Though perhaps not possessing the 'glamour' of a lead guitar, bass guitars still hold an important position in most rock and roll bands today--The White Stripes excluded. A bass guitar, like standard guitar, can be either electric or acoustic, and they come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Like guitars, bass guitars also come in a wide variety of prices to fit just about any budget.

Bass guitars were essentially developed as a way of replacing the double bass in popular jazz and rock lineups. The double bass is the standup version still seen in some jazz bands and in classical music. The problem with the double bass is that it is hard to hear when placed in a rock or even jazz context, and it is doubly hard to transport.

Electric basses have almost without exception been played horizontally, i.e. not like a standup, though there were a few early models that were essentially amplified double basses, and there are some newer developments in this design. Unlike a double bass, an electric bass guitar has frets like a standard guitar. In fact the great Fender vintage bass guitar was given the name 'Precision' basses for this reason. Frets make it much easier to hit the proper note for those who are not classically trained.

Though there are five and six string models available, bass guitars generally have four strings, each of which is composed of copper wound steel. On a four stringed bass the strings are tuned to E, A, D, and G. Like electric guitars, you can generally find a great selection of used basses at music stores and here online. The basic components of a bass are fairly die hard, and a good musical instrument outlet you can often a used bass guitar or two that sounds just as good as a brand new bass.