How Much is a Bass Guitar? (All Prices Covered)

Table of content:

1. How much is a bass guitar?
1.1. Electric Bass Guitars

• Beginners Bass Guitars 
• Intermediate Bass Guitars 
• Professional Bass Guitars

1.2. Acoustic Bass Guitars 
1.3. Used Bass Guitars
2. What Factors Influence Bass Guitar Prices?

• The Bass Guitar Type
• Number of strings
• The Model and the Brand
• Quality of Materials and Construction
• Country of Origin

3. What Should You Pay for a Bass Guitar?
4. FAQs

1. How much is a bass guitar?
1.1. Electric Bass Guitars

Let’s start with electric bass guitars, which are more popular than acoustic guitars.

• Beginners Bass Guitars 

Beginner musicians and first-time bass players will benefit from entry-level electric bass guitars. Their costs range from $200 to about $500. These basses are frequently built in eastern Asian nations like China or Indonesia, and they generally have low-quality construction, less attention to detail, and poor sound performance.

Yamaha, Squire, Epiphone, and Ibanez are some excellent entry-level bass guitar brands. As the name implies, these cheap bass guitars are great for beginning artists to become acquainted with the instrument and learn specific methods before deciding to further their playing by upgrading their bass instrument. To begin with, it might also be a good idea for some online bass tuition.

Black Yamaha 4 String Bass Guitar – Amazon

Squier by Fender Classic Vibe 60’s Jazz Bass – Amazon

• Intermediate Bass Guitars 

Mid-level electric bass guitars range in price from $500 to $1500 and are perfect for beginner bass guitarists. Depending on the brand, they are manufactured in various nations, including Japan, Mexico, the United States of America, Indonesia, and Korea. These affordable bass guitars are high-quality instruments with low-cost designs.

More prominent names like Fender, Schecter, and Squier, as well as other brands like Warwick, Washburn, and Epiphone, enter the mid-level market. There are also 5-string and 6-string electric bass guitars in this price bracket, which are significantly more expensive than typical 4-string bass guitars.

Fender Vintera ’70s Jazz Bass – Amazon

• Professional Bass Guitars

High-end bass guitars are the most expensive electric bass guitars, with costs ranging from $1500 to $10,000 and even more in some situations. These basses are high-quality instruments made mainly in the United States and manufactured with bespoke characteristics.

Music Man, Fender, Sterling, and Rickenbacker are among the leading manufacturers of high-quality bass guitars worldwide. These bass guitars are distinguished by high-quality tonewoods, pickups, and designs that improve tonal performance and playability. In this price range, 4-string, 5-string, 6-string, and even 7-string versions are possible.

Fender US Geddy Lee Jazz Bass Guitar Maple Neck – Amazon

1.2. Acoustic Bass Guitars 
Acoustic bass guitars are slightly more expensive than electric bass guitars because tonewoods, craftsmanship, and material quality impact the bass instruments’ overall sound and playability. Their costs range from $400 to $2500.

Fender FA-450CE Acoustic Bass Guitar – Amazon

Because acoustic bass guitars acoustically generate sound, as opposed to electric bass guitars, the woods on the body and neck, artistry, design, and all the details significantly influence the tonal quality and sustain. As a result, these instruments are slightly more expensive than electric bass versions.

1.3. Used Bass Guitars
Used bass guitars are often 20% to 40% less expensive than new bass guitar models, depending on the condition and type of the individual model. Prices range from $150 to $1500, sometimes much more.

An essential point to remember while shopping for used bass instruments is to always test them out before purchasing. Otherwise, you might request a high-quality video or recording of the device being played lately to get a feel of its condition.

What Factors Influence Bass Guitar Prices?
Bass guitar costs are greatly influenced by the kind, brand, model, material, construction quality, and place of origin.

• The Bass Guitar Type

Prices vary depending on the type of bass guitar. Acoustic bass guitars, for example, are slightly more costly than electric guitars. Similarly, the higher the price of a bass guitar, the more strings it has.

• Number of strings

Bass guitars have always had 4 strings, as you’ll notice if you go back in time. However, like most instruments, they have experienced some innovation in the last decade. They are now available with up to 12 strings.

The benefit of having more strings is that you can play the song at regular or full octaves at spaced intervals. Frequently, adding more strings means changing the basic designs, which raises the price.

• The Model and the Brand

The price is also affected by the brand’s reputation and model. Fender, Sterling, and Music Man are among the most expensive brands because they offer high-quality instruments with premium brand reliability.

• Quality of Materials and Construction

Another critical consideration is the material and construction quality. This factor is significantly influenced by the brand and the location of origin since huge companies employ high-quality materials while making top-quality handcrafted bass instruments in nations with outstanding reliability, such as the United States of America.

The tonewoods, hardware, and electronics of a bass guitar all significantly impact the sound. So, without question, the materials are critical components of a bass guitar’s quality. Attention to detail in manufacture, innovative engineering, and bespoke production procedures primarily by hand is crucial to high-quality instruments, raising pricing.

• Country of Origin

Like practically other musical instruments, the price of bass guitars is determined by a hierarchy of producing nations. China, Indonesia, Korea, and other Asian countries make lower-end models, Japan and Mexico have mid-level instruments, while the United States of America produces high-quality models.

This disparity is attributable to countries’ hourly wages and engineering quality differences. Instruments built in nations such as the United States and Japan are made using the most significant technology, bespoke methods involving handcrafted skills, and greater attention to detail, resulting in higher quality instruments.

3. How Much Should You Pay for a Bass Guitar?

If you are a beginner bass guitarist searching for your first bass guitar, you should get a cheap bass guitar (entry-level model) to learn the bass instrument. To begin, an average of $300 for the bass guitar and $200 for the amp is perfect.

If you are an experienced musician searching for a better instrument, you may spend roughly $750 for a mid-level instrument.

There is no limit for professional players, who demand the most remarkable instruments available for their performances and projects.

4. FAQs

How much do bass guitars cost?
Guitars are less costly than bass guitars. This is because a bass requires more raw ingredients. Another prominent explanation for lower guitar prices is that guitar brands sell more guitars than basses. Many corporations boost the price of basses to guarantee that their bottom line is met.

How much should a beginner bass guitar cost?
If you are a beginner bass guitarist searching for a budget bass guitar, you should get an entry-level model to learn the instrument. To begin, an average of $300 for the bass guitar and $200 for the amp is perfect.

How much should I spend on a bass amplifier?
Quality bass amplifiers are becoming increasingly affordable. You should be able to get a new 100-watt amp for $500 or less with a bit of searching. While prices have dropped significantly, you still pay more for the first 100 watts and less per watt as you go upwards.

Conclusion
When compared to regular guitars, bass guitars are slightly more costly instruments. This is understandable given that they necessitate more sophisticated manufacturing procedures and materials. 

To sum up, bass guitar price ranges from $200 for low-end China-made models to $10,000 for custom-made luxury bass guitars. Entry-level models average $250, mid-level models $750, and high-end ones cost more than $1000.

Don’t forget that you’ll need an amp to play your bass guitar, which typically costs between $100 and $1000.