Best Bass for Blues
The bass has to create a solid foundation in a blues band, but that doesn’t mean it has to be boring. Jack Casady of Hot Tuna once said something to that effect, and he and Jack Bruce both proved his point several times over. They also proved that there’s more than one kind of bass for blues. Here are what I consider the best choices.
Why it's best:
The company that introduced the electric bass guitar has updated it’s flagship model with a graphite-reinforced neck, lightweight tuning machines, improved bridge, and a lighter finish that gives it a “woodier” tone. The industry standard of electric basses... read full review
Price Range:
$1,299.99 - $1,299.99
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Musicians Friend $1,299.99
American Musical Supply $1,299.99
Why it's a best pick:
The short-scale SG Bass is Gibson’s updated version of the EB-3 model made famous by Cream bassist Jack Bruce. But this is not your father’s muddy-sounding, hard-to-play EB-3. The redesigned pickups are clear as a bell, the bridge is completely tunable, and it pl...
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Sweetwater $1,399.97
Why it's a best pick:
From 1966 to 1968, Ampeg made an electric bass called the AEB. It was available with or without frets, had a chambered solid body with F-holes on both the front and back, and produced a big, warm tone, not unlike an upright bass. The AEB showed up in bands like Steppenwolf, ...
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Why it's a best pick:
In case you’re not familiar with the bass’s namesake, Jack Casady is best known for his work with the Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna and Jimi Hendrix. A true innovator, Jack was the first to have his bass tricked out with active electronics back in 1967. Ironically...
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$799.00 - $799.97
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Musicians Friend $799.00
Sweetwater $799.97
Why it's a best pick:
DiPinto makes old-fashioned guitars that work in the modern world. The Belvedere is a great alternative to Epiphone’s Jack Casady Signature: It still has a resonant, warm semi-hollow-body tone, but with a slimmer neck, a smaller body, and 2 single-coil pickups. DiPinto...
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