Short scale basses have the benefit of being more comfortable to play, especially for people with small hands, and more portable. Not only that, but the reduced size of the scale usually impacts the tone and sound of it in a pleasant manner.
Finding a great short scale instrument on a budget, however, isn’t always an easy task. There are a lot of factors involved that you should pay attention to, including but not only limited to: quality, playability, tone, and value for the price.
That’s why today, we are doing a product round-up of 5 instruments to find the best short scale bass under $500. We will also briefly discuss the factors we mentioned in the last paragraph.
After you’re done reading this article, also consider taking a look at our Best Bass Guitar guide. The more products you research the better are the chances of finding the perfect one.
We Tested 5 Products and Found the Ibanez GSRM20 Micro to be The Best Short Scale Bass Under $500
The Squier by Fender Bronco Bass was our Runner-Up
Best Short Scale Bass Under $500 in our Tests
Table of Contents
- Gretsch G2220 Junior Jet Bass II
- Squier by Fender Bronco Bass
- Ibanez GSRM20 Micro
- Epiphone EB-0
- Squier by Fender Classic Vibe Jaguar Bass
Gretsch G2220 Junior Jet Bass II
This short scale bass guitar from the renowned brand Gretsch has two unique humbucker pickups and a pleasant bottom-end tone. We feel like this is a great match for rock bassists and those who like to play heavier genres in general, as the pickups are less prone to noise and interference, therefore can take distortion very well.
Product Specifications
- 4 Strings
- Available in 4 Colors
- 2 Mini-Humbucker Pickups
Advantages & Disadvantages
Pros
- The mini-humbucker pickups sound like no other product in this list. Their tone is comparable to the famous Gibson Thunderbird Bass, used by famous rock bassists.
- The G2220 can take overdrive, distortion, and fuzz pedals very well, as its pickups are less prone to noise and interference if compared to, for example, a single-coil one.
- The bridge saddles are very easy to set up, even if you don’t have any previous experience.
- The body of this bass guitar is small, lightweight, and comfortable to play for prolonged sessions.
Cons
- No tone control for the pickups.
Conclusion
This Gretsch bass is a great option for beginners on a budget. The pickups have reasonable quality so you can expect to go a long time before upgrading them; And even if you do so in the future, this instrument takes modifications very well.
We reviewed this bass in another article and the only thing that really bothered us was the lack of tone control for the pickups. At least in our opinion, a tone knob is very important for most bassists who perform live as it lets you quickly change your tone without hassle. If you’re ok with this fact, then we would definitely recommend this one.
– – –
2. Squier by Fender Bronco Bass
The Bronco Bass, made by Squier (an entry-level line from Fender) is a popular choice among beginners because it offers a great value for the price and a unique tone that only this model can offer, due to its reduced body size, short scale, and single-coil pickups. It is also very affordable compared to more expensive basses.
Product Specifications
- 4 Strings
- Available in 2 Colors
- 1 Single-Coil Pickup
Advantages & Disadvantages
Pros
- This bass guitar has a sound focused on the mid-range. This is a pro if you play music genres where the instrumentation tends to be very busy, like rock, as it can easily cut through the mix in that situation.
- The body of the bass guitar is made of ash wood. Basses made with this type of wood are hard to find in that price range.
- The C-shaped slim profile neck, one of the best among Fender instruments, in my opinion, is very comfortable to play especially if you have small hands.
- This guitar is very lightweight if compared to others on the list.
- The single-coil pickups already sound good out of the box so you probably won’t need to do any upgrades in the near future.
Cons
- None that is particularly concerning.
Conclusion
The Bronco Bass from Squier is one of our favorite short scale basses on a budget. It performs really well and was priced at only $200 by the time this article was written. For that price range, this is probably the best choice of bass guitar.
– – –
3. Ibanez GSRM20 Micro
The good thing about Ibanez is that they have a very large line of instruments suitable for all kinds of players. The GSRM20 Micro is aimed at those who want a short scale bass guitar that is versatile enough for a wide number of genres and styles of playing. Whether you play with a pick, fingers, or slap, this model can do the job.
Product Specifications
- 4 Strings
- Available in 3 Colors
- 1 Humbucker Pickup and 1 Split-Coil
Advantages & Disadvantages
Pros
- Two types of pickups in one bass. This particular model has both a humbucker on the bridge and a split-coil on the neck that you can blend between. This makes it very versatile.
- Fast-action slim neck. Combined with the short-scale, it makes this bass guitar optimal for players who favor agility and speed in their performances.
- Considerably more lightweight compared to other models on the list.
- The GSRM20 Micro has an even shorter scale than other options reviewed here, making it compact enough for traveling.
Cons
- The shorter-than-usual scale may not be the most comfortable for those with large hands.
Conclusion
Ibanez instruments are known for their precision, so if this is one of your top priorities as a bass player, the GSRM20 Micro is for you. As versatile as it can get, there are two types of pickups in this instrument: a humbucker on the bridge and a split-coil on the neck.
There’s another important fact about the GSRM20 Micro: its scale is even shorter than the usual short scale bass length, so you must consider this especially if you have large hands.
Tip: Check out more models of basses on a budget in our Best Bass Guitar Under 100 article.
– – –
4. Epiphone EB-0
The Epiphone EB-0 bass guitar has an iconic shape, the same used on the legendary Gibson SG guitar. The design looks very clean and minimalist. Apart from that, it features Gibson-style bridge saddles which are easy to adjust, and a high-quality SideWinder bass humbucker pickup.
Product Specifications
- 4 Strings
- Available in 2 Colors
- 1 Humbucker Pickup
Advantages & Disadvantages
Pros
- The SideWinder humbucker pickup sounds pretty good, especially when driven with overdrive, distortion, and fuzz pedals, making it excellent for rock and heavier genres.
- There aren’t many components in this bass guitar, so if you as a beginner even run into a problem, it will probably be something easy to solve.
- It is easy to adjust the action of the strings and their intonation, even if you don’t have any prior experience.
Cons
- It has only one pickup so it may not be as versatile as other basses on the list.
Conclusion
If you praise minimalism and less is more for you, then the Epiphone EB-0 is the way to go. If you search enough, you can find this instrument for as low as $250. It has an excellent value for the price as the quality of the wood and the components are considerably high for this price range.
If you prefer a more versatile option with more than one pickup, then there are better choices on the list, like the Ibanez GSRM20 Micro.
– – –
5. Squier by Fender Classic Vibe Jaguar Bass
The Jaguar Bass, similar to the Bronco Bass, is a unique instrument. The Vintage Modified line from Squier aims to bring classics from the past with a few modern upgrades. This bass guitar also features two distinctive pickups.
Product Specifications
- 4 Strings
- Available in 2 Colors
- 1 Single-Coil Pickup and 1 Split-Coil
Advantages & Disadvantages
Pros
- The Classic Vibe Jaguar Bass has 2 distinctive pickups. If you like the sound of the Jazz or the Precision Bass, you can get a tone close to both with this instrument, or a blend between the two, making it very versatile.
- The block inlays on the fingerboard look extremely great, especially with this wood tone.
- Very lightweight.
- Even though this bass guitar almost exceeds our $500 budget, it has an excellent value for the price.
Cons
- No significant cons.
Conclusion
It is hard to pick a favorite between the Jaguar Bass and the Bronco Bass. Both are excellent basses for their price, but the Jaguar Bass seems a bit more versatile due to its dual pickups. Ultimately, it will depend on your style of playing. Even though this instrument is on the more expensive side of our $500 budget, it is worth every penny.
– – –
What to Look for When Choosing a Short Scale Bass Under $500
Below, we will briefly go through a few factors you should pay attention to when shopping for a short scale bass on a budget.
Pickups
The pickups are the most important component of a bass guitar because they can either influence your sound positively or negatively. If you don’t plan on upgrading this part anytime soon, it is important that you choose a model with high-quality pickups.
The type of pickups is also important. The most popular ones are single-coil, split-coil, and humbucker. The first two have a brighter sound and more attack but are usually more prone to noise and interference. The latter has a darker, heavier tone and usually goes well with distortion. The choice is purely personal.
Weight
The weight of a bass guitar will, of course, directly influence how comfortable it is to play, especially on long sessions and concerts. Most short scale bass guitars are lighter than their more traditional full scale counterparts, but some have an advantage over others in that characteristic.
Playability
The playability will depend on a lot of factors: the thickness of the neck, the height of the strings (adjustable), the body shape of the bass, etc. We recommend you pay attention to those minor details when shopping for an instrument because they can make a world of difference.
Related: Basses for Kids
Conclusion
In our best short scale bass under $500 product round-up, all of the instruments turned out to be great. Some of them may fit a specific style of playing better than others so we do recommend that you research extensively before making your choice. Search for videos of people playing them on YouTube, for example, to get a better idea about the sound. Here are our top picks:
Ibanez GSRM20 Micro – Overall Best
The Ibanez GSRM20 Micro was a great surprise due to its versatility. Lots of people across the internet are saying good stuff about this bass guitar and you can get it for as little as $150 if you search well. We definitely recommend it, especially for beginners.
Squier by Fender Bronco Bass – Runner-Up
The Squier by Fender Bronco Bass is an alternative classic. If you’re into “bitty” and gritty bass tones with lots of attack, this is an excellent choice for you. While a bit more expensive than our top pick, it still holds a great price for the value.
How to Buy
You can find the link to each bass guitar reviewed in this article on their respective titles on the list. Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions or would like to discuss more about the subject. Above all, thank you for reading!
Ian Sniesko is an experienced music producer and musician who loves to share his knowledge about the best audio equipment for making and enjoying great music. For the past 6 years, Ian has written extensively about the audio equipment industry and has contributed to many of the top music magazines.