Getting a decent bass sound with a regular 6 string??????

Get a bass.  You can get a $300 Ibanez that's decent and will sound better than trying to get a guitar to sound like a bass.  People can get some cool bass sounds with VSTs, but it kind of depends on what genre you play. For pop or dance music, you can probably get away with some of the DimPro bass sounds. For rock, blues, jazz... get a bass.

You need a real bass. The 6 string guitar is not designed to do the bass.

I use the cakewalk VST basses in Sound center and I find they are pretty decent. If I wasn't satisfied with their sound, my only choice would be an inexpensive bass guitar.


Go to the music stores this weekend... they are all running Memorial day sales and would love to have your business.

 Thanks guys for your help! Faust I am amazed at what is on offer for someone who may never own a bass!! This might still be an option. Thanks for sharing the link. I'll keep it.

  I have something in my sights right now in the way of a bass but its too early to tell. I did play bass quite some time ago but I was never a bass ace . I got by,who knows maybe I'll get better at it. I  started out on an Ibanez Sondgear(low end) and moved up to a 5 string Carvin Neck through active. I think if I get one I'll start to pick it up again........I should know soon.

Our bass player tried out one of those "octave below" pedals.... it added a note one octave below what he played.... and it sounded kinda cool but we decided against it.

You can't replace the sound of a real bass.  I got my first one at a pawn shop for $50.  I used it successfully on recordings for years until I upgraded.

Your other option is to go to the songs forum and request a bass player to collab on your song.  You'll have more offers than you need by the end of the day.

"Getting a decent bass sound with a regular 6 string??????"


Can't be done... Learn to play a fretless, that's the coolest bass by far... My fretless is a Warwick thumb bass? Probably too much for you, but get a fretless? Learn to play "the patterns..." Bass is about;


1. Position.

2. The pattern.

Position being 1st, 2nd, etc...

The pattern being, blues, major, minor. 

Once you learn it, you can do it "in the dark." 

It's important to learn the fundamentals... The bass and drums "hold everything together." I just finished one, actually 2 weeks ago now, you need to listen to the bass on it... I haven't posted it yet? I'm waiting (patiently) for a fellow forum member to give me his track (it's a colab?) 

When I post it? Listen to the bass... It will make you want to learn to play a fretless bass... It's the coolest bass? It may be another couple of weeks. Don't get me wrong, I have a fretted bass too? And there are songs that call for either. Nothing wrong with a fretted bass? But trying to play bass on a guitar is, well like an evening with a blow-up doll... Not that I would know? But it's the best analogy I can make. It's just not right?