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B.C. Rich Widow 5 Legacy 5-String Bass Guitar Black
$1,299.99The aggressive and angular B.C. Rich Widow Bass originally introduced as a handcrafted instrument in the '80s is the first to be topped with the Widow style headstock. This 4 and 5-string Widow delivers the depth an...12 Payments of $108.33
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D'Addario XSB45100 Long Scale Coated Bass Guitar Strings 45-100
$49.99XS Nickel Bass strings combine a premium nickel-plated wrap wire with an ultra-thin coating for a smooth feel, maximum life, and punchy, balanced tone. Designed for bassists who demand durability without sacrificing...4 Payments of $12.50
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ESP LTD B-204DX Bass Guitar
$549.00The LTD B-204DX is a bass that delivers far more than anyone would expect, given its modest price. Built with bolt-on construction at 34” scale, the B-204DX offers a poplar body with an outstanding burled poplar top...8 Payments of $68.63
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ESP LTD B-205DX 5-String Bass Guitar
$599.00The LTD B-205DX is a 5-string bass that delivers far more than anyone would expect, given its modest price. Built with bolt-on construction at 34” scale, the B-204DX offers a poplar body with an outstanding burled p...12 Payments of $49.92
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ESP LTD Phoenix PH-204DX Bass Guitar
$549.00The LTD Phoenix-204DX takes the flowing curves of the Phoenix shape and delivers it in a powerful bass that’s priced to fit the budgets of most musicians. It features bolt-on construction at 34” scale, with a poplar...8 Payments of $68.63
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ESP LTD Surveyor-204DX Bass Guitar
$549.00The LTD Surveyor-204DX takes a classic ESP bass shape and offers it with great LTD quality and high value. Built with bolt-on construction at 34” scale, the Surveyor-204DX includes a lightweight, resonant poplar bod...8 Payments of $68.63
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Fender 75th Player II Precision Bass Guitar with Gig Bag
$1,099.99Fender 75th Anniversary Player II Precision Bass: Sparkle, Swagger, and Sonic Supremacy Ready to outshine the disco ball? The Fender 75th Anniversary Player II Precision Bass brings serious swagger to the stage. ...12 Payments of $91.67
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Fender 75th Anniversary American Vintage II 1951 Precision Bass Guitar with Case
$2,899.99Fender 75th Anniversary American Professional PJ Bass: The Best of Both Bass Worlds Ever find yourself torn between the thunderous thump of a Precision Bass and the gritty, articulate growl of a Jazz Bass? Stop a...12 Payments of $241.67
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Fender 75th Anniversary American Professional PJ Bass with Case
$2,699.99Fender 75th Anniversary American Professional PJ Bass: The Best of Both Bass Worlds The Fender 75th Anniversary American Professional PJ Bass brings the thunder and the thrill. You want the gut-punching thump of ...12 Payments of $225.00
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Squier Mini Precision Bass Laurel Fingerboard Guitar
$209.99The Squier Mini Precision Bass is the perfect companion for players seeking a reduced-size instrument with classic styling and familiar Fender tone. Highlights include a thin and lightweight body, a short-scale neck...6 Payments of $35.00
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Gibson BAT4SN00 Thunderbird Bass Guitar with Case
$2,499.00When the Gibson Thunderbird Bass was first introduced in 1963, the world had never seen another bass quite like it. Designed by automotive coach designer Ray Dietrich, who also designed the Gibson Firebird, its curv...12 Payments of $208.25
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Jackson JS Spectra Bass JS2 Laurel Fingerboard Guitar
$279.99Versatile style and enormous sound collide in the Jackson JS Series Spectra Bass JS2. The offset body style was designed with the artist in mind. The poplar body with large upper horn evenly distributes weig...4 Payments of $70.00
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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.