The Squier Classic Vibe Mid '60s Jazz Bass Limited Edition immediately catches the eye thanks to its Olympic White paint-job, 4-ply tortoiseshell-style pickguard and colour-matched headstock. Outfitted with a pair of Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coils, this period piece delivers highly adaptable tone and has been polished off with a familiar-feeling, dark-tinted C-profile maple neck.

If you're after a comfortably contoured, modern bass that offers the stunning look of a poplar burl art grain top and all the advantages of active electronics, then you can't go wrong with the Jackson JS Series Concert Bass CB JS3P. This relatively lightweight, poplar-bodied model has been equipped with two Covered High-Output humbuckers and 3-band EQ controls for masses of sonic versatility, while the 12-to-16-inch compound fretboard radius and twenty-four jumbo frets ensure a tight feel at the lowest frets and a more supple feel at the highest frets. To finish, Jackson has mounted a black HiMass bridge to guarantee ample stability and extra sustain.

One of Sterling by Music Man's most iconic designs, the StingRay bass is still as affordable as ever, and still brings all the power, all the comfort and all the playability. The single ceramic humbucker mounted at the bridge delivers the commanding tone needed for shaping driving bass lines and punching amplified sound, and comes fully backed up by a single volume pot and an active two-band tone control pot for detailed tweaking. Meanwhile, the solid basswood body features a timeless oval-shaped pickguard to complete the aesthetics, and the maple neck has been topped with a jatoba fretboard for added sonic warmth. Finished with twenty-one medium-jumbo frets and a set of open-gear machine heads, you're getting high-grade stability alongside a fast and comfy playing feel.

More and more bassists are coming around to the snug playability and comfort of short-scale models, and here, they're treated to the 30 inch scale length of the Sterling by Music Man RAYSS4. The tighter distance between the nut and saddles lends a tighter and lighter feel in your hands, brings the frets closer together and lowers the string tension, making this model ideal for bassists with a lighter frame or a shorter reach, or for guitarists making the step over to a four-string bass. The Sterling by Music Man StingRay RAYSS4 Short Scale: Adaptable SoundThe solid mahogany body of the Sterling RAYSS4 bass has been bound to a maple neck via a six-bolt joint for maximum stability, while a single, newly designed neodymium humbucker has been mounted at the bridge and, via the three-way switch, can be placed in parallel, series, or split for a single-coil response and a surprisingly wide tonal range. The control section also kits you out with a push/push volume pot that can be popped out to activate a sweet volume boost and, while the layout is simple - even classic, this tight bass gives you everything you need for the rehearsal room, stage, or studio.

Featuring a thinline body without a sound hole to eliminate the risk of feedback, the Sire Marcus Miller GB5 5-string electro-acoustic bass guitar literally gives you the best of both worlds. While not as loud as a full-size acoustic bass, this lightweight, chambered model features a solid spruce soundboard for an extra rich-and-resonant foundation sound, with the mahogany back and sides adding just the right amount of warmth.The Marcus Miller GB5: Edgeless FretboardThe bolt-on, 3-piece mahogany neck is seriously stable and combines with a C-profile and an edgeless rosewood fretboard for maximum playing comfort. The sound of the steel strings is picked up by a piezo pickup before being sent to the specially-developed Vividx-B preamp, which kits you out with a 3-band equaliser and a phase switch for extensive tone-shaping options.

Treating former DragonForce bassist Fred Leclercq to his own signature model, ESP LTD present the FL-4: a diabolical-looking bass built for bone-rattling metal. Decked out in Black Red Burst Satin, this alder-bodied model has been armed with an EMG 35P active humbucker to guarantee nothing short of tight-and-brutal sound.The FL-4: Super-Fast FeelCurrently part of German trash-metal band Kreator, Leclercq has opted for a neck-through-body build which provides easier access to all twenty-four extra-jumbo frets lining the dark ebony fretboard. This construction also boosts the sustain and overall resonance, while the stainless steel frets, 5-piece maple/purpleheart neck and fixed Hipshot A-style bridge make sure you're getting the durability and stability needed for slinging fat-and-fast bass lines. To make things even better, the ESP LTRD FL-4 Fred Leclercq Signature comes complete with a form-fit case.