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Bass Guitars

Bass guitars come in both electric and acoustic variations and generally have four strings, although that can vary as well. While similar in appearance to an electric guitar, the bass has a larger body and a longer neck. Because of its size and tuning (one octave below the guitar), bass strings are much larger than those of the guitar.

While the bass guitar has been around since the 1930s, it wasn't until the 1950s when Leo Fender introduced the Fender Precision Bass (or P-bass for short) that the popularity of the instrument really skyrocketed. Since that time variations in design and improvements in technology have allowed the instrument to conquer nearly all styles of music, and have largely replaced the traditional contrabass in most genres.

Modern bass guitar design is quite diverse. Differences range from basics like electric or acoustic and fretted or unfretted, to more acute differences in electronics (active or passive) and hardware. Materials have also become more varied in recent years, with luthiers employing many more exotic woods in their creations. All of these things can be used to account for the hugely varied cost of a bass guitar.

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