With electric basses, the difference between the low-end models and the expensive ones is often the pickups. With modern equipment, it’s fairly inexpensive to turn out very nice bodies, necks, etc. and as long as they’re put together well, you’ve got the basis for a very nice bass.

Check out the models from the big name companies that are manufactured in Korea or Mexico, for example. You can often purchase a bass for a couple hundred bucks that is solidly built and just needs an upgrade of the electronics to be a really killer axe.

As an example, I have a Squier Affinity P-Bass, which is a copy of the Fender® Precision Bass®. The Squier is a nice bass, well built and solid, but the pickups are understandably low-end. Dropping a set of high-end pickups into it would be a major improvement for a couple hundred dollars and a couple hours time spent.

There are plenty of other tweaks you can do to upgrade the quality of a bass like this, but by far the best bang for the buck will be a set of high quality pickups. After that, you can add things like drop-tuners, better bridge, etc.

If you have basic soldering skills and can work a screwdriver, you can make these mods easily. You’ll find that there’s something very satisfying about playing a bass that you’ve upgraded yourself.

I’m A Bass Player

First, what style of music do you want to learn to play? If you want to shred like the metal monsters, you obviously don’t want a standup bass! The simplest thing to do is to check out the instruments played by the players you most admire and look at similar models.

Second, how much do you want to spend on a bass? The instruments played by the pros, generally speaking, will be way out of the budget range of most people. The axes you see on stage typically cost thousands of dollars each. The good news is that there are usually very similar models available for a few hundred dollars. The differences are many, but basically, the major reasons why the pro models cost so much more are: better pickups and electronics, more expensive materials for the body and neck and much more attention to detail in the fit and finish of the instrument.

You want to buy as good an instrument as you can afford, for two reasons. One, better quality basses are easier to play meaning you won’t have to work as hard to get the sounds you want out of them. Two, if you decide after a while that you want to trade up to a better bass, or you give up playing for whatever reason, you can sell a better quality used instrument more readily than a cheap one.

Keep in mind that having the exact same model as Joe Rockstar plays will not automatically make you as good a player as he is! Buy one that looks like his if you want, but don’t break the bank until you know you’re going to stick with it for the long haul.

You’ve got a lot to learn before you’ll begin to push the limits of what a good inexpensive bass can do. Save some of your hard-earned cash for how-to-play courses and concert tickets!

I’m A Bass Player

Are you a lefty looking for an affordable way to start playing bass? The search is over! We’ve put together this package with a great lefty bass and a heap of necessary accessories–just for you! You get a Dean Playmate bass with a fast neck and a fat tone; a 10-watt Ibanez amp with a headphone jack; plus an electronic tuner, a cable, strap, stand, gig bag, and even an instructional book to get you started!

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Starter packages are great for getting everything a beginner needs in one bargain-priced bundle — but what if the bass you want doesn’t come in a package? Get this! We’ve put everything a beginning player needs — except for the bass — into this deal: a 10-watt Ibanez amp with a headphone jack; an electronic tuner, a cable, strap, gig bag, guitar stand — even an instructional book/video!

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The ZFX Stack Package software works as a standalone application or as a VST plug-in and provides dozens of models of guitar and bass amps, speaker cabinets, mics, and stompboxes. The software comes with the S2t USB audio interface ? containing a real 12AX7 tube which combines real tube tone with digital 12-bit/48kHz clarity as well as two XLR inputs, and onboard phantom power.

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The new ZFX Stack and Control packages from Zoom offer countless options for guitarists and bassists to creatively manipulate their sound with assistance from legendary guitar rigs. Used as stand-alone software or as a VST plug-in application for use in digital audio software such as Cubase, the C5.1T is a floor controller that offers a total solution for guitar and bass players.

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The RT-223 is a drum & bass machine for any kind of rhythm play. Small in size and light in weight, this low-profile unit will go with you anywhere. You can get a session going with your very own rhythm section in a flash, even on your desktop.

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Zoom B9.1UT Bass Effects Pedal Console gives bassists a wickedly creative tool that’s ready for rocking the studio or stage. This unit is housed in a sturdy metal enclosure and features two footswitches, an expression pedal, and four tweakable knobs. This tube-driven unit has a USB connection and boasts a ton of functionality, including multi-dimensional parameter control, two bass synths, comprehensive EQ, and more.

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The Zoom B2.1U Bass Effects with USB provides all the same features of the hot Zoom B2 plus a programmable Expression Pedal, a balanced XLR direct output, and USB interface with Steinberg Cubase LE software so you can start recording right away.

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The Zoom B2 Bass Multi Effects Pedal features the new ZFX3 processor loaded with 9 preamp/cabinet and 5 stomp box models faithfully accurate to the originals in every way.

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