I recently added a $700 Yamaha RevStar RS620 to my collection, that came horrible sounding out of the box, desperately needing a setup. My local guitar shop would take 2 weeks and $80 to do a full setup, and I wasn't about to wait. So I decided to buy the cheapest bass guitar to fulfill two objectives: 1) finally learn to play bass guitar (I've always admired playing the bass parts), and 2) have a crap instrument to practice potentially destructive setup tasks on, before I actually do it on my $700 guitar.
Unfortunately, I was severely let down by this instrument. Not in a bad way, but because it came pretty much good to go. It just had some loud E-string buzzing that was easily remedied with a quarter turn of truss rod adjustment, a slight intonation adjustment on the G string, and a tiny amount of string action adjustment on the E string. I suppose it wasn't ready to play out-of-the-box, but if I can do it with tools that come in the box, that's okay in my book.
Since I was wanting a luthier practice project, I was hoping for some neck angle issues, bridge/pickup issues, some crazy truss rod adjustments, and most importantly, lots of frets to level out. But no, there's hardly anything wrong with those. Fret rocker shows fret 19 being slightly higher than it needs to be, so I'll still go do some fretwork for practice. It's just rather underwhelming to be missing the problems that commonly plague a cheap instrument. I suppose for the bargain-hunting beginner, this is a good thing!
The tone is okay. The cheap wood used does seem to make a difference compared to the real Fender Precision that this instrument mimics, as do the crap pickups. Somewhat muddier on frets 7+ compared to more expensive bass guitars. Not sure the average listener would notice the difference, though -- at least when pumped through a decent amp in a blended context of a band. It hits the notes, and sounds as expected when the player does their part.
Body is also decent. The soft wood dents *really* easily from light bumps, so be careful when handling. Paint job is decent, shows a little bit of wood grain on the semi-translucent blue area (wait -- is that intentional, or a bad paint job?), which I would call a plus, but that's personal preference.
Fingerboard is average. Surprisingly, the finish is slightly better than on my Squier Strat that's double the cost of this bass guitar. But it came with some light scratches on the side, so it could still use a good smoothing and refinishing.
Despite the lack of major issues, this instrument/bundle does have a lot of minor nag points:
The G string picks up a lot of radio noise. There's no real electrical insulation internally, so it picks up a lot of noise if I'm not holding down the string to dampen the reception. Depending on the amp/pedal, this produces a lot of annoying noise that's fairly loud. Insulation tape in the body cavities, and potentially adding a capacitor between the lines should fix this, but that's not on my priority list for now.
Strings that came with it are underwhelming, to say the least. It's a 0.045" gauge set, but not very high quality. But seriously -- a $73 instrument coming with good strings? I didn't think so. I can always buy a better set, once all the other issues are taken care of.
Tuners suck, and they're ugly and cheap to boot. They work slighter better than the the worst grade (not broken) tuners I've worked with before -- which isn't saying much. If you want to avoid headaches, these would be a worthy upgrade, but it's not essential. They stay in tune for maybe a couple hours after breaking in the strings. Day-to-day, I notice them being around 6 cents low every day.
Nut sucks. Very short sustain, can't even hold a HALF note worth a darn without an effects pedal with some sort of sustain. Order a Tusq XL, Fender Precision style. Worthy upgrade, only $15 from their site. Easy install, makes tuning slightly easier, and better sustain.
Bridge is mediocre. The intonation adjustment springs buzz regardless of the common fixes. The saddle screws are all too loose and rattle very slightly, even after careful adjustment and balancing. Just have to live with this one and try a few more fixes later. A real upgrade would cost the price of the instrument for the next step up, so it probably isn't worth the cost.
Bundled 1/4" cable sucks. Increases attenuation and noise compared to quality cables. Flimsy quality, so I'm not confident it'll last long. I just won't use it because of the noise issue alone.
Bundled straps suck badly. The "leather" (probably PU instead?) attachment area is so thin and stretchy, it slips off super easily if you just bend your body right. Guitar Savers (strap locks) are a little over a dollar per pair, and that will prevent it from coming off, but it doesn't change how cheap and crappy the straps feel on your shoulder. Still, for a hobby/play instrument it'll suffice. If you're a serious player, this is an easy cheap upgrade to replace.
The bundled pick? It's nothing worth writing home about, but it's actually not "bad"... It's a bit soft (medium-light thickness), and I have better picks lying around, so I didn't really use it too much other than while I was testing out the initial setup. It worked.
Bundled bag smells like "Made in China" chemical-infused goodness. Gives me a headache. It's sitting in the garage until the smell dissipates. Even then, it's such a flimsy thing, I'm not sure I'd trust an expensive instrument in there. Well, since the instrument is so cheap, maybe it's okay. But it's like cheap backpack thin. Wilson tennis racket bag thin. My jeans are thicker than it kind of thin.
So to wrap up, you're not buying quality in a Chinese instrument this cheap. I think most buyers would be aware of this, given the price, but if you're brand new to the instrument, this won't be one you can go pro with. If you take care of it, and are willing to learn to do a simple DIY setup of it (because guitar stores will charge you more for it than the cost of this instrument!), then it should be a decent beginner/practice instrument for sure. It just won't be cost effective if you need to replace most of the internals to make it sound better, though. Seriously, go buy a real Fender Precision instead if you like the look of this one, or the many other fine brands that will come out of the box with the upgrades you would have to do to make this instrument "better".
It all depends on your needs. For me, I'm content with everything this instrument came with. Playing Rocksmith 2014 with it has been an absolute blast, and it'll provide me with the luthier practice I've been wanting to do, so I can upgrade my main guitars with more confidence. Hope this has been helpful information to someone!
SAFEPLUS 45" Full Size 4 String Electric Bass Guitar with Strap Guitar Bag Amp Cord for Beginner Kit
4.3 | 416 ratings
Price: 94.99
Last update: 08-25-2024
About this item
Materials: Headstock is made of maple, fingerboard is made of techwood Rosewood, body is made of basswood. Dimensions : 45.3 inches * 13.0 inches.
Stable quality & fashionable design: Durable wood body withstands wear and tear and polished surface for a sleek and shiny appearance.
Convenient Travel Bag: Included travel bag with straps for easy transport and zip closures provide secure storage for accessories and sheet music.
Complete accessory package: Includes electric bass, gig bag, shoulder strap, bass pick, and amp cord for immediate playing.
After-sales guarantee]: If you are not satisfied with the product, you can return it for a full refund within 30 days of purchase. A perfect gift for holidays and birthdays.
Stable quality & fashionable design: Durable wood body withstands wear and tear and polished surface for a sleek and shiny appearance.
Convenient Travel Bag: Included travel bag with straps for easy transport and zip closures provide secure storage for accessories and sheet music.
Complete accessory package: Includes electric bass, gig bag, shoulder strap, bass pick, and amp cord for immediate playing.
After-sales guarantee]: If you are not satisfied with the product, you can return it for a full refund within 30 days of purchase. A perfect gift for holidays and birthdays.
Product information
| Product Dimensions | 1.5 x 13 x 45 inches |
|---|---|
| ASIN | B08DHXZ8NS |
| Customer Reviews |
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars
416 ratings
4.3 out of 5 stars |
| Best Sellers Rank | #19,100 in Musical Instruments (See Top 100 in Musical Instruments) #38 in Electric Bass Guitars |
| Date First Available | July 24, 2020 |
| Back Material | Paulownia |
| Body Material | Paulownia |
| Color Name | Sunburst |
| Fretboard Material | Brazilian Rosewood |
| Guitar Pickup Configuration | two pickups |
| String Material | Nylon |
| Top Material | Chrome Diecast |
| Neck Material Type | Rosewood |
| Number of Strings | 4 |
| Guitar Bridge System | adjustable |
Top reviews from the United States
Josh
Excellent budget bass guitar
Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2018
Jonotopia
Excellent Bass for the price
Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2019
Jonotopia
Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2019
Images in this review
Rude C
Good bass, the extras are awful
Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2021Timothy Ellis
Great starter
Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2021
A. Murad
Perfect for its price. Kid loves it!
Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2019Jessie R.
Decent for beginners, not for longevity
Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2021
RS LLC
Good learning base guitar.
Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2018