AudioFu Chart · November 2026
Best Premium Basses 2026
The top pick is Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay Special 5 H ($3,125). Sadowsky Custom Shop 24-5 Cocobolo NT leads the high end. Ranked by the AudioFu Index from 92 models across 15 brands, prices checked every night.
Last updated: November 8, 2026
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All Premium BassesTop 10
Full detail for the 10 highest AudioFu Index scores. Every other model is listed below.
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Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay Special 5 H
Stingray 5 H Special VSB · Music Man
72 for sale on Reverb3 finishes at Thomann
- Nut width44.5 mm (1.75")
- Scale864 mm (34.02")
- Frets22 frets
- Strings5-string
- FingerboardRosewood fingerboard
This bass has a solid roasted maple neck that feels great to play. The neodymium pickup gives it a punchy low end that cuts through a mix. It suits players who want a bright, responsive voice with easy tone control.
Pros
- Roasted maple neck provides a stable, smooth playing feel.
- Neodymium magnets deliver a tight, powerful low-end response.
- Active 3-band preamp lets you shape tone on the fly.
Cons
- No specific weight rating listed in the provided specs.
- String gauge details are missing from the description.
87AudioFu
Index↓ 12.5%since Aug 17 · lowest so far$3,572 · Aug 17$3,125 now$3,125€2,799 at Thomann · in stockCheck price ↗ -
Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay Special 5 H
Stingray 5 HH Special OS · Music Man
72 for sale on Reverb2 finishes at Thomann
- Nut width44.5 mm (1.75")
- Scale864 mm (34.02")
- Frets22 frets
- Strings5-string
- FingerboardEbony fingerboard
This is a 5-string bass with a roasted maple neck, an ebony fingerboard and two Music Man humbuckers. Its active 3-band preamp gives you treble, mid and bass controls, plus a master volume, so you can shape your sound right on the bass. It suits players who want a premium, American-made five-string with a 34-inch scale and plenty of control options.
Pros
- Selected hardwood body with a roasted maple bolt-on neck
- Ebony fingerboard with 11-inch radius and dot inlays
- Two Music Man humbuckers with neodymium magnets
Cons
- The active preamp needs an 18 volt power source to run
78AudioFu
Index↓ 2.9%since Aug 17$3,794 · Aug 17$3,683 now$3,683€3,299 at Thomann · in stockCheck price ↗ -
Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay Special 4 H
Stingray 4 H Special MBB · Music Man
118 for sale on Reverb1 finish at Thomann
- Nut width41.3 mm (1.63")
- Scale864 mm (34.02")
- Frets22 frets
- FingerboardEbony fingerboard
You get a premium bass with a roasted maple bolt-on neck, an ebony fingerboard, and one Music Man humbucker. The active 3-band preamp gives you treble, mid and bass controls plus a master volume. It suits you if you want a well-built, Made in USA bass with a 34-inch scale and a Mono cases gig bag included.
Pros
- Roasted maple bolt-on neck paired with an ebony fingerboard
- Single Music Man humbucker with neodymium magnets
- Active 3-band preamp with master volume and treble, mid and bass controls
Cons
- Its active preamplifier runs on 18 V, so it needs a power source to work
73AudioFu
IndexStableno change since Aug 17Aug 17$3,348 now$3,348€2,999 at Thomann · in stockCheck price ↗ -
Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay Special 5 H
Stingray 5 H Special P.B.Burst · Music Man
72 for sale on Reverb1 finish at Thomann
- Nut width44.5 mm (1.75")
- Scale864 mm (34.02")
- Frets22 frets
- Strings5-string
- FingerboardRosewood fingerboard
You get a 5-string bass with a roasted maple neck, a rosewood fingerboard and one humbucker pickup. It has an active 3-band preamp with Master Volume, Treble and Bass controls, and it comes with a Mono case. This one suits you if you want a premium bass made in the USA with simple, direct controls.
Pros
- Roasted maple bolt-on neck paired with a rosewood fingerboard
- One Music Man humbucker with neodymium magnets for the pickup
- Active 3-band 18 volt preamp with Master Volume, Treble and Bass controls
Cons
- Active electronics need an 18 volt power source to run the preamp
71AudioFu
IndexStableno change since Aug 17Aug 17$3,237 now$3,237€2,899 at Thomann · in stockCheck price ↗ -
Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay Special 5 H
Stingray 5 HH Special Bruleé · Music Man
72 for sale on Reverb1 finish at Thomann
- Nut width44.5 mm (1.75")
- Scale864 mm (34.02")
- Frets22 frets
- Strings5-string
- FingerboardEbony fingerboard
You get a five-string bass with a roasted maple neck, an ebony fingerboard and two Music Man humbuckers. The active 3-band preamp gives you master volume, treble and bass controls. It suits you if you want a premium bass made in the USA with a long 34 inch scale, and it comes with a mono case.
Pros
- Roasted maple bolt-on neck paired with an ebony fingerboard
- Two Music Man humbuckers with neodymium magnets
- Active 3-band 18 volt preamp with master volume, treble and bass controls
71AudioFu
IndexStableno change since Aug 17Aug 17$3,348 now$3,348€2,999 at Thomann · in stockCheck price ↗ -
Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay Special 5 H
Stingray 5 H Special Candyman · Music Man
72 for sale on Reverb1 finish at Thomann
- Scale864 mm (34.02")
- Frets22 frets
- Strings5-string
- FingerboardMaple fingerboard
You get a five-string bass with a roasted maple neck and fingerboard, one humbucker pickup, and a three-band active preamp. It suits you if you want a premium, US-made bass with a long 34-inch scale and a gig bag in the box. It is a good pick if you like simple, direct controls on a well-built instrument.
Pros
- Roasted maple neck and roasted maple fingerboard give you a sturdy, stable base
- Three-band 18 V active preamp with master volume, treble, mid and bass controls
- Neodymium-magnet humbucker pickup gives you one pickup with a powerful magnet design
Cons
- The 18 V active preamp needs a battery or other power source to run
69AudioFu
IndexStableno change since Aug 17Aug 17$3,348 now$3,348€2,999 at Thomann · in stockCheck price ↗ -
Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay Special 5 H
Stingray 5 HH Special Jackpot · Music Man
72 for sale on Reverb1 finish at Thomann
- Scale864 mm (34.02")
- Frets22 frets
- Strings5-string
- FingerboardMaple fingerboard
You get a five-string bass with two Music Man humbuckers and an active 3-band preamp, so you can shape your tone with bass, mid and treble knobs. The roasted maple neck and fingerboard, along with 22 stainless steel frets, make it a premium choice built in the USA. It suits you if you want a high-end five-string with plenty of control and a gig bag included.
Pros
- Roasted maple neck and fingerboard, with 22 stainless steel frets
- Two Music Man humbuckers with neodymium magnets
- Active 3-band preamp with master volume, treble, mid and bass controls
Cons
- Includes no strings, so you will need to supply your own set
69AudioFu
IndexStableno change since Aug 17Aug 17$3,460 now$3,460€3,099 at Thomann · in stockCheck price ↗ -
Fender Custom Shop '60 Reissue Stratocaster Journeyman Relic
60 P-Bass SFG Journeyman Relic · Fender
70 for sale on Reverb1 finish at Thomann
- Scale864 mm (34.02")
- BodyAlder body
- FingerboardRosewood fingerboard
This is a Custom Shop bass built in the style of a 1960s P-Bass. It has an alder body, a maple neck, a rosewood fingerboard, and one hand-wound split coil pickup. It suits you if you want a vintage-style bass with a long scale and a relic finish, and you are ready for a premium-priced instrument.
Pros
- Two-piece alder body paired with a maple neck and rosewood fingerboard
- Custom Shop hand-wound Josefina '62 P-Bass split coil pickup
- 60s style oval C neck profile with a 7.25" fingerboard radius
Cons
- Only one pickup, so there is no second pickup to switch to or blend with
66AudioFu
IndexStableno change since Aug 17Aug 17$7,144 now$7,144€6,399 at Thomann · in stockCheck price ↗ -
- Nut width47.6 mm (1.87")
- Scale864 mm (34.02")
- Frets24 frets
- Fingerboard radius305 mm (12.01")
- Neck profileC-shape neck
You get a 5-string bass with a cocobolo top, a swamp ash body, and a roasted maple neck and fingerboard. It has two Soapbar pickups and a preamp, so you can shape your tone with the controls on the bass itself. It suits players who want a custom-built, Made in Germany instrument with a road bag included, and it is a good fit if you are ready for a heavier, premium-priced bass.
Pros
- Cocobolo top over an American swamp ash chambered body
- Roasted maple bolt-on neck with a roasted maple fingerboard and dot inlays
- Two Sadowsky Soapbar pickups with a Sadowsky Mid-Boost Preamp and switchable Mid-Boost
Cons
- Weighs approximately 3.86 kg, which is heavy for a 5-string bass
63AudioFu
IndexStableno change since Aug 17Aug 17$7,814 now$7,814€6,999 at Thomann · in stockCheck price ↗ -
- Scale864 mm (34.02")
- BodyMaple body
- FingerboardEbony fingerboard
This is a fretless bass with a neck that runs all the way through the body, a flamed chestnut top, and an ebony fingerboard. You get one bridge pickup with a switch to change its voice, plus simple volume and tone knobs. It suits you if you want a premium fretless bass with a simple setup and a gig bag to carry it in.
Pros
- Flamed chestnut top over a maple body gives this bass a distinctive build
- Neck-through-body maple construction paired with an ebony fingerboard
- Delano X-Tender bridge pickup with a pickup voice switch gives you two options
Cons
- Passive electronics with only volume and tone controls, no other control options listed
55AudioFu
IndexStableno change since Aug 17Aug 17$5,805 now$5,805€5,199 at Thomann · in stockCheck price ↗
All 92 premium basses
Same index, same nightly prices — compact. Colour options of one model share a row. Tap a photo to zoom.
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Marleaux Tiuz 5 Poplar Burl IMMarleaux · 2 finishes53Stable$7,144€6,399$7,144€6,399Check ↗
- 12
Fodera Emperor 5 StandardEmperor Standard 5 Classic FR · Fodera53Stable$9,154€8,199$9,154€8,199Check ↗
- 13
Fodera Emperor 5 Standard Special BEMFodera · 2 finishes52Stable$8,317€7,449$8,317€7,449Check ↗
- 14
Sadowsky MetroLine JJ 4 LTD 2023 MRSSadowsky51Stable$4,130€3,699$4,130€3,699Check ↗
- 15
Fender 53 P-Bass Relic A2CS LTDFender · 2 finishes51↓ 10.0%$7,033€6,299$7,033€6,299Check ↗
- 16
Sadowsky MasterBuilt 21 MJ LTD 4 NTSSadowsky51Stable$7,479€6,699$7,479€6,699Check ↗
- 17
Music Man Bongo 4 HH Mantis GreenMusic Man49Stable$4,130€3,699$4,130€3,699Check ↗
- 18
Mayones Guitars Jabba Custom 5 Blue BurstMayones Guitars49Stable$4,800€4,299$4,800€4,299Check ↗
- 19
Marleaux Consat Custom 4 BubingaMarleaux49Stable$5,135€4,599$5,135€4,599Check ↗
- 20
Marleaux Votan 5 Black BurstMarleaux49Stable$5,805€5,199$5,805€5,199Check ↗
- 21
Sadowsky MetroLine Vintage LTD 4 NBNSadowsky49Stable$6,465€5,790$6,465€5,790Check ↗
- 22
Marleaux MBass 5 Worn Spruce LtdMarleaux48↓ 1.8%$6,140€5,499$6,140€5,499Check ↗
- 23
Fodera Emperor Standard 4 Classic CFMFodera · 2 finishes48Stable$8,931€7,999$8,931€7,999Check ↗
- 24
Fodera Yin Yang Std 4 WH SD LTDFodera · 2 finishes48Stable$11,042€9,890$11,042€9,890Check ↗
- 25
Vincent Metropol 5 MarrakeschVincent47Stable$3,728€3,339$3,728€3,339Check ↗
- 26
Music Man Bongo 4 HH Stealth BlackMusic Man47Stable$3,739€3,349$3,739€3,349Check ↗
- 27
Vincent Akkurat 5 Deep OceanVincent47Stable$3,907€3,499$3,907€3,499Check ↗
- 28
Mayones Guitars Ori Enji 5 Gunmetal GreyMayones Guitars47Stable$4,186€3,749$4,186€3,749Check ↗
- 29
Vincent Metropol 5 GoldVincent47Stable$4,353€3,899$4,353€3,899Check ↗
- 30
Marleaux Votan XS 4 CopperMarleaux47Stable$4,688€4,199$4,688€4,199Check ↗
- 31
Mayones Guitars Comodous Svara 5 Mohini DeyMayones Guitars47Stable$4,789€4,289$4,789€4,289Check ↗
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Sadowsky MetroLine 24-5 Fret Modern BUSadowsky47Stable$4,800€4,299$4,800€4,299Check ↗
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Marleaux Consat Custom 5 ZiricoteMarleaux47Stable$5,135€4,599$5,135€4,599Check ↗
- 34
Marleaux Votan 5 Chestnut "32Marleaux47Stable$5,246€4,699$5,246€4,699Check ↗
- 35
Sadowsky MetroLine 24-LTD 4 Fretless NTSadowsky47Stable$5,246€4,699$5,246€4,699Check ↗
- 36
Marleaux Consat Custom 4 FM RPMarleaux47Stable$5,581€4,999$5,581€4,999Check ↗
- 37
Marleaux MBass 5 ChestnutMarleaux47Stable$6,130€5,490$6,130€5,490Check ↗
- 38
Fender LTD Custom Jazz Bass Jmr AOWFender47Stable$6,251€5,599$6,251€5,599Check ↗
- 39
Marleaux Consat Custom 5 NT BlackburstMarleaux47Stable$6,698€5,999$6,698€5,999Check ↗
- 40
Marleaux Artio 5 Darkside GreyMarleaux47Stable$7,368€6,599$7,368€6,599Check ↗
- 41
Marleaux Artio 5 FirestormMarleaux47Stable$7,368€6,599$7,368€6,599Check ↗
- 42
Fender 1962 Bass VI SH Relic SFOTFender47Stable$7,703€6,899$7,703€6,899Check ↗
- 43
Fender LTD Jazz Bass Rel Pink PaisleyFender47Stable$8,596€7,699$8,596€7,699Check ↗
- 44
Warwick Teambuilt Corvette $$ 5 NTSWarwick46Stable$3,460€3,099$3,460€3,099Check ↗
- 45
Vincent Tribute PJ 4 MKII TerracottaVincent46Stable$3,795€3,399$3,795€3,399Check ↗
- 46
Vincent Akkurat 4 AnthrazitVincent46Stable$3,795€3,399$3,795€3,399Check ↗
- 47
Vincent Akkurat 4 WillowVincent46Stable$4,018€3,599$4,018€3,599Check ↗
- 48
Warwick Masterbuilt Thumb 6 NTWarwick46Stable$9,601€8,599$9,601€8,599Check ↗
- 49
Sandberg California VM2 BKSandberg45Stable$2,623€2,349$2,623€2,349Check ↗
- 50
Marleaux Soprano Flamed Maple AquaMarleaux45Stable$3,125€2,799$3,125€2,799Check ↗
Premium Basses by the numbers
Measured across all 104 models we track, not a sample.
Median $5,580 — half of all premium basses here cost less.
median of 85 models · 768 mm (30.24")–876 mm (34.49")
median of 61 models · 5-string–6-string
most common · 67 models
most common · 78 models
How to choose the best premium basses
Wood Selection & Construction
This isn't just about ash vs. alder; it's about the density, grain, and resonance of the wood. A figured maple body might look gorgeous, but if it's dead and lifeless, it's just a pretty face. Premium basses often feature multi-piece bodies or unique construction techniques to manipulate tone and weight.
Neck Profile & Feel
A comfortable neck is non-negotiable. We're talking about the shape, thickness, and finish of the neck - does it feel like an old friend or a clumsy handshake? A well-executed neck profile will improve your playing speed and accuracy, and it's something you'll appreciate for years.
Pickup Voicing & Electronics
Cheap pickups often sound brittle and lack low-end warmth. Premium pickups offer a more nuanced response, with a better balance of frequencies and a more defined character. Active electronics can offer versatility, but passive electronics often provide a more organic and classic tone.
Hardware Quality
Tuners, bridges, and knobs aren't just cosmetic details; they affect tuning stability, sustain, and overall feel. Premium hardware will hold up to gigging and offer a smoother, more refined playing experience - those cheap plastic tuner keys will snap eventually.
Finish & Craftsmanship
While aesthetics are subjective, a well-executed finish isn't just about looks. A thin, even finish allows the wood to breathe and resonate more freely. Pay attention to the details - clean fretwork, consistent sanding, and overall attention to detail are signs of a quality instrument.
Buying guide
Okay, so you're ready to step up your bass game. We're not talking about your first bass here; this is about instruments that breathe a little easier, offer a level of detail you haven't heard before, and just feel different in your hands. A premium bass isn't just about prestige - it's about unlocking a new level of articulation, sustain, and sonic character for your playing, whether you're laying down a solid foundation in a rock band or crafting nuanced lines in a jazz trio.
Buying a premium bass is an investment, so be smart about it. Don't get caught up in flashy aesthetics; focus on the feel and tone. A bass with incredible specs on paper can still feel awful in your hands.
Try before you buy if possible, and don't be afraid to walk away - there are plenty of great basses out there, but finding the bass is personal.
How the AudioFu Index works
Five measured signals and nothing else — no stars from strangers, no “tested by experts” we didn’t do. The weights are fixed and public. We don’t play these instruments; we measure the market around them.
This chart covers 104 premium basses from the Thomann catalogue. Before you buy, read hands-on reviews and, where you can, play it. Full methodology.
AudioFu earns a commission when you buy through our Thomann links. It never changes the order — the index does.
- Demand40%
How many of this exact model are for sale on Reverb right now — what musicians actually buy and resell.
- Lineup20%
How many finishes Thomann stocks — makers expand the models that sell.
- Price15%
Where the price has moved since we started tracking in August.
- Specs15%
How completely the maker documents it.
- Maker10%
How deep the brand’s range is in this category.
Questions
Are premium basses really worth the money?
That's entirely subjective. If you're primarily a bedroom player, maybe not. But if you're serious about your tone, need an instrument that can cut through a loud band, or want something that inspires you to play more, then absolutely.
What's the deal with figured tops? Do they actually affect the tone?
Mostly no. A figured top is purely cosmetic. The wood underneath is what matters. Sometimes figured tops are made from less dense wood to achieve the look, which can negatively impact the tone, but it's not a given.
Should I go active or passive?
It depends on your style and needs. Active basses offer more tonal flexibility and higher output, but passive basses are often considered to have a more classic and organic tone. There's no right or wrong answer - try both and see what resonates with you.
What about neck profiles? Which one is best?
There's no 'best' neck profile. It's all about personal preference. Some players prefer a thin, fast neck, while others prefer a thicker, more substantial feel. Try as many as you can to find what's comfortable for you.
I'm worried about the bass being too heavy. What can I do?
Premium basses often use heavier woods, so weight can be an issue. Look for basses with chambered bodies or graphite reinforcement rods in the neck to reduce weight. A good quality strap and proper playing technique can also help.





