Calling all bassists! Whether you are looking for a less expensive starter bass, or you’ve got thousands ready to curate some vintage pieces, Reverb.com has got you covered. We’ve taken a spread of the top 10 bass guitars and thrown our 2 cents in, so you can get an idea of the wide range of bass guitars that are available on this growing online marketplace.
Let’s dive deep and have a look at some of the best bass guitars circulating the internet.
1990’s Fernandes Japan MB-65 Mockingbird Bass Guitar (White)
Fernandes guitars are superb. They were built in both the United States and Japan, and the Japanese counterparts were on par with and sometimes better than the American guitar.
This company was better known in the 80s and 90s, having been established in 1969. For those who love rocking out to the sounds of the 5’ 6’ 7’ 8’s or the Linda Linda’s – a
Japanese-made Fernandes MB-65 might be right up your alley.
The body styling is quite metal (genre, not material) and this particular vintage bass guitar (1991 is vintage now?) is in great shape for a very reasonable price – around a thousand dollars. This MB-65 is made of maple in the body and rosewood for the fretboard. With dual Dimarzio-style bass pickups and pearloid inlays in the fretboard, this bass has style and substance.
Music Man USA Stingray 5 – BP
This is a fantastically beautiful 5 string from the legendary Ernie Ball’s Music Man company out of California. This brand of outstanding bass guitars is known for having necks that feel incredible to grab. The action on these hidden gems is second to none. This actually a 5 string bass guitar that comes in a stunning blue pearl, with a pearloid pickguard and chrome hardware. If you want to play the best, it’s going got cost you.
These masterpiece musical instruments will set you back just under $3.5K, but they are worth every penny. They use select hardwood for the body and the finest maple for their world-famous necks. These bass guitars feature Music Man USA humbuckers with alnico pole pieces and an additional phantom coil to cancel hum in all 3 positions. These are fine bass guitars for fine players and collectors.
Jackson X Series Signature David Ellefson 30th Anniversary Concert Bass CBX
Here’s one for all of the Megadeth lovers in the room. This was designed in conjunction with one of the founding fathers of thrash metal, David Ellefson. According to Jackson’s website, this is the only instrument that can keep up with the technical, fast style that Mr. Ellefson is known for.
It features a poplar body, quartersawn maple neck with 21 large frets and sharkfin inlays. This bass was made to shred. Those who love them, love them a lot, this Jackson X series runs about a thousand dollars.
Dingwall NG3 Green
We’re starting to get a bit of a theme going on this review list – sort of reminiscent of hot wheels or pro-wrestling from the 80s.
Don’t worry classic-vintage lovers, we’ve got you covered, but first – the NG3 Green, it is a neon-lime green to be clear. Made from alder in the body with a maple neck, these little 5 strings are handmade in China out of North American components before undergoing and thorough final inspection. At about $3300, these beauties are ready to play right out of the box!
Barclay VB – 550 1980 Brown Sunburst
Here is a classically styled electric bass guitar. This model of Barclay was, like a few others in our list, manufactured back east – this one in Korea. It has a very tasteful, mandolin-shaped heat that is made out of spruce and white maple.
Its very thin neck is made out of maple, with a rosewood fingerboard. This is the perfect piece for jamming those Beetles hits or admiring its unique styling on the wall. At just over $200, this unique bass won’t break the bank either.
Ibanez SR1200
Here is another beautiful bass guitar from Ibanez, featuring a more conservative, natural styling. This bass has a mahogany body with an ovangkol top and a rosewood fingerboard. This Ibanez features gold hardware for all 24 of its frets and an abalone oval inlay. This electric bass guitar is a treat for the eyes as well as the ears.
Its mono-rail bridge isolates the string vibration, giving this bass guitar a clean, clear tone. There is no substitute for the sound of wood, and this bass takes full advantage. At $1400, Ibanez has made a point of maintaining affordability without sacrificing quality.
Jolana Diamant Bass 1970s Black
You may not have heard of Jolana. They were a Czechoslovakian guitar company that made electric guitars and basses from 1960 to 1989. These were actually pretty popular in the 60s with the likes of George Harrison, Jimmy Page, and Eric Clapton using some of their models.
This one goes out to all the Les Paul lovers featuring a body that is very similar. It has a linden body with a spruce top and a maple neck. The fingerboard is beech and it features two humbucker pickups. A unique guitar that collectors will surely want to snatch up.
Peavey Millenium BXP
Another wonderful bass guitar from heavyweight Peavey. This is a perfect starter bass but it doesn’t sacrifice any style or quality to be that way. It features an eye-catching maple tiger eye quilted finish that gives it this shiny amber quality – very lovely. Being a Peavey, you know that it is going to have quality electronics and action.
Fender Musicmaster Bass 1978
Here comes a collector. This vintage bass is in great shape, showing very subtle wear. It is completely original in its gloss black finish and black pickguard. It is a four-string bass, with only 19 frets and one single-coil pickup. This is a wonderful representation of music history, but this guitar wasn’t built with all the fancy bells and whistles. You get 1 pickup, 4 strings and a whole lot of years for $1700 with this classic.
Fender Precision Bass 1976 Natural
This is another piece of 1970s history, well-preserved in the form of a gorgeous Precision bass guitar from Fender. This one will set you back a little more, at $3K. Other than the pickguard and the professionally installed DiMarzio J-bass pickup, everything on this bass guitar is original. From the cover to the case this 4 string electric bass and its natural finish are the original from nearly 50 years ago.
Conclusion
No matter where you are in your bass-buying endeavors, there are fantastic options to be found at any tier. Check them out at Reverb.com and enjoy your new bass!