The Ultimate Beginner Bass Buying Guide

If you’re looking to buy your first bass, you want the best bass possible.

But you don’t want to:

Waste all your bass playing time in a deep rabbit hole of gear reviews, forum threads and tons of information that isn’t helpful or practical.

Worry you’re not qualified to make this bass-buying decision.

Stop yourself from diving into the world of bass playing for fear of buying the wrong thing.

Don’t worry! I’m here to save you from those nasty pitfalls. I’ll give you the wisdom and confidence to find your first bass and start down the noble path of bass playing.

First you need to know what to ignore. Then, figure out what you’ll need to prepare to buy your bass.

Relax! Keep the pressure off. Basses are returnable! All basses are good basses. If you end up with a bass at the end of the process, you have succeeded. Because having a bass to play is infinitely better than not having a bass.

Buying A Bass

Preparing to buy a bass + the Internet = one hot mess.

You wanna be confident in your bass buying decision, so you do what all us Internet sleuths do: get online and absorb as much information as possible, from the comfort of your home and without a bass in your hands. 

This will lead you to detailed reviews and specs about different makes and models of bass. There will be heaps of people telling you what they think. They may contradict one another. They will certainly all fill you with loads and loads of opinions and preconceived notions that you absolutely don’t need as a beginning bassist looking to buy your first bass.

It doesn’t have to be like this.

Focusing on specs and details has its time and place, but as a beginner buying a first bass, it’s unnecessary. It drains time and energy, while pumping you full of information that doesn’t have any anchor in real life experience.

There are a million things to ignore as a beginner bass buyer. 

Here are my top 10 things from videos and forums that you can absolutely, definitely ignore:

10 Things You Can Ignore (And Why)

#1Wood

Wood choice is important for if you like how it looks and feels. That’s important. But it is not an objective measure of quality or sound!

#2Pickups

‘Do the pickups work?’ is the basic question for first bass buying. We have to pick and choose our rabbit hole battles, and this is not the one for your first bass.

If you get a decent bass by a decent company, the pickups too will be decent.

If you choose to stick with the noble path of bass playing, you can jump down all of the pickup rabbit holes once you know how to play the instrument.

It doesn’t matter enough to change the bass choice! If you like a bass that has either of these pickup designs, great. Go for it.

#3# of Frets

As real-life bassists, we spend 0.00001% of our time on those frets up there. These are insignificant frets, and they have no bearing on your first bass.

#4Type of Neck Connection to the Body

File this with the tonewood and the neck wood points. It seriously doesn’t matter for the beginning bassist.

#5Neck Shape

You can’t possibly know what the benefits or drawbacks are of any of these options until a bass is in your hands. This is 100% something you have to feel and heft if you want to make a decision.

#6Type of String

99.99% of all basses come with roundwounds, so if you want to try other strings, it’ll be on your time and dime after you get a bass that has roundwound strings on it. 

#7Fretless vs Fretted

If you’re just starting out, get a fretted bass. They are far and away more common, more in demand, more expected in all music scenarios, and much, much easier to get good sounds out of.

If you have a full chest tattoo of Jaco Pastorius shaking hands with your full back tattoo of Pino Palladino, feel free to ignore me and get that fretless.

#8Left-handed Basses

I am not a lefty. But BassBuzz Josh is. And he plays right-handed. His advice: 

If you’re a beginner, you’re going to be training your hands to do this weird bass thing from scratch.  It makes more sense to play right handed, cuz you’ll get the benefit of having every instructor and instruction material play like you do, and you’ll be able to find basses to play more easily.

Stores always have one, sad left-handed bass at the end of their 50 or so right-handed instruments.

#9Acoustic Basses

While these basses are built to look like acoustic guitars, they don’t have much bass tone or projection when played acoustically. They get buried very quickly in most acoustic playing scenarios.

Because they don’t have pickups, there’s nowhere to anchor the thumb for plucking.

Because the bodies are so big, it can be very uncomfortable to get your arm over to actually play the things.

If you want to know what an acoustic instrument looks like that actually has bass and projection… that’s an upright bass. A giant, giant thing. That’s how big it needs to be to have projection and bass tone.

#104 string? 5 string? More than 5 strings???

As a beginning player, 4 strings is the perfect number of strings.

The occasional 5 string song that comes along will serve to inspire you to learn bass and save up for the next bass, which can be a 5 (or more) string.

Naturally, you can ignore me telling you to ignore things.

If you’re dead set on a 5 string, fretless, left-handed, acoustic bass with flatwound strings and you’re going to research the hell out of the woods and the pickups you can choose from…

I can’t stop you.

But you won’t be as good at bass as the person who goes out and finds the much more accessible 4 string, fretted, right-handed electric bass with whatever wood, pickups and strings it comes with.

They’ll be practicing while you’re still researching the resonant qualities of alder wood.

4 Things To Focus On

I am injecting a small amount of snark into the article, but only because I am fervently hoping that I can keep you from falling into the crowd of over-informed, under-experienced bass buyers that are a product of internet deep dives.

And while I will eventually say a few words about brands and models, the majority of bass-buying wisdom has nothing to do with brand specifics.  

Bass-buying wisdom has everything to do with knowing whether or not a bass:

1. LOOKS GOOD
2. COSTS GOOD
3. WORKS GOOD
4. PLAYS GOOD (FEELS GOOD / SOUNDS GOOD)

The first two you can prepare without a bass in your hands. The second two need a bass.

Preparing To Buy a Bass

Things You Can Do Without an Actual Bass in Your Hands

#1Looks Good

If this ends up being 90% of your bass-buying criteria, I fully support you.

When you’re starting out, everything about plucking giant metal wires strung across a big slab of wood can feel very awkward. How do you know what feels good when it’s all new and weird?

And it all sounds like… bass. How do you know if it sounds like good bass or bad bass?  

This can all take time and experience before it starts to affect your bass world.

But looks?

You know what looks cool to you right away.

You should buy a bass that you love the look of.

Be stoked on your bass. Be the friend that sends photos of their new bass to the text thread. Love your cool-looking bass.

This looking-at-basses-on-the-internet rabbit-hole is particularly deadly. Yes, you want a bass that looks cool. But within 5 minutes of surfing bass images, you’ll end up on some custom bass-builder website putting together your dream instrument that will cost $5,000 and won’t be delivered for 3 years.

So – I urge caution.

Definitely look at basses, find ones that you love, but set a timer. Have a safe word. Something. (And, for the love of Cliff Burton, don’t have your first bass be a custom instrument from an artisan builder!!! – more on that later.)

There are also some serious things to consider with looks. Prepare yourself to ask these questions when confronted with a real-life bass:

Even if all you care about is the look of your bass (again, I applaud you), you still need to clear that terrible, bring-you-back-to-reality hurdle:

Money.

You have to be able to afford your bass.

You need a bass that…

#2Costs Good

There’s a plus side to having a tight budget.  In a world of near infinite bass choices, if you set a limit to what you can spend, you’ll make the bass search a million times easier.  

People tend to forget that you have to buy a bass and a lot of other things with the bass to become a fully armed and operational bassist.

Don’t forget to factor these other bits into your bass budget:

• A cable ($20 -ish)

15 feet is plenty for practice in a room. 25 feet is good for on stage. No cables are perfect. Just get one that has a decent gauge and doesn’t look like a cheap toy from a Radio Shack discount box.

• A strap ($20 – 60 and up, if you go for thick, leather, lots of padding, etc.)

It’s a good idea to always play with the strap on your bass. Whether you’re sitting or standing, it helps with the balance, and shifts the weight to your shoulders instead of your playing hands.

• Gig Bag ($25 – $50 and up… you can get some very nice bags)

Don’t get a hard case! If the bass comes with one, fine. But you will want a soft case. They are cheaper, more practical, more useful, and until you’re loading your bass into the back of a tour van with all the other gear, it will be just fine for protecting your instrument.

• Tuner ($20 – 100 depending on what style tuner you get)

I recommend a simple clip-on tuner to start. They’re portable, versatile, and do a fine job of helping you keep your instrument in tune.

• Amplifier ($100 – $250)

Please don’t skimp here!

You can find dinky little amps that will work…  but they will also make your new bass sound like a weak, twangy guitar.

It’s more money, but if you’re getting a decent instrument, don’t skimp on the practice amp! Get something that will make a lovely, satisfying sound so that you’ll love the sound of practicing!

And you still have to go buy the damn bass!

It’s an investment, to be sure. If you’re at a very cool guitar shop, they may throw some of these things in with the bass purchase.

You can hit up all your musician friends for some hand me downs.

You can also find some of these items used to trim cost.

At this point, you’ve done all the at-home bass research, planning and preparation you can do.

In order to figure out what you, specifically, like about different basses, you need to have a bass in your hands.

A Word About Bass Brands

I know, I got all potty-mouthed at the beginning and took a big s*#! on internet over-education. It’s time for me to gently walk that back.  

Hearing every internet bass-content-creator’s opinion about basses, brands and models isn’t always helpful, but being aware of the different brands and models certainly is.

Knowing your way around the known and trusted bass manufactures, models and brands can be very helpful when buying your first bass. 

Known and Trusted Brands are known and trusted because, more often than not, they make decent products.

They also hold their value much better than unknown, generic brands, which is great if you want to sell your beginning axe to upgrade later. (Custom built instruments are notoriously hard to sell used! Be warned!)

My short list of known and trusted brands (particularly for beginner level instruments) is:

There are a million more brands, but there are enough basses in this list to get started.

If you are buying a bass from one of the known and trusted brands above, I have faith that it will be within a certain realm of decent.

If you’re not sure where to start, check out your favorite bass players. What do they play? If you like a bass sound that you’ve heard, that’s an ideal place to begin your bass search.

Regardless of make, model, age, cost or look of the instrument, you still need to have it in your hands to know if you like it or not.

Actually Buying A Bass

Things You Must Do With an Actual Bass in Your Hands

#3Works Good

You want a bass that works.

This seems beyond basic, but – particularly if you’re looking at used instruments – you want to make sure everything is in working order.

Even new instruments can have faulty parts, so prepare to have your listening ears on, prepare to gently jiggle the cable, wiggle them knobs, and tune the thing. 

You want a bass that is problem free, and reliable.

Electric basses are affordable enough that there’s no reason* to buy a fixer-upper. Go ahead and wait for a fully-functioning instrument.

*There are always exceptions. For example: if you find a beat up vintage Fender at an estate sale, yes. Buy it and fix it up. Then send it to me. Thank you very much.

#4Plays Good! (Feels Good + Sounds Good)

If the bass is working you need to make sure it plays well.

How a bass plays is a combination of how it feels for you to physically move your fingers around on it, and the sound that comes out. They both have to be satisfying if you’re going to buy the instrument.

The Shopping Trip

When you feel ready to step out and start spending that money, you’ll do it in one of three ways. You’ll either go to a music store, find a used bass from someone, or you’ll order online.

In all of these cases you’ll finally have a bass in your hands.

Once you’re there, don’t forget your handy checklists from up above.

But buying – in any of the 3 scenarios – has its own challenges. Here are some extra tips that can help out no matter what way you buy.

Buying A Bass From A Store

I know I’m old fashioned, but having local music stores is something I treasure in every community I’ve lived in, visited and toured through. The people that work here tend to love instruments (even if they don’t always know how to deal with other humans), know heaps about instruments, and are the repository of gear lore, word-of-mouth reviews, and real life experiences with the gear you’re looking for.  

If you can, find yourself a shop.  Massive bonus points if it’s a local shop and not a monster chain, but I’m not getting up on that soap box today.

Having a Bass Buying Buddy

It’s a great idea to have a bass buddy when you go to buy your first bass. Hopefully you have a friend who has some bass experience.

This could be a buddy, a family member, or even a private instructor. I have gone on bass-buying field trips with many students, and it’s always tremendously helpful for everyone, and it’s great for me (or your bass buddy) because I get to play tons of basses. 

You’ll have someone with an unbiased opinion but plenty of experience to give another take on whatever bass you happen to be messing around with.

What to play in the store Paralysis

If you’re a beginner in a room full of other humans (let alone other musicians), it can be uncomfortable when the salesperson hands you a bass and says, “go on, try it out.”

Here are some options for that moment:

• Have your Bass Buying Buddy there!  
• Ask the salesperson to demo the instrument, as you’d like to hear it, and you’re just a beginner (prepare for some serious slap bass and potential wankage).
• Remember the ideas laid out above in “Plays Good” – play open strings. Play one fret at a time and look for buzzy frets. Just dink around on the thing.  

I’ve worked and hung out in many music stores in many places for many years. If you are honestly trying to hear the sound of the bass, there is nothing you can play or do on the instrument that will be shameful, embarrassing or terrible. Ya gotta hear the dang thing.

We music store employees have seen some serious s#%*.

You’ll be a delight and a joy.  

Buying A Used Instrument

I’m talking here about when you find something on Craig’s List or Marketplace, or any other local classified go-meet-someone-and-check-out-the-bass type of scenario.

Have a Bass / Safety Buddy

OK, I suggested having a bass buying buddy if you go to the store.

That’s a luxury and convenience. But in this potentially shady world?? It’s necessary. They don’t have to play the bass. Just make sure you have someone to witness the potential transaction, and keep things feeling safe.

Make sure you’ll be able to take your time, play and test the bass

Don’t meet in the supermarket parking lot.

You’ll have to meet somewhere you can really put the bass through the tests (as described above). You absolutely have to try it out plugged-in to an amplifier.

The Lemon Alert

Watch for these signs. Even basses from Known and Trusted brands can be abused into lemon status.  

• Super High action
• Signs of Neglect ( rust, cobwebs, dust, loose and broken parts, old strings, missing strings, missing pieces, etc.)
• Scratches, dings, cracks, obvious (and possibly amateur) repair jobs, and other signs of rough treatment
• No serial number, or a lack of identifying marks (missing logo, missing model, Logo looks hand-drawn, etc.)
• It’s being offered out of the back of a windowless van

Buying A Bass Online

While I treasure and encourage local music shop patronage at every opportunity, I also fully understand that going to a shop is not an option for some people. Same for braving the wastelands of used gear sites.

So if you have to buy online, these two tips will save you from future pain and heartache.

The Return Policy!

Get very familiar with the company’s/individual’s/website’s return policy.

Because so much of bass buying is about the individual instrument, you need to make sure you have a way out if the bass you get sent doesn’t look/feel/sound/play/work good!

Also, if you entertain the idea of returning the bass, make sure you’re ready for the time and energy to re-pack, re-box and re-ship a bass. Don’t get stuck with something you’re not happy with just because of the hassle of returns and shipping!

Prepare to Learn Bass Maintenance!

Instruments shipped from the factory or even, sometimes, from shops may be straight out of the box. This means you’ll have to be the one to tune it up, and get it set up in its optimal playing condition.

Conclusion

The right bass is the one that you can play.

Having a bass makes it one million times easier to get better at bass vs not having a bass.

So long as you can stay out of the deep rabbit holes and maintain your relationships, buying a bass can be low pressure and amazing.

Now, go buy a bass and play it.