Best Bass Guitar Brands

The Top Ten
1 Fender

Why do you think producers insist on Fenders all the time!

Get a good Fender and it won't be beaten, that's why classics can easily fetch over $20,000, you just can't beat them. Will an ibanez increase in value 20 years from now, or be firewood... I think you know the answer.

Own a jazz bass by them, very beautiful. Also tested the P & J bass by them. Not a Precision pickup fan, but still pretty nice punchy tones. Wont find anthing better than a fender in my opinion.

I have a Precision bass now for 7 years and it remains awesome! Best bass I have ever owned.

2 Ibanez

I have two Ibanez basses (SRMS 805 multi-scale and an SR 250), and there's simply no comparison. The price is unbeatable for one. Hell, I got an amazing quality multi-scale bass for $1000, where the competition was offering similar quality for $1500+. Plus, the tone is unbeatable, especially for metal.

Unbeatable sound, unbeatabele looks. Sorry the ibanez is just the best! Comfort, speed playability... Never mind metal. I slap the hell out of my prestige everywhere I go and play funk until I can't funk no more. The SDGR prestige is just awesome

Can play a range of genres. From Humbuckers to P & J, there pickups always sound brilliant. I alway hated them because metalcore bands used them. But I can't lie, they do sound awesome.

3 Rickenbacker

I have one and it has a great sound! Rounded and sweety. Also I have a stingray. I think it is more modern than the rick sound. However it could be more versatile.

Ric 4001/4003 can give you that Squire/Lee treble punch, the Lemmy grunge, or the Macca flat wound mellowness. An extremely high quality and versatile instrument.

One of the best rock/metal bass of all time. Very universal and versitile sound.

4 Music Man

Fender and Musicman are the best. I mean they made legendary basses like EB Stingray, Fender Precision, Fender Jazz Bass. Rickenbacker 4001 bass and Gibson Thunderbird are also amazing

I have a stingray 5, I treat it as if it was my child. Amazing basses with amazing tones, nothing more you can say than that really. You can't go wrong with Musicman

The chuncky humbucker sound they give are amazing. Music Man are pricey for all the right reasons.

5 ESP

Forget saying ESP can't handle jazz or softer styles. Sure it can hit some metal riffs. But I have gotten sweet, rich tones from the same ESP bass just as easily. A good bassist can get tones for any style out of basses as well made as you get from ESP.

Saying which bass is best is completely stupid! It all depends on the STYLE of music you play. I can buy a 5 thousand dollar Warwick and its NOT going to sound better than a ESP bass if I'm playing Metal music. Each genre should have their own top 10

Very good for metal. Not great for anything lighter, but still sound amazing. Can get some great Metallica sounds out off them.

6 Gibson

Gibson give a great tone of sound. The Epiphone's aren't that bad either. The thunderbird is beautiful.

Rock and blues needs Gibson basses... a little bit more than fenders or ricks for me...

I have a leftie SG short scale. I've tried others and there's no comparison- it's comfortable, not heavy and sounds amazing!

7 Warwick

Any company that mainly focuses on Bass is good for me. Robert Trujillo uses Warwick and the tone are amazing. I think this should be number 1 or 2. I've used Ibanez basses too. Warwick and Ibanez best in the business.

From the Vampyre to the Fortress, back to the Thumb and around to the Infinity, Warwick produces the most powerful bass' I've ever herd. Even their subsidiary budget line company Rockbass produces an absolutely fantastic sound.

Warwick is like the BMW of bass guitars. Own two and they are the Best! Own 3 Fenders and a MusicMan also, but Warwick is best in my opinion!

8 Schecter

Schecter is my favorite but I really like Ibanez a lot too. I think right now I just feel comfortable with schecters thin c bass neck. Its kind of like a slimmer version of a stingray neck if that makes sense. Very comfortable and very stylish.

It's a good affordable bass with awesome sound. I play at my church and everyone thinks it sounds awesome

My love bass is Hellraiser Extreme-5.

9 Spector

Great for grunge/metal. Ranging from the Mike Starr sound to the Rex Brown sound. This will be the second bass brand I'll buy probably.

My absolute favorite bass hands down. The sound is unmatched, and the curved body fits just right. Just bought another!

Really? Schecter made the top 10 before Spector? Spector would blow most of the top ten out of the water!

10 G&L

I have many basses in my stable... Fender Custom Shop Precision, U.S. Geddy Lee signature Fender Jazz, Sandberg Umbo, custom made Mike Lull PT4, Gibson EB and Les Paul signature models... To name a few... My G&L Kiloton bass is my absolute favorite!... Stellar build quality, Versitile tone shaping, high output... Just a joy to play... And the least expensive weapon in my arsenal. Save your shackles and go straight to the best all round bass money can buy:. G&L all the way!

This list most be for the best known not the best. Professionals must not know how else could G&L, Zon, and Fodera be rated lower than Jackson come on!

How are G and L Basses not on the list yet?

The Contenders
11 Yamaha

Tried multiple. Mainly the P & J styled versions, tried one with a humbucker. Not as good as Music Man, but still nice. Yamaha never fail to make a good instrument.

Yamaha needs to be before Lakland. Sorry.

Yamaha bass guitar sound is really good have one bass guitar really good

12 Lakland

I am a owner of a lakland 55aj and it serve me perfectly. The playability and sound is one of the best I have ever played. 35inch scale make the bass sounds so tight and the graphite reinforcement neck is very stable. Not to mention that the pre amp LH3 is excellent with a very versatile mid control.

I have 2 Lakland's and have played many others including some "boutique" basses and still find me always digging out my trusty Lakland's night after night at my shows. I have a Skyline 55-01 with Nordstrand PU's and the OBP-3 Pre and a straight up stock Lakland 55-94 that are the best work horses I have ever played. Nice work on the basses and keep up the great craftsmanship y'all!

13 Jackson
14 Cort

I think this bass will make diferece! I have one and is amazing! Try it, you wont regrate! To play any kind of music aslo good price!

I have a Cort GB34A Bass and It has an awesome sound. Try it and you wont regret it!

15 MTD

I love the design of the grip on the fretboard. The reducer bulge and curve at the back makes playing on stage or in the studio for long hours such a relief. MTD designs totally rock and because I play different styles, I don't have to switch guitars on stage. With one instrument, I can easily adjust my tone as the style of music changes from funk to soul, RnB, hip-hop and even Jazz. I LOVE MY MTD

Most of my basses are Ibanez I have owned the Prestige for almost 5 years its amazing, but MTD is best. Plus you can order your own design.

16 Dean

I have a Dean Edge 10 and It sounds pretty sweet, not gonna lie. Slick tone.

I have a metalman ML and its seriously amazing. the dean humbucker sounds beautiful with deep growling that cuts through the music. value for money is second to none. looks fantastic

17 Washburn

I bought a Washburn in 1983 with my month's pay even though it was in the budget range of basses then. It is solid and reliable. I have played and owned a few others and still reach for the good old reliable. Well made; high mass bridge, through body strings, P pickups have that characteristic tone, and the neck is slim like the J bass. No doubt there are boutique brands that do all of this too, but not for the $.

Started playing bass on a Washburn. Played around with a few other makes on occasion, still prefer the Washburn.

I might get this bass so please comment.

18 Kiesel
19 Sadowsky

I have a metroline j vintange style and it beats any other bass I own or ever played in every aspect. Of course it is a matter of taste at the end but this basses are pure quality. Not a single defect and everything is how you expect. I never saw electronics like those ever in my life, not in lakland, musicman, prs and certainly not fender (as much as I love American p bass).

Really no comments. When you get down messing with mass produced junk buy a big S,

20 Carvin
21 Peavey

I tried 2 peaveys and 2 ibanez basses on the same day, I liked 1 of each. I've never heard a Precision pick up sound so punchy and nice.

22 Hofner
23 Kramer

I have a Kramer Striker bass from1987. Loved it then and still sounds great 30 years later. It has a hotter sound with more treble than most basses. Good for Heavy Metal or punk.

24 Fodera
25 Epiphone
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