by John F. Kendall

Created on: November 14, 2008

Choosing the "best" bass guitar brand is very much like choosing the best ice cream. If you walk into the middle of a room of ice cream [or bass guitar] affectionadoes and ask "what is the best?" you will, if lucky, start an animated discussion. If you are unlucky, you will start a war. The reason, of course is simple: every person has their own beliefs and feelings about the issue. Often these beliefs or feelings are held quite close to the individuals heart and he or she will defend them with a vehemence second only to a threat given to one of their children.

So is there a "best" brand or are there "best" brands? Well... yes and no. As is the case with all manufactured products used by individuals the reallity is that there may be a best brand for you but it may not be the best for another person. In turn, every manufacturer will turn out a spectrum of instruments and, depending upon your needs, cash flow, experience, and physical make up, the instrument will be either better or worse for your circumstances.

All this being said, here are a few benchmarks to aid you in getting the best buy for you:

1) In the world of bass guitars there are highly respected name brands that have stood the test of time. If quality alone is your criteria, then you may be assured that your chance of gaining a much better instrument will improve if you look for the name Fender, Gibson, or Rickenbacker on the headstock of the bass. These are the traditional leaders in the guitar/ bass guitar field and have built most of the bass guitars you hear on most of the recordings you own.

Of these three, Fender is by far and away the most famous of the basses. Most serious bass players will own, or have owned a Fender Precision Bass or a Fender Jazz Bass durning their playing lives. Thanks to Mr. McCartney and the bands of the '70's Rickenbacker has gained a solid following. Gibson, used by a host of great players, is also a common sight on stage. Any of these will be easy to find, easy to re-sell, and will sound great.

The major drawback to these instruments is in the expense. The high end of one of these name brands will run in the $3K arena. This is, of course, assuming that you aren't thinking of a vintage instrument which can run a great deal more. The individual cost of the instrument will fluctuate with current market values and place of manufacture. A Fender made in the USA is considerably more expensive than one made in Japan or Mexico.

2) If cost enters into the process, you may decide

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