Hey Mr. Bassman! Whether you like to snap, strum, pop, pick, or pluck, having the right Electric Bass Guitar can make all the difference and AMS has an incredible selection. Choose the wood, color, style, and scale length to make your performance stand above the rest. Stay centered with a standard four-string bass, or stretch out with five- and six-string models.
Earn rewards every time you shop at AMS. You'll collect points on eligible purchases that turn into promotional savings on future gear, with points typically available several days after your order ships. All you need is a free AMS account — no credit card, financing, or payment plan required.
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BFR DarkRay 5: A Limited Edition Tone Machine This isn't just a bass; it's a collectible, a curiosity, a finely-crafted low-end weapon dressed in its absolute Sunday best. This, my friends, is the Ball Family Reser...
Sterling by Music Man Bongo 5 5-String Bass
The Bongo 5 has joined the Sterling by Music Man lineup, offering one of the most unique and modern bass designs at an accessible price. Known for its bold and divisive...
The iconic Bongo bass, now available from Sterling by Music Man, offers the same modern design players know and love. The Bongo features a roasted maple neck, sleekly contoured body, and deep cutaways, ensuring exce...
The Sterling by Ernie Ball Music Man 5-string StingRay RAY35 bass features a smooth roasted maple neck, a 3-band active preamp, a modern contoured body, and a bridge modeled after the iconic Ernie Ball Music Man Sti...
First introduced in 1976, the StingRay has been revered as one of the most iconic bass guitars in history. The StingRay was the first production four string bass to feature onboard active equalization. The flagship ...
Ernie Ball Music Man DarkRay: Welcome to the Dark Side
This isn’t just a bass; it’s a beautifully brutal beast, a collaboration between two titans of tone that resulted in something truly special. The DarkRay is...
The Kramer Disciple D-1 Bass guitar is part of the Kramer Modern Collection and is Kramer’s premier full-scale electric bass. Featuring a mahogany body, 3-piece satin-finished maple neck, an ebony fretboard with 24 ...
With its powerful punchy sound, the added flexibility of additional pickups, and a comfortably contoured body, the StingRay 5 HH satisfies even the most demanding of players.
Today's StingRays retain many of...
Andrew Gouché plays both his MTD Handmade Signature model and his Kingston AG on stage, in bass clinics, church gigs, and just about everywhere else. Interested in hearing the magic tone for yourself?
The MT...
The Sterling StingRay RAY34 bass is simply an essential for any bassist. The roasted neck, 3-band active preamp, and single humbucking pickup combine to form one of the most iconic bass sounds.
Sterling StingRa...
The MTD Kingston AG-5 Andrew Gouche Signature 5-string Bass in a Smoky Purple Satin finish.
Dubbed “The Godfather of Gospel Bassists.” Andrew Gouché has toured and recorded with artists such as Prince, Chaka Ka...
An iconic bass since its introduction in 1976, the StingRay bass guitars was the first production four string bass to feature onboard active equalization. The flagship of the Music Man line, today's StingRay retain...
American Musical Supply is excited to be your stop for electric basses from top brands! We offer True 0% interest payment plans - applying is easy. Use your own debit or credit card, enjoy fast and free shipping, and add an electric bass to your creative setup.
We make buying an electric bass quick and easy - in-stock items that are ordered before 5PM will ship out the same day! (see our Shipping Information Page for more details) Do you have questions about basses and want to know which one would be best for you? Give us a call at 800-319-9043 - our experts are standing by.
What is the best electric bass? Well, that all depends on what you’re looking for in terms of size, feel, tone perspective, and price point. American Musical Supply is stocked with a huge collection of basses that touch on those different characteristics in unique ways – we’re here to help you find the instrument you have been looking for!
You can’t talk about the bass without bringing up Fender – most notably the Fender Precision Bass (or P Bass) and the Fender Jazz Bass. With their trademark ‘double horn’ designs and substantial solid bodies that have been built to provide support, strength, and resonance, these rock-solid electric basses have provided the low-end support for bands and ensembles of all types for over sixty years. The split pickups of the P Bass provide all of the power and punch needed for all types of rock music. The special single-coil layout found on the Jazz Bass means smooth, bright, complex tones – jazz, funk, fusion, and all types of dance-driven pop and EDM genres are tailor-made for the Fender Jazz Bass.
We know that Gibson is known for their electric and acoustic guitars, but their bass guitars have a history of making serious contributions to the world of music. The EB Bass was released in 1953 and was their very first production bass. That was followed by a number of iconic instruments including the Thunderbird Bass and SG Bass. AMS carries the newest versions of these historic American-made models - wonderful blends of famous looks and powerful low frequency performance.
Building basses takes a certain mindset and there are companies that dedicate serious time and effort to the unique quirks of the electric bass. After all, these creative tools aren’t just guitars with fewer strings. Electric basses are their own beasts - serving as the foundation, the driving tonal pulse, and the support that anchors your music’s chord voicings and rhythmic patterns. AMS is fortunate to carry Music Man, Spector, Warwick, and PRS– just a few of the brands that go above and beyond when it comes to sculpting unique tone wood bodies, implementing modified hardware and pickups, and finishing it all out with special appointments and visual touches. To these companies, building a bass is not just making a tool for music, it’s creating a true work of art!
If you’re looking for a comfortable electric bass that has a bit more of a streamlined body shape - something that is a bit lighter, that’s nicely balanced, and is easy to get around - you should be sure to check out Ibanez and Yamaha. Their popular basses are incredibly reliable, look great, and are known for their versatility across the music spectrum. Do you need the distinct growl and boom of a heavy metal bass guitar? ESP and Schecter have the menacing designs and snarling pickups you need to feed that intensity!
What kind of bass is best for a beginner? Go ahead and take a look at our selection of Epiphone, Sterling, Ibanez Gio, and Squier basses, which provide many pro-level features at a more comfortable price point. American Musical Supply has lots of different models to choose from and these instruments are approved by performers, educators, and technicians. If you’re looking for an all-in-one gift for an aspiring bass player, be sure to check our selection of Electric Bass Guitar Packages. These instruments are perfect for our 4-pay and 6-pay plans – these are the easiest ways to buy a gift for someone, period!
When it comes to choosing your electric bass, there are a few important characteristics to consider. The first thing is the number of strings. 4-String Electric Basses - usually tuned E-A-D-G from lowest to highest - are the most common and are the instruments taken into consideration when bass music is written. 5-String Electric Basses - usually tuned B-E-A-D-G from low to high - are also very popular for players seeking a bit more extra range down low. Are you a player that is looking to push the limits on range and technique ever further? We also carry a wide selection of electric basses with 6 Strings or more.
Next, it’s about choosing an instrument with either an active or passive pickup setup. What’s the difference between an active pickup and passive pickup? Well, an active pickup includes a built-in preamp that is powered by a 9-volt battery. First and foremost, this boosts the signal of the bass before it hits the effects chain or Bass Guitar Amp. Active basses often have extra levels of tone control at the source, allowing you to tweak the parameters of various color-shaping controls and the instrument’s low, middle, and higher frequencies (EQ) in much more detail. The result? A wider palette of sounds to choose from. Just remember to take this extra boost of gain into consideration and keep plenty of spare batteries so that your active controls can work properly.
An electric bass with a passive pickup performs just like a standard electric guitar – simply plug it into your amplifier and you’re ready to go from there. Tone controls are much more limited on a passive bass – usually a low and high EQ – and there can be a bit more extraneous noise if you’re using longer cable runs. Passive basses are much more straightforward and user-friendly. That means that your clean bass sound is a bit more limited, although if you’re using Bass Guitar Effects and controlling tone parameters on a Bass Guitar Amp, you’re still open to a wide catalog of tonal options.
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