If you’re searching for some of the best bass guitars for grunge and punk rock, look no further! In today’s in-depth review, I’m going to highlight some of the coolest and most affordable basses for that genre!
Finding the right bass for grunge and punk isn’t an easy task. The reason is simple – there are so many different models out there! However, once you know which models are worth the money, it all becomes much easier. And the truth is that there’s quite a lot of interesting and cheap basses out there.
That’s why I decided to create a list of 5 best bass guitars for grunge and punk rock! Feel free to check it out below and scroll down to the next section if you want to read more details about each of these models. Of course, the sound demos are included below as well.
5 Best Bass Guitars For Grunge & Punk – List
| Squier Classic Vibe ’60s Precision Bass | See on Amazon |
| Ibanez Talman TMB100 | See on Amazon |
| Epiphone EB-3 | See on Amazon |
| Squier Paranormal Jazz Bass ’54 | See on Amazon |
| Dean Custom Zone Bass | See on Amazon |
1. Squier Classic Vibe ’60s Precision Bass
Squier Classic Vibe ’60s Precision Bass is a very popular mid-level bass suitable for the most demanding guitarists. In general, all P Basses are perfect for grunge and punk music, although this is one of the most affordable models out there.
What makes it so special? Well, this particular model features a lightweight poplar body and a comfortable C-shaped maple neck with laurel fingerboard. There’s also a vintage style bridge and vintage tuners which not only look great, but also significantly improve the tuning stability.
What’s important, Squier decided to equip this model with a really good sounding Fender-Designed Alnico Pickup. The sound of the Squier CV Precision Bass can be described as punchy, balanced and oldschool. It’s ideal for grunge, alternative rock and all other similar genres of music. That’s for sure!
When it comes to pricing, it’s not the cheapest guitar on today’s list, but it’s definitely one of the most affordable basses of this type that you can potentially find on the market. That being said, it’s definitely worth the money.
Here’s a quick sound demo.
2. Ibanez Talman TMB100
Ibanez TMB100 is one of the coolest budget bass guitars that you can potentially find on the market right now. It’s a very popular choice among the beginners, but I’m sure that even more advanced bassists will appreciate its quality.
The TMB100 model features a poplar body, a wide and comfortable maple neck and an easy-playing rosewood fingerboard. This is a big advantage of that model, because it allows you to play for several hours without feeling tired.
In addition, Ibanez equipped this model with Dynamic P & J Pickups, which offer a lot of versatility when it comes to tone. It doesn’t matter whether you want to play grunge, punk, funk, blues or rock music – this bass can do it all.
When it comes to pricing, it’s very affordable. That’s the main factor that makes this guitar so popular among the beginners! But despite of the low price, it manages to offer an excellent quality. I’m not surprised that so many guitarists decide to get it!
Overall, it’s a fantastic bass, especially for players with a lower budget. It’s definitely one of the best bass guitars for grunge and punk!
Here’s a quick sound demo.
3. Epiphone EB-3
Epiphone EB-3 is an another fantastic bass guitar suitable for the most demanding bassists out there. In my opinion, it exceeds all the expectations. It’s a perfect choice for anyone who’s searching for an SG-style instrument.
What makes it so cool? Well, the guitar features a classic SG-shaped mahogany body, a comfortable mahogany neck and an easy-playing rosewood fingerboard which guarantees an enjoyable and comfortable playing experience.
Epiphone decided to equip that model with the NYT Bass Mini-Humbucker pickups, which offer a lot of versatility when it comes to tone. The sound of that bass can be describes as punchy and balanced, so it’s a perfect choice for all genres similar to rock and hard rock.
When it comes to pricing, it’s a bit cheaper than the previous guitar (Ibanez TMB100), but it’s still worth the money. It’s a perfect alternative for anyone who’s thinking about getting the legendary Gibson SG Bass, which is far more expensive.
Overall, Epiphone EB-3 offers a fantastic value and it’s definitely one of the best mid-range bass guitars for grunge and punk.
Here’s the sound demo.
4. Squier Paranormal Jazz Bass ’54
Squier Paranormal Jazz Bass ’54 is an another amazing bass guitar made by Squier. This is a really unusual bass which is a bit different than any regular Jazz Bass model. In my opinion, it’s really underrated – not many people are aware of how good it actually is!
What makes it so cool? Well, the guitar features a poplar body, a comfortable maple neck and an easy-playing maple fretboard. There’s also a really good looking golden pickguard which looks fantastic combined with the black body and maple neck!
Squier equipped this model with a 4-saddle vintage-style bridge and vintage-style tuners, which guarantee an excellent tuning stability – just like in Squier Classic Vibe ’60s Precision Bass.
The sound of the Jazz Bass ’54 is really versatile thanks to the Fender-Designed Alnico Pickups. They give you the authentic Fender tone which is suitable for most of the music genres – including punk and grunge!
When it comes to pricing, it’s not exactly a cheap bass, but it’s still relatively affordable. Considering how good and unique it is, it’s definitely worth every cent. I’m sure that if you decide to get it for yourself, you won’t regret it!
Here’s a quick sound demo.
5. Dean Custom Zone Bass
Dean Custom Zone Bass is a budget bass guitar which offers a surprisingly good tone and a fantastic look. This is probably one of the coolest looking cheap basses that are available on the market right now!
The guitar features a basswood top, a bolt-on neck and an easy-feeling maple fretboard which allows you to practice for a couple of hours without getting tired. The combination of pink body with black hardware and black fret inlays results with something out of this world!
What’s more, the Custom Zone Bass doesn’t only look good – it also sounds fantastic. Whether you’re looking for a bass for the 80s hair metal or pop punk, this will be an excellent choice. It’s a really versatile instrumentQ!
For those who don’t like that pink color, there’s also a green version available. It looks equally cool!
Overall, it’s a fantastic bass guitar. I’m sure that anyone who’s searching for best bass guitars for punk and grunge will be really happy after choosing that model.
Here’s a quick sound demo.
Summary
As you can see, there are a lot of fantastic basses out there! I’m sure that anyone who’s searching for the best bass for grunge and punk will be really satisfied after getting one of the models mentioned above. They’re all great and they’re perfect for these genres!
Which bass would you take for yourself and why? Leave a comment down below and let me know what you think, I’m really interested to hear what you think!
Thanks for checking out today’s guide at Bass Punch, hopefully it was helpful. If you enjoyed this article and you’re searching for more gear recommendations, you may also like:
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- Schecter Stiletto Studio 5 Bass – Is It Good? [REVIEW]
- Ibanez GSRM25 Bass – Is It Good? [REVIEW]
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