My kiddo has expressed interest in playing bass. She’s 5. Im looking at the squire mini p bass, but what other options exist that you’d recommend?
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Best mini bass for kids?
- Thread starter krfoss
- Start date
Brandon Shea
Commercial User
Those mini Squiers are pretty cool, and they don't sound half bad either. One of the biggest drawbacks to those basses is that it's a little trickier to find replacement strings, but it looks like La Bella makes a set of flats that probably sounds and feels amazing.
The other popular option is the Ibanez Mikro line.
Build one of these with her, so she can pick the color(s), decorations, etc.
The "G-Bass" 2-string DIY Electric Bass Guitar Kit - C. B. Gitty Crafter Supply (cbgitty.com)
My (fretless) kit is in-process/not completed, but I have built one of their 4-string Tenor kits, and it plays and sounds great!...
The "G-Bass" 2-string DIY Electric Bass Guitar Kit - C. B. Gitty Crafter Supply (cbgitty.com)
My (fretless) kit is in-process/not completed, but I have built one of their 4-string Tenor kits, and it plays and sounds great!...
Mini P’s are still too big for my 4 1/2 year old, but he’s starting to literally whack and slap a Glarry GW101 that I got for about $60 and then modded for him to grow into. I have it plugged into a little mini amp that he can use when he so chooses— not trying to teach him anything yet, just want him to get comfortable with the ergonomics of it and have it be something he chooses to do rather than trying to force him to. I also have 25” and 27” scale History Jazz mini basses for down the line.
Last edited:
I just recently got a Kala solid body U-Bass and it's not too bad for the price. There are a lot more color and string options for rightys. Tiny Boy bass on the left. Both 23" scale uke size.
The Ibanez Mikro is also a great value.
The Ibanez Mikro is also a great value.
glen burton mini bass - Google Shopping
Came out about 3 years before the Glarry copy.
https://reverb.com/item/25201372-gl...ng-electric-bass-guitar-w-gig-bag-strap-cable
Came out about 3 years before the Glarry copy.
https://reverb.com/item/25201372-gl...ng-electric-bass-guitar-w-gig-bag-strap-cable
Last edited:
My 5-year old has a Squier Bronco bass. It's too big for her to really get down on it, but at 5 she's just getting started and understanding the relationship between her fretting hand and her picking hand. This kind of bass allows for decent quality, for an affordable price, but more importantly gets her navigating a scale length that will be usable well into the future, if not forever. That's important, as "scaling up" can be hard for many. We've also tried a Squier mini-precision, that was nice too. I had a Fender MPB-33 at one point, but it was ridiculous even for her and felt "toyish" even though it was a genuine MIJ Fender.
Last edited:
With kids, you really want to remember that they're constantly growing. That's why you should go for this as it has a 35" scale that they won't grow out of.
In all seriousness, I have an Ibanez Mikro. Decent bass for the money.
In all seriousness, I have an Ibanez Mikro. Decent bass for the money.
How do you find that these two basses compare? I’ve been curious about both. I’ve had a Kala piezo uke bass before and my wife has a Wanderer now, so I have some frame of reference.
Ibanez Mikro are very good for the price. I tried a Jackson Minion and it played well also. I would have buy it if it was not the pointy headstock.
CNZ Audio makes a mini jazz bass in a nice colors and it doesn't cost a lot.
Harley Benton I think has some mini p basses!
Harley Benton I think has some mini p basses!
For a 5 year old you cannot go wrong with a Mikro. Great sound and will do until she ditches it or wants something else. Now for the SVT
I just did a short review of the Kala and made some brief comparisons to the Tiny Boy.
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/nbd-kala-solid-body-u-bass.1650724/
I use the ampeg micro vr amp and cab at home. I’m pretty set on the micro svt
I'd go cheap. Kids lose interest in things.
I would suggest either of these as well. I've owned both as well as the mini p which is my regular gig bass. For ergonomics and weight I'd say the Mikro is best for a child.
