With our selection from brands like Taylor, Guild, Martin, and Fender, you’re in the correct place if you’re looking for the absolute best acoustic bass guitar. We must first examine the well-known connection between “normal” acoustic and electric guitars before moving on to acoustic basses. We bet that many electric musicians have at least one acoustic lying around, if only to tinker with when lounging in front of the TV.
Although there is less of a relationship between these two types of bass guitars, there are still a sizable variety of models to choose from for our list of the finest acoustic bass guitars. Here, we go through the top models you can now purchase as well as what to look for when choosing the best acoustic bass for you.
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Martin BCPA4
I adore Martin guitars, and this is one of my all-time favourite acoustic bass guitars. On the luxury acoustic market, this American company is a true icon. To be clear, this four-string BCPA4 electro-acoustic bass is not inexpensive, but it offers acoustic bassists a true pleasure in every manner. It looks fantastic, plays beautifully, and has an excellent sound. When you pick it up, you can immediately tell that the bass is of the highest calibre. The gigantic body’s long scale contains a variety of sounds. Both acoustically and plugged in, it impressed me. It has the ability to combine the upright and electric bass sounds into an one sound. It is rich and perfectly balanced, with the Sapele providing some warmth and excellent bass response while the solid spruce provides a lovely brightness.
This acoustic bass with a sturdy construction has a large body and a gentle J-style cutaway. All of the components are made of wood. Sitka spruce makes up the top, while laminated Sapele covers the back and sides. The top and bottom of the bass are elegantly bound in black. A solid ebony fretboard with a nut width of 1.58″ and a total of 23 frets is included on the neck, which attaches to the body at the 17th fret. The entire bass is satin coated for a smooth feel, with the exception of the top. The bass has built-in digital tuner for convenience on stage, Fishman F1 Analog electronics with straightforward volume and tone controls on the upper bout. White Corian is used for the fretboard’s nut, and an ebony bridge is attached to the bass’s bottom. Four fantastic Gotoh black sealed tuners are installed on the headstock.
Regular performers and professionals alike will find it difficult to resist the BCPA4’s remarkable high-end tone and feel. I would suggest this acoustic bass to everyone who has the means to buy it and the know-how to use it properly. Any bassist on a tight budget should avoid the Martin BCPA4. The bass has excellent features and sounds and is of top quality. This is the Best Acoustic Bass Guitar in 2023.
Taylor GS Mini-e Maple
It should come as no surprise that Taylor, one of the most recognisable names in the acoustic guitar industry, produces some excellent acoustic bass guitars. Everything you’ve ever wanted in an acoustic bass is in the GS Mini-e short-scale model. While being cosy and enjoyable to play, it nevertheless packs a powerful punch. The first thing I noticed was how the smaller body was still able to make a loud noise. Sure, there are some differences, but not nearly as many as you might anticipate from first glance at the guitar. Its mids are present and wide, but its lows are huge, at least in comparison to its size. The Taylor GS Mini-e provides a well-balanced performance after it is plugged in. The ESB preamp performs an excellent job of boosting the natural acoustics despite lacking a proper EQ. This bass is absolutely great, and it’s so beautifully crafted.
They used solid Sitka spruce as their tonewood for the top and layered Sapele for the back and sides. This Sapele shell has advantages such as greater resilience to temperature, wear, and other elements, and sounds just as nice as solid wood. The ebony fretboard of the sapele neck is topped with 20 frets. The full-size bass guitar’s typical scale length is 10 inches longer than the 23.5″ scale. The hardware in Taylor’s GS Mini-e is standard fare. It features some fantastic die-cast chrome tuners that are rather common. The bass has a West African ebony bridge on the other end. Micarta and Nubone are used to make the saddle and nut. It has an ESB pickup/preamp combo for the electronics. It is a straightforward device with simple settings and an integrated chromatic tuner. There is only a two-band EQ present, but in all honesty, that is enough. The hardware on this guitar is reliable and consistent from a purely practical standpoint.
There is no doubt that this bass is little. The scale is short enough for bassists to enjoy flying about the little fretboard and for guitarists to feel at ease. It’s portable and perfect for gigging and practising. With this instrument, I believe you’ll have a lot of fun. Although it is quite pricey, you get what you pay for.
Fender CB-60SCE Beginner Acoustic Electric Bass Guitar
- Solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides.
- Slim-taper, easy-to-play neck profile found on all Classic Design guitars.
- Equipped with a flexible Fishman electronics system.
The Fender CB60SCE bass guitar has a nice appearance. The cut off has the solid spruce top and has a beautiful basic concert body appearance. It is very playable and has a wonderful tone. The Fender CB60SCE excels most in terms of sound. The tone that is conveyed is defined, clear, and projective. The mahogany shell provides a pleasant edge that blends in incredibly well with lower frequencies. The tone is clear, not at bit muddy, and generally warm. The Fishman preamp does a fantastic job of faithfully recreating the guitar’s organic sound.
Like many of its 6-string Fender relatives, it has solid spruce top and back and sides. For Fender, the single-cutaway design is standard. This medium scale bass has a neck constructed of mahogany with a scale length of 32. The neck has a really nice gloss polish. Rosewood is used to make the fretboard, which has 22 frets and dot inlays. It’s a plastic nut. Four die-cast tuning devices are located in the headstock, and they maintain intonation pretty effectively. Despite being straightforward, the bridge and saddle are well-set up right out of the factory. Bass, volume, treble, and a built-in tuner are all controlled on the Fishman preamp. In a way, this selection blends seamlessly with the guitar’s general tone.
This acoustic bass is ideal for beginning bass players who are new to the instrument. It is a precisely tuned instrument that performs better than most of its rivals on average while also being more polished. In terms of quality and sound, this acoustic bass guitar much exceeds the “beginning” classification. Among the most capable acoustic bass guitars available right now, the CB60SCE is without a doubt. With this bass guitar, which is among the more economical acoustic bass guitars, you get far more for your money.
Ibanez AEB10E
- Mahogany neck, back, and sides; Spruce top; Fishman Sonicore pickup and SST...
- Rosewood fretboard and bridge.
- Pearl dot inlays.
Ibanez has always been renowned for introducing outstanding performance and style to the world of acoustic guitars. They repeated it with the AEB1OE. It is among the classiest acoustic bass guitars available right now, in my opinion. It not only looks amazing, but it also works well. This bass punches much above its weight class because to the fantastic material selection. There is a lot of girth in the bass range and a clearly defined tone. The trebles are powerful, and the mids are present and clear. Fishman preamp operates when plugged in. The integrated EQ provides a very realistic plugged-in sound with plenty of room for adjustment. The Ibanez AEB10E absolutely impresses me despite not being a handmade model.
There is no need to discuss the aesthetics because it simply looks fantastic. Solid spruce makes up the top of the concert body, and the sides and back are built of mahogany. It has a stunning dark stain burst finish. Mahogany also makes up the neck, which has pearl inlays, an abalone rosette, and pearl binding. The fit and quality are excellent. Rosewood is used to construct the fretboard. The Ibanez AEB10E has a real rosewood bridge and a superb set of lockers. When Ibanez needed electronics, he turned to Fishman. For this build, they went for an SST preamp and Sonicore pickup. This combination has a strong track record of success.
Although this bass can be used as a practise tool, doing so would be a waste given its appearance. Its sound can work nicely with a variety of playing styles. This amazing acoustic bass should be considered by both beginning and intermediate players. A truly amazing bass, it can draw attention just by appearance, but when you pick it up, the sound it produces reveals the actual calibre of the instrument. The chances are good that you won’t find anything much better than this if you’re seeking for the best acoustic bass guitar under $500.
Fender Kingman Acoustic Bass Guitar (V2)
- One right-handed Fender Kingman Acoustic Bass Guitar
- California Player: Decked out in the electric-inspired style of Fender’s...
- Premium Materials: Painted spruce top and mahogany construction, a mahogany...
Fender has established itself as the leading bass guitar manufacturer thanks to iconic models like the Precision Bass and Jazz Bass. The Kingman has a sophisticated design and a powerful tone. This bass has several positive qualities. I really like the way they adapted the design of the Fender Newporter acoustic guitar. Warm natural tones and a distinct vibe characterise the bass. I believe the bass works best for pop or rock music because it lacks the punchy bass of some other bigger electric basses. It can compete in more intense environments, but mellower atmospheres allow the enhanced mids and highs to stand out.
The Newporter acoustic guitar from Fender is the source of the amphitheatre shape of the Kingman V2. As a result, the body is a little bit smaller than a full-size acoustic and has a superb playing feel because to its sculpted cutaway and curves. Laminated mahogany is utilised for the sides and back and solid spruce for the top. It sports a great Jazz Bass headstock shape that intensifies the Fender vibe. With a C-shaped profile and a scale length of 30 inches, the mahogany neck also resembles the shape of a jazz bass. A 20-fret walnut fretboard sits atop the neck. The fretboard is decorated with vintage Fender block inlays. It is equipped with a Fishman pickup and preamp so you can connect and play along with the band. It’s undoubtedly one of the most complex preamps on any acoustic guitar, featuring 3-band EQ adjustments, a tuner, as well as volume, notch, brightness, and phase controls. The Graph Tech NuBone nut and the Viking walnut bridge flawlessly transmit sound.
The acoustic features are undoubtedly advantageous for use in more intimate settings or while jamming with pals. It is a fantastic addition for bassists searching for a distinctive weapon to add to their toolbox. One of the best acoustic basses on the market right now is the Kingman V2. One of the greatest acoustic basses you can buy for the money is the Kingman V2, which features a traditional Fender design with a warm, woody tone.