The 7 Best Bass Guitars for Kids (2023)
Starting to play an instrument as a kid is fantastic and has many positive effects on children. However, learning to play bass at a young age can be challenging as it is difficult for kids even to hold the instrument. Just for this reason, many brands offer smaller and more compact bass guitars to allow kids to enjoy this instrument right away.
Bass guitars for kids should be lightweight and small so they can be played with small hands. That is why short-scale and 3/4 size bass guitars are ideal for kids.
Luckily, many brands offer these types of bass guitars for kids to step into the bass guitar world. Among those instruments, my top pick is Gretsch G2220 Junior Jet Bass II with its short-scale neck, great tones, and comfortable playing experience.
Suppose you are looking for something more affordable. In that case, you can go with my budget pick, Ibanez Mikro GSRM20, with its high-quality features for a reasonable price, short-scale, and attractive finish options.
Contents
- The 7 Best Bass Guitars for Kids (2023)
- 1. Gretsch G2220 Junior Jet Bass II
- 2. Ibanez miKro GSRM20 Bass Guitar
- 3. Ibanez TMB30 Bass Guitar
- 4. Squier Mini Precision Electric Bass
- 5. Squier Bronco Bass Guitar
- 6. G&L Tribute Fallout Short Scale Bass Guitar
- 7. Kala U-Bass Exotic
- What Is Important When Buying A Bass Guitar For A Kid?
- 3/4 Size Bass Guitars
- Short Scale Bass Guitars
- Verdict
The 7 Best Bass Guitars for Kids (2023)
Let’s look at them in more detail:
1. Gretsch G2220 Junior Jet Bass II
Gretsch G2220 Junior Jet Bass II is the smaller version of the Electromatic series of the brand. This bass guitar has all of the high-quality features of the regular bass guitars in the series but with a short-scale neck making it an ideal first bass guitar for younger players.
The guitar’s unique Les Paul style body shape, along with its great finish options, is eye-catching at first glance. Thanks to its dual humbucker layout, the guitar sounds pretty great when you turn on the amp. This guitar provides more than satisfying tones for rock and punk music lovers.
Pros
- Great tones with quality tonewood and humbucker pickups
- Elegant look
- Easy and comfortable to play
Cons
- Not the best volume and tone controls
- Can be heavy for some kids
- 20 frets instead of standard 22-fret layout
The scale length is 30.3” with closer frets for a more comfortable playing experience for small hands. The guitar’s weight is 10.18 lbs which is a bit heavy but manageable for a kid.
The only thing I don’t like about this bass is the volume and tone controls on the body, as they do not provide a stable adjustment.
Overall, Gretsch G2220 Junior Jet Bass II is a great bass guitar for kids with its top-notch features and affordable price tag.
| Body Material | Basswood |
| Body Finish | Gloss Polyurethane |
| Neck Material | Maple |
| Scale Length | 30.3″ |
| Number of Frets | 20, Medium Jumbo |
| Pickups | Mini Bass Humbucker Bridge and Neck |
| Colors | Walnut Stain, Black, Torino Green, Tobacco Sunburst |
2. Ibanez miKro GSRM20 Bass Guitar
Ibanez Mikro GSRM20 Bass Guitar is one of the most sold beginner bass guitars on the market. When you examine the instrument, it is clear why it is so. It is super affordable, sounds pretty good, and looks decent while highly easy to play.
The guitar is pretty light and compact, making it ideal for kids. There are 22 frets on the fretboard, but as the frets are closer to each other, the scale length is short. This is another great feature for kids as their small hands can reach anywhere on the fretboard and the string tension is lower, making the playing experience smoother.
Pros
- Great value for the price
- Good tones with a single and a split coil pickup
- Lightweight and small, ideal for kids
- Full 22 frets
Cons
Ibanez miKro GSRM20’s pickups sound satisfying, and the agathis body, a maple neck with a jatoba fretboard make the guitar sound quite good. There are also 6 color options you can choose from.
| Body Material | Poplar |
| Body Finish | Gloss Polyurethane |
| Neck Material | Maple, Bolt-on |
| Scale Length | 28.6″ |
| Number of Frets | 22, Medium |
| Pickups | Dynamix P Split-coil (neck) – Dynamix J Single-coil (bridge) |
| Colors | Root Beer Metallic, Black, Weathered Black, Transparent Red, Brown Sunburst, Walnut Flat |
In short, Ibanez miKro GSRM20 Bass Guitar shines with its features and comfortable playing experience it offers to kids. If you are looking for a budget bass guitar for your kid, you can not go wrong with the miKro GSRM20.
3. Ibanez TMB30 Bass Guitar
Ibanez TMB30 is a highly affordable short-scale bass guitar with high-quality features and the label of one of the greatest guitar brands, Ibanez. It features a standard 30” scale with a thin-waisted body and chrome hardware, as well as eye-catching vintage looks.
Pros
- High-quality features
- Great value for the price
- One single coil and one split coil pickup provide good sonic performance
Cons
- Relatively heavy weight
- Slightly longer neck can be hard to play for some kids
The poplar body, maple neck, and jatoba fingerboard create a good tone and a smooth playing experience. The single-coil and split-coil pickups add versatility, allowing you to play smooth and substantial tones.
| Body Material | Poplar |
| Body Finish | Gloss Polyurethane |
| Neck Material | Maple |
| Scale Length | 30″ |
| Number of Frets | 20, Medium |
| Pickups | Dynamix P Split-coil (neck) – Dynamix J Single-coil (bridge) |
| Colors | Ivory, Mint Green, Black |
The guitar weighs 11.5 lbs which can be heavy for small kids, and the slightly longer neck can be hard to manage with small hands. However, Ibanez TMB30 can be a great choice for slightly older or bigger kids.
4. Squier Mini Precision Electric Bass
Squier Mini Precision Electric Bass is the kid-size version of Fender’s famous Precision Bass. The Mini Precision has the 3/4 size of a standard bass guitar and features a 28.6” scale length. These features make the bass small and light enough to be played by any kid.
Pros
- High-Quality materials
- Small and lightweight
- Affordable price
- Split single coil pickups
Cons
- 20 frets instead of standard 22 fret-design
Although it is an affordable option, Squier Mini Precision has high-quality materials, which you would expect from a higher-end model. It features chrome knobs, synthetic bone nuts, Poplar body, maple neck, laurel fingerboard, and split single-coil pickups while it does not have any plastic parts.
| Body Material | Poplar |
| Body Finish | Gloss Polyurethane |
| Neck Material | Maple |
| Scale Length | 28.6″ |
| Number of Frets | 20, Narrow Tall |
| Pickups | Precision Split Single-coil |
| Colors | Black, Dakota Red |
The only letdown of this guitar is that it has 20 frets instead of 22 fret-layout of a standard bass. But, that aside, it is a great bass guitar, especially for small kids.
5. Squier Bronco Bass Guitar
Squier Bronco is another small and lightweight bass guitar with the Fender Squier quality felt all over the instrument. It features a simple design with only one middle single coil pickup and 19 frets on a short scale.
Pros
- Simple, no frills design
- High-quality material
Cons
- Not the best tone
- 19 frets instead of standard 22 fret-design
The poplar body, maple neck, and fingerboard feel and look quite good while they allow comfortable playing. The tone of the guitar is decent but not the best as you would expect from an affordable guitar with only one middle pickup.
The weight and size are suitable for kids, but the 19-fret design can be limited as the standard bass guitars feature 22 frets.
| Body Material | Poplar |
| Body Finish | Urethane |
| Neck Material | Maple |
| Scale Length | 30″ |
| Number of Frets | 19, Medium Jumbo |
| Pickups | Special Design Single-coil |
| Colors | Torino Red, Race Red, Black, Olympic White |
All in all, it is a good beginner short-scale bass guitar that is suitable for many kids. The price is really affordable, the materials are good quality, and the playing experience is smooth and comfortable.
6. G&L Tribute Fallout Short Scale Bass Guitar
G&L Tribute Fallout Short Scale shines with its high-quality construction and is the high-end model of the list. The premium quality guitar not only looks good, but it provides versatile tonal options with its special middle humbucker.
Pros
- High-quality construction
- Versatile tones with many tone control options
- Saddle Lock Bridge increases sustain and tuning stability
Cons
- 19 frets instead of standard 22 fret-design
Another great feature here is the saddle lock bridge innovation, which significantly increases sustain, resonance, and tuning stability. The bass is quite versatile this way with its 3-way switch to control your pickup settings of series, split-coil, and parallel modes.
| Body Material | Basswood |
| Body Finish | Gloss |
| Neck Material | Hard Rock Maple |
| Scale Length | 30” |
| Number of Frets | 19 |
| Pickups | G&L Magnetic Field Humbucker |
| Colors | Olympic White, Candy Apple Red, Surf Green |
The weight and the 30” scale length is okay for older kids, but the 19-fret-design can be limiting after some point. Overall, it is one of the best small bass guitars you can buy for your kid.
7. Kala U-Bass Exotic
Kala U-Bass is a bass ukulele, not a guitar but its unique features and small size make it a great option for kids who want to play bass guitar. It is ultra-lightweight and compact with its 20.3” scale length and 4.4 lbs of weight.
Pros
- Ease of playability
- Elegant look
- Lightweight and small
Cons
- 16 frets instead of the standard 22-fret design
- It is actually a Bass Ukulele not a Bass Guitar
It is an acoustic-electric bass that you can play plugged or unplugged. Both ways, the bass sounds pretty good. Plus, it provides a highly easy and smooth playing experience. The exotic mahogany body and mahogany neck not only look elegant, but they sound great.
The only letdown here is the 16 fret layout which is quite limited compared to a standard bass with 22 frets. And it is not actually a bass guitar but a bass ukulele reflected in the number of frets.
| Body Material | Exotic Mahogany |
| Body Finish | Polyurethane Satin |
| Neck Material | Mahogany |
| Scale Length | 20.37″ |
| Number of Frets | 16 |
| Pickups | Shadow Pickup |
| Colors | Natural |
Overall, Kala U-Bass Exotic is a great bass for smaller and younger kids who want to play and learn a variation of a bass guitar before moving to a standard bass guitar.
What Is Important When Buying A Bass Guitar For A Kid?
When buying a bass guitar for a kid, there are many things to consider. Before anything, you have to be sure that the kid wants to play bass. Otherwise, the instrument and your money will go to waste.
If you are sure, you should look for an instrument that is easy to play, suitable for kids, looks and sounds good. Also, depending on your budget, you should look for instruments with a good value to price ratio.
First, look for instruments that are light and small enough for your kid. If the playing experience is difficult, there is no way that your kid will be motivated to play and learn the bass.
Second, look for a bass that has versatile sonic possibilities. Since your kids’ music taste is just at the beginning of its journey, a versatile instrument is a right choice to try and play different genres and techniques.
And finally, looks are important. Kids especially become more motivated if they find the instrument more appealing to their eyes.
If you decide to buy a bass eventually, then do it right. Just buying a bass guitar is not enough as you can not play it without an amp. You will need a case to carry the guitar around, an amp to get the sound of the instrument, and headphones for long practice sessions without disturbing anyone.
3/4 Size Bass Guitars
A 3/4 size bass guitar is a regular bass guitar downsized to 3/4 of its regular size. So it is actually a mini bass guitar. The proportions are all the same, but as it is smaller and lighter, it is easier to handle by small hands and bodies.
Short Scale Bass Guitars
A short-scale bass guitar is defined by its shortened neck and string length. The body remains the same, but as the neck is smaller, the frets are closer to each other. This leads to a bass guitar that is easier to handle with smaller hands.
Verdict
Learning to play bass at a young age was impossible before the short scale, and 3/4 scale bass guitars came to the music scene. Now, every young musician can learn to play bass easily with many small bass guitars on the market.
My top pick from the bass guitars for kids is the Gretsch G2220 Junior Jet Bass II, with its great tonal flexibility, comfortable playing experience, and elegant looks.
The budget pick, Ibanez miKro GSRM20, is also a great option with high value for the price ratio, full 22 fret layout, lightweight and compact design.
