Are looking for a good bass guitar on a low budget? Whether you are looking for a first bass guitar to start learning or a cheap second bass to try out some new sounds, there are plenty of affordable bass guitars of decent quality to be found under 300 USD / Euro. Let us show you the best picks for your budget.
Our 2019 top picks for a great affordable bass guitar:
- Yamaha TRBX 174 Bass
- Fender Squier Affinity Precision Bass PJ
- Ibanez Talman TMB100
- Sterling by Music Man S.U.B. Ray 4
- Fender Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass
1. Yamaha TRBX 174 Bass
I’m a big fan of Yamaha instruments, since they always seem to be able to make great instruments in every price range. The TRBX 174 is one of Yamaha’s entry level basses, but by no means a low budget bass in terms of sound and construction. It features an mahogany or alder body, maple neck with 24 frets, rosewood fingerboard and a P + J pickup configuration for tonal flexibility. The bass is available in many colors including transparant finishes that bring out the wood grain as pictured in the mahogany model above.
Sound wise you can get everything you need from this bass, from warm and fat P-bass tones to crisp honky tones from the bridge pickup. The fretwork is decent, the hardware, bridge and tuners are basic but well constructed and very usable. Overall the Yamaha TRBX 174 is very useful allround workhorse, not just a beginner bass. I would certainly not hesitate to bring this bass to a gig or recording session.
Yamaha TRBX174 Price:
USA: from $220 at Amazon
Europe: from €225 at Thomann
2. Fender Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ
Fender has a strong foothold in the low-end bass guitar market with their affordable Squier Series, from which the Squier Affinity Series is most budget-friendly range. The Affinity Precision Bass PJ is a very versatile bass in the range, with a passive P-style pickup together with a Jazz Bass-style pickup in the bridge, a P-style body combined with a thinner Jazz Bass-style neck. This makes the bass both very playable and versatile.
This bass is solidly built and fitted with simple but effective hardware. Although the tuners could be better, they hold tune well enough. Despite the low price the bass has an massive alder body and a fingerboard made of Laurel. The pickups sound quite rich and powerful without any of the hollow ringing sound many cheap Chinese pickups have. This bass comes in a number of striking colors, including the Race Red pictured above. Well recommended for beginners as a solid first bass or as a platform for modifications for the more experimental player.
Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ Price:
USA: from $199 at Amazon
Europe: from €225 at Thomann
3. Ibanez Talman TMB100
The Talman series from Ibanez has been around for a while now, and offers great value for money. The design of the Talman basses is more vintage inspired than the popular Soundgear series, with their odd body shape and funky color schemes mixed with modern usability they are a worthy competitor to the Fender Squier range. The Talman TMB100 is the more affordable model with PJ pickups, a rosewood neck with 40mm nut width and an active 2-band EQ to dial in bass and treble. Build quality for the price is excellent, the frets are dressed nicely and the bass feels solidly built. You shouldn’t expect top-notch hardware on a bass at this price point, however the hardware works fine.
The tonal qualities of this bass guitar are nothing to complain about either. The neck has a comfortable feel and is not too thin (it’s thicker than a Jazz-bass neck). The P pickups delivers a fat and punchy tone. The J pickup in the bridge is not very strong, but with the onboard active EQ you can adjust the sound to get most tones you would need. The depth and sustain of the notes is very good for a bass at this price range. For it’s low price of around 200 USD / Euro the Talman TMB100 is a great starter bass but also a good backup bass to bring to a gig or to use for different tones.
Ibanez Talman TMB100 Price:
USA: from $199 at Amazon
Europe: from €189 at Thomann
4. Sterling by Music Man S.U.B. Ray 4
Music Man is well known for their iconic Stingray bass, the active bass with one humbucker pickup in the sweet spot about an inch before the bridge. The Stingray sound is powerful, cuts through the mix very well and can be easily recognized on many classic recordings. Stingray basses have never been cheap, despite their popularity. That is why Music Man introduced their Sterling range of basses made in Indonesia in different price ranges. The cheapest is the Sterling Ray4, a Stingray like model with a few subtle differences.
The neck is narrower than the original, it is more like a Jazz Bass. The active electronics are simpler and the hardware is of lower quality compared to the much more expensive Sterling Ray 34. However the SUB Ray 4 is a great bass for the money. The playability is excellent, and the sound is very good. It does not sound exactly like a US made Stingray, but it has a very nice organic tone with lots of power. It is not the most versatile bass there is, but if you are after a strong humbucker bass sound this is your best choice under $300. Highly recommended!
Sterling by Music Man S.U.B. Ray 4 Price:
USA: from $299 at Amazon
Europe: from €349 at Thomann
5. Fender Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass
The Squier Vintage Modified range is a step up from the Squier Affinity series, featuring improved pickups, better quality hardware and better electronics. Most VM models are well above $300, except for this Vintage Modified Jazz Bass which retails for about $299. This model is loosely based on a Fender Jazz Bass from the sixties, with two single coil pickups, sunburst finish with a faux tortoise pickguard and a narrow neck with rosewood (laurel) fingerboard.
Everything about this bass oozes classic Jazz Bass. When plugged in it feels and sounds very familiar. All the classic tones are there, and they do sound good. The tone control could have a bit more range, but is useful enough. The bass feels solid and comfortable to play. The basswood body is not too light or heavy, the neck feels smooth and there are no sharp fret edges. Overall this bass is good enough to use in a live situation
Fender Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass Price:
USA: from $299 at Amazon
Europe: from €299 at Thomann
Looking for a bass guitar that is even cheaper?
Have a look at our Top 5 picks for a bass guitar under 200 dollar / euro
