YAMAHA Bass Guitar, Dark Blue Metallic finish

Product Information

Frankly, the 4003S isn’t everyone’s cup of Lapsang Souchong, but bassists who become smitten will go to the ends of the earth and beyond to buy a good one. Which is just as well, because the 4003S is made in small, seemingly inconsistent batches, which plays havoc with both supply and pricing.

Of course it’s not a traditional fretboard layout, so it isn’t for everyone - and people are still getting on just fine with regular frets. Obviously a multiscale bass will take a little getting used to, but it might be worth considering whilst looking for the best bass guitar for you. Do I need to use a separate bass amp? The tonic note of a scale is the note that the scale is named after, i.e. the ‘A’ notes in an A major scale, or the ‘C’ notes in a C major scale. Note: this scale is the same pattern as that used in the E blues scale open position scale, but played on the adjacent strings.A long scale bass has a scale length of 34", and the long scale bass is considered to be the industry standard. As a result, you'll have more options when it comes to purchasing a bass. Those used to playing smaller instruments, or just smaller people in general, may prefer a short scale alternative, however. You can go beyond simple quarter notes here but remember the blues uses a shuffle feel (see ‘Groove: 6 Examples Of Different Feels’) so make sure you know how to play that. 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 bass guitars on the market right now. You'll first need to decide whether you want a long or short scale bass guitar. The scale – or scale length – of an instrument is the distance between the bridge and the nut, and we use it to measure the total playable length of the instrument. Knowing where to start when finding the best bass guitar for you can be a pretty daunting task. There are many factors to consider, especially if you’re looking for a beginner bass guitar to start your bass playing journey on. Here are some of the most important things you’ll need to decide on, before you go looking for your brand new bass guitar. Long scale vs short scale bass guitars

Ultimately, the total freedom to play what you want is what we all want to do. Start simple though and master that before you move on. When you feel comfortable, always push yourself to the next level. Related LessonsHere’s a nice little pattern you can use. Since there are no open strings being used here you can actually move the pattern around if you want to play in different keys. Here at MusicRadar, we are experts in our field, with many years of playing, creating and product testing between us. We live and breathe everything music gear 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.