Top Good Bass Guitars For Punks
Punk music is a genre that has been and remains popular for many decades. Despite the fact that his fame fell on the seventies and eighties, he existed almost always. His motives can be heard even in the rock and roll motives of many popular musicians. That is why many researchers believe that it appeared back in the fifties, but became widespread in the 70s. One of the first punk giants is the world famous Ramones and Sex Pistols, thanks to which this genre has gained such popularity.
Even if now punk music is not as popular as it was in the seventies, there are a huge number of bass players who are inspired by famous bands and try to understand this genre. That is why, even in our time, the Internet is replete with such requests as good beginner punk rock bass guitars and what bass guitars did punk bands use. Today we will discuss some of the features of punk bass guitars, as well as bring to your attention the top five best bass guitars that can be purchased on the market at the moment in order to replicate the iconic sound of those times.
know that he is also the owner of the Musician’s Institute and Schecter. ESP and ESP LTD offer an extensive catalog of bass guitars, where every musician can find something for themselves. Whether you’re a beginner with a minimum amount of money or a professional with an unlimited budget, ESP will offer you a ton of models, from traditional to exclusive.
Punk Bass Guitar Features
Punk Bass Tone
Despite the fact that at the moment punk has a huge number of subgenres, they all have a large number of similarities with each other. Punk music often has either a modern edgy tone or a classic bass sound. Also, some sub-genres of punk have a heavy, edgy sound, but most punk artists use the classic dirty tone. If you like the sound of the 60s and 70s, then you will most likely want to get an old school classic punk sound.
Picks for punk bass
While some punk bassists play with their fingers, more often funk music involves the use of a pick. This is necessary so that the player can select strings with a noticeable attack and to make it easier to play fast bass lines. It’s up to you whether you want to learn punk by playing with your fingers or using a pick, however if you’re looking for a typical punk tone a pick can help you a lot. Most likely, you understand that playing the bass with a pick gives a sharper bright tone, which makes the attack more pronounced. That is why the bass tone becomes more aggressive, which is great for the bank. Also note that punk bassists tend to prefer the sound of thinner 0.7-0.8mm picks.
Bass strings for punk
As you know, strings also have a direct impact on the sound. That is why, in order to achieve the traditional bright punk tone, roundwound strings are best suited. In addition, you can also look at stainless steel strings and strings with nickel wiring around a steel core.
Top Good Bass Guitars For Punk
Now that you know what features to look out for, we want to tell you about the best punk basses you can buy right now.
Here are our top picks:
1)Music Man StingRay Bass
We decided to start our top good begginer punk rock bass guitars with the legendary model used by many musicians around the world Music Man StingRay Bass. If you are new to the world of guitars, then you probably do not know that Leo Fender, who founded the Fender company, after parting with it, created another one – Music Man.
Based only on this fact, you can understand that this model will be a good quality option that will serve you for many years. First of all, we would like to note that the Stingray is a guitar that is quite versatile and well suited for different musical genres, but its characteristic feature is its punchy sound.
Speaking about the Music Man StingRay Bass, we would definitely like to mention the ash body, as well as the maple neck and ebony fretboard, which already indicates that the instrument will have a bright full sound.
Also a feature of this bass guitar is its sharp sound, which is more pronounced than in other models. So, if you’re a traditional punk fan and you’re looking for a punchy bass sound, you should definitely get the Music Man StingRay Bass.
2)Fender Precision Bass
Speaking about such a musical genre as punk, one cannot fail to mention the Fender Precision Bass, which had a huge impact on this style. A well-known fact is that this guitar was one of the very first electric basses that attracted attention and became popular all over the world.
Thus, the Fender Precision Bass was reflected not only in punk music, but also in many other genres that used this model. Thus, if you like the harsh aggressive sound of music, you should definitely get more familiar with P Bass.
The main distinguishing feature of this bass guitar is its solid sound, which is achieved thanks to the standard two-piece split-coil humbucker. In this way, you will not only get a decent bass sound, but also express your playing style, which is important if you write music yourself.
Moreover, if you use the middle or low register most often, then this model will be an indispensable friend for you. We would also like to point out that if you are on a tight budget but you already have your eye on this model, you can purchase the Fender Player Series Precision Bass which is more affordable.
In case our arguments didn’t catch you, we also want to add that Dee Dee Ramone of the Ramones himself used this particular model in order to get a real punk sound.
3) Rickenbacker 4003 Bass
The Rickenbacker 4003 Bass is a model that sets itself apart from other basses both in terms of looks and incredible sound. This model is also quite versatile and is still used in various musical genres, but it is especially good for punk.
However, we also want to draw your attention to the fact that the tone of this guitar is quite specific, so we would recommend that you listen to its sound before purchasing this model.
While testing the Rickenbacker 4003 Bass and the performance of its two single-coil pickups, we noticed that it offers a crisp, thin yet hollow sound.
So, if you’re into classic punk, this is probably not the model you’re looking for. However, if you’re exploring new ways to sound punk rock on the bass, then the Rickenbacker 4003 Bass is the one for you.
4)Fender Jazz Bass
Even if you’re new to bass guitar, chances are you’ve heard of the Fender Jazz Bass. It is this guitar, along with the P Bass, that is widely used in punk music, and we could not but include it in our top of the best models for this genre.
This model reproduces pure tones with a wider range of mid frequencies thanks to two single coil pickups. It should also be noted that despite its good applicability in punk, this guitar is quite versatile and can be used in other genres.
With the Fender Jazz Bass, you also get to choose from a wide range of tones due to the ability to separate volume controls as well as mix two pickups. The tone controls are also extremely flexible, so you can experiment with the sound and perfect your punk sound. So, if you’re looking for a punk bass with an old school sound, you should definitely get the Fender Jazz Bass.
5)Gibson SG Bass
The latest model, which we will talk about today, will also amaze you with both its sound and incredible appearance. Despite the fact that some experts argue that the design of the guitar is not so important, we hasten to disagree with them.
If you are a beginner musician, it is very important that the instrument appeals to you visually and that you want to spend as much time with it as possible. So if you want your punk rock bass to match that style and look, the Gibson SG Bass is the one for you. However, even if you don’t care about design, this model will surprise you with its incredible sound.
It is important to note that this bass has a mahogany neck and a rosewood fretboard, which already speaks of a decent and bright sound. Also with the Gibson SG Bass you will learn SG’s own Rhythm SG Bass neck pickup and Lead SG Bass bridge pickup.
It is thanks to the pickups that you can get a bright and sharp old-school punk sound. In addition, the guitar has two volume knobs and one for master tone, which will allow you to customize the sound to your liking.
Conclusion
Punk is a musical genre that will live forever. There will always be fans of old music who want to continue to refine this musical style and will need quality and durable bass guitars. We hope our list of good punk basses could help you find the model you’ve been dreaming about.
