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Top 10 Best Bass Guitars Under 1000 in 2024 (Complete Buying Guide)

Check out our industry expert’s recommendation for the best bass guitars under 1000 with an in-depth buying guide.

Looking for the best bass guitar under 1000? Well, think no more and look no further; you have come to just the right place.

Related Complete Buying Guides:

We want you to get nothing less than the best when you’re spending a grand on the bass guitar. There are a gazillion bass guitars in the market, and we want you to get the best one. Let’s take a look at all these amazing bass guitars for just under 1000.

Our Top 3 Picks (At A Glance)

EDITOR'S CHOICE
Ibanez SRF700
9.9
  • Solid-body bass, AeroSilk piezo system for realistic acoustic tones
  • Throughout the years, Ibanez made fretless versions of this classic for a limited number of esteemed Ibanez artists
  • Now, the Ibanez Bass Workshop makes this much sought after option available to SR players everywhere with the introduction of the SR Portamento
  • The SR Portamento offers a rosewood fingerboard that extends the length of the standard SR neck to a hefty 30-fret length
PREMIUM PICK
Fender Deluxe Active Jazz Bass V
9.8
  • Includes deluxe gig bag
  • Two Vintage Noiseless Jazz Bass pickups (middle and bridge)
  • Three-band EQ with treble, mid and bass boost/cut; active/passive switch
  • 5-saddle HiMass bridge for increased attack and sustain
  • 4-bolt asymmetrical neck plate
BUDGET PICK
Schecter Stiletto Studio-5
9.7
  • Mahogany w/ Bubinga Center
  • EMG HZ Pickups
  • Diamond Custom Bridge
  • Offset Dots Inlay
  • Limited Lifetime Guarantee

What Are The Best Bass Guitars Under 1000?

1. Best For Playability & Tone: Schecter Stiletto Studio-5

Mahogany body with Bubinga top and multi-laminate Maple Walnut neck, EMG-Hz pickups, Diamond Custom Bridge.

2. Best For All-around: Ibanez BTB745

Boutique-style 5-string bass, Neck-through construction, Bartolini BH2 dual-coil pickups, 5-Piece Mono-Rail V Bridge.

3. Best For Classic Jazz: Fender Vintera ‘60s Jazz Bass

American Vintage Reverse Open-Gear bass tuners, Mid-’60s C-shaped neck, Chrome hardware, and 4-bolt neck plate.

4. Best For Built Quality: Dean Edge-6 Flame Top

Mahogany body with Flamed Maple top and Maple’s neck, Standard EMG 45HZ pickups, ABM die-cast bridge.

5. Best For Tone & Versatility: Ibanez SRF700 Portamento

Ibanez-exclusive AeroSilk Piezo pickup, Bartolini® MK-1 neck pickup, Extended 30-fret Panga Panga fretboard.

6. Best For Tone & Looks: ESP LTD AP-5

Powerful EMG P/J pickups, Solid 6-Bolt neck, 1 Master Volume, 1 Master Tone, 1 Balance.

7. Best For Vintage Tone: Schecter J-4 Sea Foam Green

Alder body, USA MonsterTone-J pickups, Thin C neck profile, Schecter Bridge.

8. Best For Crisp Sound: Fender Deluxe Active Jazz Bass V

Dual-coil ceramic noiseless J-style active pickups, 3-band active equalizer, Satin Polyurethane neck finish, HiMass bridge.

9. Best For Performance & Durability: Sterling by Music Man 4-String Ray 34

Original Stingray Design, Mahogany body, Roasted hard Maple neck and fretboard, Sterling by Music Man Humbucker Pickups.

10. Best For Appearance & Sounds: Washburn 4-String Bass Guitar

Mahogany body with a matte finish, Dual Washburn J-style pickups, and Ebony fretboard.

Comparison Table (Best Bass Guitars Under 1000)

Best For Playability & Tone
Schecter Stiletto Studio-5

Schecter Stiletto Studio-5

  • Mahogany w/ Bubinga Center
  • EMG HZ Pickups
  • Diamond Custom Bridge
  • Offset Dots Inlay
  • Limited Lifetime Guarantee
Best For All-around
Ibanez BTB745

Ibanez BTB745

  • Wood: Wenge/Bubinga/Maple, Finish: Satin, Passive Pickup configuration: SS Neck: BH2, Bridge: BH2 Brand: Bartolini
  • "Evolving and perfecting, the Ibanez BTB series has always aimed at expanding the playeraTMs full range of creative expression
  • The elegant, curving, massive body of select tonewoods and dedicated equipment provide huge tones
  • Neck-through construction with a 35-in scale, a two-octave fretboard, and a super-deep cutaway promise sleek playability and rich sustain
  • The BTB series defines what the aoeBoutique Bassa is all about
Best For Classic Jazz
Fender Vintera '60s Jazz Bass

Fender Vintera '60s Jazz Bass

  • Two ‘60s jazz bass single-coil pickups
  • “Mid ‘60s C”-shaped Maple neck; 7. 25”-Radius Fingerboard with 20 vintage-style Frets
  • Alder Body
  • 4-Saddle Bridge with threaded saddles; reverse open-gear tuning machines
  • Includes deluxe Gig Bag
Best For Built Quality
Dean Edge 6 Flame Top

Dean Edge 6 Flame Top

  • 35-inch Scale maple neck with Pau Ferro fretboard and abalone dot inlays
  • EMG 45HZ Pickups
  • ABM Bass Bridge
  • Diecast Dean tuners
  • Mahogany body with Trans black Satin Finish
Best For Tone & Versatility
Ibanez SRF700

Ibanez SRF700

  • Ibanez Bass Workshop makes this much sought after option available to SR players everywhere with the introduction of the SR Portamento
  • The SR Portamento offers a rosewood fingerboard that extends the length of the standard SR neck to a hefty 30-fret length
  • Several years in the making, the SR Portamento's new AeroSilk piezo system delivers an uncanny touch of hollow-bodied openness and realizes the innovative Upright Double Bass sound to blend into the mix that both inspires and redefines the role of the solid body bass
Best For Tone & Looks
ESP LTD AP-5

ESP LTD AP-5

  • Features a traditionally-styled body, but then taken in a contemporary high-performance direction
  • Excellent for anything from metal to punk to reggae to funk, with a great playing feel
  • Built with a classic bolt-on design, with an alder body and smooth, thin U-shaped maple neck at 34" scale
  • Offers a set of active EMG P5 and LJ5 pickups for an excellent variety of tone
  • Includes ebony fingerboard with 21 XJ frets, reliable Grover tuners, and a Babicz FCH-5 bridge for a terrific tone and sustain power
Best For Vintage Tone
Schecter J-4 Bass Guitar

Schecter J-4 Bass Guitar

  • Alder Body, 34" Scale Thin C Maple Neck w/ Maple Fretboard
  • Schecter USA MonsterTone-J Bridge & Neck Pickups
  • Offset/Reverse Dots Inlays
  • Schecter Custom Bass String Thru (or Top Load) Bridge, Super Long Strings
Best For Crisp Sound
Fender Deluxe Active Jazz Bass V

Fender Deluxe Active Jazz Bass V

  • Includes deluxe gig bag
  • Two Vintage Noiseless Jazz Bass pickups (middle and bridge)
  • Three-band EQ with treble, mid and bass boost/cut; active/passive switch
  • 5-saddle HiMass bridge for increased attack and sustain
  • 4-bolt asymmetrical neck plate
Best For Performance & Durability
Sterling By MusicMan RAY34

Sterling By MusicMan RAY34

  • Features Ernie Ball Music Man's iconic and original Stingray design with Poplar Burl Transparent Black Satin finish
  • Precision-built with a Mahogany body, Roasted Hard Maple neck, and Roasted Hard Maple fretboard for a bold feel and smooth playability
  • Sterling by Music Man design Alnico humbuckers coupled with a 3-band preamp
  • All Sterling by Music Man instruments receive final set-up and inspection in California
  • Ernie Ball strings to provide durability and optimum performance and heavy-duty gig bag
Best For Appearance & Sounds
Washburn 4 String Bass Guitar (T24NMK-D)

Washburn 4 String Bass Guitar (T24NMK-D)

  • Taurus Series 4-String Bass
  • Mahogany Body, Maple/Mahogany multi-lam neck-thru, ebony Fingerboard
  • Dual Washburn J style Pickups
  • Graph Tech Nub one nut; Chrome Die cast tuners; Hardtail Bridge
  • Case included

Top 10 Best Bass Guitars Under 1000 (In-Depth Guide)

Best For Playability & Tone: Schecter Stiletto Studio-5

Key Features

  • Mahogany body with Bubinga top and multi-laminate Maple Walnut neck produces a heavy bass tone
  • Neck-thru construction is easy to grab and play with for a long time
  • 35-inch scale-lined fretless rosewood fingerboard
  • EMG-Hz pickups with Diamond custom bridge and Grover tuners
  • Master volume / Blend / 3-band EMG active equalizer offers great control in sound production

Without any doubt, the Stiletto series are some of the finest mid-priced basses out there. The Schecter Stiletto Studio-5 is a good-looking guitar with some amazing features that you might not imagine in the bass at this price.

This guitar has an exotic body like mahogany which you can rarely find in bass guitars at this price. It’s a 35-inch scale 5-string bass that features a mahogany body with a Bubinga top. This gem has excellent sustain because of the ultra-access neck-thru construction.

It features a 35-inch scale fretless rosewood fingerboard with 24 extra-jumbo frets that generate excellent playability. It has two EMG 40Hz pickups fed into a 3-band EMG active 18V EQ. There’s a blend control for selecting either pickup. And, the honey satin finish complements its all other features.

Overall, the Schecter Stiletto Studio-5 is a sleek, sharp-looking bass loaded with features that count. So, if you’re looking for a guitar that offers great playability and tone, then this guitar is a perfect choice.

| Schecter Stiletto Studio-5 Demo |

Best For All-Around: Ibanez BTB745

Key Features

  • Boutique-style 5-string bass provides top-shelf appointments at a grand price
  • Neck-through construction gives unique stability and confirms a high level of sustain
  • 5-Piece Mono-Rail V Bridge provides overall string isolation and maximum sustain per string
  • Bartolini BH2 dual-coil pickups offer clear-tone production
  • Active 3-band EQ, Complete with a 3-Way midrange switch, provides a wide range of music production

The Ibanez BTB745 is a quality 5-string bass guitar that fits in perfectly with the rest of the acclaimed BTB series. You’ll appreciate everything about this guitar, from its luxurious multiplayer tonewoods and comfortably contoured body to its top-notch Bartolini pickups and hardware.

The new smooth body has a bent bevel that makes a more exquisite feel. The Mahogany body includes a warm tone with rich reverberation, while the Walnut top gives a tight reaction and warm sound with a firm low end.

One of the best features of this guitar is the Mono-Rail V Bridge. This ultimate bridge permits a wide sound change range, and each bridge is securely locked down to the body for most extreme vibration moves without interference.

The stainless frets add to high longevity and splendid tone, and the zero frets give precise sound and negligible string stature. The zero frets likewise encourage open string sounds to be equivalent to different frets. The extensions and EQ are additionally overhauled.

| Ibanez BTB745 Demo |

Best For Classic Jazz: Fender Vintera ‘60s Jazz Bass

Key Features

  • 34″ scale length, Chrome hardware, and 4-bolt neck plate
  • Mid-’60s C-shaped neck has a 7.25″-radius fingerboard with 20 vintage-style frets for a classic playing experience
  • Bridge & Neck Volume Controls with Master Tone Control offers a great deal of tone control and stability
  • A unique feature is American Vintage Reverse Open-Gear bass tuners
  • Smart introduction of unique style & sound of Fender’s golden era

The Vintera series offers the best features of past decades to create these authentic testaments to Fender’s history. The Fender Vintera ’60s Jazz is a classic vintage styling bass guitar that has a comfortable feel right out of the box.

This guitar has an alder body. Instead of rosewood, the Pau Ferro is used on the fingerboard. It’s available in three color options which include Three-Tone Sunburst, Firemist Gold, and Daphne Blue. It’s got revoiced vintage-style ’60s jazz-bass pickups, volume for your back pickup, volume for your middle pickup, and a master tone knob.

The C-shaped neck has a gloss finish and a nice medium thickness to it. So, if you like a slim easy-to-get around the neck, then this bass is a perfect choice. There’s also the four-saddle vintage-style bridge that allows you to adjust string spacing.

Overall, it’s a fine instrument that won’t put a dent in your wallet while giving you all the classic jazz bass tones.

| Fender Vintera ’60s Jazz Demo |

Best For Build Quality: Dean Edge-6 Flame Top

Key Features

  • Mahogany body with Flamed Maple top and Maple neck produce professional-grade sound
  • 35 inches scale length with Jumbo frets offers freedom to hold the correct notes & maintain timing
  • Standard EMG 45HZ pickups and an ABM die-cast bridge offer any style of bass-playing tone
  • 24-Fret Pau Ferro fretboard is a unique gem of this instrument
  • Two-way mid-frequency selector 250Hz to 600Hz

The Dean Edge 6 is a great bass for a killer price. It has a flame maple top, a comfortable double-cutaway mahogany body, and a bolt-on maple neck with a 35-inch scale.

The body of this guitar is made out of basswood. It’s a great choice of tonewood for bass guitars. Tonewood is known for enhancing the qualities of a bass guitar, and basswood is pretty lightweight. Therefore, making it a perfect choice for heavier instruments.

Then comes the neck of the guitar, which is made out of multi-ply hardwood. This hardwood provides the instrument with a great level of strength of stability. Also, it comes with a six-saddle, fixed bridge that provides a good level of activity in the instrument.

Moreover, this guitar comes with a dual pickup set. One of the pickups is located at the bridge, and the other rests in the middle of the guitar. It has a decent standard set of controls. You’ll have one master control knob, two individual tone knobs, and a single blending knob.

| Dean Edge-6 Demo |

Best For Tone & Versatility: Ibanez SRF700 Portamento

Key Features

  • Extended 30-fret Panga Panga fretboard for experience in upper registers
  • 5-piece Maple/Walnut through-neck for improved sustain and tone
  • Recessed controls settled to each individual string to power the volume of the Ibanez-exclusive AeroSilk Piezo pickup
  • Bartolini® MK-1 neck pickup offers a wide frequency range
  • For the Bartolini MK-1 pickups, controls include master volume, balance, and bass and treble controls, as well as a master volume and tone control for the Piezo system

Ibanez is known for making some very fine instruments. The Ibanez SRF700 Portamento is no exception either. This fretless bass offers quality and construction that give off a top-shelf vibe.

When it comes to body tonewood, there are so many choices. The body of this guitar is made of mahogany tonewood which is a common choice. It’s a fine-grained wood that looks really attractive. As to performance, it has a beautifully warm and soft tone. However, mahogany is one of the heavier tonewoods out there.

Although mahogany is a pretty heavy tonewood, the Ibanez did a great job keeping the weight of this guitar reasonable. They were able to achieve this through a double-cutaway construction method. This method significantly reduced the size of the guitar, which reduces the weight of the guitar.

Overall, the Ibanez SRF700 fretless bass guitar helps you to take your bass playing to new heights.

| Ibanez SRF700 Portamento Demo |

Best For Tone & Looks: ESP LTD AP-5

Key Features

  • Traditionally stylish but focused on high-performance stuff
  • Signature blend mix-up with the volume, pickup balance, & tone controls with powerful EMG P/J pickups
  • The solid 6-Bolt neck offers super sustain & control in tone production
  • Control layout consists of 1 Master Volume, 1 Master Tone, 1 Balance

The ESP LTD AP-5 is a classic, high-performance 5-string bass guitar. It has stylish looks with outstanding tone and playability.

This guitar features powerful EMG P/J pickups. Thanks to active electronics and a pair of powerful EMG pickups that fitted in classic P/J configuration, this guitar able to hold down the low in style.

ESP has taken the bolt neck design to the next level. Bolt-on-necks have huge popularity because they sound punchy. They’re quite different from neck-through and set-neck designs. This guitar comes with a 6-bolt neck joint, which offers more contact between the neck and body for greater stability, vibrational transfer, and sustain.

Another amazing feature is the Babicz FCH-5 Bridge. This feature allows for maximum transfer of the tonal wood from the strings. Moreover, the entire ESP LTD line of instruments features solid hardware for a lifetime of use. So, every instrument is ready to rock when it leaves the factory.

| ESP LTD AP-5 Demo |

Best For Vintage Tone: Schecter J-4 Sea Foam Green

Key Features

  • Resonant Alder’s body gives a realistic tone
  • USA MonsterTone-J pickups provide the look and performance of Schecter’s original late-1970s design
  • A thin C-neck is comfortable to grab and play for a longer session
  • Schecter Bridge offers string-through and top-load freedom of choices

The Schecter J-4 Sea Foam Green is a jazz bass-style instrument with passive electronics. So, no battery in the back of this one. It’s got two custom Schecter monster tone pickups, along with a 21-fret neck.

What’s really great about this guitar is the contour of the body, which allows you to easily access the frets. It has a very thin neck, and the string spacing is pretty narrow. If you wanted to play 4-string jazz bass and you’re uncomfortable with how wide the neck is, then this thin neck can be a very good option for you. 

As far as the controls, you’ve what you typically expect from a passive jazz bass. There are three knobs; volume for the neck pickup, volume for the bridge pickup, and a tone knob.

One interesting fact about the pickups is that they don’t have a pickup cover. So the wires are kind of exposed, which you usually don’t see on a bass guitar.

| Schecter J-4 Sea Foam Green Demo |

Best For Crisp Sound: Fender Deluxe Active Jazz Bass V

Key Features

  • Dual-coil ceramic noiseless J-style active pickups deliver classic jazz bass punch and growl without any hum & buzz
  • The 3-band active equalizer offers lots of modern sound-shaping options
  • Perfect satin Polyurethane neck finish
  • HiMass bridge provides the perfect resonance and sustain

The Fender Deluxe Active Jazz Bass V was the second bass created by Leo Fender. It’s different in a number of ways from the precision bass.

This 5-string bass guitar has a select alder body in a three-tone sunburst. It has a modern C shape 34-inch scale maple neck with a nine-and-a-half-inch radius rosewood fingerboard with pearl black inlays.

It’s got a compound radius fretboard for playability and accuracy and an asymmetrical neck profile. The pickups on this bad boy are Fender noiseless and three single-coil. It’s got an active preamp circuit that provides high headroom and tight low-end response.

It has an active-passive mini-toggle and a passive tone control when you’re in the passive mode. Moreover, a 5-bolt neck plate for extra stability and a contoured neck heel for easier access to the upper frets.

| Fender Deluxe Active Jazz Bass V Demo |

Best For Performance & Durability: Sterling by Music Man 4-String Ray 34

Key Features

  • Ernie Ball Music Man’s iconic and original Stingray Design that features Poplar Burl transparent black satin finish
  • Mahogany body, roasted hard Maple neck, and roasted hard Maple fretboard provide a smooth bass-playing experience
  • Sterling by Music Man Humbucker Pickups with Active EQ.
  • 21 medium-sized dot inlays fret

The next model on our review of the best bass guitars under 1000 is the Sterling by Music Man 4-string. It comes in two beautiful Poplar Burl and Trans Black Satin finishes with two humbuckers.

What’s really special about it is a roasted neck. It has the iconic Ernie Ball Music Man and original Stingray design that helps to provide durability and optimum performance. The key point of the body design is the black-near circular pickguard.

The body is made with poplar wood which is decent tonewood. Although it doesn’t have the qualities of mahogany, it’s softwood and quite light. This guitar weighs under nine pounds, which makes it a good instrument for a beginner.

Moreover, there’s one low-noise humbucker, which is a ceramic magnet pickup designed to be hotter than the norm. It plays quite nicely, and feels quite slick; the deep cutaway design gives you easy access to the fretboard.

| Sterling by Music Man 4-string Ray 34 Demo |

Best For Appearance & Sounds: Washburn 4-String Bass Guitar

Key Features

  • Smart-looking mahogany body with a matte finish
  • Dual Washburn J-style pickups
  • Ebony fretboard gives a smooth bass-playing experience
  • 34 inches scale length, 24 frets with Offset dot inlays
  • Hardtail bridge with Chrome die-cast tuning mechanics

Washburn guitar is not only known for its beauty but also for the great sound it produces. The Washburn Taurus T24 4-string guitar is no exception. It’s a worthy candidate for any tasteful bass player’s axe arsenal.

The body of this guitar is made from mahogany which features a distinctive shape. Mahogany is a common tonewood used by uncountable bass manufacturers. At first glance, the shape of the body looks unusual. However, the oversized upper horns balance and that’s why it does grow on you after a while.

The hardware used in this guitar is pretty solid. There are two Washburn ‘J’ Style pickups. These are controlled with individual tone and volume controls for each. Though there aren’t any active electronics, this guitar is responsive enough for you to dial in what you need.

One good thing about the tuning machines is how they’re angled back a little bit toward the player. It’s not a big deal, but this little thing makes things convenient when you’re tuning up.

| Washburn 4-String Bass Guitar Demo |

Bass Guitars Under 1000 – Complete Buying Guide

Bass Body Types

Solid-body basses are the most common type of all bass body types. Well-made bass guitars, they’re often made from a solid piece of wood that’s capable of transferring vibration efficiently. On the other hand, they’re made from laminated woodpiles, softer woods, or pressed woods on lower-priced basses.

Apart from solid body basses, you’ll also find basses with a plastic, hollow, acoustic-electric hollow body, etc., in the market. All of these types have great value. However, it’s best to go for solid body basses, as they’re greater than other types.

Number of Strings

When it’s a matter of the number of strings, bass guitars are divided into 3 categories: 4 strings, 5 strings, and 6 strings bass guitars. Most bass guitars are four strings. They’re perfect for new players. They can be used to play most musical styles. They have small necks, which makes them easy to handle and learn with.

On the other hand, 5-string guitars feature a lower B string, which can give the guitar a deep range. Their necks are wider than 4 strings. Therefore, players often have a hard time playing them. 6 strings have a low B and a high C string. They usually require a thick neck, which makes them very difficult for the players to hold.

Active vs. Passive Electronics

Active and passive electronics usually refer to the preamp circuitry of the bass. Passive preamp systems don’t need any power source for operation. They have fewer controls. They follow a simple operation. However, they produce a very traditional low-fi sound.

Meanwhile, active preamp systems need power, which they get from an onboard battery. They can provide a stronger output and more control over tone shaping. Some of them are equipped with separate EQ controls divided into frequency bands. In fact, some of them have controls that will let you change the wiring of your pickups.

Wood Types

Wood types can have a great impact on their tone and resonance. New players don’t need to be too concerned about the type of wood used to make their guitars. However, if they’re looking for a bass guitar to get a specific sound from it, then it’s important to consider this.

Maple

Maple is a dense wood that’s capable of creating a well-sustained sound. It can easily produce a bright, clear tone that many artists generally find valuable in a studio setting.

Basswood

Basswood is frequently used on less expensive instruments. It’s softwood and can’t resonate as much as other types of wood. Some players think that it’s capable of creating a flat sound, while others feel that it’s perfect for playing fast, complex playing techniques due to its short sustainability.

Rosewood

Rosewood is also extremely dense and hardwood-like maple. Its rigidness makes it best suited to fingerboards.

Ash/Alder

Both ash and alder are commonly used to construct guitar bodies. Both of these woods can create a very balanced tone, with great clarity and a very full sound.

Agathis

Agathis is a very popular wood type for its inexpensiveness. It emphasizes less low-mid tones that can make the overall sound rich. As a result, it’s able to provide a fairly balanced tone.

Fretboard and Bridge

Fretboards of bass guitars should be smooth, hard, and dense so that they fade out slowly. The shorter their radius’ is, the more pronounced the arches of the fretboards would be.

On the other hand, bass guitars should feature bass-made and chrome or nickel silver-plated bridges. If your guitar has more mass and weight, it’ll easily anchor the strings and transfer more vibration from the strings to the body.

Overall Build Quality

When you’re buying a bass guitar for under $1000, you must check out its overall build quality. By checking this factor out, you’ll be able to make sure whether the product you were about to buy was strong enough to handle accidental damages, scratches, dents, etc.

Playability

Make sure that the bass guitar you’re currently purchasing or thinking of purchasing has excellent playability. Otherwise, you would end up buying one that won’t make you feel comfortable during your playing sessions.

Looks

If you want your bass guitar to look more stylish and cool, then you can check out some of these cool bass designs and graphics. However, if you’re looking for a high-functional guitar, you don’t need to worry about this.

Which Bass Guitar Is The Best Right Now?

Currently, the best bass guitar is the Fender American Ultra Precision Bass from the next lineup of Fender’s American-built Precision. The bridge and the center of this spectacular are equipped with an ultra-noiseless vintage jazz bass single-coil and a split-coil counterpart, respectively. Due to these parts, it’s considered to be one of the best versatile bass guitars of all time.

Moreover, it proudly boasts of a modern D neck profile, which will make you feel incredible and allow you to enjoy a truly superlative playing experience.

Best Alternative To a $1000 Bass Guitar For Different Budgets

A Lower Budget (Under $500)

The best alternative to a $1000 bass guitar for a $500 budget is the Schecter Stiletto Extreme-4 which is great for both sound and looks. In fact, we have featured a complete buying guide on the best bass guitars under 500.

On An Even Less Budget? (Under $200)

If you’re looking for a great bass guitar under $200, then you should give the Squier Affinity Bronco Bass or the Yamaha TRBX174 a chance. You won’t be disappointed with it.

Have A Bigger Budget? (Under $2000)

The best bass guitar under a $2000 budget is the Fender Jaco Pastorius Jazz Electric Bass.

Have Even More Budget? (Under $3000)

If you want to get the best out of your $3000 budget-based bass guitar, then you should definitely check out the Ibanez GSR200 Electric Bass Guitar.

Accessories that you need with your Bass Guitar

Sturdy Case or Gig Bag

Sturdy cases or gig bags are a must, especially if you have to travel with your bass a lot. They’re essential for carrying your base safely from one place to another. They can also protect your bass from accidental and environmental damage.

An Extra Set of Strings

In case the strings of your bass all of a sudden break in the middle of a performance, it’s better to have an extra set of strings always in your arsenal.

Cleaning Materials

You must have cleaning materials with you all the time. They’re necessary for keeping the strings nice and bright, as well as cleaning the bass from dirt. They include rubbing alcohol and cleaning cloth.

Instrument Cable

In order to connect your bass to the amp, you should have a cable with you. Otherwise, you won’t be able to have any sound from the bass at all.

Electronic Tuner

Electric tuners are very helpful in bass tuning, especially in a noisy environment. Without them, you would have to tune it manually, which is difficult to do so.

Guitar Stand

Owning a stand for your bass can not only protect your bass from accidental falling, but it can also let the bass stand perfectly.

Guitar Strap

A guitar strap can help you have more control over your bass when you’re playing it, especially while standing.

String Winder

String winders can help you to change the strings properly, without facing any difficulties. In short, it makes string changing easy to do.

Bass Booster

With a bass booster, you’ll be able to enhance your sound and increase your level of projection and volume. If you use them with an EQ, you’ll have no problem shaping the tone of a passive bass.

Footswitch

Footswitches will give you the ability to activate or deactivate an amp’s mute and FX loop functions without using your hands so that you can have your attention on playing.

What To Expect From A $1000 Bass Guitar?

Bass guitars worth $1000 are packed with many good, beneficial surprises. These surprises are amazing enough to blow your mind away.

These guitars have an overall premium design. Some of them are equipped with exotic, luxurious tonewoods and finishes, while others are equipped with some features that make them distinctive based on performance.

They also come with high-end pickups, versatile controls, impressive bridges, as well as precise and stable tuners. These are usually the benefits you can expect from a $1000 bass guitar. They’re the only thing that makes spending around $1000 on a bass guitar sound logical.

Top Bass Guitar Brands

Nowadays, there are a lot of guitar brands manufacturing them. Among them, some brands are capable of producing bass guitars in particular ways and approaches; other brands can’t afford to match.

Fender

In the list of guitar brands, Fender stays in the top position. Fender was responsible for coming up with the iconic Stratocaster and Telecaster, which is liked by all. Many guitarists only prefer to buy bass guitars from Fender and nothing else. These guitars were used by Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton.

Some of the best bass series from Fender are:

  • American Professional II
  • American Ultra
  • American Original
  • American Performer
  • Vinterra
  • Deluxe
  • Player
  • Artist
  • Limited Edition etc.

Ibanez

Ibanez is popular for manufacturing high-quality yet affordable guitars. They’ve also started to manufacture guitars of different types. Their design and versatility are very impressive. Some of the popular models of bass guitars from Ibanez are:

  • SRF
  • BTB
  • Talman
  • GSR
  • RGB

Gibson

Gibson is responsible for making legendary guitars like Les Paul and the SG. They revolutionized electric and bass guitars, which is why their produced instruments are held in high regard.

Epiphone

The brand ‘Epiphone’ is a subsidiary of Gibson that manufactures SG, Les Paul, and other quality Gibson guitars. Many new artists started their musical careers using guitars like the Epiphone before they got their hands on a Gibson guitar. In fact, John Lennon used to favor these guitars over guitars of other brands.

Taylor

Guitars manufactured by Taylor are capable of producing impeccable sound. They’re high-end guitars and can provide you with exceptional performance. Their ability to create exceptional performances is the reason why many artists, including John Petrucci and David Gilmour, prefer to use them.

Should I Go for Used or New for a $1000 Budget?

Buying a new or used bass guitar, that too under a $1000 budget actually depends on your personal choices, preferences, and tastes. It all comes down to you.

Still, it’s best to purchase a new bass guitar instead of purchasing a used one. With them, you’ll have the privilege of testing out various bass guitars until you find the one best suited for you. They’re also a great investment for your money, as they can last for a long time. Purchasing a used guitar will only lead you to buy a mediocre guitar which would require frequent repairs costing hundreds of dollars.

What Bass Amp should I get?

Bass amps are essential for playing bass guitars. They can make the sound of a bass guitar audible to the audience. So, it’s important to get yourself a bass amp that will help you make the sound more appreciable and clear.

The Aguilar DB751 amplifier has been available for some time; however, it maintains it as a visible staple on stages across the world. It’s equipped with a pretty straightforward control panel. One of the greatest features of this amp is its capability to handle power significantly. Due to this, it’s considered to be one of the simplest yet most incredibly effective amps.

So, if you really want to make your bass guitar sound more loud and perceptible, don’t waste any time and get this amp into your arsenal.

9 Pro Tips For You

  • Make and set a schedule.
  • Don’t overlook the organization. Instead, try to be organized.
  • Make sure you have all the tools you need to play the bass guitar
  • Don’t pressurize yourself.
  • Think of your goals when playing.
  • When you can’t acquire a playing technique, try to practice it with a clear mind instead of getting frustrated easily.
  • Streamline and prioritize your practice routine.
  • Expand your knowledge of music beyond practice sessions.
  • Always remember your long-term musical aspirations.

FAQ

Q) Can you play bass if you know the guitar?

Ans: No, you absolutely can’t. Playing guitar and playing bass are totally two different things. Both of them have different fundamental and practical differences. Bass playing requires a different mindset, different than that of an acoustic and an electric guitar. It’s played for carrying the bottom end of the song. On the other hand, when you’re playing the guitar your mind should be focused on the rhythmical patterns based on melodies, as well as solos; as it presents the entire song.

Q) Which bass guitar material is the best?

Ans: Harder woods are the best guitar material for bass guitars. They have the ability to produce a brighter sound. They can give the bass a nice percussive tone. Maple, Ebony, Walnut, Paduak, Wenge, Koa, and Rosewood are some of the most common hardwoods.

Q) Who is the best bassist in the world?

Ans: John Entwistle from one of the great all-time rock n’ roll bands: “The Who”, is the best bassist in the world. He was known as both Thunderfingers and Ox. He first trained on the French horn and piano before he transferred to bass playing. He had this amazing ability to play the bass like a lead instrument; which resulted in the formation of a booming, powerful sound that often overshadowed the guitar playing of Pete Townshend. His solo on the famous “My Generation” from The Who’s debut album is the most famous bass solo by far in the history of rock music. The song is also named the 11th Greatest in the list of “500 Greatest Song Of All Time” by Rolling Stone Magazine.

Selection Methodology: How Do We Choose the Top 10 List To Recommend

Before we made our top 10 list for recommendations, we examined the guitar market and brands. Therefore, we had to go through different bass guitars equipped with distinctive yet remarkable qualities. Then we emphasized many important factors like playability, sound, construction, etc.

We also collect reviews from customers and expert opinions from experts as well as famous guitar players. Therefore, we were able to narrow down our list to a top 10 list, which surely can help a lot in deciding the right bass guitar for you.

Final Words

Whether you’re a skilled player or a novice, these bass guitars are a superb choice for everyone. We assure you that you’ll not regret it a bit as these are some of the best bass guitars for under 1000 dollars. Pick your best match and get ready to rock ‘n roll.