About Electric Bass Guitars
Electric bass guitars, sometimes known simply as bass guitars, are built like electric guitars, and look similar. But electric bass guitars have a larger body, a longer neck, and usually four strings, tuned to the same pitches as those of the double bass. Electric bass guitars are notated in bass clef, an octave higher than the sound they make. Like electric guitars, they are plugged into an amplifier and speaker with a patch cord for live performances.
In contrast to the upright bass (or double bass), electric bass guitars are played horizontally across the body like an electric guitar. Players of electric bass guitars use either a "combo" amplifier, combining an amplifier and a speaker in a single cabinet, or an amplifier and a separate speaker cabinet.
Most electric bass guitars use magnetic pickups, although using non-magnetic pickups allows bassists to use non-ferrous strings such as nylon, brass or even silicone rubber, to create different tones. Most
electric bass guitars are solid-body electrics. But if you're looking for a rounder and more acoustic sound, consider a semi-hollow body bass instead.
Since the 1950s, electric bass guitars have largely replaced the double bass in pop music as the bass instrument in the rhythm section. While the types of bass lines performed on electric bass guitars vary widely, the basic role of electric bass guitars is to anchor the harmonic framework and lay down the beat.
Electric bass guitars can be heard in many styles of music including rock, pop, jazz and blues. They perform solos in jazz, fusion, Latin, funk and some rock and metal.
If you are after an affordable model, where do you start looking for cheap bass guitars? You need to be careful, since the problem with some cheap bass guitars aimed at beginners feature cheap hardware, and shoddy workmanship.
Received wisdom has it that the beginner would probably benefit from choosing a long scale bass. While American built instruments are more expensive, there are several cheap bass guitars around. For under £150, it's possible to get playable yet cheap bass guitars. Some models of cheap bass guitars to consider include the Squire Affinity P-bass, the Peavey Milestone, which has a slim neck, ideal for the total beginner, and the Aria Legend.
A basic Fender is another example of the sort of cheap bass guitars suitable for beginner players who may not yet know what they want from their instrument, or how long they will be playing for. As with anything, know what you want before buying even cheap bass guitars
Cheap Bass Guitars
When looking at cheap bass guitars, pay close attention to intonation, which determines whether the various notes play in tune. On some, the distance between the frets can be a little off, so these basses don't play in tune,
Also consider the type of tuning head on your bass guitar. You use this to fine tune your instrument and hold pitch, so get the best one available, even if you are confining your search to
cheap bass guitars. Enclosed machine heads resist rust and airborne corrosives well.
The other thing to remember with cheap bass guitars is that an old, battle-weary quality instrument will always be worth more than a new, cheaply built, inferior copy.
Choosing Cheap Bass Guitars?
But before grabbing the first and lowest-priced cheap bass guitars you can find, have a look at what places like Fret Music have to offer. The Southampton-based company, established nearly three decades ago, boasts one of the best stocked stores of its kind in the south.
It has a department dedicated to electric bass guitars, so you will find a variety of affordable and cheap bass guitars, with musicians on hand to offer advice. Its wide range includes ESP, Ibanez, Spear, Fender, Collection, Peavey, Ashton, Hofner and Squier bass guitars.
In fact, a browse on their site or one visit to the store may be all you need to get started on one of the best cheap bass guitars around.
