If you’re trying to find the best bass for indie rock, you’re in the right place. In today’s article we’re going to highlight the best and most affordable bass guitars suitable for playing this kind of music. I
If you’re into Sonic Youth, Tame Impala, The Strokes, The War On Drugs or any other alternative band, you should totally check out our list of recommendations. Most importantly, we’re going to have a look at bass guitars that absolutely anyone can afford. So if you’re on a tight budget, we got you covered!
Let’s start with with a list of best bass guitars for indie rock. In the next part, we’ll dive deeper into each one of these models. There will be quite a few sound samples too, so make sure to use your best headphones to spot the tone differences! Ready? Let’s rock!
Best Bass For Indie Rock – List
| Squier Classic Vibe 70s Bass | See on Amazon |
| Ibanez Talman TMB100 | See on Amazon |
| Squier Affinity Series Jazz Bass | See on Amazon |
| Hofner Ignition Pro | See on Amazon |
| Ibanez SRMD200 | See on Amazon |
| Music Man Sterling Ray4 | See on Amazon |
| Gretsch G2220 | See on Amazon |
| Squier Classic Vibe 60s Bass | See on Amazon |
| Fender American Performer Precision | See on Amazon |
1. Squier Classic Vibe 70s Bass
For those who don’t know Squier is a brand owned by Fender, one of the leaders in the music industry. Both companies have a very long and interesting history but nowadays Squier guitars are generally considered as cheaper versions of Fender guitars. Nevertheless, cheaper does not mean worse.
In my opinion, Squier guitars offer almost the same quality and sound and they’re two or three times cheaper. Undoubtedly, this Classic Vibe 70s model will be great for indie rock music. What’s more, thanks to the Alnico pickups and gloss neck finish, you will be able to achieve a lot of great indie tones very easily.
I highly recommend checking out the sound sample below. It also looks pretty cool, right?
2. Ibanez Talman TMB100
In terms of pricing, this is the cheapest and most affordable bass guitar on my list. Similarly as Fender, Ibanez is one of the most popular choices among all kinds of guitar players.
This cheap TMB100 model will be ideal for both beginner and more advanced bass players. What’s important, it has a wide and chunky maple neck, which will be great for guitarists for larger hands.
Also, the unusual mint green color makes it perfect for indie music. If you’re into a vintage look and a little bit retro bass sound, you should definitely give this guitar a try. Here’s a short sound sample in case you’re interested!
3. Squier Affinity Series Jazz Bass
Another absolutely great and affordable model produced by Squier. The Affinity Series offers one of the cheapest by Squier available on the market. Nevertheless, these guitars still offer a really good quality and attention to detail.
In fact, I personally own a Squier Affinity Jazzmaster and its overall feel, sound and quality are really exceptional. I have no hesitation in recommending this model for all-level guitarists! In terms of specifications, the Affinity Jazz Bass features a really lightweight body, slim C-shaped neck and single coil pickups. In addition, it’s available in a few really cool color version.
Undoubtedly, this burgundy mist color version visible on the picture above feels really indie! It definitely deserves to be on my ‘Best Guitar For Indie Rock’ list. Here’s the sound test in case you’d like to check it out.
4. Hofner Ignition Pro
This is another popular guitar among indie guitar players. In fact, Hofner Ignition Pro is really versatile. Whether you’re into indie rock, jazz or blues, this guitar will be a perfect choice for you. In addition, it features a really unique old-school look. The following model features a spruce top with maple back and sides.
Also, it’s actually a little bit smaller than usual bass guitars, which makes it a perfect travel guitar. Undoubtedly, a lot of indie rock bands get inspiration from 1960s and 1970s – that’s why this Hofner will be ideal choice for lovers of indie.
Have a look on the sound test below. Sounds amazing, right? Great job, Hofner!
5. Ibanez SRMD200
Another really great Ibanez model that actually comes with an additional gig bag. As I mentioned before, Ibanez models offer really good quality at affordable prices. This Japanese guitar manufacturer certainly knows how to produce great sounding guitars.
The SRMD200 model features a really lightweight maple body with a bolt-on neck. What’s more, the PJ pickup layout offers a lot of versatility. Undoubtedly, this model will be ideal for indie. It may not be the best guitar for indie ever that was ever produced, but within this price range, you will struggle to find anything better.
I highly recommend checking out the sound sample below.
6. Music Man Sterling Ray4
Absolutely iconic and in fact, really affordable guitar ideal for indie rock guitarists. If you don’t like this black color, don’t worry. There are 8 different color versions that you can choose from! Again, Music Man is another legendary American guitar manufacturer with more than 50 years of history.
They offer amazing bass guitars suitable for everyone’s budget. Even if you’re a student, it won’t be difficult to save up that amount of money. In my opinion, this is one of the best guitars within that price range. What’s more, it will be great for both beginner and more advanced players. You can check all the specifications under the link above.
What I extremely like about that manufacturer is that all Music Man guitars receive a final inspection and setup before they leave the factory. In that way, all of their guitars are ready to play straight after unboxing. You don’t have to worry about the quality of high action of strings – they got you covered.
I highly recommend checking it out. Here’s a short sound sample below.
7. Gretsch G2220
This Electromatic Junior Jet Bass is another option for guitarists who are looking for unique tone for indie rock. What’s important, the following model is slightly smaller than other basses on my list. As a result, it’s a great bass for guitarists with smaller hands. It will also be a perfect starter guitar for younger players.
The manufacturer decided to use a combination of basswood (body and top) and maple (neck). Also, the guitar features two mini dual-coil pickups. Undoubtedly, the G2220 model offers something really special. Feel free to check out the video below. What do you think? In my opinion, it’s absolutely amazing!
8. Squier Classic Vibe 60s Bass
Similarly as the first Squier Classic Vibe model on the top of my list, this guitar offers outstanding quality and sound. The 60s version features a poplar body, a vintage tinted gloss finished neck and laurel fingerboard. In addition, the vintage style bridge adds a lot of character to this instrument. Amazing playability, unique tone and affordable pricing – who needs anything else?
Honestly, I don’t see any reasons why you should not consider this guitar as your top choice. In my opinion, within this price range, this is the best guitar for indie rock! Check out the sound sample below and hear how it sounds.
9. Fender American Performer Precision Bass
I decided to put the most expensive guitar at the end of my list of recommendations. Undoubtedly, this guitar offers the best quality and the best sound out of all guitars on my list.
Nevertheless, it’s a guitar made for intermediate players. If you’re just a beginner, you don’t really need to spend thousands of dollars on your gear. But if you’re an advanced player who’s looking for a great instrument for live gigs and studio recordings, this is will be a perfect choice.
The alder body, Yosemite single-coil pickups and vintage bridge combined with modern aesthetics result with something really exceptional. If you have the budget for it, go for it. In my opinion, this is the best bass for indie rock!
Summary
As you can see, there are a lot of great sounding and really affordable bass guitars suitable for indie rock players. Whether you play in a band or you’re a bedroom producer, I guarantee that you will be satisfied with all of these models. Finding great gear is not that difficult, but I know how challenging it is to actually choose the right model. Well, I hope that my list of recommendations will help you at least a little bit. If you think that I should add another model to the list, let me know in the comment section below!
Thanks for checking out Best Guitars Now. And good luck with finding the best bass for indie rock! If you enjoyed this article, you may also like:
