Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Guitars
  • Guitar Pedals
  • Synths
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Controllers
  • Guitar Amps
  • Drums
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About Us
More
  • Lemmy vs Dylan
  • Are 'Friends' Electric?
  • Flava D - DnB is hard
  • Prince's drummers
  • 95k+ free music samples
Don't miss these
A Fender Player II Stratocaster and Telecaster on a white piece of wood with lots of holes in it
Electric Guitars Best electric guitars under $1,000/£1,000 in 2025: My top picks for players of all styles
Fender American Ultra Luxe Vintage Series
Guitars Fender mixes old-school mojo with 21st-century playability for the American Ultra Luxe Vintage range
Debbie Gough of Heriot demoes the new Jackson Pro Plus Metal Phase II Warrior on a darkened studio set.
Guitars Jackson adds Warrior, King V and Concert Bass to its limited edition Pro Plus Pure Metal range
Ernie Ball Music Man Pino Palladino StingRay: the bass legend's new signature model is offered fretted or fretless, and in a deep and luxurious 79 Burst finish.
Bass Guitars Pino Palladino teams up with EBMM for a signature StingRay inspired by the bass that started it all
Close up of Squier Classic Vibe '50s Telecaster
Electric Guitars Best electric guitars under $500/£500 in 2025: Affordable electrics
Fender Custom Shop Ariel Posen Stratocaster: Posen's new signature model was inspired by the Jazzmaster and has custom-wound AP-90 pickups. Check out those cupcake-style control knobs.
Artists Ariel Posen’s new Custom Shop signature Strat is A) stunning and B) inspired by a… Jazzmaster?
Fender Vintera II Road Worn 60s Telecaster
Guitars Fender’s Vintera II Road Worn series has Golden Era vibe, tone and feel with era-correct pickups and aged nitro finishes
The newly refreshed Classic Series from Squier reworks vintage Fender-inspired electric and bass guitars for beginners and budget-conscious players.
Guitars Squier channels the Fender archive for 10 stunning yet affordable news Classic Vibe models
PRS Guitars' new limited edition Custom 24 Satin photographed at the brand's Maryland factory with wood blanks in the background.
Guitars PRS swaps maple for mango to give its “flagship” Custom 24 a 40th anniversary satin nitro makeover
The new Gibson Murphy Lab Light Aged Acoustics released on 9 September 2025, all lined up in a wood-panneled show room with round windows and a rural landscape outside.
Guitars Gibson expands acoustic Murphy Lab collection with five Light Aged classics – including a Nick Lucas 1929 reissue
The Sterling By Music Man Kaizen is a more affordable version of the Animals As Leaders guitarist Tosin Abasi's signature model, and is offered here in Firemist Purple Satin and Stealth Black.
Artists Sterling By Music Man unveils affordable version of Tosin Abasi’s futuristic Kaizen signature model
Laney Digbeth Foundry Series: the new bass amp range from the British amp band is offered in head and combo formats, and with a variety of wattages.
Bass Guitars Laney Amplification unveils Digbeth Foundry range – affordable, powerful bass amps from 30W to 200W
Gibson Custom SJ-200 Monarch #100: this stunning one-of-one jumbo is replete with all kinds of rococo flourishes, from the diamond and gold crown inlay on the headstock, to the 14k gold rope binding, Gibson calls it the "ultimate custom" acoustic and not without some justification.
Guitars Gibson gives the “King of the Flat-Tops” a whole new meaning with the $99,999 SJ-200 Monarch #100
PRS Mark Holcomb: previously only a limited edition run, the Periphery guitarist's Core Series signature model is now part of the PRS Guitars catalogue, as the Maryland high-end brand continues its 40th Anniversary celebrations by keeping the releases coming each month.
Artists Mark Holcomb’s limited run PRS is officially added to the Core series – and it ships in Drop C
Fender American Ultra Luxe 60s Stratocaster
Electric Guitars Fender Ultra Luxe Vintage '60s Stratocaster review
  1. Guitars
  2. Bass Guitars

10 of the best high-end bass guitars at £1,500/$2,000 or more

News
By Joel McIver ( Bass Guitar ) published 23 August 2017

Mouth-watering bass guitars that come at a price

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

1. Aria SB 1000 RIB (£2,199)

1. Aria SB 1000 RIB (£2,199)

BASS WEEK: The bass that John Taylor and Cliff Burton made their own returns once more. 

As you’re paying over two grand for a mass-produced bass guitar, you justifiably expect the SB1000 to be a truly world-class product, aesthetically and functionally. 

Fortunately, that’s what you’re getting. Thick, glossy and bringing out the wood’s natural features, the finish feels impenetrable. While the standard tone control does its job just fine, with a range that is easily accessed and usable, the rotary control delivers a particular, distinctive tone made up of crunchy mids and a snappy top end. It’s pure Duran! 

However, this isn’t just a bass for New Romantics - it offers something for everyone. 

MusicRadar's verdict:

"Very playable; excellent tone options; replicates classic feel and tone."

5 out of 5

www.ariauk.com

Page 1 of 10
Page 1 of 10
2. Ernie Ball Music Man Caprice (£1,999)

2. Ernie Ball Music Man Caprice (£1,999)

With one passive model already released, hot on its heels comes a two-pickup instrument from Ernie Ball. 

The instrument looks sleek, with clean lines, a simple design and enough familiar touches to recognise it as an Music Man, but with notable differences from the existing models we know and love. 

Although the Caprice doesn’t have the sonic sledgehammer of, say, the Stingray or Sterling, what it does have is a vibrant passive tone that bubbles along very nicely. Don’t be fooled into thinking the pickups won’t be up to much due to the lack of an active circuit: these units cover all the necessary ground. 

MusicRadar's verdict:

“A classy instrument with a strong passive sound.”

4 out of 5

www.stringsandthings.co.uk

Today's best Ernie Ball Music Man Caprice deals
Thomann UK View Similar
Thomann
No price information
Check Thomann
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Page 2 of 10
Page 2 of 10
3. Mayones Patriot Custom 5 (£,2199)

3. Mayones Patriot Custom 5 (£,2199)

Mayones guitars are steadily becoming more visible in bass stores around the country, and with good reason: the company is producing some seriously top-notch instruments. 

Straight away, you’re impressed by how comfortable this bass is to wear. The pair of Aguilar DCB pickups are obviously well matched to the Aguilar 18-volt three-band preamp circuit, with controls for Volume (active/passive push/pull facility), Pickup Pan, Middle, a stacked Bass/Treble control, a Passive Tone control and a mid-frequency selector switch. 

The flat response slap sound is very good, the fingerstyle tone is rounded but vibrant, and there is an inherent throatiness that is subtle and not too intrusive.

MusicRadar's verdict:

“A great-looking five-string with some pleasing woody tones, highly playable.”

4.5 out of 5

www.bassdirect.co.uk

Page 3 of 10
Page 3 of 10
4. Marvit Apofi PJ4C (£2,430)

4. Marvit Apofi PJ4C (£2,430)

There’s no lack of playability with this bass. 

The level of finishing is first class, with no sharp frets in evidence on the underside of the neck, and across the whole instrument it is clear that significant attention has been paid to every detail. 

The Marvit builders have tried to match the output levels whether the bass is in active or passive mode, and it’s clear they have succeeded. The passive mode, with the passive tone control, is very usable in its own right. 

String volume across all four strings is pleasingly even, and with this circuit and pickup pairing, there are plenty of tonal options available.

MusicRadar's verdict:

“Great looks, well finished and plenty of tone to play with.”

4.5 out of 5

www.marvitguitars.com

Page 4 of 10
Page 4 of 10
5. Warwick Corvette $$ 5 LTD 2016 NT (£2,899)

5. Warwick Corvette $$ 5 LTD 2016 NT (£2,899)

With state-of-the-art technology at its disposal, Warwick’s limited edition basses continue to thrill.

The 2016 instrument is no different. For this particular bass, Warwick has returned to using the Corvette body shape and turned to USB technology to charge the lithium battery that supplies the active circuitry instead of requiring standard 9-volt batteries. 

The curvaceous Corvette body with its elongated top horn lends itself well to this limited edition, while the natural beauty of the satin-finished black korina and black walnut burl timbers is a real winner. As this bass is equipped with passive Nordstrand Bigman and Jazz pickups and a Nordstrand 2-band EQ, there are plenty of tonal options. 

MusicRadar's verdict:

“A finely-crafted instrument worthy of the Warwick stamp, with great visuals and tone options.”

4 out of 5

www.bassdirect.co.uk

Page 5 of 10
Page 5 of 10
6. Spector NS2 (£3,395)

6. Spector NS2 (£3,395)

Stuart Spector and his team in Woodstock, New York continue to produce the NS2, the company’s flagship model. 

The famous curved body, rounded horns and curvaceous profile front and back are as comfortable and inviting as they ever were. Although the neck feels long, the placement of the bridge ensures that this bass has a highly playable 34” scale and the full, rounded neck profile gives the player some substantial timber to work. 

All of the reasons why the NS2 was such a hit when it was first launched, and continuing right through the 80s, when it seemed that almost every bassist on the planet was playing a Spector at some point, still stand today. 

MusicRadar's verdict:

"Player-friendly design, consummate craftsmanship and high attention to detail."

5 out of 5

www.bassdirect.co.uk

Page 6 of 10
Page 6 of 10
7. Stonefield 1-4C (£3,395)

7. Stonefield 1-4C (£3,395)

With its marriage of exotic timbers, invention and ingenuity, this four-string from New Zealand has much going for it.

For lovers of natural, organic-looking and -sounding instruments, the 1-4C posts its colours to the mast in no uncertain terms. Timber has been used in the bridge as a counterpoint over which the strings pass, as on an acoustic instrument, while the tuning system is a superb piece of engineering. 

Unsurprisingly, the instrument resonates and sustains in an impressive fashion: vibrancy is definitely what this bass is all about. A Stonefield bass requires a leap of faith - but if you make that leap, you will be rewarded with a highly enjoyable instrument. 

MusicRadar's verdict:

"Ergonomically different, but everything works, with a varied tonal palette."

4.5 out of 5

www.stonefieldmusic.com

Page 7 of 10
Page 7 of 10
8. Anaconda Crusher CXZ5F Zenith (£3,500)

8. Anaconda Crusher CXZ5F Zenith (£3,500)

Previous review models from Anaconda have all been tasty specimens and this bass is no exception, with the timber, hardware and electronics combination a real winner in all departments. 

As a five-string unlined fretless with a 35” scale, this bass will be a slightly daunting prospect for the uninitiated player, but it’s highly playable. A pair of Bartolini humbucking P45CBC pickups have been matched with a three-band Glockenklang preamp, so there’s plenty of tonal variation on tap. 

The fundamental bass response is smooth: if you want a familiar bass tone with only a hint of fretless character, you can have it immediately.

MusicRadar's verdict:

"Top notch materials matched with a fine electronics package."

4.5 out of 5

www.anacondabasses.co.uk

Page 8 of 10
Page 8 of 10
9. Neubauer Phoenix (£7,000 - approx)

9. Neubauer Phoenix (£7,000 - approx)

Master Viennese luthier Andreas Neubauer’s contrabass celebrates his decade-long working relationship with Latin Grammy nominee and Global Music Awards gold medallist Juan ‘Snow Owl’ García-Herreros, whose signature instrument this is. The Phoenix looks sensational. 

Its spectacular high-gloss coating and beautifully book-matched tiger maple top make up pretty much the definitive collaboration of wood and finish. What is truly remarkable about the Phoenix, though, is its ability to embrace the musician. Despite the intimidating 36” scale, at no point does the performer ever feel overwhelmed by the instrument’s stature. On the contrary, you can’t wait to explore the vastness of its tonal versatility.

MusicRadar's verdict:

“Astounding piece of bass technology.”

5 out of 5

www.neubauerguitars.com

Page 9 of 10
Page 9 of 10
10. Enfield Lionheart (£1,650)

10. Enfield Lionheart (£1,650)

Centred around the unique Super Quad pickup concept, the Lionheart bass range sits at a price point that will make the pickup options more affordable. 

Build quality is very good indeed: this instrument is well built, well finished and balanced beautifully. The groundbreaking Super Quad pickups each comprise four separate coils which can be split horizontally as well as vertically, enabling the player to switch between split coils, single coils and parallel hum-cancelling options. 

These are activated by three-way toggle switches, and the active setting is indicated by a tri-colour LED mounted within the pickup casing. The result is that you effectively have several basses in one. Incredible!

MusicRadar's verdict:

"Almost limitless tonal options. What’s not to like?"

5 out of 5

www.enfieldguitars.com

  • The best bass guitars available right now
  • The best bass amps for all budgets
Page 10 of 10
Page 10 of 10
Joel McIver
We're the UK's only print publication devoted to bass guitar. image
We're the UK's only print publication devoted to bass guitar.
Subscribe for star interviews, essential gear reviews and killer tuition!
More Info
Read more
A Fender Player II Stratocaster and Telecaster on a white piece of wood with lots of holes in it
Best electric guitars under $1,000/£1,000 in 2025: My top picks for players of all styles
 
 
Fender American Ultra Luxe Vintage Series
Fender mixes old-school mojo with 21st-century playability for the American Ultra Luxe Vintage range
 
 
Debbie Gough of Heriot demoes the new Jackson Pro Plus Metal Phase II Warrior on a darkened studio set.
Jackson adds Warrior, King V and Concert Bass to its limited edition Pro Plus Pure Metal range
 
 
Ernie Ball Music Man Pino Palladino StingRay: the bass legend's new signature model is offered fretted or fretless, and in a deep and luxurious 79 Burst finish.
Pino Palladino teams up with EBMM for a signature StingRay inspired by the bass that started it all
 
 
Close up of Squier Classic Vibe '50s Telecaster
Best electric guitars under $500/£500 in 2025: Affordable electrics
 
 
Fender Custom Shop Ariel Posen Stratocaster: Posen's new signature model was inspired by the Jazzmaster and has custom-wound AP-90 pickups. Check out those cupcake-style control knobs.
Ariel Posen’s new Custom Shop signature Strat is A) stunning and B) inspired by a… Jazzmaster?
 
 
Latest in Bass Guitars
Fender Vintera II Road Worn 60s Telecaster
Fender’s Vintera II Road Worn series has Golden Era vibe, tone and feel with era-correct pickups and aged nitro finishes
 
 
SCM All Stars logo
“I’m so grateful that our music can be a vehicle for their spirits to fly”: Students at Flea’s music school pay tribute to Chili Peppers
 
 
JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE! "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" airs every weeknight at 11:35 p.m. ET and features a diverse lineup of guests that include celebrities, athletes, musical acts, comedians and human interest subjects, along with comedy bits and a house band. The guests for Monday, September 8 included Spinal Tap (Nigel Tufnel aka Christopher Guest, David St. Hubbins aka Michael McKean and Derek Smalls aka Harry Shearer) and Marty DiBergi (aka Rob Reiner) ("Spinal Tap II: The End Continues"), and musical guest Spinal Tap. (Disney/Randy Holmes) SPINAL TAP  (Photo by Randy Holmes/Disney via Getty Images)
Five basses! Spinal Tap recruit Tal Wilkenfeld and Thundercat for bottom-heavy Jimmy Kimmel performance
 
 
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA - AUGUST 22: Dave Mustaine and David Ellefson performs during Megadeth concert as part of Dystopia World Tour at Luna Park on August 22, 2016 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (Photo by Santiago Bluguermann/LatinContent via Getty Images)
Dave Ellefson has his say on whether Metallica did Dave Mustaine a favour by sacking him
 
 
Sir Paul McCartney rocks the London O2 crowd in 2024 and gives them a sly glance as he plays his iconic Hofner 500/1 bass.
Paul McCartney’s stolen bass was one of music’s biggest mysteries – and now they are making a film about it
 
 
The newly refreshed Classic Series from Squier reworks vintage Fender-inspired electric and bass guitars for beginners and budget-conscious players.
Squier channels the Fender archive for 10 stunning yet affordable news Classic Vibe models
 
 
Latest in News
Teenage Engineering EP-1320 Medieval
Teenage Engineering is giving away a free EP-1320 Medieval sampler to anyone that spends $999 in its online store
 
 
Fred Again in Naples
Fred Again and again: Producer plays an extra set on a fan's rooftop after a Naples festival appearance
 
 
Joe Bonamassa wears a blue suit and plays his P-90 loaded Epiphone signature Les Paul [left] and BB King cups his hand to his ear to ask for some more from his audience at a 1991 show in Chicago.
Joe Bonamassa announces all-star album celebrating life of BB King on the King of the Blues’ 100th birthday
 
 
Loog Guitars x Gibson: these child-friendly 3-strings reimagine the Les Paul and SG for young beginners.
Gibson teams up with Loog for child-friendly 3-string versions of its most famous electric guitars
 
 
Prince at a press conference where he officially changed his name from the Artist back to Prince. 5/16/00 Photo by Scott Gries/ImageDirect
Back in 1999, Prince offered his opinion on the new generation of DAW-based musicians and producers
 
 
Nile Rodgers
“As soon as we played that, I screamed”: Nile Rodgers breaks down how he and David Bowie made Let’s Dance
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...