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Ernie Ball Music Man Ball Family Reserve DarkRay Bass Guitar with Mono Softshell Case
$3,899.00BFR DarkRay 5: A Limited Edition Tone Machine This isn't just a bass; it's a collectible, a curiosity, a finely-crafted low-end weapon dressed in its absolute Sunday best. This, my friends, is the Ball Family Reser...12 Payments of $250.00
plus $899.00 downh m s
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Ernie Ball Music Man DarkRay Bass Guitar with MONO Bag
$2,999.00DarkRay 4-string bass - Unlimited Tones! Designed in collaboration with world-renowned bass accessory manufacturer Darkglass Electronics, the DarkRay unlocks a whole new range of sonic capabilities. At the heart of ...12 Payments of $249.92
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Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay Special HH Bass Guitar with MONO Bag
$2,549.00 - $3,099.00First introduced in 1976, the StingRay has been revered as one of the most iconic bass guitars in history. The StingRay was the first production four string bass to feature onboard active equalization. The flagship ...12 Payments of $212.42
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Ernie Ball Music Man Tim Commerford StingRay Passive Bass with Bag
$3,299.00The Tim Commerford Artist Series StingRay Bass was developed in close collaboration with legendary bassist Tim Commerford of Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, and 7D7D, combining Ernie Ball Music Man craftsmansh...12 Payments of $250.00
plus $299.00 downh m s
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Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay Special HH Bass Guitar with Mono Case
$2,549.00 - $2,999.00The Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay Special combines classic tone with modern upgrades for maximum performance. Its ash body, roasted maple neck, and 22 stainless steel frets deliver exceptional durability, resonance,...12 Payments of $212.42
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Ernie Ball Music Man DarkRay Bass Guitar with Mono Softshell Case
$2,999.00Ernie Ball Music Man DarkRay: Welcome to the Dark Side This isn’t just a bass; it’s a beautifully brutal beast, a collaboration between two titans of tone that resulted in something truly special. The DarkRay is...12 Payments of $249.92
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Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay Special 5 HH 5-String Bass Guitar with MONO Bag
$2,649.00 - $3,199.00With its powerful punchy sound, the added flexibility of additional pickups, and a comfortably contoured body, the StingRay 5 HH satisfies even the most demanding of players. Â Today's StingRays retain many of...12 Payments of $220.75
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Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay Special 4-String Bass Guitar with MONO Bag
$2,449.00 - $2,899.00An iconic bass since its introduction in 1976, the StingRay bass guitars was the first production four string bass to feature onboard active equalization. The flagship of the Music Man line, today's StingRay retain...12 Payments of $204.08
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Ernie Ball Music Man BFR StingRay Special Bass Guitar with Mono Case Paua
$3,699.00The Ball Family Reserve StingRay Bass showcases the Ball Family's dedication to quality and performance. Featuring an ash body with a spalted maple top, a dark translucent blue back, and a Paua blue burst front, eac...12 Payments of $250.00
plus $699.00 downh m s
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Ernie Ball Music Man Bongo 5 HH 5-String Bass Guitar with MONO Bag
$3,199.00The Bongo 5 represents everything a modern bass should be: well balanced, comfortable, resonant, and expressive with effortless playability. The double-cutaway basswood body design is of superior construction and al...12 Payments of $250.00
plus $199.00 downh m s
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Ernie Ball Music Man DarkRay 5 5-String Bass Guitar with Mono Softshell Case
$3,099.00DarkRay 5: A Symphony of Destruction This, my friends, is what happens when you let the mad scientists from Music Man and Darkglass Electronics lock themselves in a lab together. The DarkRay 5 is not just a StingRa...12 Payments of $250.00
plus $99.00 downh m s
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Ernie Ball Music Man DarkRay 5 Bass Guitar with MONO Bag
$3,099.00Low End Thunder - DarkRay 5 Bass! Designed in collaboration with world-renowned bass accessory manufacturer Darkglass Electronics, the DarkRay unlocks a whole new range of sonic capabilities. At the heart of every i...12 Payments of $250.00
plus $99.00 downh m s
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Electric Bass Guitars
Hey Mr. Bassman! Whether you like to snap, strum, pop, pick, or pluck, having the right Electric Bass Guitar can make all the difference and AMS has an incredible selection. Choose the wood, color, style, and scale length to make your performance stand above the rest. Stay centered with a standard four-string bass, or stretch out with five- and six-string models.
American Musical Supply is excited to be your stop for electric basses from top brands! We offer True 0% interest payment plans - applying is easy. Use your own debit or credit card, enjoy fast and free shipping, and add an electric bass to your creative setup.
We make buying an electric bass quick and easy - in-stock items that are ordered before 5PM will ship out the same day! (see our Shipping Information Page for more details) Do you have questions about basses and want to know which one would be best for you? Give us a call at 800-319-9043 - our experts are standing by.
What is the best electric bass? Well, that all depends on what you’re looking for in terms of size, feel, tone perspective, and price point. American Musical Supply is stocked with a huge collection of basses that touch on those different characteristics in unique ways – we’re here to help you find the instrument you have been looking for!
You can’t talk about the bass without bringing up Fender – most notably the Fender Precision Bass (or P Bass) and the Fender Jazz Bass. With their trademark ‘double horn’ designs and substantial solid bodies that have been built to provide support, strength, and resonance, these rock-solid electric basses have provided the low-end support for bands and ensembles of all types for over sixty years. The split pickups of the P Bass provide all of the power and punch needed for all types of rock music. The special single-coil layout found on the Jazz Bass means smooth, bright, complex tones – jazz, funk, fusion, and all types of dance-driven pop and EDM genres are tailor-made for the Fender Jazz Bass.
We know that Gibson is known for their electric and acoustic guitars, but their bass guitars have a history of making serious contributions to the world of music. The EB Bass was released in 1953 and was their very first production bass. That was followed by a number of iconic instruments including the Thunderbird Bass and SG Bass. AMS carries the newest versions of these historic American-made models - wonderful blends of famous looks and powerful low frequency performance.
Building basses takes a certain mindset and there are companies that dedicate serious time and effort to the unique quirks of the electric bass. After all, these creative tools aren’t just guitars with fewer strings. Electric basses are their own beasts - serving as the foundation, the driving tonal pulse, and the support that anchors your music’s chord voicings and rhythmic patterns. AMS is fortunate to carry Music Man, Spector, Warwick, and PRS – just a few of the brands that go above and beyond when it comes to sculpting unique tone wood bodies, implementing modified hardware and pickups, and finishing it all out with special appointments and visual touches. To these companies, building a bass is not just making a tool for music, it’s creating a true work of art!
If you’re looking for a comfortable electric bass that has a bit more of a streamlined body shape - something that is a bit lighter, that’s nicely balanced, and is easy to get around - you should be sure to check out Ibanez and Yamaha. Their popular basses are incredibly reliable, look great, and are known for their versatility across the music spectrum. Do you need the distinct growl and boom of a heavy metal bass guitar? ESP and Schecter have the menacing designs and snarling pickups you need to feed that intensity!
What kind of bass is best for a beginner? Go ahead and take a look at our selection of Epiphone, Sterling, Ibanez Gio, and Squier basses, which provide many pro-level features at a more comfortable price point. American Musical Supply has lots of different models to choose from and these instruments are approved by performers, educators, and technicians. If you’re looking for an all-in-one gift for an aspiring bass player, be sure to check our selection of Electric Bass Guitar Packages. These instruments are perfect for our 4-pay and 6-pay plans – these are the easiest ways to buy a gift for someone, period!
When it comes to choosing your electric bass, there are a few important characteristics to consider. The first thing is the number of strings. 4-String Electric Basses - usually tuned E-A-D-G from lowest to highest - are the most common and are the instruments taken into consideration when bass music is written. 5-String Electric Basses - usually tuned B-E-A-D-G from low to high - are also very popular for players seeking a bit more extra range down low. Are you a player that is looking to push the limits on range and technique ever further? We also carry a wide selection of electric basses with 6 Strings or more.
Next, it’s about choosing an instrument with either an active or passive pickup setup. What’s the difference between an active pickup and passive pickup? Well, an active pickup includes a built-in preamp that is powered by a 9-volt battery. First and foremost, this boosts the signal of the bass before it hits the effects chain or Bass Guitar Amp. Active basses often have extra levels of tone control at the source, allowing you to tweak the parameters of various color-shaping controls and the instrument’s low, middle, and higher frequencies (EQ) in much more detail. The result? A wider palette of sounds to choose from. Just remember to take this extra boost of gain into consideration and keep plenty of spare batteries so that your active controls can work properly.
An electric bass with a passive pickup performs just like a standard electric guitar – simply plug it into your amplifier and you’re ready to go from there. Tone controls are much more limited on a passive bass – usually a low and high EQ – and there can be a bit more extraneous noise if you’re using longer cable runs. Passive basses are much more straightforward and user-friendly. That means that your clean bass sound is a bit more limited, although if you’re using Bass Guitar Effects and controlling tone parameters on a Bass Guitar Amp, you’re still open to a wide catalog of tonal options.