Best First Bass Guitar (2024 Update)

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

As a learner who has been playing a cheap 4 string the move to this 5 string was an excellent experience due to the slender neck. The paint job is out of this world and the hardware oozes quality. I've always wanted an Ibanez and it has not disappointed. A thing of beauty and tones to match any players style.COLIN S.

I spent a few weeks trying out basses at my local music stores before settling on this bass. What set this bass apart from the others was the tone and the various tones I could get out of it, as well as it's playability. The active EQ is far better than the passive EQ's that I find on other basses. For example, the EQ on Jackson basses are all but useless. There was very little tone difference when varying the EQ controls on Jackson basses. But on this Ibanez, you really hear the difference in the tone settings. The Ibanez has a bass, mid, and treble tone control. So you can really dial in the tone you're looking for. Also, the individual string height adjustment on the Ibanez lets me tailor the action to exactly how I like it. The guitar is well balanced weight wise and so hangs naturally when I play it. I have a BC Rich mockingbird bass which is terribly weighted ad the headstock drops to the floor if I don't have my fret hand supporting the neck. The string spacing on the Ibanez 5 string is good, and I can still play slap bass on it. All the knobs on the bass (except the volume knob) have a mid point that you can feel as your adjusting the tone controls, so you know exactly where "flat" is. I really like that feature.beaglebuddy

Unexpectedly nice looking bass. 2 piece fllamed maple body with a darker burst than the website photos suggested. Not bookmatched, but a nicely figured body. Super versatile preamp and nice sounding, powerful and noise free pickups. Fast, slim neck and good quality hardware. I've tweaked the set up over a couple of weeks and it's playing really well. A far nicer bass than I expected for the price, after some playing in I think it will be better than my mid 90s SR. Very easy bass to set up, and the action can be brought down ridiculously low.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

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

Folks, let me start out by saying that I am a former professional drummer and have limited experience on the bass. However, I spent years locking tight with bass players to creat a solid foundation for the band and I know what sounds right. This bass guitar is a beauty. I was originally going to buy a standard jazz bass MIM. But I saw this and had to check it out. One of things that sold me on this bass was that it came with Geddy's high mass bridge. For all intent and purposes it is a Leo Qwan bridge which Geddy has on his #1. It really makes a difference in the sustain, it just keeps going and going. Also, the bridge just looks good… big and meaty. The neck plays like butter and the black binding and blocks on the fretboard just sets this bass apart appearance wise. The pups are solid, I might change those out one day…but honestly they sound great. This is a really well built bass and I completely reccomend you buy this bass. Also, thanks to Alan at GC Tampa for his patience with me while I was looking and trying out different basses. Great customer service.Charles I

I'd been wanting a Fender Jazz bass since I was a kid. Started off playing on a Squier P-Bass Special and I always liked the Jazz neck. Better than I expected. The tone is bright and cuts nicely. The neck is fast and the body is comfortable and not too heavy. Set up was also pretty good coming out of the box. Definitely going to be buying another Fender through AMS next year or so. Definitely met and exceeded my expectations. I haven't put it down since getting it. Cant wait to leave work and jam on it. Awesome.Sapo

As a touring and studio studio musician I am thrilled to have a bass at this caliber. The sunburst design is breathtaking. The action feels and sounds great right out of the box. This is the first time I have ever had a bridge that looks and feels the way this one does. It really ties the aesthetic together! When you have all of the tone knobs up you get a really hot and bright bass sound that cuts through records. This can easily be adjusted on the knobs or in post cutting off everything above 4K. The neck is slimmer than most bassses I have played, which makes it super easy to glide up and down this bass. The soft case it comes with isn't too special and I will be upgrading to a hard case since I take it to the studio with me (will eventually gig on it). I've had it for a few months now and it can be heard on countless records coming out of the SF Bay Area. It meets and over exceeds all expectations I had set for it. It also sounds great using the old sponge trick to get the motown down you traditionally hear on a P Bass. Anyone looking to get a Fender Jazz, I would highly recommend the Getty Lee model.Ryan

Very lightweight, no strain on my back. Has that perfect Ibanez action I've come to prefer over other makes. Pickups work in tandem, not separately, so that took some getting used to. Color is hot and sexy.John

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

I bought the jewel blue one and named it "Jewel". No, not like the singer. I thought it was totally beyond all expectations. I played it for a couple of years before I lost it when my marriage fizzled. Now I want another one. I'm no novice. I've been playing guitar for over 35 years, and Jewel was my third bass. I liked her better than a Fender Jazz. I want another one. To nitpick, I didn't like the square corners on the top of the neck (past all the frets), so I took the neck off and rounded them. Problem solved. I also didn't like that the threads stripped out on the E string bridge piece when I tried to back it up far enough to get the intonation right. But I think the real problem is solved with an Earvana nut. Anyway, if you can't afford to buy the bass everyone is telling you to buy – or even if you can – buy this one. If you don't sound good on it, you don't need a Fender or a Rick, you need lessons.Gravity Zen

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 bought this bass awhile ago. After reading several negative reviews I think the issues they have is this bass is shipped with no tension on the truss rod/neck. Out of the box it is not playable, sounds horrible and you need to adjust the truss rod to add relief to the neck. After making that adjustment this bass is a great beginners bass and sounds good. You will not be disappointed. Just watch a YouTube vid on how to add relief to a guitar neck / adjust truss rod.Gerald

I got this just to use for home recordings after YEARS away from bass playing. I've owned better in the past, but this is not bad! It has a good tone and the neck is easily playable. Sounds good playing through a Fender Rumble 25 watt amp. If there is one thing I don't like, it's the round-wound strings. I first started with flat wounds, playing funk and R & B, so the strings aren't as "warm" as I'd like. Still good for slap styles or for rock.Lee

I bought this bass back in 2003, and wanted to start playing again. I played bass in the early 1980's till 90's. I grew up with Rock to Metal days and had a Fender bass. I got caught up in marriage and working 12 hr days , so I sold my equipment. This bass plays well once you get it set up. Sounds great for a budget bass. I still have it among other upgrades bass guitars I now have. I still like playing it. And it still looks like new . Great bass for the money.Jbrocky0

Should you be in the market for a decent, inexpensive bass, you really should consider this model. Having just arrived home from jamming with six friends, three of whom (including myself) are gigging pros, I felt obligated to congratulate Yamaha Corp for creating such a marvelous bass for the price. I brought my favorite jamming bass–a Squier VM 70's jazz bass–to the jam yet ended up playing this TRBX for four hours. (The guy who owns the studio remarked that he just bought it (used), and he wanted me to try it out.) I'll admit that the controls for the pots are cheap plastic, but everything else about the bass was top notch. It's a passive bass, but the EQ is very responsive with a wide range of voicings from its P/J style pups. Beautifully finished neck, a fretboard with a generous slab of rosewood–it sure looked and felt like rosewood, despite what it's being called in the GC write-up–a really smooth fret-edge finish, solid body wood, but not too heavy. Tuners worked great, and the sunburst stain under the urethane finish was masterfully done. The studio owner bought the bass with flatwound strings, but the pups made them sound clear, with a nice degree of sustain. This TRBX will serve a bassist well as a back-up, but I wouldn't be surprised if some would use it as a main axe (maybe after ditching the plastic knobs for better-quality ones). btw, I had it input to a Tech-21 bass Sansamp (which I use all the time), and into a GK MB210-ii. Even with the Sansamp bypassed, it performed quite well. In summary: Nice surprise!BassesRBetter

After building myself an in home studio, I quickly realized the only thing i was missing was a bass. Swung over to a local store (sorry MF, i was in a rush!) and checked out their large selection. Being that i'm a drummer, I was looking for apparent quality as I didn't much know the specifics or traits that i should be mindful of. The price tag, finish, weight and balance of this thing caught my eye. I toyed around with it for a moment and purchased it about 15 minutes later. I would be lying if i said this was the most played piece in my studio – BUT whenever i do pick it up i am always impressed. Plugging it directly in to a preamp and hitting record with this thing is a dream. You can go from a very washy sound to some solid attack with the knobs. Contrary to one of the previous comments, it does have a volume knob. As i have developed my skills in the studio and on a guitar/bass I have never felt beyond or limited by this guitar. Exceptional piece, I can say with confidence that if bass was my main instrument, i would love to have this guitar as a backup. But for someone like me?…..perfect.Chris

This bass is excellent for the money. It comes out of the case ready to go, just requires tuning which can be easily accomplished with the provided tuner. The case and stand are of excellent quality. The case is hard and sturdy. Its fairly large but will definitely provide great protection. The stand is very sturdy and props the bass up securely. The bass itself sounds great. The only issue Ive encountered with it is some rattle on the E string which I believe can be fixed with the proper adjustments I just havent taken it in yet. Otherwise it sounds nice, full, and rich. Its also beautiful to look at. Overall a fantastic buy for someone looking to get into playing bass. Highly recommend!nicholapedraz-0

Sound: I was impressed by the sounds I could get from this little beast. I'm a pretty heavy handed finger style player (I've always had a heavy attack), but I could hear the differences every time I alternated pickups, adjusted the EQ, and flipped the "Power Tap" switch. This thing offers a lot of sound for very little money! Features: As stated, the thin fast neck of this bass is amazing. I have smaller than average sized hands, so the slimmer design is really comfortable for me. The PowerSpan dual coil pickups are really decent sounding for what they are. The "Power Tap" switch is what sold me on it. After some knob twiddling, trial and error, I found a really nice warm, but heavy sound that I enjoy. Also, the ease of access to the battery compartment is a nice feature as well – no screwdriver needed! Ease of Use: Ease of use is great! Plug it in and play 😉 Seriously though, my stepfather is a guitarist by nature, and even he's remarked at how nice it plays and how nicely the knobs freely turn to dial in the sound you are looking for. Quality: I was impressed by the overall quality of this instrument for the price. I own and play "higher end" basses (Warwick's, Ibanez SR Premium's, etc.), and the quality of this is bass is almost as nice as my SR Premium at a fraction of the cost. Of course it had a few things that needed some tweaking out of the box, but overall I am very pleased with the product. You could spend a lot more and get a lot less (I have anyways…). I guess there's a reason I keep coming back to Ibanez basses. Value: The Ibanez SR300E is considered by most to be a beginner bass. I get that. Yet, for the price, you will be hard pressed to find something with better quality and features. If you are new to bass, or need a backup for your regular player, I would highly recommend the SR300E. I see it becoming my regular player because of it's features and sound. And hey… If something were to ever happen to it at a gig in one of those "seedy" venues, I could easily replace it and not be too upset about the price. Manufacturer Support: I've never had to deal with Ibanez directly, but I have dealt with zZounds a few times and their customer service is wonderful! Friendly, knowledgeable, and courteous. Those are the things that make me a repeat offender to this site! The Wow Factor: This bass is a lot of bang for the buck! I love the look of the black hardware on the weathered black finish. When my girlfriend gave me the "Oh no. Did you buy another bass?" look – even she had to admit the weathered black finish was sexy looking. Ha! Overall: I originally bought an Ibanez SR300E Iron Pewter as a gift for a member of my family who took an interest in playing the bass. When it arrived I took it out of the box to tune it and give the action a little tweaking. Of course, being a bass player myself, I had to give it a try to see how well it played. I was in shock and awe by how well it played and sounded. The neck was extremely comfortable; very thin and fast! It felt like this thing could play itself. After playing it for a few days, (and a few times since), I was so amazed by it that I had to come back to order one for myself (Weathered black – that black hardware on black bass just looks so good).Jason

I'm a 40+ year working bass player. Previously I had owned an Ibanez BtB and loved it, then traded it for a Warwick, which was cool, and definitely fashionable too. Ended up having several shoulder surgeries and a major spinal surgery in my neck, (I set off metal detectors now), also gathered a pile of some rather large medical bills in the process, so the Warwick had to go to pay the bills, so I decided to retire in order to heal up for awhile. Lately, sitting at home doing nothing and waiting for the pandemic to end. I decided it was time to get another bass, and decided to start playing again. Since I had worked at a local music store for years as a guitar tech I was familiar with the Ibanez SR Series, so when I found this here I knew this had to be the "one" because of the price and me being familiar with the SR Series, (we were an Ibanez dealer). I love the color, the feel of the thin neck and the active electronics. With the 3 way tap switch, volume/tone/pickup splitter knobs you can get an amazing number of sounds out of this instrument, from floor shaking lows to twinkling clear highs. The color was nice, the neck felt good and the price was definitely right. It also arrived with a decent set up, not great, but better than many others I have seen, so as a retired guitar tech I lowered the strings a bit, tweaked the truss rod, worked on the intonation and it was ready set go! If only my callouses would come back that easy everything would be golden.I would definitely recommend this as a great beginner instrument, and also as capable of being a suitable gigging instrument.Sonny

I am Loving my new Ibanez SR300E Bass. As a female Rock bassist, I needed to find a lightweight, slim bass that still packed a punch, and this baby does all that I've asked of her. Lovely deep tone, well balanced and responsive, the active electronics are on point, the lead stays put, and as for the colour… WOW! My husband, the drummer, is also really impressed at how well she locks in with the groove. Excellent delivery times from PMT, ordered on line and it arrived within 3 days. Very happy.Sammy T.

Overall: I wanted a bass. I play guitar and just wanted to try the bass. I went in the music store and asked the salesman to help me. He showed me basses in my price line which was 500.00 dollars,then he wanted me to try the gsr100ex. He plays this one himself and asked me to try it. I love it!!!!!!!! I am telling you it sounded better than the other basses that were there. I would recommend this bass for anyone not just the beginner.Daniel

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

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

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

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

Sound: I was impressed by the sounds I could get from this little beast. I'm a pretty heavy handed finger style player (I've always had a heavy attack), but I could hear the differences every time I alternated pickups, adjusted the EQ, and flipped the "Power Tap" switch. This thing offers a lot of sound for very little money! Features: As stated, the thin fast neck of this bass is amazing. I have smaller than average sized hands, so the slimmer design is really comfortable for me. The PowerSpan dual coil pickups are really decent sounding for what they are. The "Power Tap" switch is what sold me on it. After some knob twiddling, trial and error, I found a really nice warm, but heavy sound that I enjoy. Also, the ease of access to the battery compartment is a nice feature as well – no screwdriver needed! Ease of Use: Ease of use is great! Plug it in and play 😉 Seriously though, my stepfather is a guitarist by nature, and even he's remarked at how nice it plays and how nicely the knobs freely turn to dial in the sound you are looking for. Quality: I was impressed by the overall quality of this instrument for the price. I own and play "higher end" basses (Warwick's, Ibanez SR Premium's, etc.), and the quality of this is bass is almost as nice as my SR Premium at a fraction of the cost. Of course it had a few things that needed some tweaking out of the box, but overall I am very pleased with the product. You could spend a lot more and get a lot less (I have anyways…). I guess there's a reason I keep coming back to Ibanez basses. Value: The Ibanez SR300E is considered by most to be a beginner bass. I get that. Yet, for the price, you will be hard pressed to find something with better quality and features. If you are new to bass, or need a backup for your regular player, I would highly recommend the SR300E. I see it becoming my regular player because of it's features and sound. And hey… If something were to ever happen to it at a gig in one of those "seedy" venues, I could easily replace it and not be too upset about the price. Manufacturer Support: I've never had to deal with Ibanez directly, but I have dealt with zZounds a few times and their customer service is wonderful! Friendly, knowledgeable, and courteous. Those are the things that make me a repeat offender to this site! The Wow Factor: This bass is a lot of bang for the buck! I love the look of the black hardware on the weathered black finish. When my girlfriend gave me the "Oh no. Did you buy another bass?" look – even she had to admit the weathered black finish was sexy looking. Ha! Overall: I originally bought an Ibanez SR300E Iron Pewter as a gift for a member of my family who took an interest in playing the bass. When it arrived I took it out of the box to tune it and give the action a little tweaking. Of course, being a bass player myself, I had to give it a try to see how well it played. I was in shock and awe by how well it played and sounded. The neck was extremely comfortable; very thin and fast! It felt like this thing could play itself. After playing it for a few days, (and a few times since), I was so amazed by it that I had to come back to order one for myself (Weathered black – that black hardware on black bass just looks so good).Jason

The description for this bass says "Great beginners instrument". I feel it is a quality instrument and sounds great recorded. If you're looking at a great sounding affordable instrument, I highly suggest Ibanez Sound Gear. I personally prefer a passive instrument but the active pickups on this bass sound awesome. A Fender J-bass or P-bass is just a luxury. A Spector, Warwick or Gibson are pure luxury instruments. You need a workhorse like a Ibanez.Drumming Guitarist

Sound: This thing sounds amazing! It can also sound like crap and everything in between. If you can't find several tones you like with this bass your just not trying. Love the way I can go from growly deep tone to super bright without switching guitars, or having to change my amp settings. Features: My only complaint as far as features is not having an active bypass switch (took away a half star for that) The active eq, the pickups, the hardware, the way the frets are… this bass has a features that most in this price range don't, it's well thought out and well executed. To say I was surprised to see a counter sunk hi mass bridge in $350 bass is an understatement, but it's details like this that make it such a treat. Ease of Use: Super playable, super adjustable, great sounding bass. However you will quickly learn to make small adjustments when your messing with the eq trying to find your sound. A little movement on the knob makes a big difference… Quality: My only issue, is the small gap between the neck and body. Took off a half star for that, and again it is small and doesn't seem to be an issue. I do have another concern with how the neck itself appears to be rotated slightly back, however everything lines up so it could just be how they are made. I'll be comparing it to others soon enough. Value: This is an amazing value at this price point, I was originally shopping for a much more expensive bass, however this one had everything I was looking for except it had it at 1/3 to 1/2 of the cost. Manufacturer Support: No experience with them. The Wow Factor: Ibanez really knocked it out of the park with this one, proving that a great instrument doesn't have to be expensive. Yes, there is the minor gap at the neck pocket, but they got so much right with this bass, I can overlook it. If your in the market for a new bass give these a look, you'll end up buying one too… Overall: So far I'm thoroughly impressed… love the wide range of tones I can get out this bass. The neck feels amazing, so easy to get around, makes my Fender Jazz neck feel bulky. I have noticed a minor gap on the treble side of the neck pocket, but doesn't seem to causing any issues with the sustain or neck movement. I will recommend going to a local guitar shop to see the different colors on person. Once I saw the Charred Champagne burst in person I was sold, the pictures make the colors clash which the don't do in person.Scott

I've had this bass for almost two weeks now, maybe a bit more. I didn't give my feedback befor today, since I would've given it less than a one. However, I waited for a reason. The sound is great, and I don't mind the sound of the stock pickups. It looks great, but that's trivial to me compared to the sound. Now here's a problem that few have mentioned. While some said, it's playable right out of the box, IT ISN'T. I got the bass in a pretty bad condition. Meaning, the action was too high, and the pickups were too close to the strings. It was virtually unplayable, even though I convinced myself that I could play it; which I did. But the pain in my fingers was indescribable, I almost got depressed. I changed my strings a week later to SH77 flat wounds .50 (heavy and thick strings), which didn't help initially. So I tried adjusting the action myself, but still wasn't enough. A day later, I sent it to a professional for setup. Now that made all the difference. I'm in love now. The strings sound amazing, the bass plays amazing, the feel is amazing, …. in brief it's amazing. Bottom line, have it setup by a professional ( unless you are a professional technician), otherwise you'll struggle with this bass. Unfortunately, the agent at MF mentioned that it's playable right out of the box, and I was naive to believe it. Anyway, live and learn. Set it up, and you'll already to go. Hope this helps anyone skeptical about this bass.Rafi

I purchased a Sterling sub series stingray5 a week earlier and really wasn't happy so I went to return it. While I was there I was trying out some of the usual fenders that are in stock and just wasn't feeling it. Then, I noticed this one. I played it for 5 minutes and couldn't stop. It had the most comfortable neck I've ever played. After comparing it to a couple more expensive p bass options, this one was still the clear winner. The design may not be typical fender, and it's almost reminiscent of an Ibanez or a Washburn, but the ergonomic are like no other. Trust me this guitar is worth a shot. The tone is warm and growly. If you could imagine mixing the bass tone of the red hot chili peppers and the pixies, this would be what it sounds like.Chris

I got this bass recently and have to say its my go to bass for everything. I have a few others like a Dean which is nice, but feels odd due to its weight balance. But the Aerodyne sits well and feels comfortable. I think the tone of it sounds really good. Bought this in store so I got to test it out, action isnt bad. I did some innotating which only the E string needed it. I'm sorta new to bass, but I been producing music for 10 years. But being a new bassist, it feels great. I do highly recommend this bass. Great price.Liam C

what a great bass! It's beautiful, light, and sonically versatile. the different pickup modes have 3 radically different tones which makes this bass right for lots of situations. I've seen some reviews that mentioned so issues with some fret roughness but mine showed up in perfect condition. I couldn't be happier with the bass. I also want to mention the customer service. I used the chat feature to confirm whether this bass came with a bag or case. the agent let me know that it does not but pointed me to the bundle that includes the bag and they set me up with a price I could not pass up. once I completed the purchase the item was shipped within 90 minutes. Other music stores I've done business with are not nearly as responsive. CME killed itShaun M.

This is a great short scale bass. It is a quality instrument. The finish is excellent. Playability straight out of the box was very good. Nicely set up.I love the pick-ups and the ability to blend the two with their individual volume controls. Great range of tones available. It looks good too ! Highly recommended. The only gripe is that at this price it should come in a hard case and not a bag !Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Really good guitar for nirvana type music. Only issue is that you need to set it up for it to be playable but once it's set up it's a great instrument. Pickups are pretty articulate but not to bright either just perfectly balanced. If you get one I recommend to lock the bridge down to improve its tuning stability and sustain. Note it DOES NOT sound like a kc style mustang, it has its own sort of sound to it. Fretboard is pretty nice same with the low radius which I prefer. Overall it's one of my favorite guitars I've ever bought and I cannot recommend it enough if you play grunge and nirvana music.Preston

I no longer play in public or on a regular schedule so I gifted my handbuilt bass to my son. I was intrigued with this offering from Peavey and the price was reasonable. Spent a few minutes adjusting things to my style of play when it arrived and spent the next 2 hours playing old bass lines. The tone is very versatile and the neck has a smooth, non-stick finish which is a delight to play. There was zero hum with the electronics and the finish is stunning. At present, I'm very happy with this purchase. Online time will tell how well it holds up after a few years down the road. I would recommend this bass to anyone that is either entry level or someone who just want to enjoy playing in the privacy of their own home.madmex35

I've been Thumping for over 40 years. I needed a bass to fill in while my regular rigs are in transit to a new location. This bass is nice and tight. I ran it through a complete setup and only had to adjust string height. This is my first Peavey, and I love it! Great tone, nice action. I've got units that cost a lot more and this thing sounds better than some of them!davlen2000

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