5 Bass Guitars That Deserve The Spotlight in 2021
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Right now, bass players have more high-quality options than ever before, making it the ideal moment to invest in one of the greatest bass guitars. You’ll be spoiled for choice whether you’re looking for a booming five-string to bring the gloom, a killer four-string to smack around, or an understated classic.
However, the plethora of epic bass guitars makes it a little more difficult. So, how do you pick the best one for you? Fortunately, we’ve already done the legwork for you. We looked everywhere for the best bass guitars available; some will be inexpensive, while others will be expensive, but we made sure to include basses for all budgets and playing styles.
Let’s take a look at some of the top-rated bass guitars that are trending among guitarists:
Top Rated Bass Guitars – Comparative Table
| Product | Features | Latest Price |
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| 1. Ibanez GSRM20BK [amazon fields=”B0049S6JJK” value=”thumb”] |
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[amazon fields=”B0049S6JJK” value=”button”] |
| 2.Yamaha TRBX304 BL [amazon fields=”B00CINAYPI” value=”thumb”] |
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[amazon fields=”B00CINAYPI” value=”button”] |
| 3. Ibanez SR300EBL SR [amazon fields=”B01IRKQFVM” value=”thumb”] |
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[amazon fields=”B01IRKQFVM” value=”button”] |
| 4.Best Choice Products Acoustic-Electric Bass Guitar [amazon fields=”B003H8MXQQ” value=”thumb”] |
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[amazon fields=”B003H8MXQQ” value=”button”] |
| 5. 5.Ibanez GSRM20BWNF [amazon fields=”B00SMYGEBA” value=”thumb”] |
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[amazon fields=”B00SMYGEBA” value=”button”] |
Top Rated Bass Guitars- Our Reviews and Comparisons
1. Ibanez GSRM20BK
Product Highlights
The Ibanez GSRM20 Mikro Short-Scale Bass Guitar is designed for those who want a smaller bass guitar that isn’t too little to be considered a toy. It’s small enough for someone who needs something to take on a tour bus where space is limited.
Features
- The bass guitar is 8.4 pounds and is 42 x 17 x 4 inches. You may always buy a travel case separately if you desire one. This is an instrument designed for someone looking for a product that is both affordable and valuable.
- If you’ve been frustrated by other small-scale basses that limit your tone options, you should give the Ibanez GSRM20 Mikro Short-Scale Bass Guitar a try and see what a difference it can make. Given that this is not a high-end product, the tone is adequate, and the tuners and other hardware are functional. The tiny neck has a silky feel to it and plays quickly. This is very useful for people who have little hands. It’ll be ideal for teaching young children how to play bass guitar.
- The Ibanez GSRM20 Mikro Short-Scale Bass Guitar is a decent and affordable product. It is compact enough for someone who travels a lot.
- The instrument is also ideal for someone looking for a guitar to be used by children or by an adult with small hands. It is also easy to play, making it the ideal instrument for someone who wants to learn how to play bass or practice.
- If you want a case to keep the guitar safe when you travel, you can buy one separately.
- The guitar may need an adjustment on the bridge and neck. The tools you need to do this are included with your new guitar.
What We Like About Ibanez GSRM20BK
Although it is inexpensive, it does not have the toy-like feel of other guitars in the same price range. It’s small and light enough to carry about with you so you can practice wherever you are. The instrument’s size supports shorter fingers, making it an excellent choice for young children. It’s easier to play, making it a good choice for someone who is still learning to play bass guitar.
What We Don’t Like About Ibanez GSRM20BK
The instrument can be a little small for some amps. The manual you will get with the instrument is useful but you may notice that it has some mistakes and could also have missing information. Another problem is that the tuning keys can be a little rough at times making it difficult to tune your guitar. However, this is not a big issue as the guitar is okay overall. For an instrument of this price, it does most of the stuff that is expected of it.
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2. Yamaha TRBX304 BL
Product Highlights
The TRBX Series from Yamaha is a complete line of electric basses. The new basses have easy playability, ergonomic body shapes, and road-ready durability, thanks to their sophisticated design, precision engineering, and time-honored workmanship.
Features
- The body of the TRBX 304 is sleek, smooth, and clean – yet it also looks ready to rock! The exquisite rosewood fretboard contrasts well with the candy apple red headstock. The five-piece maple and mahogany neck is incredibly thin, which made it very easy to play, especially for my large hands. The tuning pegs, volume/tone controls, and bridge are all black nickel, giving this bass a sturdy, consistent aesthetic.
- The TRBX 304 has a tonne of bass, and we were blown away by how much low-end we could get out of it. On the other hand, the highs were crisp and clear, rising above the thunderous roar below.
- Two handy – and very good build quality – potentiometers directly next to the volume may easily adjust the highs and lows. The bass features a 5-point “Performance EQ” switch with pre-programmed EQ settings.
- Slap, Pick, Flat, Finger, and Solo are the EQ settings available. Slap and Pick are mid-scooped EQ options that remove the 300hz-500hz mud that would otherwise cover the track, while also providing a strong boost for cutting through the rest of the band.
What We Like About Yamaha TRBX304 BL
2 band EQ (treble and bass) through control knobs and a simple preset toggle switch for various sound characteristics. Control knobs for a two-band equalizer (bass and treble) with a preset toggle switch for different profiles. A robust and adaptable tone that works well in everything from modern rock and metal to mellow funk and jazz. With a die-cast bridge and a pure Mahogany body, the overall build quality is excellent.
What We Don’t Like About Yamaha TRBX304 BL
If this is your first bass guitar, the price may seem a little excessive, but the tone and hardware provide excellent value. The presets are wonderful, but they don’t give you a lot of flexibility over the mid-range frequencies, which might be a pain for experienced bassists.
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3.Ibanez SR300EBL SR
Product Highlights
The Ibanez SR300 is a good example of a highly versatile bass guitar that’s suitable for a wide range of genres. Ibanez is known for affordable yet well-made electric guitars and bass guitars, and the Ibanez SR300 is a good example of a highly versatile bass guitar that’s suitable for a wide range of genres.
Features
- Even though this is a low-cost instrument, the build quality is excellent. The body is composed of genuine mahogany, which provides warmth as well as durability.
- The SR300E is further distinguished by its five-piece neck. The three-piece design distinguishes the neck, which is composed of both maple and rosewood.
- Ibanez PowerSpan humbuckers are installed on this bass. Some players like the sound, while others don’t, but the three-way switching option gives this bass far more tonal variety than many similarly priced options.
- PowerSpan humbuckers also work well with effects, so if you want to get even more creative with your tone by using effects pedals, the SR300 is the way to go.
- These pickups are also active, allowing for high-volume sound when needed. The battery box is positioned on the back of the bass, making it simple to insert and remove batteries as needed.
- The SR300E also has a lot to offer in terms of controls. There are normal volume and tone controls, as well as a three-band EQ on board. This allows you to customize your tone to fit any instrument you’re playing.
- When you combine this with the Power Tap three-way switching, the SR300E becomes a tonal Swiss army knife.
- If you’re looking for a cheap bass, you may have noticed that many of them only come in one or two colors, so the SR300E’s variety of finish options is a nice difference. Although the Cosmo Black hardware on these basses is a clear benefit, the hardware finish is unlikely to make or break your bass-buying choice.
What We Like About Ibanez SR300EBL SR
Warm tone and lots of sustain are provided by the mahogany body. Pickup in three directions makes it possible to achieve a range of tones by switching with Power Tap. Sweeper EQ gives you more tonal possibilities than many other basses in the same price range. This is a terrific value bass at a reasonable price.
What We Don’t Like About Ibanez SR300EBL SR
Some consumers have complained that the pickups are a little noisy. Buyers have complained about quality control concerns in the past.
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4.Best Choice Products Acoustic-Electric Bass Guitar
Product Highlights
Products of Highest Quality Acoustic-Electric Bass Guitar is an excellent place to start if you’re new to music. It offers all of the tools you’ll need to get started practicing or playing in front of an audience.
Features
- This bass has a lovely mahogany body that comes in deep black, blue, and natural colors. The guitar’s look is further enhanced with a gorgeous inlay.
- The body’s cut-out design completes this electro-acoustic bass guitar’s striking look. Its body’s shiny and smooth surface makes it pleasant to touch and more appealing to the eye. The guitar’s look is perfectly completed by the guitar neck, which features a 22-fret rosewood fretboard, die-cast chrome tuners, and an adjustable truss rod.
- Despite its size and robust structure, the guitar isn’t heavy or difficult to play. The cut-out is a nice addition that adds to the comfort of the game. It substantially simplifies access to the fretboard’s final frets.
- This acoustic-electric bass guitar’s good weight-to-strength ratio will allow you to perform and train without tiredness for extended periods, making it easier to play your favorite tunes. The guitar’s ergonomic body form makes it comfortable to play both sitting and standing.
- The beautiful mahogany body adds brightness and richer mid-range tones to the instrument’s sound spectrum. When you add in the maturation of the wood on the guitar body, you’ll get an even more polished sound over time.
- Built-in volume controls and a 4-band equalization come standard on this acoustic-electric bass guitar, allowing you to fine-tune the bass, midrange, treble, and presence even further.
- The bass sounds good in both connected and unplugged circumstances in most cases. However, some buyers complain about the pickup’s low output, particularly on the low E string, which renders the equalizer worthless. This problem can be rectified by turning up the bass and turning down the other three dials.
What We Like About Best Choice Products Acoustic-Electric Bass Guitar
The guitar has a beautiful mahogany body with a glossy finish and inlay for a stunning appearance.
What We Don’t Like About Best Choice Products Acoustic-Electric Bass Guitar
Out of the box, the fretboard and saddle may appear to be quite dry. In that case, fretboard oil will be required for maintenance. Another point to note is that the bass’s body is advertised as solid wood, but it is actually laminate wood.
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5. Ibanez GSRM20BWNF
Product Highlights
We generally ended up with a toy like a guitar while hunting for a short-scale bass guitar. Those may seem good, but they sound terrible. Fortunately, none of these concerns exist with the Ibanez GSRM20BWNF bass guitar.
In fact, it is built to the same high standard as previous Ibanez GIO series guitars. It has a large tone and an even more appealing price tag, in addition to the vintage style.
Features
- The Ibanez GSRM20B has a solid mahogany flat-top SR-type body with a satin finish. It has a bolt-on maple neck and a double-cutaway guitar body. The back contour of this 1.5″ broad neck is comparable to that of previous GSR profiles.
- It is quite easy to play for petite players because of the compact size and comfy neck. After that, a rosewood fingerboard is added to the neck. In addition, this 28.6″ bass is smaller than most short-scale guitars. It features the same structure, material, and setup as its full-sized counterparts, despite its diminutive size.
- A hardtail bridge is included on the Ibanez GSRM20B bass. The rosewood fingerboard is 12″ wide and has 22 medium-sized frets with dot inlays. It has four strings, just as other short-scale basses, which you can customize later. Overall, the fit and finish are superb.
- Two passive pickups are located at the bridge and neck of the bass. At the bridge, the conventional Ibanez single-coil J-pickup is filled, and at the neck, the P-pickup is filled. They generate a varied and standard tone when used together.
- You may swap between two types of pickups using the two-volume knobs. It also includes a separate control for the master tone. All of these features give you complete control over the tone and sound.
- You can build a solid and powerful tone with separate decent-sounding pickups and distinct control knobs. The tone was compared to that of costly bass guitars by the majority of individuals.
- Because of the correct lower string tension, it can also provide a smooth bass tone. Overall, it is incredibly smooth to play and sounds fantastic.
What We Like About Ibanez GSRM20BWNF
First and foremost, we are impressed by the reasonable price. Furthermore, the excellent component quality and production standards are comparable to those of other full-scale bass guitars. This small-scale bass is ideal for usage in tour buses or home studios by people with tiny hands and children.
What We Don’t Like About Ibanez GSRM20BWNF
Some guitarists may not like the feel of the pre-installed strings.
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Final Verdict
Yamaha TRBX304 BL is the best top-rated bass guitar according to us. With a range of EQ settings and wonderful presets, this guitar is well worth its price. However, you can also choose from the other amazing options that we have mentioned.
More to read:
Best 7 String Guitars to Improve Your Playing Ability 2021
5 Best Guitar Picks That You Should Consider Buying
