Tune A Bass Guitar 4 String For Sale (2024 Update)

I have been looking at Thunderbirds for a while now. All the Epiphone and Gibson versions. Realized quickly the Gibbys were out of my price range although I wanted the Heritage Cherry version bad… My son spotted this one when it first came out.It was a stone cold copy of the original T-Bird that came out in '63. Had some Backstage points so I scooped this one up in Tobacco Sunburst. I was nervous because of the T-birds I had played in the past were neck heavy. Mine arrived after the typical lightning fast shipping by MF. It arrived in perfect shape. The finish was flawless, not a blemish or buffer burn anywhere. Hardware was classy. All the chrome from the tuners to the the pickup covers is perfect. Plugged it in to my Acoustic 600 W combo amp and went to town! Sound was great! Simple to dial in and the sustain is incredible. Put a strap on it and the afore mentioned neck heavy problem was non-existent! This bass is moderately heavy but not unbearable by any means. I played my first gig with it today, Thanksgiving 2019! It felt so natural to play, like I have been playing it forever. I could not be happier with this bass! It is everything you could ask for without a different name on the head stock. I have not played the Gibson but I can't imagine how it could sound or feel any better. Buy without hesitation! I am bummed it took me this long to decide on one. I have a lot of basses but this one is now my go to…. I can't think of a bad point to mention. Again, buy it! You will not be disappointed! As a side note, it fits in the EPI T-bird case like a glove. Plenty of room for that massive head stock!Hood's Creek bass 17

Anyone who's ever gone on the hunt for a good Thunderbird bass that they're pretty much awesome or awful with little middle ground regardless if it carries an Epiphone or Gibson name badge. I have a pretty big bass collection myself, but have never found an attainable T-Bird that I found appealing. Even among vintage models of Gibsons, dogs are as common as players, and few are truly worthwhile to me. What I discovered while searching for a good Thunderbird was that I favored vintage models with a separate tailpiece and pre-Bicentennial pickups: the intonation is superior and the tone fuller while still having that characteristic Thunderbird snarl. Since most of those are prohibitively expensive because of age and rarity and I don't care for the modern Gibson versions' TB plus pickups and three point bridge or the bolt-on Epiphones with their TERRIBLE pickups, I had pretty much resigned myself that short of finding a screaming deal on a 60's Thunderbird IV or becoming a rock star, my T-Bird itch would go unscratched. …enter the Epi Vintage Pro. It has literally everything I love about the old 60's 'Birds with some modern improvements in finish durability (I love nitro lacquer as much as anyone, but let's be honest, poly is WAY more durable) and intonation since the bridge is moved to its proper scale location. Add in the vintage "oversized" headstock, the neck-though-body construction and the AMAZING recreations of vintage Thunderbird pickups, and you have one monster of an instrument! I really can't say enough good things about it, and just to be clear, I would take this instrument OVER a US-made modern Gibson Thunderbird ANY day! I value quality and tone in my instruments over investment value and this bass has both in spades. If you're looking for an amazing bass for a great price, look no further!Anthony

First and foremost props to American Musical for their help with shipping, the company they used had a delay, and my Tbird went missing for a bit. American musical went above and beyond to help figure out the problem and i got my bass with very little frustration. Out of the box the bass is set up, action was a little high for me, but a simple 1/4 turn and it was playing great. The pickups have a great rock vibe, punchy, but not to high. Big difference between the Gibson and this Epi. Is the weight. It’s a lot lighter, and there isn’t as much neck dive, but be warned, the headstock is a whole inch longer than the Gibson, or the other Epiphone options. So far i absolutely love this bass, for less than half the cost of a new Gibson, this bass delivers. I’ve played Gibson’s, Fender USA’s, Spectors, and several others. For the money, this bass has been amazing.Jansen

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

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

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

I have been looking at Thunderbirds for a while now. All the Epiphone and Gibson versions. Realized quickly the Gibbys were out of my price range although I wanted the Heritage Cherry version bad… My son spotted this one when it first came out.It was a stone cold copy of the original T-Bird that came out in '63. Had some Backstage points so I scooped this one up in Tobacco Sunburst. I was nervous because of the T-birds I had played in the past were neck heavy. Mine arrived after the typical lightning fast shipping by MF. It arrived in perfect shape. The finish was flawless, not a blemish or buffer burn anywhere. Hardware was classy. All the chrome from the tuners to the the pickup covers is perfect. Plugged it in to my Acoustic 600 W combo amp and went to town! Sound was great! Simple to dial in and the sustain is incredible. Put a strap on it and the afore mentioned neck heavy problem was non-existent! This bass is moderately heavy but not unbearable by any means. I played my first gig with it today, Thanksgiving 2019! It felt so natural to play, like I have been playing it forever. I could not be happier with this bass! It is everything you could ask for without a different name on the head stock. I have not played the Gibson but I can't imagine how it could sound or feel any better. Buy without hesitation! I am bummed it took me this long to decide on one. I have a lot of basses but this one is now my go to…. I can't think of a bad point to mention. Again, buy it! You will not be disappointed! As a side note, it fits in the EPI T-bird case like a glove. Plenty of room for that massive head stock!Hood's Creek bass 17

Anyone who's ever gone on the hunt for a good Thunderbird bass that they're pretty much awesome or awful with little middle ground regardless if it carries an Epiphone or Gibson name badge. I have a pretty big bass collection myself, but have never found an attainable T-Bird that I found appealing. Even among vintage models of Gibsons, dogs are as common as players, and few are truly worthwhile to me. What I discovered while searching for a good Thunderbird was that I favored vintage models with a separate tailpiece and pre-Bicentennial pickups: the intonation is superior and the tone fuller while still having that characteristic Thunderbird snarl. Since most of those are prohibitively expensive because of age and rarity and I don't care for the modern Gibson versions' TB plus pickups and three point bridge or the bolt-on Epiphones with their TERRIBLE pickups, I had pretty much resigned myself that short of finding a screaming deal on a 60's Thunderbird IV or becoming a rock star, my T-Bird itch would go unscratched. …enter the Epi Vintage Pro. It has literally everything I love about the old 60's 'Birds with some modern improvements in finish durability (I love nitro lacquer as much as anyone, but let's be honest, poly is WAY more durable) and intonation since the bridge is moved to its proper scale location. Add in the vintage "oversized" headstock, the neck-though-body construction and the AMAZING recreations of vintage Thunderbird pickups, and you have one monster of an instrument! I really can't say enough good things about it, and just to be clear, I would take this instrument OVER a US-made modern Gibson Thunderbird ANY day! I value quality and tone in my instruments over investment value and this bass has both in spades. If you're looking for an amazing bass for a great price, look no further!Anthony

First and foremost props to American Musical for their help with shipping, the company they used had a delay, and my Tbird went missing for a bit. American musical went above and beyond to help figure out the problem and i got my bass with very little frustration. Out of the box the bass is set up, action was a little high for me, but a simple 1/4 turn and it was playing great. The pickups have a great rock vibe, punchy, but not to high. Big difference between the Gibson and this Epi. Is the weight. It’s a lot lighter, and there isn’t as much neck dive, but be warned, the headstock is a whole inch longer than the Gibson, or the other Epiphone options. So far i absolutely love this bass, for less than half the cost of a new Gibson, this bass delivers. I’ve played Gibson’s, Fender USA’s, Spectors, and several others. For the money, this bass has been amazing.Jansen

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

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.

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

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

I own five Ibanez basses, my first one I bought back in 1982 was the Silver Series P bass. This is a really solid bass, I can get many different sounds out it, it feels good and is comfortable to play, it has nice bottom, growl and sustain. Great value for this price range, go for it!Mike

This bass plays and feels fabulous. The pickups are a little noisy, but for the price how could one complain? I'm switching out the pickups and electronics and I'm sure it will be a stellar instrument. The craftsman ship is killer for this price point.zestofyore

I tour with this guitar and it has so much character and I fell in love with the tone right away. Rosewood fretboards are not in style anymore so a maple fretboard on a bass is a major plus. Everyone loves it. It was hard choosing the warm yellow or cool mint green. I went with the mint green to go with our beachy image.Kayla

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

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

So hey. I’m kinda new at this sort of thing. I did grow up playing music in the bands and orchestra. Mostly woodwinds. I did always want to play some strings. So finally I do. I’ve been at the guitar for a little while now. And it’s very exciting to find an opportunity to study bass. This instrument seems very fundamental and good to me. So I’m excited about it. Good deal for starting out. Thing is, as I’ve been practicing,… I just kinda noticed that I can’t seem to get the High A note to speak as well as I’d like. I mean everything sounds great. But I’m going to have my guitar shop buddies take a look at the fret there. Something isn’t quite right. I bet it just needs a little adjustment. That’s a pretty sweet note if you can fit it in a solo. But of course that deep bass and fundamental sound is what it’s really about. !!!Egore

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

Sound: The stock pickups sound great especially with high gain. Nice crunch and break up. Features: For me the reason that I bought this model is that it is the least expensive way to get a real Edge tremolo. I can do subtle things with the Edge that I can’t do on an Original Floyd Rose. The bar is easier to position and it stays where ever you put it. As long as the torsion bushings on the bar aren’t worn out, the pop in bar is neither too tight or too sloppy. Value: This guitar is worth every penny. Manufacturer Support: I did not use Ibanez customer service and I did order half a dozen sets of torsion bushings, but had to order them from different places. The Wow Factor: I love the color of this one, Desert Sun Yellow. Overall: In the last 2 months I’ve bought 5 different Ibanez guitars, both lower and higher price. I must say that this guitar is the most bang for the buck out of any of my 21 guitars that I own.Got more than 200 bucks off on mine as it was sold as a slight blemish. When the guitar arrived, I noticed it did have a hairline crack in the paint on the bass side at the neck pocket. That was the only flaw I could find and it probably would have happened anyway if I would have got a “new” one.This is the shreddiest guitar that I have. The only thing that I had to address is that the 6th fret was a little proud. Other than that the fret job was good. All the frets were shiny and smooth and no fret sprout.This is the guitar that is at the price point where if you spend more money, you aren’t going to get much better. And the fit and finish were top notch.Scott

Overall: This guitar was a total impulse buy and I’m so glad I bought it! It’s easily worth twice the price of it. Can’t get too many mid tier guitars that are neck thru with decent pickups and a 5-way switch that has a fast and slim neck at this price. I mostly play baritone 6 strings and 7 strings but I needed a 25.5” scale for drop C and this is perfect for it with 10-54 strings. I did upgrade the nut with a Graphtech tusq nut and Hipshot locking tuners with knurled tuner buttons and looks even more badass while staying in perfect tune! I have an Ibanez rgib6 Iron Label 28” baritone and this is up there with that as far as quality and playability. The stock pickups aren’t bad at all and definitely surprised me cuz that’s usually the first thing I’ll change in an inexpensive guitar. As you can see by the other reviews people say it’s a great guitar and they’re not lying so if you’re on the fence about getting it then go for it! You won’t be disappointed at all and if for some reason you are then zZounds has a return policy within like 30-45 days so you won’t be stuck with a guitar you don’t love.Josh

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

As a long time guitarist, I thought I'd dip my toe into the world of bass. This is an incredible product for the money and in no way feels or looks like an entry level product. Really usable features which lend towards a huge range of tones from a single instrument. The guys at GG set up instruments to be played straight off and this one was no different – great action on a highly playable neck.Superb!Reviewed by guitarguitar custome

I have had this beautiful five string fretless bass guitar for almost four months now. This guitar was set up just right out of the box. The only two things that I had to do differently was of course to put flatwound bass strings on this bass, and I chose to raise the strings action up a little higher. Other than that this bass is exactly what I wanted in a fretless bass guitar. I wanted a bass that could nail those "Jaco Pastorius" bright tight punchier "Jazz" bass tones. This bass also does the new age music fretless bass sounds so well. It is very well built, and has a beautiful finish. I could not ask for any more from a bass especially for the wide range of sounds to be had from a bass like this Ibanez SR375EF! Thank You American Musical Supply. Sincerely Steve N. Jr.Steven N.

Overall: I bought this without playing it, but was very pleased right out of the box. My fingers were black after a few minutes of playing due to the dirty strings, but that didn't dampen my opinion by any means (but good idea to purchase a new set of strings along with the bass). Bought the Walnut Finish (looks more expensive) for use with my SC-300 Boss Looper (also purchased from zZounds). It sounds great! I'm not onstage playing head banger metal, so don't need that rumbling low end anyway. But the pickup configuration def gives you a lot of low end. Even though I've been playing guitar and bass for over 30 years, I would use this bass onstage, AND more importantly, if you are introducing anyone to playing bass – this will be a much easier learning bass due to the size. It still feels like a 'bass' and it's not tiny or anything, but it doesn't feel clunky like a bigger bass does. I'm looking forward to using this for a long while, and assuming it holds up over the next few months I'll likely grab another one just to have a backup. Don't hesitate if you need for a recording bass, or onstage. And def great for a beginner to keep them from losing interest due to most basses being too large for them.Jason

This is my second Mikro. I gave my first to my nephew, and moved onto full scale bass guitars, some fairly expensive. However, I missed that Mikro. Even though it?s the cheapest bass I own, it is by far the most fun to play and sits next to my desk as the ?go-to? guitar to pick up and play when the mood hits. Love this thing.RICHARD

I'm recently retired and a beginner with the base. The Ibanez miKro Series GSRM20 was just what I needed to get started. The short scale is better for stiff fingers, and I found it quite easy to play. The quality is very good for this lower priced guitar, and it came mostly set up, needing only a few tweeks. I recommend this product to others, especially older folks with arthritis.MARK

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.

Just took delivery of a used Hofner shorty bass in black. Lovely instrument. Fit and finish was fine. I had to do a little bit of intonation setting which took no time. The neck is better than expected. Frets are finished properly and the neck has a nice satin finish. Its not to wide, not too thick and feels great. The pickup delivers and even sound across the strings. There are no dead spots. Volume and tone controls work great and the knurled knobs feel very good. I was able to dial in some of my preferred sounds using the VPF control on my Markbass Blackline 250 going through a Markbass NY604 cabinet. I was also liking the sounds going through an Eden World Tour preamp. Im looking forward to rehearsal tomorrow using the Eden directly into an EV ZLX 12 powered cabinet. The bass came professionally packed and really appeared to be new. Love the padded Hofner gig bad with the logo on it. All in all a great small, inexpensive (but not cheap) bass for practice, performance and especially travel.Miguel404

First of all, this bass is just what I wanted for practicing when traveling. Compact, 24 frets, decent electronics and comes with a gig bag. Intonation was pretty good too. I did adjust the intonation, but that's really only because I'm kind of fussy about intonation. One thing I will say is I had never experienced "neck dive" until I owned this bass like. in the resting position, the bass headstock will point right down to 5 o'clock. Since this is a practice instrument, I made some modifications. I put weight in the body cavity, but the body cavity is not huge, so with extra weight, I could get the neck to hang in the resting position at about 3 o'clock. I next removed the front strap pin and drilled a 3/8" in diameter hole 2" into the body at the same angle as the strap pin screw. I purchased 3/8" aluminum round stock and cut it to 7.5". 2" would insert into the body and 5.5" would remain outside to mount the strap button while extending out to nearly the 12th fret. I painted the round stock black (primer and paint). I mounted (drilled and epoxied) the strap button on the end of the round stock. I think epoxied the extender into the body. It looks pretty darned good and now the bass balances perfectly.Kevin1014

I had wanted to learn how to play bass guitar since my early 20's so I finally decided to make it happen at age 46. After doing quite a bit of online and in-store research I landed on the Yahama TRBX 304. Rather than explain all the reasons I didn't select a different brand or model I'll tell you why I picked this one. To put it simply, it just felt and sounded right. The neck is smooth and somewhat narrow which is great for my small hands. The frets are mellow with no sharp or jagged edges and the ergonomic pick-ups with the thumb/finger contours fit like a glove. The electronics are amazing as well. Aside from my poor finger placement on the frets I don't get a lot of annoying buzz. The five EQ settings are great for allowing me to find the sounds I'm looking for without investing in a higher end accessories. My only complaint about this guitar would be the aesthetics. While I like the feel and contouring of the base, I wish they had a better color selection. Would love to see this in the old violin sunburst color the 204 comes in but I have no complaints otherwise. Having never really played a guitar of any kind I'm happy to say I've already been able to learn a few easy songs like Seven Nation Army. Yesterday I learned Tool's "46 and 2" and have a basic understanding of The Beatles "Come Together". Overall I couldn't have made a better choice within my $300 – $400 budget.JASON

I've owned this instrument for going on seven months. Possibly the most beautiful bass I've ever owned; wherever I play I'm complimented on its jewel-like stunning candy apple red finish. Combined with a superior active EQ system, it's a beauty AND a beast. Great variety of styles through a 5-way switch that actually works! Nicely finished, high-quality rosewood fretboard with a satin neck, a bit on the thin side. Currently it's suffering the dreaded winter season's sharp fret ends, but it's only slight. A feature I appreciate (especially after 4-hour gigs) is the body wood, which is substantial enough, but somehow made lighter, I guess by "chamfering" which is what I call tapering, because it's not chambered. Somewhat beefier bridge than a Fender Std American J-Bass, perfectly aligned to center strings directly over the pole pieces. Easy access to the truss rod. The bass could have benefited from a better nut, but it's serviceable. Pups are designed with a scooped out slot as a thumb rest, which I notice other musicians find beneficial (but I don't, depends on how you prefer to rest your thumb). I often use this for practice/rehearsing and sometimes for gigs when I don't want to risk losing or damaging my G&L Kiloton. This really is the only bass I'd consider gigging with full-time at the price–it's that good.MetroPlexBass