass for 30 years. I've owned some Gibson USA basses in my time (vintage G3 and Victory), and currently have two USA guitars (SG and LP). Gibson simply doesn't design basses for bassists who do anything more than play the root. I considered having the frets dressed by a service center, but have elected to simply return it to GC. Again, if you subscribe to the Dusty Hill Doctrine ("I promise to play the root, the whole root, and nothing but the root."), then this bass is fine. If you like to do ANYTHING more, then look elsewhere. I really wish Gibson would re-evaluate their approach to bass design, because I love to support local business. They're missing a huge market share by choosing to offer poorly designed and poorly executed instruments. Even a Babicz bridge can't correct a flawed blueprint…M

While this is my second Epiphone bass, this one is a bit disappointing. It is very eye catching but the style comes with a price: it does not hang well standing no matter what strap type or size I try. Not just neck drop but also the guitar casts away from your body like it is attempting to crash face first into the floor. Was supposed to be inspected and setup when purchased but was not. One tuner was mis-aligned, the bridge was improperly set, and the neck was back-bowed. The inspected by Epiphone sticker is a real joke! After a real setup, it plays well and sounds fine but then so do a half dozen other bass guitars I own. Just had to try one and did not want a thru-neck design so the cheaper Epiphone seemed like the choice. Guess I was wrong. I have to wonder if a Gibson would be any better – especially these days with Gibson almost on the rocks as a company…. Buy it to look pretty but do not expect much more than a barely passable bass guitar after you fix the issues it comes with. I would not recommend this for any bass player, even a beginner.cibulajb4

I bought this bass because a friend had one that worked great and played great and I loved it. When I purchased mine I had it sent to my house. 5 days later and it comes in with busted knobs and I had to take it in for a refund. They had another in stock and I took it home. Well the second is busted too. Huge disappointment considering how much I enjoy playing this bass. Absolutely unreliable and I won't be getting a third one.James

This bass is really comfortable after you get used to it because it is very different than any other bass on the market.But the fact is, the quality of these instruments does NOT match their price. They are built by hand, but so are fenders, and my pro jazz is FLAWLESS and absolutely solid. My Ric came directly from the factory with finish issues.The chrome neck pickup cover was heavily scratched, but the factory did replace it after making me jump through some hoops. When I took the pickguard off to get to the pickup, I noticed that it left a very deep impression in the clear coat (my other basses do not have this issue) which tells me two things: it was put on before the clear cured, and it was put on way too tight & the paint around the pickguard mounting hole screws is already bubbling and chipping away, as is the paint around the pickup routing, which is absolutely 100% going to lead to bigger issues. The overall finish of the final buff is ok. not great, just ok. (I am actually in the custom paint industry). These issues were brought to the attention of their "customer service dept" (for lack of better term) and I was basically told to pound sand. In the video of the factory tour, their CEO says he will put the finish of their instruments up against any one in the industry. BAD IDEA bro. You will get spanked. So to "nutshell" it: great looking bass, fun to play, great sound, BUT low quality build and ZERO customer support. They do NOT care about you, unless you are Lemmy (RIP) and are not shy about letting you know it. That was my experience, but maybe yours will be different. But based on what I have read so far, highly unlikely. Do yourself a favor…buy a used one. Then you wont have to deal w the factory. There really is no upside to buying new because their warranty is short, and doesn't really cover much, because ultimately, THEY decide what they will cover in spite of what the warranty saysnOne

I have exclusively played a Fender Precision for many years and it's still my Go To Bass. I recently purchased a Gibson ThunderBird and was happy overall especially playing technical songs but it still didn't beat the Precision's Tone and Punch. As soon as I plugged the Ric up and hit the first few notes I knew this was something special. Awesome look with the Jet Glo Black, Great Tone and Play-ability, easier to hit the notes, and a lot of fun in general. Spend the extra few hundred and don't get the 4003S. I now own the Trilogy of Great Basses. I say the same good things as others who went from a Fender Precision to the Rickenbacker 4003. You won't go wrong with this Bass.Poveglia99

I have been a bass player for over 50 years. During that time, I have owned a variety of basses including different Fenders, Gibsons and a Pedulla. My primary "go to" bass has been a Leo Fender (pre Ernie Ball) Music Man "Sting Ray" bass. I also own an American Fender Precision Deluxe and added the Ric two years ago. All three basses are great. What I like about the Ric is that it is a bit lighter and thinner than the other two basses (especially when compared to the Fender P bass). It has a different yet comfortable playing neck and is capable of getting that classic Ric sound and sustain. I've also always loved the look of this bass which is very distinctive. I enjoy playing this instrument quite a bit and find myself using it more and more. I purchased mine in the Mapleglo. It was a hard decision for me between the Fireglo and the Mapleglo, so it's possible that I might see myself getting a second one down the road. I haven't noticed any shortcomings in workmanship which seems to be one of the negative things I see surfacing in some of the review. These basses have always been a little pricey, and there are other very nice basses out there for less money. However, these basses have always had an intangible "kewl-ness" factor. I've been very happy with mine and love the sound and feel of the instrument. If I have any complaints, I would say the pick-ups can be noisy and the toggle switch sometimes can produce a static noise switching back and forth between pick ups.Artie

I bought this bass because a friend had one that worked great and played great and I loved it. When I purchased mine I had it sent to my house. 5 days later and it comes in with busted knobs and I had to take it in for a refund. They had another in stock and I took it home. Well the second is busted too. Huge disappointment considering how much I enjoy playing this bass. Absolutely unreliable and I won't be getting a third one.James

I have played Fender guitars before, but cannot justify owning one. I’m a “bedroom” player; they deserve to be in professional hands, on a stage. Hence, I defer to the Squier brand. But honestly, I can hardly tell the difference! (as I’ve said, I am certainly no expert) Astonishing value for the price!!! I just love it…Mr S. R.

Great bass guitar, I had a copy of a P bass from 'G4M' & was'nt that happy with it. I have a Squire Telecaster which is very well made & sounds excellent so I went for the Squire Jass bass & I hav'nt been disappointed, again well made & no setting up require, stays in tune & is a pleasure to play. Being part of Fender certainly sets the bar high for these Squire guitars & I recommend them, so do lots of more experienced musicians than me, just have a look on YouTube.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Although this bass is at the bargain basement end of the price range, I am very happy with it. It replaces my other Sunburst J Bass that had a truss rod issue and thus would never hold a tune for long even with ultra light weight strings. I love the colour, shame rosewood fretboards are not available on cheap guitars. The Laurel fretboard did come up nicely, and darker, after a clean and an oiling. Looks really great. There was a little scuff mark on one of the horns, a transit issue I guess, but came out with a little buffing. It is now fitted with D'Addario flats which look, feel and sound great. Thanks Guys.Pat

This bass hits a home run. I would put it up to an American feder any day! The ONLY issue I have found it the jazz pup is a little weak when playing only through it.Mike

It is amazing how a MIM can sound like thunder. You can get amazing tonal possibilities from this bass; full of punch and with a clean and crisp tone. The neck is very soft for fast playing; and the pickups are incredible. I also have a Yamaha TRB 1005, and a Spector Classic Legend 5 but this MIM stands among the others with power and authority. You can take it to church and tear down the walls, or take it to the local venue and crush the other band mates. You will never find a bass like this, with this features for that price. If you find one: buy it! I'm thinking about buying one more to convert it to fretless it. You will not get wrong with the Deluxe P series!mrfunkh

I've been playing on and off for over 30 years. I have a broad collection. This is an excellent P Bass for the price. Great balance, very good tone, and the neck is awesome. The neck is a little thinner on the "SPECIAL" than a standard, which I love. I added an acrylic mirror pick guard, now it's time to Run To The Hills.flip21121967

Other reviewers' complaints about the front veneer are specific to this color (you can see the odd 2-tone effect in the photos). This model also comes in "root beer," tobacco burst, and translucent black. Those finishes all blend the front veneer pretty seamlessly with the mahogany back, while still showing some nice front grain (very subtly in black). Yamaha's Indonesian-made 174 series mixes together fairly unbeatable features and tone in this price range. They aren't the world's fanciest basses, but they make no serious compromises. Necks are 1-piece maple (no 5-piece matchsticks). Bodies are made from real tonewoods: 3-piece mahogany (174EW) or 3-piece alder (174). The P/J pickup combination offers a wide range of tones, with solid electronics throughout. Nice touches: The neck is skinny (like a Jazz Bass') but extended to 24 frets. The downsized body is really lightweight, while substantial enough to be resonant. With the right EQ, these can really punch. Only downsides: I played 2 of these at my local GC, and noticed a real difference in tone. So I'd recommend buying from a local store where you can compare 2-3 copies. Also, the neck's satin finish feels a bit coarse to me. (I love satin finishes, but like them smoother.) While priced like a beginner's bass or impulse purchase, these are well-made, viable, giggable instruments. I've had my similar RBX270F fretless for years, and love it. (Especially since Victor Wooten signed its headstock.)Bass Desires

I was playing guitar, but thinking about getting a bass again. I wanted a solid bass, without investing a lot. The Yamaha was a perfect pick. The construction and finish of the bass I received was perfect. The bass I got is really good looking, in person. It plays great. I've had so much fun playing it, that I've put my guitars aside, and I am now studying bass seriously. After many months playing it daily, I think I am going to lower the action slightly. Tone wise, the two pickups, along with the tone control, cover a lot of ground. I've gone from playing this through a guitar amp, to playing it through two different 100/150W combo amps – the better of which cost 3x what the bass cost. The amps make a huge difference – more than a change of bass. I've thought about trying to mod the bass with higher end pick-ups, but frankly I'm afraid I'll mess up what is currently good about the bass' tone. As I progress, I will probably buy a much higher end bass, something on the order of 1-3K in price. But I believe this bass is decent enough to gig with, unless you are in Victor Wooten's class of player. For comparison, I bought one of those Steinberger Spirit basses (5 string) also. The Yamaha bass plays better and has much, much better tone.Kulokoo

They say this is a beginner bass well call me a beginner. I love it!! I have nothing bad to say about this bass. Light weight easy to play great feel! I love the mango look I've had many good comments on how great it looks on stage. And yes I bought a second one. And to think I bought the first one by mistake wow I guess that's how it happens. Don't get me wrong I love American made basses, but they are killer on my old back. LOL.Muss

As the headline says…it's very enjoyable to play. I've even made several recordings using it instead of my Fender USA Pro 2 Precision. It does a decent job on the P pickup; the J has lower output. To my surprise I'm really digging the "raw" feel of the neck; it's bare, tho sanded well. Another surprise: neck profile width and taper is like a J bass, yet the depth/shape feels more like a P! Huh!? Hey, works for me! With its black body and pickguard and the maple fingerboard it looks like it means BUSINESS! Point removed for the too-stiff tuner action. And then…I've managed to get the action very low, just where I like it. (FWIW, even on my USA Pro 2 I had to shim the neck to be able to get the level of low action that I prefer.) Yes, ladies n gentleman, I really appreciate this Affinity PJ. I am considering using it for punk and classic rock parts of the band's gigs; not out of the question at all!Leo

This bass looks, feels, and sounds great! Did they nail the bodywork and neck lines? No, not completely. But that's about as much as I've got for negatives. This is one of the best 5 string necks I've felt. Less pizza shaped than the EHB but almost that good. Could have been nice to see a heavier finish on the fretboard but the edges are rolled with no sharp frets at all – unlike my cv 70s P. Sound on this Destroys the EHB and my sr505. Can't say how road worthy the pots and tuners are but I don't want to change anything and mess with this mojo. Unless you need silent pickups and can live with the tradeoffs. I don't know what you would need other than maybe a beefier jack. Setup was mind blowing. Literally took it out of the box in store. Got home, string height was dialed, haven't checked intonation yet but sounds fine. Was hardly even out of tune. Strings feel quality, I will probably even hold off changing those. This bass is making a lot of basses look and sound like questionable decisions. If you are worried about durability, honesty, get a good hard case. This thing feels plenty solid. Make sure the tuners and string trees are greased up and jam away.Arturo

I got mine in Black body, black pickguard, maple neck with maple fingerboard, It came with good setup right out of the box, I like the headstock's face with large "Precision Bass" 70's style logo, with gloss tint on it. The maple neck is one piece neck. I have other Affinities basses but this one sounds terrific, a lot of growl sound on P pickups , I like the P sound but also the J pickup is welcome. I always like this combination: black on black with maple fingerboard. I recommend this bass, Squier is getting better and better with the years. The only complain with this is that the Jazz Pickup is less sounding than the P bass pickup, I needed to rise the Jazz pickup to get better output but not the same output than the Precision pickup.Garedot

Purchased the Fender Player Jazz bass. Overall great looks and sound, but some quality issues from the Fender Mexico factory (not Andertons' fault): – First bass had very clear weird uneven blemish under the varnish on the sunburst body. Not awful, but if I was in-store I would never have chosen that particular item. Returned and swapped by Andertons, no quibbles. Second bass arrived. Overall happy, sounds great, but still a few issues with quality control and design. – Control plate was missing 2 screws and was moving around – how does that get through Fender quality control? Replacement screws sent free of charge by Andertons. – Nut has not been slotted correctly – high G must have been passed through a machine and slipped, string is clearly a couple of mm too close to fretboard edge and you can see the failed first pass. Doesn't really affect playability, but is annoying and I will get it corrected at some point. Again, points to poor quality control. – Fretboard (Pau Ferro) is really thin – on the Player series, at least. Neck fret dot markers in white are half over the mid-dark fretboard, half over the light maple neck. Very hard to see in low light levels. OK, so they're just an indicator for position, but the design isn't great. So overall, the bass sounds great and Andertons service was very good. Fender quality control loses the one star from the review.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

…and falls in love. Let me start by saying I actually have owned one other P-Bass. I had a 50s reissue Precision, but honestly the neck was just too thick for my liking after years of playing Jazz basses. Honestly, it felt thicker than the neck on my Yamaha 5-string. So, I picked this bass up after always dancing around getting what would be considered a more standard P-Bass. I have a 70s Jazz with a ton of modifications, I've had quite a few other brands of basses, but I wanted to see what the fuss was about. I ordered this a few weeks ago, and have been very pleasantly surprised. The action was pretty good out of the box. I adjusted it a bit, made a few tiny tweaks to the intonation, and now it's super smooth. And, on the pickups, let me say it's a great sounding bass. Pickups are clear, bass sounds great. I play through a little Ampeg Micro cabinet. Earlier this week, I bought some Flats to throw on it (because that's what you do with a P-bass, right?) and now it's quickly becoming one of my favorite instruments to jam with. It really cuts through the mix when playing in a group. I see why folks really love the sound of a precision. My Jazz still has it's place, but man, I really like the sound of this bass. The Player P is a great value for what you get. I've never owned an older MIM, but I research the heck out of pretty much any purchase I make, and it looks like Fender really stepped it up with this rendition of their MIM Precision basses. Good tone out of the box, no discernible pickup noise, good action, a beautiful neck, and a Tidepool Blue finish that just shines and shines.Dennis F

Purchased the Walnut version. This is the first guitar which I had to do nothing to it out of the box except an initial tuning. All screws were tight, the nut height was correct, the relief was good, the action was good with NO fret buzz, the finish was flawless, the fret ends were perfect and the intonation was spot on! I've never seen this, especially for the price point. I love the short scale of this instrument and it can be played as fast as you can do. Wow! I'm happy and impressed. I like it even more than my Ibanez Gio Mikro. Gretsch has done something with the pickups as ther is NO hum from the pickups even though they are claimed not to be humbuckers after all.John

Bought earlier today and have been playing it since getting it home. I prefer flatwound strings so put some on as soon as I could. Lowered the action to just under 2 mm at the 12th fret on the bass side. Intonation is just about spot on. Didn’t need to tweak the truss rod at all but will check it in a day or two. I’m over 70 and bought my first bass around 1965. This little bass is quite amazing for its price. There does seem to be some quality control issues reading online reviews but mine is very good. Gloss finish immaculate with no pooling or dull patches. Tone and volume are very smooth and work as they should. It’s very easy to replace with CTS or similar but at present there’s no need. Jack socket holds the jack securely. Frets beautifully finished. The flattish neck is great to play on and it’s gloss finish feels really smooth. Not sticky. Walnut fingerboard looked in nice condition but I put a little lemon oil on it when changing the strings. There has been some uproar that Gretsch were advertising these as having mini humbuckers when in fact they are single coils. I have no problem with single coils being a Fender fan. These single coils do not exhibit any background hiss through my amplifier. Some have complained that they do but mine is silent. The only gripe which has cost the review one star is concerning the machineheads. They have a little play in them which I hate. The only thing I will change will be these in due course when I find some with the correct 14 mm hole diameter. Plenty of space on the headstock so might go down the vintage style rout. Not sure. The main thing is to get good quality and ensure the existing holes are covered. All in all I’m very happy with this bass. It weighs in at 8.2lbs. Not too heavy. The bass sounds really nice with lots of tonal variance available using the pickup selector and tone control.Brian

As a relative newbie to bass playing I thought I'd invest in something a bit better than my basic P bass. As soon as I picked it up it felt light and comfortable. I like compactness of the guitar and how easily could find the strings and frets when practicing . . which makes my learning process quite a bit easier. The sound quality is both good and varied with Hofners pick up set up. The bass just looks good too, which I know doesn't influence the playing experience etc but it makes you want to just pick it up and play. Overall I'm very pleased with my purchase and look forward to many an hour practicing . . . and maybe even making some progress too.Duncan S.

I got this exact bass in green here from Musician's Friend (stupid deal of the day). I have played about 20 or more live shows with it send it definitely holds up.. it has a very big sound and is extremely lightweight, which is fantastic because we move around a lot. The craftsmanship is pretty good, probably adequate to that of the Epiphone viola, but with a cooler color. I constantly get compliments on the color. The only thing I'd say I would have liked better is if they had put a little more quality or craftsmanship into the control panel. It's not horrible at all, it definitely does the trick, it just kind of looks plain Jane. I would suggest switching out the volume and tone knobs with the vintage style tea cup knobs. That's what I did, and it really helps dress the bass up.Arrow

I'm a keyboard player getting back into playing bass after decades away, so I did a fair amount of research before this purchase, and I'm glad I did. There is a very really difference in quality between the 'Contemporary' and 'Ignition' Hofners, both in terms of finish and sound – The contemporary has better sustain and more 'richness' in the bass end. If you are wanting either something approaching an 'electric upright' or a classic McCartney sound, then the Contemporary will get you nearer than the Ignition – it's not in the 'German Made' class but unless you've got 2 grand to spend… Mine arrived on time and well set up. Very pleased with it.Willow S.

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

Some set up issues with the bass, but ,at the price I am incredibly impressed with the overall quality, playability and tone. After some adjustments to truss rod, bridge action ( intonation was good) and pickup height I've now got a 5 string J Type bass that I will happily gig when the venues open again. Although not as slick as my MTD and Warwick basses, the Sire gives me a whole range of tones that I can't squeeze out of the other basses. The active eq is really excellent, but the ability to use and adjust the passive circuit with the master tone control makes this more versatile than any of my other basses. Overall, a bit of a bargain with great service on top!Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Fabulous, straight out of the box and arrived in tune! Read and watch the reviews, believe the hype. You won't hear a bad word against it. The only negative I found was someone did't like the headstock (which I love). This is an instrument way above its' price point in every regard. It feels quality, the sound is incredible. There's a very good video on Sires site with Mr Miller himself demonstrating it's scope. It's a very versatile instrument, the pre-amp is the same across the whole range and is quality schmutter, the sweepable mids let you fine tune your tone. And you can have it passive too and the option to string through or over the bridge. The rolled fretboard is the icing. I'd gig with this no messing, and can't wait to record with it. If I'd have had the cash, i'd have gone for a V7, but I am over the moon with this.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Bought it as a second bass for the occasions when taking my Thumb Bass gives me too much anxiety. I have owned a Fender USA Jazz once and always liked the idea of a jazz but just found them irritating compared to how well made and thought out the Warwick is. This bass on the other hand is very good value. Its a little rough round the edges and needed quite a bit of setting up to get it right for me but it was playable straight out of the box just the action was quite high. The two things I am impressed by is the tone and the neck. Both of these have been really well thought out and make it (in my opinion) better than the Fender I had. At least I can adjust the truss rod without having to take the thing apart and it stays where I put it. The weight is subjective, yes it's heavier than a Fender, not by much though. However its like a feather compared to the vastly more expensive Warwick. So in conclusion this is great, you get a good bass that plays and sounds much better than the £320 I paid for it and I now have a Jazz bass that doesn't irritate me.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

A must have for the true hardcore Iron Maiden fan. Plays and sounds fantastic! But I must say, the blue one that came out a few years back is a bit better overall.TODD

I love this bass!! My only problem was it did not come with the Steve Harris Rotosound Flatwounds, but no biggie. I like roundwound rotosounds, stainless steel strings anyway. This bass is meaty and heavy. If you like a burpy, growling sound-this is for you! Love it!Scabby

This bass is everything anyone could want. You can dial in consistent tones for Jazz, Rock, Blues; anything you can imagine. You're only limited by your amp and skill. Good for novices or pros, and priced for both of them. I play progressive rock/metal, jazz, classical, fusion, etc and the bass lends itself well to all these things. The hardware is solid: the tuners tight, the bridge stable, and the nut functions as prescribed. Some people have problems with the TEK bridge but I personally find it convenient. No cross-talk, easy stringing, reliable setup that DOESN'T BUDGE. The pickup/preamp complements the bass and its resonance qualities. Passive EMG HZ pickups with the mahogany body work together constructively. The bass and treble controls work well with amps, not adding much to the gain of the signal but still affecting the tone strikingly. The body and neck are well constructed and add a lot to the tone. Mahogany+maple+rosewood are the essential dream-team. Access up to the 24th fret is relatively easy. The satin finish allows more vibrations to transfer through the hardware and body. The quality craftsmanship is fairly decent. The fret ends are smooth and all the edges are clean. The factory setup is alright but I like my action low for easy playability. Overall, the bass is clean, simple, and contributes to any playing style well.ProgJazzMetalBassist

Overall: When I purchased this bass guitar, I did it on a whim based purely off how much I like the sound of Schecter 6 string guitars. I was prepared to be a little disappointed and make a trade in if necessary, but no, I pulled this baby out of the box and fell straight in love from the first ultra twangy acoustic note. A few hours tweaking my Fender Rumble amp (also courtesy of zZounds) and suddenly I had THE sound I had been chasing. The layout of the pot functions were confusing at best but Schecter released an online wiring diagram so a little research got me exactly what I needed; excellent customer support in that regard, but with the quality of this bass, I feel as if I'll never even need to contact customer support in order to give them a review on it! Everything from chunky 90's post-punk to soft jazz to slap bass in tha face to dad rock to death metal to orchestral, just turn a few knobs and this baby knocks it out of the park. The EMG pickups really scream for passives, too.Taran

The Squier Bronco Bass delivers exactly what I expected. It's a 30" scale bass with a body shaped like the Fender Mustang bass; it has a single pickup (I believe it's a strat pickup), is fairly light weight (mine weighs in a 7 pounds 10 ounces), and it's a fun little axe. It's also the lowest-priced bass by an actual musical instrument company. How do they keep the price down? One way is that this is the only bass I've owned that has no fingerboard. It doesn't affect anything, but the front of the neck IS the fingerboard. The hardware is okay quality. But here's the thing – it sounds decent, feels great, plays well. There's going to be a little luck of the draw in a lower priced instrument, but my tuners stay in tune, intonation was on, everything is good. There was a little too much neck relief, but that was easy to adjust. If you're realistic about your expectations, the Squier Bronco Bass is an awesome value, looks good, and it gets you playing. It's not going to sound like a Stingray or a Geddy Lee Jazz Bass, but it doesn't sound bad, either – I would do a show with one without worrying about it. I have other basses, but wanted to add an inexpensive short scale to my stable, and this bass was exactly what I wanted. I may upgrade the pickup later – I may not. For now, it falls between my 34" scale and 28.6" scale basses, and it's fun to play. I'm very happy with it.Pcake

I ended up using this bass for songs where long scale can be a bit difficult. My main bass is an imported '54 P Bass copy, Alder body and maple neck/fingerboard. It had to go into a local shop for some major nut repair, and I needed something to play around with. Off the rack, it was a pretty great bass for the price. The neck is very well crafted, no sharp fret edges like some imported instruments. It's an agathis body, so the tone can be kind of bland, but compared to older Squier Broncos, it seems that all of the bridge and neck contact one piece of wood on the multi-piece construction, so sustain isn't too bad. The bad: The tuners are pretty sorry and are an oddball size, which makes replacement with good tuners very difficult. My E and A tuners rattle some, but all four do hold tune pretty well for cheap tuners. Also, the stock pickup is a six-pole ceramic Strat pickup, so it can sound…odd when bending strings. The other bad is the bridge: although it intonates pretty well, two saddles can make proper intonation difficult to achieve along with proper radius. Also, the bridge mounting pattern is almost impossible to replace with another bridge–four hole lock-down and quick-release style bridges DO work, but the bridge is mounted a little too far forward, and intonation is almost always sharp on the upper end of the fingerboard. Gotoh 201's are also very difficult to adapt to fit. But for its price point, some of these cons are easily fixed. I have a Mojotone Alnico V lipstick Strat pickup in mine with CTS 500K pots. It sounds excellent–it fools some of my buddies about how cheap it is. This bass could probably also benefit from a bar retainer near the nut. It went from an around the house beater to a mainstay for certain songs.Isher

my dad, a professional and extremely experienced bass guitarist, bought me this for christmas last year, and i love it. this is the first bass i've ever picked up and it's easy to play, is well built, has a nice feel to it, etc. i highly recommend it for beginners. i play it in my school band class and it fits in very well with the rest of the instruments. however it can fall out of tune easily and the pickup isn't the best, but ultimately it's the most perfect beginner bassout there, especially for the low price, it's high qualityace

I really like the bass I found, I played a bunch of these and they were all different. I got this one brand new in the box after playing a floor model. But after opening and inspecting, the setup was not really that good, so I did the setup, polished a few minor flaws and it plays excellent. I noticed the sound and the tone variation when blending the volumes and the tone pot really makes a difference, I can say that this was not the case of all of them I played. Mine has a three piece body, I've seen 1 and 2 piece bodies as well in this same model. I could not find another three piece, that's why I fixed the problems and kept it, because it sounds so good, there is something definitely different about this one. The tone, volume and dynamics between the strings is very balanced and it speaks bass if you know what I mean. I would be hard pressed to find another bass like this one. I've played this bass with a couple of bands and everyone likes the tone and I can say this bass has character and it is very musical and fun to play. So try it out and see and hear how you like it, I recommend this bass for beginners and professionals.Warren, F

Always easy to order from ProAudioStar. Their pricing and service are outstanding. This particular purchase was especially pleasant due to the impeccable quality of the Squier Paranormal Jazz Bass '54 I received from them. The bass was perfectly set-up. The frets were level and dressed, no sprout or sharp edges. The finish was beyond reproach. The neck pocket is tight, the tuners function as they should and the bass sounds like a Fender Jazz Bass should. I was initially reluctant to order it because it was a Squier and it was of Chinese manufacture. I got over my bout of casual brand snobbery and I am so pleased I did. If your looking for a funky Jazz bass that sounds and looks beyond its price point, buy this bass.VastBadger-51837