Best budget bass guitars: our top pick of basses under $500/£500

The bass guitar is crucial to any band’s sound. Without it, you wouldn’t have the low end power that drives so much of the music we love. If you’re thinking of taking up this crucial instrument, or you fancy adding another piece to your existing collection but you’re keeping an eye on the price tag, then you might want to consider one of the best budget bass guitars on the market today.

While often overlooked in favor of the seemingly more glamorous electric guitar, the bass is the glue that holds a band together, merging the rhythm of the drums with the melody of the guitars, keys and vocals. Arm yourself with one of the best bass guitars under $500 and you’ll have a tool that will enable you to do this confidently, without having to spend a fortune.

These days budget basses are reliable, and sound good and we’re seeing some really good stuff hitting the market – bassists have never had such a wealth of affordable choices. With technology improving at an exceptional rate, the quality of budget bass guitars has never been so good – and basses that might have set you back $750 ten years ago now might only cost you $300-400.

Whilst dropping a load of cash on a pricier bass will get you some killer tones and features, these aren’t always necessary – and quite often, those tones are achievable with a cheap bass and a little bit of work. If you’re on the road playing in bars and clubs, then a good sub-$500 bass will serve you just as well. Moreover, the stakes are a lot lower when playing in a rowdy bar with an affordable bass compared to carrying around your desirable American-made Rickenbacker!  

We've also included some expert buying advice at the end of this guide, so if you'd like to read more about what to look for in a budget bass, then we’d suggest you head straight there. If you'd rather get to the products, then keep scrolling.

Best budget bass guitars: Quick list

Want to cut to the chase and find out what the best budget bass guitars are for your needs? Below, you’ll find a round-up of our top choices. You can then jump to our longer list and a more detailed review of every pick.

The best budget basses available today

Below you'll find full and detailed write-ups for each of the best budget bass guitars we rate.

Best for versatility

This bass can cover so much ground in terms of musical styles. If you want a modern rock or metal sound, then the high output PowerSpan Dual Coil humbuckers can dish out powerful, thunderous tones whilst retaining note clarity nicely. However, at the push of a button you can switch these pickups into single coil mode for more traditional, old-school tones. There’s even a low-end enhanced single coil mode for beefing up those bass frequencies. Add to this an active EQ and you’ve got a pickup system with which you can really nail any tone.

The body is nice and sleek and lightweight too, making playing comfortable, whether you’re stood up or sat down. The cutouts also make access to any fret on the fingerboard really easy. The hardware is of a decent quality too, so tuning stability, intonation and resonance won’t prove to be an issue. 

It’s more of a modern looking instrument, so it might not be right for someone wanting a classic looking bass, but don’t let that put you off – there really isn’t much it can’t do in terms of tones.

Best for rounded tone

This is a cheaper version of the famed Music Man Sterling bass. Fitted with a single humbucker, it’s capable of summoning some great, rumbly bass tones suitable for everything from rock and metal to jazz and funk. The on-board active EQ is great for tone shaping as well, allowing you to cut or boost both treble and bass frequencies so that you can be heard better in a mix. Even though it’s a single pickup bass, you can get a really wide range of tones. 

These things play great straight out of the box too, with a slim neck profile to suit any playing style. Fingerstyle players can pluck, slap and pop with ease, and for those who feel more comfortable with a guitar pick, the layout makes that a piece of cake too. 

For the money, this is hard to beat – definitely one of the best budget bass guitars in our price range. If you need an extended lower range, it’s also available in a 5-string format too.

Best budget P-bass

Few basses are as iconic as the Precision. It was one of the earliest solidbody bass guitars and it can be heard on countless classic recordings from over the last 70 years or so. Now, you can get that classic P sound in the form of the Squier Classic Vibe ’60s Precision Bass.

The Squier Classic Vibe Precision gives you that luscious deep, warm tone, with a nice little mid-range bump. It’s a key part of the soul and Motown sound, though classic rock, punk, pop and country bassists love them too – basically, there’s not much they can’t do. It has a single pickup, with a volume and tone knob – the latter of which, when moved around, can have a massive impact on the sound. 

Squier’s build quality is fantastic and the Classic Vibe models are some of their best. The ’60s P Bass serves up some old-school vibes for players on a budget, though to be honest, it’s a great bass for anyone to have in their arsenal. 

Best for metal

Available in both 4 or 5 string formats, the Yamaha TRBX 300 bass guitars are powerful beasts. Fitted with ceramic magnet-equipped pickups that help deliver a strong, deep, clear tone, they’re great for everything from jazz to metal. Whether you need a dynamic clean tone, or a full-on, overdriven rock bass sound, these hum-cancelling pickups, along with an active EQ, have you covered. 

The mahogany body has curves in the right places making it really comfortable to play for long periods both sat down and stood up, and the fairly slim neck profile is great for a range of playing styles. The pickups even have a slight contour cut out of the edge for you to rest your thumb, which makes playing fingerstyle that bit more comfortable.

The Yamaha TRBX 305 (and its four-string counterpart) covers a lot of ground. If you need a bass to cater for various genres, then this could well be it, though it really excels as a rock and metal bass.

Best short scale option

Gretsch make some incredibly stylish instruments, and their short-scale G2220 is a prime example of this. Coming in at well under our $500 budget, it offers some serious bang for buck and will provide indie rockers, country players and metalheads alike with the low end rumble they so desire. 

It’s fitted with a pair of single-coil pickups that deliver a range of vintage-inspired tones. The three-way pickup selector allows for a variety of sounds too, from super warm and mellow in the neck position, to a brighter sound with a snappier attack in the bridge position. You’ve also got a tone control alongside the volume for further tweaking. 

The short scale offers a slightly different feel which some bassists love. Guitarists moving on to bass also sometimes opt for a short scale bass too, as the scale length feels a little more familiar. The single cut body shape and comfortable neck profile further add to the playability of this bass.

Best for modern rock

The Epiphone Thunderbird is an absolute rock machine for players on a budget. Thunderbirds have been the bass of choice for players such as Nikki Sixx, Gene Simmons, John Entwistle and many more. The pair of humbuckers help deliver some low end growl that sounds great either clean or with overdrive. Having the second pickup placed more in the middle, as opposed to nearer the neck, also eliminates some of the dark, muddy tone that you can sometimes get, instead giving you a nice clear punch that might surprise you with its versatility.

Epiphone Thunderbirds sound great, but they also look incredible too. Their offset body shape renders them instantly recognizable and helps you stand out from the crowd too. Plus, with Epiphone’s amazing build quality, you’ll have a bass that’s built to last, whether you’re in the studio or on the road. 

Best vintage sound

Now this might not be for everyone, but for fans of the Fab Four, it’s one of the best bass guitars that you can get for under $500. Of course, it’s not the same model as the one McCartney used, but it will certainly get you in the right ballpark. 

The Hofner Ignition isn’t just a ‘Beatles bass’ though – it’s actually great for all sorts of different styles of music: classic rock, soul, jazz and more. You don’t get much sustain, but that’s part of its charm. It’s nice and thumpy, without much top end but plenty of rounded, warm, bottom end and a nice attack. These are actually great recording basses, provided you don’t need sustain or much rumble, as they can sit really nicely in the mix before even touching an EQ. It’s also a short scale bass, so it’s ideal for younger or smaller bassists. 

Best for beginners

This is a no-frills Jazz bass made by Squier, the sister company of Fender. The Jazz bass has been the choice of loads of bassists over the years including Flea, John Paul Jones, Geddy Lee and plenty more. Whether it’s funk, rock or pretty much anything else you’re playing, you can’t go wrong with a Jazz bass. 

Squier’s Affinity range aims to provide players with high quality instruments at an affordable price. If you’re just starting out and you want a reliable bass that doesn’t cost too much, then this is one of the best options out there. The hardware, pickups and build quality are all up to a good standard so you’ll get decent tones, it’s going to stay in tune well, and it will be comfortable to play. Whilst you might not get the same sort of definition and clarity as some more expensive basses, it’s a great piece of kit for the money.  

Best for tone shaping

Now, Ibanez is not known for its offset designs. So when the Talman hit the market in 1994, it raised a few eyebrows. The vintage-inspired body shape is now available in the TMB-100 range, which is fantastic news for bass players on a budget looking for something a little different. 

The DXP and DXJ pickups are hot, so expect a big slap in the face when you plug this in. The TMB100 is an active bass and an on-board 2-band EQ grants the ability to shape your sound. Although some may prefer a 3 or 4-band EQ, the versatility the TMB100 offers punches well above its price tag. There is an array of different finishes available, but our favorite is the Ivory with accompanying tortoiseshell pickguard, evoking the allure of a timeless vintage era.

Best for classic rock

If there’s one thing for sure, the Epiphone EB-3 will suit you to the ground if you’re a fan of classic rock. When the bass was first introduced by Gibson in the early ’60s it was quickly taken up by players like John Entwhistle, Bill Wyman and Jack Bruce, who used the EB-3 to great effect. 

Fast forward to 2023 and Epiphone’s EB-3 is one of the best bass guitars under $500/£500. With a Sidewinder humbucker in the neck and NYT bass mini-humbucker in the bridge, this bass is capable of a wide palate of tones. The neck position produces a warm, mature timbre whilst the mini-humbucker has plenty of crack to it. The 3-way rotary selector switch is a quirky touch and we love the clover button tuning pegs. 

The EB-3 is a long-scale bass, measuring 34 inches, and although Epiphone states that this helps nurture tonal depth and body, it may not be suited to those bassists with slightly shorter arms. 

Best budget bass guitars: Buying advice

How to choose the best budget bass guitar for you

So, you’re ready to spend your cash on a great bass guitar. You’ve already set your max budget as $500/£500, so what else do you need to consider?

Vintage vs modern style

The first thing is sound. Do you want a classic bass sound, as heard on some of your favorite old-school records? If so, then check out a bass with a vintage style spec. Squier’s versions of the Fender P and Jazz basses haven’t altered too much over time so will get you in the right ball park. 

If you’re after something a little more contemporary, then you might want to look at a bass with a few more features. An active EQ can go a long way in helping you shape your tone, and higher output bass pickups will allow you to get bigger, chunkier and dirtier tones that are much more suited to today’s heavier styles of music. 

Basses with more than one pickup will also allow you to change or blend between them too, which can be great if you need a variety of tones to hand. Of course, so much of the sound is in your fingers, so if you feel more comfortable with a particular style of bass, then you’ll almost certainly be able to make whatever you’ve got for work for you.

How we choose the products for this guide

Here at Guitar World, we are experts in our field, with many years of playing and product testing between us. We live and breathe everything guitar related, and we draw on this knowledge and experience of using products in live, recording and rehearsal scenarios when selecting the products for our guides.

When choosing what we believe to be the best budget bass guitars available right now, we combine our hands-on experience, user reviews and testimonies and engage in lengthy discussions with our editorial colleagues to reach a consensus about the top products in any given category.

First and foremost, we are guitarists, and we want other players to find the right product for them. So we take into careful consideration everything from budget to feature set, ease of use and durability to come up with a list of what we can safely say are the best budget bass guitars on the market right now.

Read more about our rating system, how we choose the gear we feature, and exactly how we test each product.

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