-
Jackson X Series Spectra Bass SBX IV Guitar
$444.95 - $449.99A formidable neck-through-body with modern style, the Spectra Bass SBX IV takes the adventurous player on a bold bass odyssey with flexible tone. Jackson X Series Spectra Bass SBX IV Guitar Features: 34”-...8 Payments of $56.25
h m s
-
Lakland Skyline 44-02 Deluxe Bass Guitar
$2,016.00Lakland Skyline 44-02 Deluxe bass guitar features best-in-class tonality and all around versatility. As a bassist, you know the importance of having a tool that can keep up with your passion for sonic exploration. ...12 Payments of $168.00
h m s
-
Lakland Skyline 44-60 Custom Bass Guitar
$1,099.00 - $1,279.00The Lakland Skyline 44-60 Custom Bass Guitar is a remarkable instrument for any bassist looking for precision and performance. Featuring an exquisite Ice Blue Metallic finish, with a beautiful maple unbound fingerbo...12 Payments of $106.58
h m s
-
Lakland Skyline 44-64 Cust PJ Bass
$1,784.00The Lakland Skyline 44-64 bass shares the same aesthetics and Lakland split coil hybrid pickup as the USA Series version, capturing the rich and defined power of the early basses that revolutionized the four-string ...12 Payments of $148.67
h m s
-
Lakland Skyline 44-64 Custom Deluxe Bass Guitar
$1,439.00 - $1,784.00Lakland's Skyline 44-64 Custom Deluxe Bass Guitar is the answer to any discerning bassist's dreams. In its polished and sophisticated finish, you'll see the sought after qualities of early classic basses that made a...12 Payments of $148.67
h m s
-
Lakland Skyline 44-64 Custom GZ PJ Bass Guitar
$1,784.00The Lakland Skyline 44-64 Custom GZ PJ Bass Guitar is the ultimate four-string bass for a discerning bassist who knows what they want. With the aesthetics and signature Lakland split-coil hybrid pickup from the USA ...12 Payments of $148.67
-
Lakland Skyline 55-02 Custom 5-String Bass Maple Fingerboard
$1,749.00 - $2,565.00Lakland Skyline 55-02 Bass Ever play an instrument that just feels perfect? That’s the Lakland Skyline 55-02. This bass inspires longer sessions and deeper creativity, combining boutique-quality design with an af...12 Payments of $170.83
h m s
-
Lakland Skyline 55-60 Custom 5-String Bass Laurel Fingerboard
$1,499.00The Skyline Series 55-60 ‘Vintage J’ shares many of the same features as Lakland’s USA Series 55-60 bass, including the famous Lakland 35” scale neck and the same passively delicious Lakland J-style pickups, fabrica...12 Payments of $124.92
h m s
-
Lakland Skyline Geezer Butler Signature Bass Guitar
$1,792.00Co-designed with the legendary Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath, GZR, and Heaven and Hell. The Skyline Series Geezer Butler Signature Model features 44-64 body style and neck shapes, custom Geezer designed cross inla...12 Payments of $149.33
h m s
-
Lakland Skyline HH-30 Hutch Hutchinson Signature Bass Guitar
$1,676.00Skyline Series HH-30 “P &J” 30" Short Scale model built in collaboration with James "Hutch" Hutchinson. Rosewood fingerboard with Pearl Block Inlays. The P&J pickup configuration creates modern and vintage ...12 Payments of $139.67
-
Lakland Skyline Hollowbody 30 Inch Short Scale Bass Guitar
$1,560.00Finally – a 30” short scale hollow body bass without compromises! The inspiration for the HB30 was simply to design a really cool short scale that addresses the idiosyncrasies of vintage hollow instruments. ...12 Payments of $130.00
-
Luna Tattoo 4-String Electric Bass Guitar
$349.00The tattoo design is laser etched with an open pore finish, so the player can feel the design. With this long-scale version, you'll enjoy the stable feel and satisfying response of comfortable action. From the tatto...8 Payments of $43.63
Skip to Content
Get FREE shipping on all orders!
Fast FREE shipping on all orders!
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.