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Best Acoustic Bass Guitars under $500

  • Post published:June 12, 2022

Play something different with an acoustic bass guitar.

You can get the best acoustic bass guitar under 500 that has superior construction, easy playability, and great sound quality. The market has an unparalleled collection of both acoustic and acoustic-electric basses you can choose from.

The choices; however, are many, and not every beginner knows exactly what to look for out there. So, we researched on your behalf, taking into consideration all the important features you would want an acoustic bass to have.

We found eight high performing acoustic bass guitars that you can try out. Here is our complete list of the best acoustic basses.

Top Pick

Cordoba Mini II Bass MH-E Acoustic-Electric Bass Guitar is our top pick. You can keep the Cordoba Mini II acoustic for a deeper body depth for a well-rounded tone.

It has a piezo guitar pickup configuration that allows for a higher degree of string clarity and articulation in your tone. This configuration represents the actual acoustic energy.

The Best Acoustic Bass Guitars Under 500

1. Cordoba Mini II Bass MH-E Acoustic-Electric Bass Guitar

Specs

  • Mahogany top and neck
  • Composite fretboard and bridge
  • Cordoba MB103, 3-band EQ
  • Cordoba tuning machines
  • Phosphor-bronze wrap strings

This is a wonderful compact acoustic-electric bass. What is so cool about this bass is the 22-7/8-inch scale length, which works great with the standard tuning.

The Cordoba Mini II features a mahogany top, mahogany back and sides, composite fretboard, and a mahogany neck with a satin polyurethane finish. The mahogany tonewood emphasizes treble and bass with a more woody sound.

This incredible guitar comes with an MB103 pickup that provides a superior portable bass-rich tone. With the 3-band EQ, you can create a specific sound or effect. The bone saddle does a great job of transferring vibrations into the top wood through the bridge.

The guitar uses D’Addario GS Mini Acoustic Bass Strings. These four custom light strings are specifically made for this high performing guitar. They have a nylon core that is extremely resilient and strong for superior durability and great feel. The phosphor-bronze wrap of the strings produces clear, warm tones and it goes easy on your fingers.

You will also admire and appreciate the C-shaped neck on the Cordoba Mini II. It has an innovative and comfortable profile that works wonders for most playing styles. The C neck is deep enough when compared to V and U neck profiles.

Pros

  • The compact design is suitable for beginners
  • The tonewood used emphasizes treble and bass
  • High performing pickup produces a portable bass-rich tone
  • The custom light strings produce clear, warm tones
  • The C-shaped neck is great for producing bass

Cons

  • You may receive a model with poorly performing electronics

2. Kala UBASS-EBY-FL Striped Ebony Fretless U-Bass Acoustic-Electric Guitar

Specs

  • Striped ebony top, back, and sides
  • A mahogany neck and maple binding
  • Standard headstock
  • Fishman U-Bass EQ
  • Laurel bridge

If you have been looking for a high performing fretless acoustic-electric bass guitar under five hundred dollars, look no further than the Kala UBASS-EBY-FL.

What sets this acoustic-electric bass aside from conventional models is the innovative fretless design. This unique design provides a warmer, softer design compared to a conventional acoustic bass.

The fretless design gives you a huge range, which means you are free to play sounds outside the normal scale.

The lack of frets makes the fretboard super smooth, which is great because it allows you to practice different sliding techniques.

You can effortlessly play a slightly flatter or sharper note to make sure that it is in tune. This means you can adjust your playing technique without sounding off-key.

The high performing body is made of the ebony top, walnut fretboard, mahogany neck, and striped ebony U-Bass electronics.

The Fishman U-Bass EQ sounds great with the custom pickups of the Kala UBASS-EBY-FL.

It has an even, warm tone that does a great job of smoothing out rough spots.

It is a well-balanced EQ with the perfect controls for producing a bass that sounds full and natural.

Pros

  • It produces a warmer, softer sound compared to conventional models
  • Fretless design allows you to play unusual notations
  • Visual markings on the fretboard make this guitar easy for beginners
  • You can play the guitar confidently without worrying about sounding off-key
  • High performing U-Bass EQ allows for superior bass sound

Cons

  • It is possible to damage the fretboard

3. Best Choice Products 22-Fret Full-Size Acoustic-Electric Bass Guitar

Specs

  • Solid wood body
  • Mahogany neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • 4-band preamp
  • Diecast chrome tuners

Do you have a very tight budget? This full-size acoustic-electric bass guitar from Best Choice Products is the right pick for you. You get the best concert bass performance for the money.

This is a fretted acoustic-electric bass, which is great because you will not experience any stressing as far as intonations are concerned.

When pushing your finger on the strings within the different frets, the length of vibration is reduced to create a superior pitch.

You get a higher pitch when you play the frets near the rear end of the neck because of the shorter vibration length.

Generally, the innovative fretted design of this guitar allows for easy bass playing. You have a reduced margin of error and increased clarity.

This model has a great tonewood composition, including a solid wood body, rosewood fretboard, and mahogany neck to provide rich, resonant sound. The exterior is covered with an attractive and durable glossy finish for an aesthetic appeal.

The guitar is fitted with four chrome diecast tuners that allow you to conveniently adjust your pitch to get the perfect tune. It has a four-band preamp that allows you to customize the acoustic-electric bass sound.

Pros

  • Classical, natural wood produce rich acoustic sound
  • The cutaway design allows easy access to the upper frets
  • Chrome diecast tuners adjust to the perfect pitch and tune
  • The cutaway design makes playing higher frets easier
  • The fretted design reduces vibration length to give a superior pitch

Cons

  • You may not receive a carrying case
  • Possible to receive a model with a defective battery housing

4. Fender FA-450CE Acoustic Bass Guitar

Specs

  • Flame maple top
  • Mahogany neck
  • Mahogany sides and back
  • Jumbo cutaway shape
  • Fishman electronics

Another high performing acoustic bass guitar from Fender. It is a surprising and inspiring versatile model for enthusiastic acoustic bass players.

At first glance, you will love the flame maple top, mahogany neck, mahogany sides and back, and cream binding. The glossy finish is extremely attractive to the eye.

The CE on the guitar’s name stands for cutaway electric. So, you have a Jumbo cutaway design that makes it very easy for you to play the upper frets.

The Fender FA-450CE is integrated with a scalloped X bracing, which allows you to control where the brace is stiff and where it is flexible. This simply means the guitar has a superior bass and it is louder.

This model features high performing Fishman electronics. These electronics are fitted with cutting-edge magnets, which offer a more natural, warmer acoustic tone. They also provide increased musicality and exceptional accuracy.

Pros

  • Maple tonewood gives the guitar a bright, clear tone
  • Mahogany provides a balanced tone with superior midrange and volume
  • High performing electronics provide true to the guitar natural voice
  • Keystone rosette and inlays provide a unique aesthetic look
  • Phosphor-bronze strings provide warm, rich, clear highs

Cons

  • It is possible to receive a Fender with quality control issues

5. Oscar Schmidt 4-String Acoustic-Electric Bass

Specs

  • Mahogany body
  • Spruce plywood top
  • Mahogany back and sides
  • Mahogany neck
  • Built-in preamp

This creatively designed acoustic-electric bass from Oscar Schmidt is engineered to deliver good bass performance for the money.

It comes with a select spruce top wood, mahogany sides, mahogany back, and mahogany neck. These high-quality tonewoods produce rich, natural, classical acoustic bass. It has an innovative cutaway shape that makes playing upper frets a breeze.

You’ve got a built-in preamp that does a good job of boosting the signal strength. It also provides tone and volume controls for shaping your acoustic bass sound.

Another good thing about this model is the diecast tuners. These chrome knobs allow for easy pitch adjustment when you are trying to achieve that perfect tune.

Pros

  • Venetian cutaway body allows you to play higher frets
  • High-quality tonewoods produce a rich, natural sound
  • The built-in preamp offers superior tone and volume
  • Diecast tuners allow for easy pitch adjustment
  • The slotted headstock prevents strings from slipping

Cons

  • Possible to receive a model with defective strings

6. Traveler Guitar Redlands Concert Acoustic-Electric Bass Guitar

Specs

  • Mahogany body
  • Mahogany sides and back
  • Hardtail bridge
  • Short scale neck
  • Custom onboard electronics

At first glance, the Traveler Guitar Redlands appears independent, energetic, and colorful. It offers outstanding playability and tone.
It has an exceptional body shape that fits nicely into your hands.

You’ve got a convenient cutaway that allows you easy access to the frets on the fretboard. This is great for hitting high notes when you want to mix things up when playing.

The guitar has a very familiar short scale neck that is a little shorter, but pretty good when playing bass. The short scale neck is innovatively designed, which is great because you get a very clean tone with more midrange performance.

It comes equipped with custom onboard electronics with a built-in tuner, which is very handy. This preamp system has several EQ controls that make a huge difference in how the guitar sounds.

The Traveler Guitar Redlands is reinforced with a heavy-duty bracing for a more responsive, louder concert bass performance.

You’ve also got four high performing strings that produce excellent acoustic bass. The warmth and richness of these strings add more depth to the sound of this instrument, generating clear highs.

Pros

  • The convenient cutaway allows easy reach to the upper frets
  • The short scale neck gives a clean tone with more midrange
  • Custom onboard electronics has multiple EQ controls for better performance
  • Heavy-duty bracing add responsiveness and loudness

Cons

  • It is possible to receive poor-performing strings

7. Ibanez Acoustic Bass Guitar

This guitar is a great option for those who play all kinds of music. It has extensive features.

Indeed, it allows you to enjoy a stylish back, neck, and sides made of Mahogany, pearl dot inlays, die-cast chrome tuners, rosewood bridge and fretboard, SST preamp, on-board tuner, and Fishman Sonicore pickup.

It is sure to give you great value for the budget. It has excellent quality construction built for durability. Also, the product has received a lot of positive reviews from the customers.

8. Fender CB-60SCE Acoustic Bass Guitar

This model is one of the most acoustic bass guitars for the budget out there. It brings a natural finish that makes it one of the best models on our list today. Also, the Fender CB-60SCE is the best-reviewed here.

Besides, the perfect reviews of this model, it also has plenty of great features, such as natural color, scalloped X bracing, concert bass body shape, rolled fingerboard edges, solid spruce top,

Fishman classic preamp, and Mahogany back and sides.

9. Dean EAB Acoustic Bass Guitar

This acoustic bass guitar is a great option for both beginners and experienced ones. This model allows you to go through the practice session to the stage.

This model allows you to enjoy plenty of professional quality features, such as pearl dot inlays, mahogany neck, satin natural finish, celluloid rosette, rosewood fretboard, and a spruce top.

It is sure to provide you with a deeper tone compared to ones costing much more. It is simple to dial in any tonal selections you want, thanks to the Dean’s new DMT G03 Preamp system.

10. Ibanez PCBE12MHOPN Acoustic Bass Guitar

Another good choice of acoustic bass guitars is the Ibanez PCBE12MHOPN. The model also gives you a great list of high-quality features, including under-saddle pickup, quality construction, maple neck, as well as rosewood fretboard.

The guitar can thrive in a wide range of musical situations. You will be surprised at the quality of this model given the price.

11. Luna Muse Acoustic Bass Guitar

The last acoustic bass guitar on our list is the Luna Muse. It reaches excellent ratings all around the web. There are many great features and benefits you can get from this acoustic bass guitar.

Indeed, the model will offer you a mahogany body, rosewood fingerboard, solid spruce top, set neck, mother of pearl inlaid fret markers, stunning chrome hardware, and a Celtic knot rosewood rosette.

Things to Consider When Looking for Acoustic Basses Under 500

The most important thing to remember when buying acoustic basses is whether you will be comfortable playing the instrument.

Here are a few things to consider when looking for the best model under five hundred dollars.

Acoustic or acoustic-electric basses

Acoustic basses produce sound through soundboard vibrations. This type of acoustic bass guitars has a thicker neck and wider body and they can be made softer or louder.

The only problem with acoustic basses is the fact that they are more challenging to play because the strings are harder to play. So, they may not be the most ideal choices for beginners.

Acoustic-electric basses; on the other hand, produce sound through pickups as well as magnetic interactions. They can be enhanced, modified, and amplified.

Strings of an acoustic-electric bass are closer to the frets, making them much easier to press and play. They have a higher versatility in music.

Fretted and fretless basses

There are two types of basses, the ones with fretted necks and the ones with fretless necks. Each type has unique tonal properties.

Most beginner acoustic basses have fretted necks. Each fret represents a note. When you hold down a string at a fret on the neck, the bass plays that note when you pluck the string. The frets ensure that each note is the correct pitch when played.

Fretless necks come in two varieties, lined and unlined. Acoustic bass with a lined fingerboard has lines drawn across it where the frets normally would be.

When you press the strings down on those lines, the correct notes sound. On the other hand, unlined fingerboards have no lines, and they are harder to play in tune.

For beginners, it is always advisable to start on fretted acoustic basses and try out fretless models when you are more experienced.

Final Thoughts

The winner of this round-up is Cordoba Mini II Bass MH-E Acoustic-Electric Bass Guitar.

This incredible model is available in two styles, mahogany electric, and spruce ebony electric. It features all-mahogany wood, which is great because it delivers a balanced, soft, and mellow voice.

The piezo pickup configuration provides superior string clarity and articulation.

It is an acoustic-electric bass guitar, which means it is easier to play compared to acoustic basses. Beginners will have no problem playing this guitar. It is a fretted acoustic-electric bass that allows you to acquire the correct pitch when played.