I wanted to pick up a cheap beater acoustic bass and this fit the bill. I am usually an electric guitar player but I have owned many acoustics and a few basses.
Mine arrived well packed. I opened it and inspected the neck, the fretboard, and the bridge because of previous reviews. I oiled up the fretboard because it was very dry. The neck seemed to be perfectly straight. The saddle slot was just fine. The nut slot was a hair too big. I may fix this in the future. What surprised me was the frets. Not a single sharp one in the bunch.
I immediately noticed that it did not come with a pick guard attached. I was happy about that because I don't play bass with a pick and I don't like the look of an acoustic bass with a pick guard. I got the natural wood color and it looks like the picture. There's one small flaw under the clear coat but I'm not going to get fussy about that for what this cost.
It feels like it's made from cheap materials. Nothing was bad, it's just very lightweight. I don't think it weighs much more than my Martin Mini which is the smallest guitar I own. However, it does seem to be well constructed so I imagine if I'm not too hard on it that it will last several years.
I tuned it up and tested it out. I'll change the strings in a few days because the great majority of factory strings are garbage, but they'll do for a few days. I was pleasantly surprised that the intonation was about as close as you can get to perfect on an acoustic and the string height was good for me (I play a little high so your mileage may vary).
I played along with a few songs through the an active speaker. The electronics aren't anything to write home about. They work and reproduce the sound faithfully enough. The EQ isn't great but I would have been shocked if it had been. A little work on the EQ of my active speaker and it was acceptable. I played along with a few songs on the speaker.
The neck, like every gloss neck in the history of guitars, is a little sticky. I'm taking some steel wool to it tomorrow.
Overall, it's the best acoustic bass I've played anywhere near this price point. Of course there are going to be some flaws as this price. There will be some duds with the mass manufacturing. I was expecting to pay for a setup but it didn't need one. I almost think this one was the one of the batch that got pulled for set up and testing, which would be fine by me because I feel like I got my money's worth.
Edit, October 2020: I've had this almost 6 months now. I feel exactly the same way. I didn't end up fixing the nut slot because it plays fine and intonation is still pretty good. Still a good value for the money spent. I play it at least weekly with groups of people and it works out well.
Best Choice Products Acoustic Electric Bass Guitar, Full Size 4 String, Fretted Bass Guitar w/Padded Gig Bag - Black
4.3
| 5,450 ratingsPrice: 99.99
Last update: 01-11-2025
About this item
ACOUSTIC-ELECTRIC BASS: Equipped with a 4-band EQ-7545R preamp to produce high-quality audio for hours of musical practice and play
4-BAND PREAMP: Experiment and customize your sound with built-in volume control! A 4-band equalizer lets you adjust bass, middle, treble, and presence with ease
ATTRACTIVE DESIGN: Crafted with an attractive sound hole inlay, chrome die-cast tuners, and a glossy finish for easy upkeep
CUTAWAY SHAPE: A classic design, the cutaway shape combines a rich, supple tone with easy access to the higher frets for a more diverse sound
BASS GUITAR DIMENSIONS: 15.5”(L) x 4.5“(W) x 43.7"(H)
4-BAND PREAMP: Experiment and customize your sound with built-in volume control! A 4-band equalizer lets you adjust bass, middle, treble, and presence with ease
ATTRACTIVE DESIGN: Crafted with an attractive sound hole inlay, chrome die-cast tuners, and a glossy finish for easy upkeep
CUTAWAY SHAPE: A classic design, the cutaway shape combines a rich, supple tone with easy access to the higher frets for a more diverse sound
BASS GUITAR DIMENSIONS: 15.5”(L) x 4.5“(W) x 43.7"(H)
Product information
Item Weight | 5.5 pounds |
---|---|
Product Dimensions | 45.5 x 18.3 x 49 inches |
ASIN | B003H8MXQQ |
Item model number | SKY426 |
Customer Reviews |
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars
5,401 ratings
4.3 out of 5 stars |
Best Sellers Rank | #2,042 in Musical Instruments (See Top 100 in Musical Instruments) #1 in Electro-Acoustic Bass Guitars #46 in Guitars (Musical Instruments) |
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
Date First Available | February 13, 2009 |
Back Material | Basswood |
Body Material | Wood |
Color Name | Black |
Fretboard Material | Rosewood |
String Material | Wood |
Top Material | Basswood |
Neck Material Type | Mahogany |
Number of Strings | 4 |
Material Type | Wood |
Size | Full |