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Since the rise of rock ‘n’ roll in the early 1950s, the modern bass guitar has been a staple of stage and studio. The instrument’s design hasn't changed much through the years, but bass players have stretched the versatility of this powerful workhorse to the max. Today, the modern electric bass guitar is one of the most flexible instruments both for solo and band performances.
An electric bass guitar shares a similar design with an electric guitar, but with a larger body, longer neck, and larger scales on the fretboard. Ranging from 4-string models up to 7-strings, bass guitars also come in various designs. Players can choose from fretless bass guitars, multi-scale, acoustic, and short-scale versions.
TAs with electric guitars, electric bass guitars generate sound via electronic pickups. There are two pickup types: passive and active. While passive pickups produce a mellow sound, active pickups amplify the sound and offer broader tone options and volume control.
A bass guitar's quality depends on its pickups, on the wood-type used in the body and fretboard, and on the general build-quality. Regardless of price, each bass guitar has its own special characteristics. Give special consideration to your amplifier too, because there’s a noticeable difference between bass amps and traditional guitar amps.
Since the choice of amplifier also affects the sound, it’s a good idea to choose your model based on a body shape and scale-length that fits well with your playing style. If you’re a starter, then a classic and versatile model such as the Fender Standard Jazz Bass will not disappoint.