Beginning Bass Guitar Lessons

How to choose the right electric bass to keep the beginning bassist in the groove without busting your budget

The bass guitar, the long-necked brontosaurus of stringed instruments, produces a sound that has become iconic in modern music since its rise to popularity in the 1950s. The warm, propulsive sounds that plucking, slapping, popping, tapping, or thumping these smooth-talking instruments generate anchors the rhythm of most pop music.

Bass guitars come in many different types and styles, but most have between four and six strings, the most popular being the four-string variety. For beginners their availability, price, and relatively easier learning curve makes the four-string bass the preferred choice.

Economy and Playability

Aim to strike a balance between quality and economy. Price is important, but an instrument with poor sound quality and playability can frustrate you to the point of feeling discouraged. The Dean Edge 09 4-String Electric Bass Guitar, is a great choice for doing just that. Not only one of the most affordable basses we stock, it's also one of the most highly rated. The Edge's maple neck has a fast, sleek that’s easy to play. A unique Dean-design neck joint and heel along with an asymmetrical 4-bolt pattern give you unhindered movement all the way up the 22-fret neck. It may not have the frills of a higher priced bass, but it beats the pants off many other instruments in its class.

The Compact Model

Two common characteristics among beginner bassists are that they are often young, and they are always lugging their bass from home to lessons and occasional jam session with friends. It doesn't take a logistical whiz to see what sort of issues a teen would have hauling around a 34"-scale instrument—fortunately Ibanez has a solution in the form of their GSRM20 Mikro Short-Scale Bass Guitar. Beside portability, the shorter 28.60” scale is easier to handle for folks with a shorter fingers. Don't let its size fool you through, this top-rated little guy packs a big sound.

Play a Classic

The Fender Precision Bass was the first mass-produced electric bass guitar, and approaching seven decades after its debut it’s still among the most popular basses ever. You’ll find the “P-Bass” being played in just about any musical genre you can imagine. Its tight, focused low-frequency response has made it a go-to instrument in pop, rock, blues, reggae and many more musical neighborhoods. Built by Fender’s budget-friendly Squier division, the Matt Freeman Precision Bass shares much of the playability and sound of its more costly Fender cousins. The Rancid bass player’s signature instrument is equipped with powerful custom split pickups that generate classic P-Bass tone. The basswood body and C-shaped maple neck contribute to the instrument’s legendary sustain. A solid choice for the committed student bass player.