Are you looking for the best acoustic-electric bass guitar? Then, you are in the right place.
We worked hard to present you with this buying guide about the best acoustic-electric basses with all information needed for a smart decision. Our team tried dozens of those basses to choose the best ones.
We also checked tons of articles, reviews, and specifications, talked with professional bassists to understand what matters.
Best Acoustic-Electric Bass Guitars – Comparison Table
Fender CB-60SCE Acoustic-Electric Bass (Editor’s Choice)
Modern features and classic design makes it a timeless beauty of all eras. The top-notch craftsmanship and unique features appeal to beginners and experienced guitarists alike. The spruce top is standard wood used on acoustic guitars. This offers brightness, strength, and dynamic range and responds amazingly to different playing styles.
This model has easy to play and has a slim taper neck profile that is common on classic design guitars. Its body complements the concert-size guitar with an articulate and smooth low end. For unplugged sessions, this is an ideal companion. It comprises a high-end electronic system which suits well to studio or stage.
The neck creates comfort and an ideal fret-hand feel, and rolled fingerboard edges are perfect for novice and experienced players. It includes several onboard controls for amplification without varying the resonant, rich, and pure tone. In addition, the built-in tuner is convenient.
With this, you get knobs for bass, control, and treble so you can dial in quality and well-balanced tone. It is perfect for sunlight, bright or dim venues with a built-in tuner. This is faithful and delivers reliable, true, and long-lasting performance.
Pros
- Simple neck
- Great Sound
- More than a beginner bass
Cons
- None we could find
Ibanez PNB14E Acoustic-Electric Bass
This electric bass guitar is pretty sweet and easy to play as it has a mini-scale neck. You will enjoy a good tone. With little neck adjustment, it gets better. The E string has unique tonal qualities, and it is excellent due to its body size. Its solid construction and fantastic craftsmanship make it durable. This is great for beginners, and at this minimal price, you get a perfect product.
This is a perfect choice for those who want a long neck and a big body. It sounds good with an amp. Strings are perfect at the fretboard bottom that making it easy to play.
It is highly recommended to play in small venues or jam on the deck. The effortless transition to bass is excellent.
It sounds excellent on movement. This is truly a quality instrument available at a great price. Though it has a compact body, it has powerful, impressive acoustic volume. The overall tone is excellent.
Pros
- Nice acoustic bass
- Perfect price for a product
- Big sound
Cons
- Some feedback issue occurs
Dean EAB Acoustic-Electric Bass Guitar (Best for Beginners)
The Dean’s name comes from the company’s founder, Dean Zelinsky. He started the business in 1976, with its products becoming much more popular in the late 1990s and beyond. Dean is now owned by Armadillo Enterprises, which purchased the company in 1997. Dean now has its headquarters in Tampa, Florida.
The Dean EAB comes in at a slightly lower price than others of similar construction, and it has a larger concert-style body. As with other acoustic-electrics reviewed, this one has a spruce top and mahogany sides/back. Again, you get the Dean passive preamp, along with volume control and treble control. Tuners are Dean diecast.
It is a solid beginner’s acoustic-electric bass guitar.
Ibanez AEB10E Acoustic-Electric Bass Guitar
Ibanez has been making guitar instruments for many years and has gained popularity with its acoustic-electric products. The company has been in business for more than 100 years, beginning as a distributor of music products and sheet music in Japan in 1908.
The company got into the guitar business by importing Spanish guitars in the 1920s and 1930s. It focused on producing solid-body electrics of good quality in the 1980s and 1990s, becoming popular with metal players and others. Ibanez enjoys popularity because it makes quality instruments available at attractive prices.
The AEB10E has a spruce top with mahogany back, sides and neck. You get an onboard tuner, along with Fishman Sonicore pickup and SST preamp. The diecast chrome tuners provide accurate tuning, and pearl-dot inlays on the rosewood fretboard make finger location efficient. The Ibanez sound, without amplification, is quite good, and the price is quite reasonable.
If you’re looking for an instrument that looks very good, this is probably the right choice for you with above-average performance. Intonation is good all along the neck, with playing comfort compared to acoustic-electric basses costing a bit more.
Fender CB-100CE Acoustic-Electric Bass
Fender is one of the most recognized names in the musical instrument industry. Millions of people are familiar with the name because of company founder Leo Fender. He was one of the pioneers of electric guitar production. Its lower-priced instruments are imported into the United States rather than manufactured there.
The company offers a few different acoustic-electric bass products, including the CB-100CE, with a laminated spruce top and laminated mahogany back and sides. In addition, Fender uses scalloped X bracing and includes Fishman Isys pickup with active, onboard tuner, and preamp.
Mahogany neck construction follows the iconic Jazz Bass design and features a rosewood fingerboard. The bridge is rosewood as well. This should be the right choice when you’re looking for an affordable acoustic-electric bass, though you may have to make some set-up adjustments once it arrives. But, again, an experienced player should be able to help with this.
Fender CB-60SCE Acoustic-Electric Bass Guitar
The shape of the CB-60SCE separates this bass from others in its category, as Fender markets this one with a Concert Bass body shape.
The difference is in the cutaway that allows you to reach higher frets a bit easier, as well as in the slightly larger body size, which you may like for its somewhat deeper sound. The top is solid spruce, and the interior bracing is in the X design. The back and sides are mahogany.
This classic-design bass has Fishman Classic pickup and preamp and a slim, tapered neck design similar to all Fender Classic guitars. It should work fine for unplugged play in a smaller setting, and the electronics will deliver on stage or in-studio. They are offered in black finish as well as natural.
Ibanez AEB5EBK Acoustic-Electric Bass Guitar
Another acoustic-electric bass from Ibanez, the AEB5EBK, has a spruce top, mahogany neck, back, and sides. The rosette design of the fingerboard is abalone.
This famous bass delivers a warm low end with a full sound and adds Fishman Sonicore pickup, Shape Shifter preamp, and onboard tuner. It has both ¼” and XLR outputs for added convenience.
This model produces a strong unplugged sound, which separates it from a few others in its price range. Playability is good, though you may want to add different strings for comfort. Ibanez continues to deliver good performance for an attractive price.
How to Select the Best Acoustic-Electric Bass
People have been playing acoustic instruments for a lot longer than they’ve been picking and strumming electric instruments, of course. For centuries, the bass register of music was provided by massive “stand-up” creations that resembled huge violins. However, some cultures did have smaller bass instruments with deeper bodies that produced the required sound.
In the last century, creative individuals began to add electric/electronic units to these non-amplified instruments to hear the music. These additions (sometimes microphones) were similar to six-string guitars. Most people now understand that electric basses quickly followed guitars, as music generally “went electric.”
Hybrid
The creation known as an acoustic-electric bass guitar has gradually been refined to the point where it’s now possible to purchase an instrument suitable for performance. In addition, the electronic units for amplification are now part of the package. Like the familiar, solid-body electric bass, these instruments have four strings, usually tuned an octave below the six-string guitar’s lower four strings (E, A, D, G).
Musicians can play many of these instruments without being connected to an amplifier. However, the sound produced is rarely loud enough to be heard, even when performing other acoustic instruments. The traditional Mexican bass has a louder sound with six strings and an intense body, though it’s still played with a pick. The sound is usually too “soft” when only the fingers are used.
As it is known today, the acoustic-electric was introduced in the 1950s by Kay. Other companies began producing these instruments in more significant numbers in the 1970s and 1980s. As a result, the use became more common, with several good choices available from several manufacturers. When an individual decides to shop for a bass of this type in the 21st century, the budget is usually the deciding factor.
Buyer’s Guide
Buying an acoustic bass is different from purchasing a six-string guitar, right?
Not necessarily. It would be best if you considered a few primary factors when buying any string instrument, no matter which part of the musical register you’ll be playing in. For example, when you start shopping for a guitar of any type, you should focus on string height from the fretboard and overall construction.
The first factor, string height, will be the most crucial element (once you get past the guitar’s looks). If you struggle to press the strings down to produce sound, you can lose interest quickly. If you set a budget range from the beginning, you’ll succeed in finding a suitable acoustic-electric bass. But, you should play one before making a final decision, if possible.
If you don’t have access to a bass guitar, you can pay close attention to details and these reviews about various instruments. Suppose you can walk into a music store and try a couple of acoustic-electric basses. You see one you like, based on appearance. Please take it in hand and press down one of the strings with your index finger. Pluck that string with the index finger on your other hand and listen to the loudness (volume) of the sound it produces.
Comfort and Sound
You’ve just tested the two significant factors for purchasing an instrument that you can play without amplification. If you can press the string to the fret without much effort, and you can hear the note you’ve played, that’s a good start. Next, you should try another acoustic-electric bass from another manufacturer and compare the ease of play and the loudness. If one stands out above the other in both categories, you’re on your way to a good purchase.
It’s also essential to know more about construction details, such as the wood used for the instrument’s top. Most guitar makers (luthiers) consider the wood choice the most important for producing quality sound. Spruce is most commonly used because it is lightweight and durable, producing tone clarity. Other woods used include cedar and mahogany. The latter is often used for the back and sides of the guitar.
It’s also essential for an acoustic guitar or bass to have solid bracing inside the body and quality frets and fretboard. You should look more closely at these details as you hold the guitar and play it. As with any guitar or bass, you should also pay attention to how the tuning “keys” work. Are they smooth yet tight, which makes them accurate? Are there visible signs of poor craftsmanship where the body parts are joined, or the neck meets the body?
Body Design
Acoustic guitars have three general body shapes or styles – classic, dreadnought, and jumbo. You’ll also find some acoustic electrics produced with a Concert-style body, slightly larger for more volume. However, that won’t be a significant concern for you unless you choose a jumbo body for deeper bass sound when playing without an amplifier. The two factors influencing cost will be the country of origin and choice of wood.
Aside from the body design and construction, you should pay particular attention to the electronics used to produce sound when the bass is connected to an amplifier. Most affordable acoustic-electric basses have adequate electronics, some with onboard tone control (EQ) and tuners. Some less-expensive guitars use lamination rather than single-piece construction. That helps lower the cost of production and may affect the non-amplified tone.
The Best Acoustic-Electric Bass: Our Final Thoughts
As with six-string guitars, three major bass categories are electric (usually solid body), acoustic, and acoustic-electric. You’ll find each type has characteristics and features to attract different players. For example, you may want to choose the acoustic-electric if you’re a beginner because you can get a very-playable, good-sounding instrument without spending a lot of money.
That gives you the option of playing without amplification or with amplification, depending on the setting. You may also benefit from using a pick when the bass is not connected to an amplifier. That gives you a louder sound and a crisp tone.
With prices ranging from less than $200 to about $400, you can use “budget” as one of your deciding factors when buying an acoustic-electric bass. As mentioned earlier, the key is to find one that is comfortable to hold and comfortable to play with. It’s also essential to find one that performs well when amplified. Finally, you may have to go through a bit of trial and error to find a small amp that will deliver the bottom end you want without annoying overtones.
When you choose Ibanez, you get excellent quality and tone, along with extra attention to appearance. Ibanez does devote a bit of time and effort to making its instruments appealing. The manufacturer takes pride in choosing excellent wood for a full sound.
Differences
Fender is a leader among guitar manufacturers and has found success with its dreadnought/cutaway style acoustic-electric bass. The sound of the Fender bass is characteristically warm and pleasant. Dean guitars have become popular worldwide, especially among beginning bass players. The company produces good value for the money you have to spend.
In the final decision, with an acoustic-electric bass, a six-string guitar, or a solid-body electric bass or guitar, you must get beyond the first impression and color. The most critical factors are neck and fingerboard comfort, tightness and accuracy of the tuning keys, and the sound produced when amplified and not amplified.
When choosing an amplifier that works well with your new bass, you’ll be looking for equipment designed to reproduce the acoustic instrument’s natural sound. The keys are cleanliness and accurate tone. Loudness (volume) can be a problem when you amplify an acoustic instrument. So take some time to find the right amp after you’ve invested in a quality acoustic-electric bass.