Best of 2023: The Top 10 Basses

Ibanez got into the electric upright bass game in 2018 with the Upswing. Now they’ve added to the series with a five-string model called the UB805.

Bass virtuoso and YouTube sensation Charles Berthoud has teamed up with Schecter for a new signature bass. The CB-4, which comes in right and left-handed versions, features an ash body, a flamed maple top, a walnut and padauk neck with carbon fiber reinforcements, and a rosewood fingerboard.

MG Bass has unveiled a new model to their lineup with the MG Infinity Ghost. The sleek and stealthy bass has a streamlined design for a clean look.

Fender has unveiled the Gold Foil Collection, which was inspired by the garage rock bands of the sixties and the instruments they played. The three-piece set includes one bass called the Gold Foil Jazz Bass.

The Fender Custom Shop Masterbuilders are tasked with creating a special set of instruments each year that focus on a central theme. This year, they’ve unveiled the California Streetwood Collection, utilizing wood acquired by Street Tree Revival.

Fender’s entry-level Squier Bullet series has been replaced by a new line called the Sonic Series. The new instruments carry similar attributes to their predecessors with new colors and new models.

The Cure’s Simon Gallup was seen road-testing some new basses during their recent summer tour, and now Schecter has unveiled the new signature basses to their lineup.

Ibanez has added a new model to their headless EHB basses with the EHB1005F, a five-string that marks the first fretless bass of the series.

Back in 2019, Fender announced the Vintera Series, which they described as a vintage style for the modern era. Now, they’ve updated the range with the Vintera II lineup. The series pays homage to classic bass designs.

LeCompte Electric Basses has introduced two new bass models for 2023 with the P-31 and the J-31. Named after their shorter 31.18-inch scale lengths, the basses were dreamed up with the collision of two classic instruments.