Top Best Slap Bass Guitars
Bass guitar is the musical instrument that has been popular for many decades. As you can imagine, playing the bass guitar is much more difficult than the traditional one, but nevertheless, this instrument still attracts millions of musicians around the world. Now there are a huge number of different techniques that can be learned in order to become more proficient on the bass guitar. If you are interested in slapping and also looking for the best bass guitars for this technique, our article is exactly what you need.
Most likely you know that slapping is one of the quite popular and at the same time enjoyable playing styles. What’s more, it also sounds incredible if done right, which can be a daunting task. Despite the fact that not every bassist owns this style, a huge number of musicians prefer this style, and are also looking for a musical instrument suitable for it. For slapping, this is very important, because even if you play with good technique but a badly matched guitar, you will not get the sound you expect.
What Should I Look For When Choosing Good Slap Bass Guitars?
There are a few key points to consider when choosing the best slap bass guitars. That’s why the first recommendation we want to give you is to find a guitar that has a wide string spacing. This is why many players who prefer this technique choose guitars with 21 frets instead of the traditional 24. This gives them more space between the end of the neck and the neck pickup.
Another important point that you need to pay attention to is what kind of music is closer to you. While some musicians prefer the sound of the seventies and are inspired by the music of the Chilli Peppers, others prefer the 80s and the brighter, richer sound of Level 42. For example, if you like the sound of the eighties, you are most likely looking for a guitar with as low action as possible, which means the strings need to be as low as possible. It should also be noted that newer strings will give a brighter sound. In case you want to get a more aggressive sound, this can be achieved from round wound strings.
Also, when choosing bass guitars for slap and pop, it is recommended to pay attention to pickups. The best option for slapping is to use a guitar that has an active pickup mode (an active pickup means that the guitar preamp is powered by a 9 or 18 v on board battery power pack).
Top Best Slap Bass Guitars
Now that you’ve seen the basic features to look out for when choosing a guitar for slapping, we’ll introduce you to the best models on the market right now.
Here are our top picks:
1)Squier Classic Vibe ’60s Jazz Bass
Pickups: SS, Fender Vintage Alnico Single Coil
Strings: 0.45 – 0.105 Medium Gauge Strings
Frets: 20 (Medium Jumbo)
Neck & Scale: Maple, 34″
Low-Action Setting: Low Action, adjustment with bridge saddles or with truss rod on the head
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced musician, chances are you’ve heard of a company like Fender at least once. Squier is a subsidiary of this brand, which produces inexpensive, but at the same time high-quality musical instruments.
Thus, the Squier Classic Vibe ‘60s Jazz Bass is an inexpensive remake of the original Fender Jazz Bass, which was and remains a favorite of many players due to its clear and warm sound. Also, this model is famous for its incredible playability, so you will most likely be satisfied.
So, first of all, we would like to mention that this bass guitar has a classic solid poplar body, as well as a fast action maple neck with bolt-on construction. The neck of this model is smooth, so it’s making playing this instrument as comfortable as possible.
It also has a 34” scale Indian laurel fingerboard. In addition, the Squier Classic Vibe ’60s Jazz Bass has two vintage Fender-designed Alnico II single-coil pickups that also have individual volume controls. Speaking of them, it’s worth noting their crisp tone, which is actually great for slapping.
We also draw your attention to the C-shaped neck, which also helps when using this technique. Thus, if you are looking for a good quality guitar that is great for slap and pop, we strongly recommend that you take a look at the Squier Classic Vibe ’60s Jazz Bass.
2)Music Man Sting Ray
Pickups: H, 1 Ceramic Humbucker
Strings: Nickel Plated Steel, 0.45 – 0.105
Frets: 21 (Medium)
Neck & Scale: Hard Maple, 34″
Low-Action Setting: Low Action, adjustment with bridge saddles or with truss rod on the head
Another guitar that definitely comes to mind when we think of slapping is the Music Man Sterling StingRay. As with the previous model, the Music Man Sterling StingRay is a more budget friendly version of the original Ernie Ball Music Man Stingray.
What’s more, this bass has been specially designed for slap style playing! Speaking about this model, it is worth noting first of all that it features a 6-bolt neck for greater stability. It should also be said that a hard maple neck is great for slapping.
Apart from that, we should also draw your attention to an active humbucker pickup, thanks to which you can get a thick tone.
What’s more, with a custom-designed powered preamp, you’ll have even more control over your tone and tailor it to your needs. So, if you’re looking for a guitar that’s reasonably priced and perfect for slapping, then the Music Man Sterling StingRay is a great option for you.
3)Squier Affinity Series Jazz Bass
Pickups: SS, Ceramic Jazz Single-coil
Strings: Nickel Plated Steel, 0.45 – 0.105
Frets: 20 (Narrow Tall)
Neck & Scale: Maple, 34″
Low-Action Setting: Low Action, adjustment with bridge saddles or with truss rod on the head
Another model from Squier that you should definitely consider is the Squier Affinity Series Jazz Bass. First of all, this model is one of the most affordable basses Fender makes, offering incredible value for money.
First of all, we would like to draw your attention to the C-shaped maple neck with laurel fingerboard, which will allow you to comfortably use such techniques as slapping. It should also be noted that this model features a low-action setting and a professional setup.
The guitar is a budget guitar largely due to its electronics, particularly dual Ceramic Jazz Single-coil pickups. While you can get a fairly satisfying bright tone that is also crispy enough for slapping, you still won’t get enough dynamic versatility.
So while the pickups save you money and make the guitar more affordable, we would suggest that you replace them with others, such as a Fender Alnico, that will help you get a better tone for slapping.
4)Warwick Rockbass Corvette 5
Pickups: 2 MEC Dynamic Correction Jazz pickups
Strings: Warwick RED Strings 0.045″ – 0.135″
Frets: 24 (Extra high jumbo nickel silver frets)
Scale: Maple with Ekanga veneer stripes, 34” to 35.5” scale
Low-Action Setting: Very Low Action, adjustment with bridge saddles or with truss rod on the head
Another bass guitar for slap that should definitely be on our list is the Warwick Rockbass Corvette 5. First of all, we would like to note that this bass has five strings and is distinguished by its maximum versatility, which means it is suitable for different genres and play styles. Not to mention that this guitar has a swamp ash body as well as a 3-piece maple neck with Rosewood fretboard.
Electronically speaking, the Warwick Rockbass Corvette 5 is equipped with two passive MEC MM pickups that will keep you comfortable while playing, as well as help you get the most versatile tone, suitable even for modern styles.
In addition, we also couldn’t help but draw your attention to the multi-scale design with different scale lengths on different strings, which greatly improves intonation.
Also, since this model has five strings, we want to note that the extra B string sounds quite clean, especially compared to other basses in this price range. However, of course, it is also worth remembering that slapping and popping will be somewhat more difficult than on a four-string bass, as the strings are closer together.
So, if you’re looking for a versatile five-string bass that’s good for slapping, we recommend that you take a look at the Warwick Rockbass Corvette 5.
Conclusion
Undoubtedly, choosing the right bass guitar can be tricky, especially if you prefer any particular playing technique. However, there are so many options on the market these days that it’s easy to find the right guitar for slapping. We hope our guide of the best slap bass guitars was helpful and you were able to find the model you were looking for.
