What Is The Best Bass Guitar For You?

In this material we shall take a look at some of the things you
should look out for when buying a bass guitar. This will help
you in better understanding bass guitar descriptions and
reviews. We shall talk about different types of body styles,
necks, scale lengths, tuning machines, intonation, bolt-on
necks, neck-throughs, fingerboards, number of frets, pickups,
woods and finishes. We shall explain what each of these features
are all about to help you decide what is the best bass guitar
for you.

Body Style:

Most electric bass guitars are solid-body electrics. But if
you're looking for a rounder and more acoustic sound you should
buy a semi-hollowbody bass instead.

Fingerboard:

Another thing to pay attention to when choosing the best bass
for you is the fingerboard. If you're looking for a warm,
natural sound, you need a bass with an uncoated fingerboard.
With a coated fingerboard the sound produced is whining and
trebly and it sustains longer.

Neck:

How do you know what neck to choose? It's pretty simple. The
type of neck you choose is dependent on the size of your hands.
There are different shapes for you to choose from including
round, flat back, oval, "vee" and asymmetrical where the neck is
thinner either on the treble or bass side. Naturally, four
string basses usually come with smaller necks than 4 string or 5
string basses.

Scale Length:

The scale length is the distance between the nut and bridge
saddle. It is the vibrating length of the string. The longer the
scale the more distance there is between the frets. The scale
length chosen is important because it is what influences the
tonal quality of the notes and the tension of the string when a
note is played.

What scale length is best? Is it a short scale of 30 inches,
medium scale of 32 inches, standard scale of 34 inches, 5 string
long scale of 35 inches, or an extra long scale of 36 inches?
Well it all depends on the instrument you're thinking of getting
and the tone you desire. Let's say you're interested in getting
a five string bass for example and want a defined low B string
sound. In that case the longer the neck, the better. For a four
string bass a shorter scale will do and it helps you get the
most out of the G string. If you have small hands, a short scale
bass is probably the best bass guitar for you.

Intonation:

Pay close attention to intonation. This is what determines
whether the various notes on your bass play in tune. On some
basses, the distance between the frets can be a little off and
as a result these basses don't play in tune, usually when you
pass the 12th fret. As far as I'm concerned these basses are
useless and you shouldn't waste money on one.

Tuning machines:

In choosing the best bass guitar for you, you must pay attention
to the type of tuning head your bass guitar has. This is what
you use to fine tune your instrument and hold pitch. Ensure that
you get the best one available. An enclosed machine heads are
better than open tuning machines. They resists rust and airborne
corrosives and you therefore don't have to maintain or replace
them often.

Number of Frets:

The number of frets you choose is also a matter of personal
preference. You can choose between 21, 22, or 24 frets.
Personally, I do not worry about this too much since most
playing takes place in the lower frets anyway.

Pickups:

When it comes to sound, pickups are perhaps just as important as
the strings on your bass. No matter how good the wood of the
bass is, if the pickups are lacking, it's pointless. But you
need the right pickup for your bass since one pickup may work
very well on one bass and not on another. You also need the
right combination of strings and pickup. There are many pickup
models available and they are either active or passive. If you
choose one that is active, keep in mind that you will have to
keep replacing batteries.

Bolt-on necks and neck-throughs:

In terms of neck, the best bass for you is all about your
personal preference. If you want one that is stronger, has
better sustain and note resolution, buy a neck-through bass. But
for a punchier sound, nothings beats a bolt-on neck; the only
limitation is that they are more prone to having dead spots.

Wood:

When buying the best bass guitar for you, choice of wood is
important. The wood you choose will affect the tone and weight
of the instrument. If you're gonna be standing up to play it's
wise to have one that is lightweight. Swamp ash wood is a
lightweight soft wood that produces low mids and a punchy tone.
Alder is another lightweight wood except that the tone it
produces is more crisp. At the end of the day, although you
should pay attention to the weight of the instrument, it's all
about whether or not you like the sound.

Finish:

You can choose any finish you like since it doesn't really
affect the sound of your electric bass.

All the best in finding the best bass guitar for you. As long as
you have a clear understanding of what you need it should be
easy to find the right bass guitar.