Top & Best Four-String Double Bass Review 2022- How to Select Ultimate Buyer’s Guide
Four-String Double Bass: Learn to Choose the Best One for You in 2022
If you want to learn to play bass or if you are already a bass player and want to improve your equipment, you have arrived at the ideal article! Today we’re going to talk about four-string double bass, giving tips on the instrument and discussing how the best possible purchase can be made!
The bass, also called contrabass, is indispensable for many musical genres, but its four-string version is used mainly in rock, metal and pop. There are several important issues that lead to differences between models and we will talk about all of them below!
First, the most important
- The double bass is easier to learn than other string instruments such as guitar and guitar and, therefore, can even serve as a gateway.
- Four-string models are great for beginners or professionals, serving different musical genres and making learning even easier.
- It is possible to make many customizations on your double bass, from the visual part, even on issues such as the caliber of the strings.
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The best four-string basses: Our opinion
Among professional and beginner models, market has a lot to offer when it comes to four-string bass. So we made a small selection that can be an important step in your school!
- A great model for beginners
- The best cost-benefit
- A double bass for professionals
A great model for beginners
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4-String Benson Jazztone-mr Red Metallic 4-StringRead user reviews
Buy on Amazon
Anyone just starting out on a double bass can opt for Benson’s Jazztone-MR without any risk! This model in metallic red has great durability and warranty, bears the name of an established national brand and an exceptional cost-benefit. With a twelve-month warranty, it serves various musical styles.
The best cost-benefit
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PHX BS-4S MBK, Atico 4-String Bass, BlackRead user reviews
R $ 922.35
Buy on Amazon
The BS-4S MKB bass from PHX is excellent: In addition to having a beautiful metallic paint, it has excellent characteristics for beginners or slightly more advanced musicians. The capture is active, the bridge is fixed and the arm is screwed. The model stands out a lot for its expressive sonority.
A double bass for professionals
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Epiphone EB 3 SG Bass 4 Strings BlackRead user reviews
R $ 3,949.90
Buy on Amazon
Want the highest durability of your double bass? Then Epiphone has the solution! This is a model made with top-of-the-line materials, such as mahogany, which is present on both the arm and the body. Chrome hardware also increases service life. It is a special timbre instrument.
Buying Guide
You still don’t know if the bass is the right instrument for you? Just want to understand how the models differ? Have questions about learning?
Do not worry! In the buying guide, we will answer the main questions about four-string bass!
The double bass is an instrument used in many musical genres. (Source: niekverlaan / Pixabay.com)
Why buy a double bass?
There are many musical instruments that a person can decide to play. Guitar, drums, guitar, piano, keyboard, violin, among others. Why, then, choose the double bass?
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The first aspect that stands out is the ease: Learning to play bass is much more relaxed than other stringed instruments, such as the guitar. There are less technical issues to master, since pace is the most important factor in this learning.
The versatility of the bass is incredible, since it can be present in several musical styles. And the competition is also much less! There are fewer people who play this instrument than there are guitars, making it even easier to join a band.
You can also use the double bass as a gateway to learn the guitar. And another advantage, especially for those who live in apartments or for parents who do not want to disturb their neighbors with their children’s music, is that this is an instrument that makes less noise than the others.
Double, five or six string bass?
If you are seduced by the double bass and have decided that this is your instrument, there is an next important question to be answered: Choosing a four, five or six string model?
Four-string double basses are mostly used in rock, pop and metal, while the five or six string models are more connected with genres such as samba, pagode and MPB. Knowing your musical style is an important step in choosing.
But that is not all: it is easier to become familiar with the instrument with a four-string model Not that it is easier to play, but to learn the basic details of the bass. For beginners, this type is usually more recommended.
If you already know how to play bass and want to purchase a model for professional use, you can ask yourself what kind of sound you want to make. If you play in bars with a varied repertoire, for example, it is better to opt for a five-string model, which covers a wider range of musical styles.
And if you build a cover band, even if it is rock or metal, having four strings may not be enough: You should know exactly what the configuration used by the original bassist is. Only then will you be able to approach the desired sound properly.
We have prepared a table comparing the three types of bass:
| 4-String Double Bass | 5-String Double Bass | 6-String Double Bass | |
| Characteristics | Less neck thickness, longer distance between strings | Firmer marking, more defined notes, medium spacing between strings | Less space between strings, allows for higher treble chords |
| Musical styles | Rock, heavy metal, jazz, soul | Heavy metal, pagode, forró, samba, MPB | Pagode, sertanejo, forró |
| Indicated for | Beginners, musicians from bands of genres such as rock and heavy metal | Musicians playing different genres or linked to MPB, samba and the like | Musicians linked to genres such as pagode and sertanejo |
What are the advantages of a four-string double bass?
Because it has more widely spaced strings, a four-string double bass is more suitable for those who are starting to learn the instrument. The reason is that it becomes more difficult to brush fingers in unwanted places or to tangle during the moment of touch.
There is no limitation on the four-string double bass, which can be used for both learning and rehearsals and concerts. It is the favorite of many great musicians.
In addition, the four-string model still has indications for specific genres, such as rock and metal. The sound produced by him is more harmonious with these styles and, therefore, preferred by many of the professionals.
The disadvantages of a four-string double bass are more linked to people who already have experience with the instrument, but play styles that ask for models of five or six strings. If you are more connected to samba or pagode, for example, there is no reason to insist on the four strings.
See the table below for advantages and disadvantages of four-string basses:
Benefits
- Ideal for beginners
- Suitable for learning, rehearsals and shows
- Perfect for genres like rock, metal and jazz
- Helps to understand how string instruments work
Disadvantages
- Not suitable for musicians of genres such as samba, pagode and sertanejo
What are the four strings of a double bass?
Understanding how the instrument you play is essential. In the case of double bass, you need to know the strings very well!
The first string of the double bass is responsible for the highest pitched sounds. It is called SOL. Then comes the DEF. The third is called LÁ. And the last, more serious, is known as IM.
It is also important to know that a bass is composed of body and arm. The first is similar to what exists on a guitar or guitar, while the second, on a four-string model, is quite narrow and usually made with a few pieces of wood attached.
Did you know that most musical instruments are manufactured with right-handers in mind? Left-handed people, therefore, tend to encounter difficulties. But fortunately, there are good solutions on the market, such as double bass models already made to be played with the left hand.
Is the double bass a difficult instrument to learn?
The bass is a less complex instrument to learn than others like guitar, guitar and drums. The low number of strings makes it a relatively simple way to learn to master the sounds it can offer.
It is faster to master the bass than the guitar or drums.
However, it all depends on what your claims are. If you just want to play at home, as a hobby, or possibly do small shows, without great artistic mastery, bass can be considered easy. You will reach an acceptable point faster than with the guitar.
Becoming a high-level bassist, on the other hand, can be even more difficult than a guitarist or drummer. This is because the bass is responsible for sustaining the music, which forces the person responsible for the instrument to know a deeper musical theory and also technical knowledge in all the equipment used by the band.
How much does it cost and where to buy a four-string double bass?
The values of a four-string double bass vary with the level and brand of the instrument. It is possible to find good models for beginners for around R $ 900, while specimens for established musicians who perform shows can reach R $ 5,000.
Musical instrument stores are the best places to find a four-string bass. You can also make your purchase over the internet: We recommend Amazon.
Purchasing criteria: Factors for choosing a four-string double bass
If you have already decided to buy a four-string double bass, you still need to choose the model. We have selected four technical criteria that can be very useful:
- Visual and finishing
- String gauge
- Active or passive double bass
- Accessories
Below, more details about each one!
Visual and finishing
We know that visuals are an important part of bands and musical performances. Therefore, whoever intends to participate in shows, events or similar, must also express their identity in the instruments.
You’ll find four-string double basses with different colors, designs and even some logos. If this is an important question, just choose the one that best represents you!
Also check the quality of the materials, especially the wood. The stronger and more resistant they are, the more you can trust the durability of your double bass.
You can choose basses with different looks. (Source: Modman / Pixabay.com)
String gauge
Gauge is what we call the thickness of the strings of a bass. It is important to define the type of sound that the instrument makes and is measured in inches.
Most of the basses come with 0.45 caliber strings.
Most of the double basses come with 0.45 caliber strings. It is possible to change them whenever necessary, but the best idea is to maintain the ideal thickness in the instrument and avoid additional costs.
Double bass strings have thicknesses ranging between 0.35, ideal for rock and metal, and 0.50, best for pagoda and backcountry. 0.40 and 0.45, intermediate gauges, are versatile.
Active or passive double bass
The popular name of active and passive double bass is incorrect: What exists is the differentiation between active circuit or active capacitors.
Basses with active circuit have a battery attached to the body and help to prevent signal loss that can happen with long cables. There are more buttons scattered around the body of the instrument.
Basses with active capacitors are usually cheaper and more common among beginners, even though the sound quality is close to that of models with active circuit.
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Accessories
The double bass is not an instrument that depends only on you to produce a quality sound. Various accessories are required. Therefore, when you acquire it, it is ideal that it is not alone.
It is better to opt for a double bass that already brings in the purchase accessories such as cables, hub, amplifier, various strings, strap and even cover. The more, the better the cost-benefit!
