Electric Bass Guitars



There are a number of different types of basses, but the two most common groups are the stand-up basses (or string bass) and bass guitars (both acoustic and electric). Most common, however, is the bass guitar. Bass guitars come in two primary variants - the electric bass and the acoustic bass. There are even acoustic-electric bass guitars.

Electric bass guitars are most common in the 4 string variant, but are increasingly being found in 5 and 6 string models. As noted, electric basses require bass guitar amplifiers to amplify their signal. Bass Guitar amplifiers have some of their own unique features.

Fretted and fretless basses

The original Fender basses had 20 frets, but modern basses may have 24 or more. While fretless basses are often associated with jazz and jazz fusion, bassists from other genres use fretless basses, such as metal bassist Steve DiGiorgio.

 

Fretless Bass Guitar

Fretless Bass Guitar

The first fretless bass guitar was made by Bill Wyman in 1961 when he converted an inexpensive Japanese fretted bass by removing the frets.The first production fretless bass was the Ampeg AUB-1 introduced in 1966, and Fender introduced a fretless Precision Bass in 1970. Tapewound (double bass type) and flatwound strings are sometimes used with the fretless bass so that the metal string windings will not wear down the fingerboard. Although most fretless basses have four strings, five-string and six-string fretless basses are also available.

 

Bass Guitar's Fretboard

Bass Guitar's Fretboard

 

Strings and tuning

This tuning is also the same as the standard tuning on the lower four strings on a 6-string guitar, only an octave lower. String types include all-metal strings (roundwound, flatwound, groundwound, or halfwound), metal strings with different coverings, such as tapewound and plastic-coatings. The variety of materials used in the strings gives bass players a range of tonal options. In the 1960s and 1970s, roundwound bass strings similar to guitar strings became popular, though flatwounds also continue to be popular.

Four strings with alternate tunings to obtain an extended lower range.Tuning in fifths eg. CGDA gives an extended upper and lower range.

 

Four Strings Electric Bass Guitars

Four Strings Electric Bass Guitars

Five strings usually tuned B-E-A-D-G, which provides extended lower range. The fifth string provides a greater lower range (if a low B is used) or a greater upper range (if a high C string is added) than the 4-string bass, and gives access to more notes for any given hand position.

 

Five Stings Electric Bass Guitar

Five Stings Electric Bass Guitar

Six strings are usually tuned B-E-A-D-G-C. The 6-string bass is a 4-string bass with an additional low “B” string and a high “C” string. While much less common than 4- or 5-string basses, they are still used in Latin, jazz, and several other genres, as well as in studio work where a single instrument must be highly versatile. Alternate tunings for 6-string bass include B-E-A-D-G-B, matching the first five strings of an acoustic or electric guitar, and EADGBE, completely matching the tuning of a 6-string guitar but one octave lower allowing the use of guitar chord fingerings. Rarer tunings such as EADGCF and F#BEADG provide a lower or higher range in a given position while maintaining consistent string intervals.

 

 

Note positions on a right-handed 4-string bass in standard EADG tuning. The dots below the frets are often inlaid into the wood of bass necks, as a visual aid to help the player find different positions.

Six Strings Electric Bass Guitar

Six Strings Electric Bass Guitar

Detuners, such as the Hipshot, are mechanical devices operated by the thumb on the fretting hand that allow one or more strings to be quickly detuned to a pre-set lower pitch. Hipshots are typically used to drop the “E”-string down to “D” on a four string bass.

 

Read the other guide obout Epiphone Guitar, Guitar Amps