Checklist · 12 picks · 5 categories
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Every band needs a bassist, and it can be you. Start with the bass itself: MusicRadar's top beginner pick is the Squier Bronco, a slim short-scale bass that suits younger learners, while the Yamaha TRBX174 is one you can grow into.
A bass needs an amp to be heard, and for practicing at home MusicRadar points to the light, affordable Fender Rumble 40, which has a headphone jack for quiet sessions. Add a cable, a clip-on tuner and a set of strings for your first restring (short-scale basses take short-scale strings). Every pick comes from MusicRadar's guides to beginner basses, bass amps, bass strings, cables and tuners, and each card shows the drawback it called out.
Who this is not for. Skip this if you want to play chords and sing along; the Guitar Starter Kit covers beginner acoustic guitars.
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Estimates based on typical prices, checked Nov 1, 2026. Prices change; see the store for today's price.
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Squier Bronco Bass | budget | $200-300 | smaller hands and a lighter first bass | 1 outlet |
| Yamaha TRBX174 | mid | $200-300 | learning now and still loving it in a year | 1 outlet |
| Squier Affinity Precision Bass | mid | $200-300 | the classic P-bass look and sound | 1 outlet |
Best bass guitarbudget pick · Short scale
Best for smaller hands and a lighter first bass
MusicRadar's best beginner's bass guitar overall: slim and short-scale, with the tone and build quality you'd expect from Squier at a low price.
Heads up. Not that versatile tonally
1 outlet. MusicRadar best beginner's bass guitar overall.
$200-300
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mid pick · Mahogany body
Best for learning now and still loving it in a year
MusicRadar's best beginner bass guitar that you can grow into: a bass you can learn on that you won't outgrow in a hurry, with a choice of tones from two pickups.
Heads up. Cheap-looking control knobs
1 outlet. MusicRadar best beginner bass guitar that you can grow into.
$200-300
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mid pick · Alder body
Best for the classic P-bass look and sound
MusicRadar's best beginner bass guitar for classic style and tone: the entry-level take on the famous P bass, with a broad enough tonal palette to be a serious instrument.
Heads up. You might want something less obvious
1 outlet. MusicRadar best beginner bass guitar for classic style and tone.
$200-300
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Best bass ampmid pick · Compact combo, 18 lb
Best for home practice, with or without headphones
MusicRadar's best budget bass amp: compact, lightweight and ideal for home practice if you just picked up a beginner bass.
Heads up. A little basic, and not loud enough for live playing
1 outlet. MusicRadar best budget bass amp.
$200-300
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splurge pick · 2 x 10 in combo, 39 lb
Best for your first band practice and gigs
MusicRadar's best combo bass amp: the perfect size combo for your first gigs, with classic Ampeg tone and a valve-style overdrive.
Heads up. Won't please vintage tone lovers
1 outlet. MusicRadar best combo bass amp.
$500+
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fender 7250M Roundwound Bass Strings | budget | $15-25 | your first restring | 1 outlet |
| Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Nickel Bass Strings | budget | $25-50 | modern rock, pop and slap | 1 outlet |
| GHS Bass Boomers Short Scale | mid | $25-50 | restringing a short-scale bass | 1 outlet |
Best bass stringsbudget pick · 45-105 and more
Best for your first restring
MusicRadar's best beginner bass strings: budget strings that feel great, last a respectable time and settle into a sweet spot after a few days.
Heads up. Not ideal for vintage tones
1 outlet. MusicRadar best beginner bass strings.
$15-25
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budget pick · 40-95 to 55-110
Best for modern rock, pop and slap
MusicRadar's best modern bass strings: an industry standard with growling lows and a bright top end, and a solid starting point if you've never restrung a bass.
Heads up. Not best suited to vintage tones
1 outlet. MusicRadar best modern bass strings.
$25-50
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mid pick · 45-95 or 50-107
Best for restringing a short-scale bass
MusicRadar's best short scale bass strings: its pick for 30- and 32-inch basses, with a thicker feel that helps short-scale basses sound bigger.
Heads up. Not great for long-scale basses
1 outlet. MusicRadar best short scale bass strings.
$25-50
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Best guitar cablebudget pick · 6 in to 25 ft
Best for your first cable, and a backup later
MusicRadar's best budget guitar cable: a fat-gauge cable that feels more premium than the price, in a PVC jacket designed not to tangle.
Heads up. Plated connectors
1 outlet. MusicRadar best budget guitar cable.
$15-25
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mid pick · 10 to 25 ft
Best for a tangle-free cable in a fun color
MusicRadar's best mid-priced guitar cable: a woven jacket that's less likely to tangle, with a low noise floor from its well-shielded build.
Heads up. Not available with two straight jacks, and you may want something nicer for the studio
1 outlet. MusicRadar best mid-priced guitar cable.
$25-50
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Best clip-on tunerbudget pick · Clip-on
Best for a cheap, reliable first tuner
MusicRadar's best clip-on tuner on a budget: a no-frills, reliable tuner that handles the basics with swift tracking.
Heads up. Not exactly discreet on your headstock
1 outlet. MusicRadar best clip-on tuner on a budget.
$15-25
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budget pick · Clip-on
Best for leaving a tuner clipped on full time
MusicRadar's best discreet clip-on tuner: small, with a bright, easily readable display, and easy to leave on for good.
Heads up. Some players may prefer a larger screen
1 outlet. MusicRadar best discreet clip-on tuner.
$15-25
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means three independent outlets recommend a pick, means one, and limited evidence means none has yet. I research these picks. I have not tested them myself. How I pick · Broken link, wrong price range or an outdated pick? Tell me
MusicRadar picks the Squier Bronco as the best beginner's bass overall, with a slightly shorter scale that suits younger learners. If you'd rather skip short scale, it calls the Yamaha TRBX174 one you won't outgrow in a hurry and the Squier Affinity Precision the pick for classic style and tone.
No. MusicRadar says the 40-watt Fender Rumble 40 is more than enough for practicing at home, with a headphone output and an aux input for jamming along to tracks. It isn't loud enough to keep up with a drummer, though; for band practice and gigs it points to the Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-210 combo.
Short-scale basses need short-scale strings. MusicRadar's pick for 30- and 32-inch basses is the GHS Bass Boomers Short Scale set, which it says isn't great for long-scale basses.