When starting to learn the bass guitar, a common question arises: “How Much Is A Bass Guitar going to cost me?”. Many beginners worry about investing too much upfront, especially with concerns about instrument quality at lower price points. Fortunately, modern manufacturing trends mean that you can get much more quality for your money than ever before, particularly with imported instruments.
There are a couple of key points to consider when thinking about the cost of a bass guitar.
Firstly, for most players, especially those just starting out, an extremely expensive bass is unnecessary. Consider that many professional bassists and instructors, like Josh from BassBuzz, often use more affordable instruments such as a Squier VM Jazz bass, which typically retails around $300. These instruments are perfectly capable and playable right out of the box, often just needing a basic setup to optimize playability.
Secondly, the price of a bass guitar often increases with added features and “amenities.” While a Squier bass is functional, personal preferences can lead you to spend more. For example, features like a satin neck, preferred by many for its smooth feel, are often found on mid-range models. In brands like Fender, this might mean stepping up to a Mexican-made model in the $600-$700 range. Fender, like many manufacturers, segments its product lines, associating specific features like neck finishes or custom colors with higher price points, sometimes reaching into the custom shop range of $2,000 or more for very specific desires.
Reflecting on personal experiences, one bassist started with a used Squier bass, purchased for $200 due to a broken input jack. After a simple repair and some component upgrades—Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound pickups, CTS pots—the total investment remained under $400 for a very solid instrument. While this bass was perfectly adequate in terms of sound and playability, the desire for specific aesthetic and tactile preferences, like a particular color and a satin neck, led to further exploration.
Custom surf green Fender style bass guitar showcasing a personalized build
Ultimately, the pursuit of these personal preferences led to building a custom Fender-style bass using quality aftermarket parts. This approach allowed achieving custom shop level features for about half the cost. Interestingly, when comparing a modified Squier to a custom-built Fender in terms of playability and sound, the differences become negligible, especially in practical playing scenarios. Both instruments, equipped with the same strings and pickups and played through the same amplifier, perform similarly. The primary driver for upgrading or customizing often boils down to fulfilling personal desires for specific features like neck finish and color, rather than a fundamental need for improved sound or playability, especially when starting out.
In conclusion, when considering how much a bass guitar costs, remember that a modest budget can get you a long way, especially for beginners. Focus on playability and sound quality in the entry-level price range. As you progress and develop more specific preferences in feel and aesthetics, you can explore higher-priced instruments or consider upgrades and customizations to match your evolving needs and tastes.
