If you’re looking for the best bass guitars suitable for slap and funk, don’t worry – you’ve come to the right place! In today’s article, we’re going to highlight 10 best and most affordable basses out there.
Finding the right bass for slapping isn’t that easy. Although there are dozens of different models out there, not all of them are recommended for that particular style of playing. On the other hand, there’s still quite a few great options out there!
That’s why we decided to create a list of the best basses available on the market right now! Feel free to check out the list below. In the next section, we’re going to take a close look on each one of them. There will be a lot of sound demos too, so you’ll be able to hear how they all sound!
10 Best Bass Guitars For Slap & Funk – List
| Squier Classic Vibe ’60s Jazz Bass | See on Amazon | See on Thomann |
| Sterling by Music Man StingRay Ray4 | See on Amazon | See on Thomann |
| Ibanez Talman TMB100 | See on Amazon | See on Thomann |
| Squier Affinity Jaguar Bass | See on Amazon | See on Thomann |
| Ibanez SR500E | See on Amazon | – |
| Squier Classic Vibe ’70s Precision Bass | See on Amazon | See on Thomann |
| Dean Edge 2 | See on Amazon | – |
| Fender Player Jazz Bass | See on Amazon | See on Thomann |
| Warwick Rockbass Corvette | See on Amazon | – |
| Squier Contemporary Jazz Bass | See on Amazon | See on Thomann |
1. Squier Classic Vibe ’60s Jazz Bass
Squier Classic Vibe ’60s Jazz Bass is one of the best and most affordable bass guitars suitable for slap and funk. As a lover of Squier guitars and their quality, I can totally recommend this brand to all guitarists who are looking for great and reliable gear.
The Jazz Bass by Squier features a solid poplar body and a really comfortable C-shaped neck. The guitar is also equipped with two Fender-Designed Alnico single-coil pickups, which offer a really nice and balanced bass tone.
For those who don’t know, the Classic Vibe series looks, sounds and feels really retro. The vintage bridge, tuning machines and nickel hardware create a unique playing experience that almost feels like traveling back in time. I used a few of guitars from this series in the past and they’re definitely worth the money.
I highly encourage you to check this guitar out – you won’t be disappointed.
Here’s the demo.
2. Sterling by Music Man StingRay Ray4
Another really good and affordable bass guitar suitable for funk and slap. In comparison with the previous Squier, this guitar is available at a really similar price, but it has a slightly different body shape.
The StingRay Ray4 features a basswood body and a comfortable maple neck with Jatoba fretboard. Overall, the guitar looks fantastic from the outside – this manufacturer really cares about the quality and attention to detail. When it comes to tone, the guitar is equipped with a humbucker pickup, which offers a lot of versatility – and that’s crucial in funk music!
What’s interesting, the Ray4 is available in a lot of different colors, such as: Walnut Satin, Black, Fiesta Red, Mint Green, Ruby Red Burst Satin, Trans Blus Satin, Vintage Sunburst Satin and Vintage Cream. Undoubtedly, all bass players should be satisfied with this really broad offer!
Here’s the sound demo. Sounds great, right?
3. Ibanez Talman TMB100
One of the most popular entry-level basses manufactured by Ibanez. This is a really versatile guitar suitable for a lot of genres and styles, including funk and slap. Considering the relatively low price of this guitar, it actually seems like a bargain.
The guitar features a poplar body and a wide and comfortable maple neck. Ibanez decided to equip this axe with a passive P/J pickup configuration, which results with a really cool, vintage tone. In addition, it’s available in a few different color versions, so even if you don’t like the mint green color available above, there’s plenty of other options.
Undoubtedly, it’s one of the best budget bass guitars out there. I highly recommend checking it out!
Feel free to check out the demo below.
4. Squier Affinity Jaguar Bass
Another really cool and inexpensive bass suitable for a wide range of genres. This is a short-scale bass, which means that it’s slightly more comfortable for players with short fingers and small hands. Although it has a shorter scale, it still manages to produce a really balanced and rich sound.
The guitar features a poplar body and a really comfortable maple neck with a maple fingerboard. Fender decided to equip this guitar with just one humbucker, which offers a lot of versatility when it comes to tone. Undoubtedly, lovers of funk and slap will be satisfied with this model.
Although it’s not the best guitar in the world, it will work well as an entry-level instrument for any bass lover. If you’re on a tight budget, I highly recommend checking it out.
Here’s the demo.
5. Ibanez SR500E
In comparison with previous guitar, this guitar is a bit more expensive. The SR500E model will be ideal for advanced bass players who are looking for a reliable instrument suitable for gigs and studio recordings. And of course, lovers of slap and funk music should be really satisfied with its quality!
From the outside, the SR500E looks absolutely fantastic. The guitar features a really interesting okoume body, which is a pretty unusual tropical type of wood. In addition, Ibanez decided to equip this guitar with two humbucking pickups, which offer a lot of versatility when it comes to tone. Whether you’re into funk, slap, indie or grunge – this guitar will be na excellent choice.
Although it’s not cheap, it’s definitely worth the money. Feel free to check out the demo below!
6. Squier Classic Vibe ’70s Precision Bass
Just like the previous Squier Classic Vibe Bass mentioned earlier, this guitar features an extraordinary quality and it’s available at a really reasonable price. Honestly, this series of guitars is just amazing and it’s really tough to find disadvantages in these guitars, especially at this price level.
The guitar features a nato body and a comfortable maple neck with black fret markers. The guitar looks and feels really vintage, which is a massive advantage of this guitar. If you’re into this kind of retro vibe, you’ll definitely enjoy the quality of this axe.
Who is it for? Well, I think that it will be great for both beginners and more advanced bassists. In addition, it will work well in a lot of different genres. Undoubtedly, it’s one of the best bass guitars for slap and funk!
Feel free to check out the demo below.
7. Dean Edge 2
Another really cool and inexpensive guitar suitable for a lot of different types of music. In fact, this Dean is one of the cheapest basses on today’s list!
Dean Edge 2 features a basswood body and a comfortable maple neck with a rosewood fretboard. The guitar looks really cool from the outside and it will be appealing even for the most demanding guitarists.
Who is it for? Well, I think that it will be a perfect first bass! If you’re just starting out and you’d like to learn more about funk and slap, this guitar will be an excellent and affordable choice.
Here’s the demo.
8. Fender Player Jazz Bass
Fender Player Jazz Bass is one of the most popular mid-level Fenders available on the market right now. It’s often recommended by a lot of guitarists, so it obviously had to be on today’s list as well!
What makes it special? Well, the guitar features a really great looking alder body with a gloss finish. In addition, there’s a very comfortable C-shaped neck with 9.5″ radius fingerboard. What’s more, the 4-saddle vintage bridge will add a lot of character to your playing and it even gives you space for some tone adjustments!
What’s interesting. This model is manufactured in Mexico, so it means that it’s on a bit higher level than all the Squiers manufacturer in China or Indonesia.
To be honest, I’m not surprised that this guitar is so popular. This is just a really good and reliable piece of gear that can be used on a lot of different occasions. Undoubtedly, it’s one of the best bass guitars for funk and slap.
Here’s the demo.
9. Warwick Rockbass Corvette
An incredible high-level guitar suitable for the most demanding players. If you’re looking for a good bass to play gigs with, this is the way to go.
The guitar made really beautifully and it features a superb finish. It looks and sounds absolutely fantastic and it gives you a lot of versatility. Warwick is an absolutely legendary brand and they really know how to manufacture great and reliable basses.
Here’s the demo.
10. Squier Contemporary Jazz Bass
Another Squier on today’s list. The Contemporary Jazz Bass is another proof that a good bass guitar doesn’t necessarily have to cost thousands of dollars.
The guitar features a poplar body and a comfortable C-shaped neck with a really cool matching headstock. In addition, Fender decided to equip this instrument with two ceramic single-coil pickups, which offer a lot of versatility when it comes to tone.
Undoubtedly, this is one of the best bass guitars for funk and slap. I highly recommend checking it out.
Here’s the demo.
FAQ
How long does it take to learn slap on bass?
This is really debatable – it could be anywhere from a few months up to a few years. Slap bass is a technique that requires constant practice, so even if you become really skilled at it, there will always be new things that you’ll need to learn.
Is slap bass easy?
It’s not an easy technique, but there are a lot of exercises and simple slap bass lines that you can practice even if you’re a beginner. Still, becoming good at slap bass is not an overnight thing and it will take a lot of time, commitment and practice.
How to get better at slap bass?
Focus on on precision and try to only slap the strings that you want to sound. This is not that simple, but it will eventually lead to you becoming a better bass player. You need to become really comfortable with muting strings to see progress with slap bass, so try to be as precise as you can and you’ll definitely see the results.
Can you play slap bass without an amp?
Yes! You can always play and practice slap bass without an amp, but of course, it sounds way better when your guitar is plugged into an amp.
Summary
As you can see, there are a lot of interesting bass guitars out there. Although finding the right instrument isn’t an easy task, I’m sure that you’ll be able to find your dream guitar on the list above!
What do you think? Which guitar is best for slap and funk? Leave a comment below and let me know what you think, I’m really interested to hear what you think!
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