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Precision style electric bass | 4 string bass guitar | beginner bass guitar

Precision Style Electric Bass Guitar

$557.99 $669.99 Save $112
  • Punchy P Bass Voice
  • Slim C-Shaped Neck
  • Open-Gear Tuners
  • Chrome Hardware

Price: $557.99 $669.99

  • Free tracked Australia-wide delivery on orders $150+, otherwise a flat $15
  • Pay by card or PayPal, handled by the payment provider
  • 14 days to change your mind, plus your statutory rights
Product specifications
BrandFender
Model NameMini Precision Bass
Model Number379700503
InstrumentBass Guitar
Number Of Strings4
Instrument SizeFull
Hand OrientationRight
ColourSunburst
Finish TypeShiny
Body MaterialWood
Top MaterialWood
Back MaterialLaurel
String MaterialNickel
Sound ProfilePunchy
Connector Type6.35mm Jack
Included ComponentsFender Play subscription
Item Dimensions (L x W x H)19.9 x 8.1 x 25 cm
Item Weight4.5 kg
Number Of Items1
Country Of OriginChina
UPC885978124121
Weight4.5 kg
Shipping & returns

Tracked delivery anywhere in Australia. It is free on orders of $150 or more, and a flat $15 below that.

If it is not right for you, send it back within 14 days of delivery in resaleable condition and we refund the price you paid, including standard delivery. That is a voluntary policy we offer on top of your legal rights. You cover the cost of returning it unless the item is faulty.

If it arrives faulty, damaged or not as described, we put it right at no cost to you under the Australian Consumer Law and the Competition and Consumer Act 2010, return postage included.

Shipping details · Refunds and returns

Punchy P Bass VoiceSplit single-coil pickup with volume and tone controls for a thick, focused low end.
Slim C-Shaped NeckA laurel fingerboard and slim profile make long practice sessions easier on the hand.
Open-Gear TunersVintage-style machines hold pitch and move smoothly when you tune up.
Chrome HardwareA 4-saddle hardtail bridge and chrome fittings for steady intonation and a clean look.

A precision style electric bass that gives first-time players the punchy low end they hear on their favourite records.

Split single-coil pickup with volume and tone controls, a slim C-shaped neck, laurel fingerboard, 4-saddle hardtail bridge and open-gear tuners in durable chrome.

A precision style electric bass built around the shape and sound that has carried rock, soul and pop records for decades.

The split single-coil pickup with volume and tone controls gives you a punchy, well-defined low end that cuts through a band mix.

A slim C-shaped neck and laurel fingerboard keep the reach comfortable, which matters a lot in the first few months of playing.

The 4-saddle hardtail bridge and open-gear tuning machines help the instrument stay in tune and intonate properly across the neck.

Right-hand orientation, four nickel strings and a standard 6.35mm jack mean it plugs straight into any practice amp you already own.

Precision Style Electric Bass Guitar

The precision style electric bass is the instrument most people picture when they picture a bass. The split single-coil pickup sits under the strings and pushes out a thick, round note with a hard edge on the attack, which is why this design has been the default choice on so many recordings. You get a volume control and a tone control, and that is it. Roll the tone back for a soft, dubby thump, or open it up for a brighter, more aggressive sound.

Precision Style Electric Bass Guitar

The neck is the part beginners feel first. This one uses a slim C-shaped profile, which means the back of the neck has a gentle curve that fits the palm without forcing your thumb into an awkward position. The fingerboard is laurel, a close-grained wood with a smooth feel under the fingertips. Combined with a full-size scale, it gives you proper bass spacing to learn on without the neck feeling like a fence post.

Precision Style Electric Bass Guitar

Hardware is simple and practical. A 4-saddle hardtail bridge lets a technician set the intonation string by string so notes stay in tune as you move up the neck. Open-gear tuning machines in the vintage style turn smoothly and hold their setting, and the chrome finish on the hardware keeps the whole instrument looking tidy. The listed weight is 4.5 kg as packed, so it is manageable on a strap for a rehearsal or a short set.

Precision Style Electric Bass Guitar

Connection is standard. A 6.35mm jack takes any normal instrument cable, so the bass works with a small practice amp at home, a combo at a rehearsal room, or a basic audio interface if you want to record into a laptop. Four nickel strings are fitted, which is the usual starting point for most players and easy to replace anywhere that sells strings. The instrument is set up for right-hand players.

Precision Style Electric Bass Guitar

This is a practical first bass rather than a collector's piece. Someone picking up bass at twelve or at forty-five will find the same thing useful about it, namely that the sound is recognisable, the controls are obvious, and nothing on the instrument gets in the way of actually learning songs. It ships with a Fender Play subscription included, and it carries a two-year limited warranty against manufacturing defects.

Not sure yet? That is fine.

An instrument has to suit the player, and you cannot always judge that from a photograph. If it is not right for you, send it back within 14 days of delivery in resaleable condition and we refund the price you paid, including standard delivery. That is on top of your Australian Consumer Law rights if anything arrives faulty.

If it turns up faulty, damaged or not as described, that is on us. The Australian Consumer Law and the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 covers you, and we pay the return postage. Read the full detail on our refunds and returns page, or ask us anything before you order.

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly is a precision style electric bass?

It is a four-string electric bass built on the classic P Bass layout, with a split single-coil pickup sitting under the strings and a simple volume and tone control pair. That design has been in use since the 1950s and is the sound behind a huge slice of recorded music. This model is Fender's Mini Precision Bass, model number 0379700503.

Is this a good beginner bass guitar?

Yes. The controls are simple, the neck profile is slim and the voicing is a familiar one you will recognise from records, so you spend your time learning rather than fighting the instrument. Many people looking for the best beginner bass guitar start with a P-style instrument for exactly that reason.

How many strings does it have?

Four, which is the standard count for a 4 string bass guitar. Four strings cover almost all popular music and keep the neck narrower, which helps when your fretting hand is still building strength. Five-string instruments are usually something players move to later, if at all.

What size is the instrument?

The listing specifies the instrument size as Full. Packed dimensions are 19.9 x 8.1 x 25 cm and the listed weight is 4.5 kg. The scale length is not listed by the maker.

Is it right-handed or left-handed?

It is a right-hand orientation instrument. Left-handed players would need a dedicated left-handed model, since restringing a right-handed bass does not move the controls, the pickup angle or the nut slots.

What does the split single-coil pickup actually do?

It is a pickup split into two halves, with each half sitting under a pair of strings. The arrangement cancels a lot of electrical hum and produces a focused, punchy tone with clear note definition. It is the heart of what people mean when they say P Bass sound.

What do the two knobs control?

One is volume and one is tone. Volume sets the overall output going to your amp, and tone rolls off high frequencies as you turn it down, taking the sound from bright and present to warm and soft. There is nothing else to learn, which is part of the appeal.

What is the fingerboard made of?

Laurel. It is a close-grained hardwood with a smooth surface that feels comfortable under the fingers. The back material is listed as laurel and the body and top are listed as wood.

What colour is it?

Sunburst, with a shiny finish. That is the darker-edged, lighter-centre look that has been on bass guitars for decades, and it is a common pick for anyone hunting the best sunburst bass guitar in an entry-level range.

Does it come with an amplifier?

An amplifier is not listed in the included components, so plan on buying one separately. A small practice amp in the 15 to 25 watt range is plenty for home use. The bass uses a standard 6.35mm jack, so any normal instrument cable will connect it.

Is a cable or strap included?

Neither is specified in the maker's listing. Both are inexpensive and easy to add. A padded strap is worth having early if you plan to stand while you practise, since standing changes your wrist angle and it helps to get used to it.

What is included in the box?

The listed included component is a Fender Play subscription, which gives access to structured online lessons. Number of items is one and number of packs is one. Anything beyond that is not listed by the maker.

Is this suitable for a child?

It can work well for an older child or teenager who has the reach for a full-size neck. The slim C-shaped profile helps, and many parents shopping for the best bass guitar for kids choose a P-style instrument because the tone rewards simple playing. For a younger child, measure their arm reach against a full-size bass before deciding.

Can an adult beginner use this long term?

Easily. Plenty of players keep a P-style bass as a main instrument for years because the sound suits so many genres. If you upgrade later it is usually the amp or the strings rather than the bass itself. For an adult learner, it is a sensible first electric bass.

What styles of music does it suit?

Rock, pop, soul, funk, blues, country and punk all sit comfortably with this voicing. The split-coil tone is thick with a firm attack, which is exactly what people want when they ask about the best bass guitar for rock. Rolling the tone back also gets you into reggae and older soul territory.

How heavy is it on a strap?

The listed weight is 4.5 kg, which includes packaging. Basses in this class are generally manageable for a rehearsal or a short set. A wider strap spreads the load across your shoulder and makes a noticeable difference during longer sessions.

Will it stay in tune?

The open-gear tuning machines are designed for smooth, accurate movement and holding pitch once set. New strings stretch for the first few days, so expect to retune more often at the start. After that, tuning should hold well through a normal practice session.

What is a hardtail bridge and why does it matter?

A hardtail bridge is fixed to the body rather than floating, so string tension stays steady. This one has four saddles, one per string, each adjustable for length. That lets a technician set intonation so fretted notes stay in tune as you play higher up the neck.

Do I need to get it set up when it arrives?

A basic setup is a good idea on any new instrument. A technician will check string height, neck relief and intonation and adjust them to your preference. It is usually an inexpensive service and it makes a cheap bass feel considerably better.

What strings does it use?

Nickel strings are fitted. Nickel roundwounds are the most common choice and give a balanced sound with decent brightness. When you replace them, any standard long-scale bass set from a music shop will fit, provided you match the gauge you are comfortable with.

How often should I change the strings?

It depends on how much you play and how acidic your sweat is. A regular home player might change them every three to six months, while a gigging player may do it monthly. When the strings sound dull and feel grubby under the fingers, it is time.

How do I look after the bass?

Wipe the strings and body with a dry cloth after playing to remove sweat and oils. Keep it in a case or on a stand, away from direct sun, heaters and damp rooms. Sudden swings in temperature and humidity are what cause most neck problems.

Can I record with it?

Yes. Plug it into an audio interface with an instrument input, or into an amp with a line out or a microphone in front of the speaker. The 6.35mm jack is standard, so nothing unusual is needed. Many home recordings use a P-style bass straight into an interface.

Is it quiet enough to practise at home?

Unplugged it is very quiet, so you can run through scales and parts without an amp at all. With a small practice amp you can keep the volume low, and most practice amps have a headphone socket. That makes it one of the better options if you want the best bass guitar for home practice in a shared house.

Does it have active electronics or a battery?

No. The operation mode is listed as manual and the electronics are passive, meaning the pickup works without a battery. Passive basses are simple and reliable, and there is nothing to go flat halfway through a rehearsal.

Is there a warranty?

Yes, a two-year limited warranty covering defects in materials and workmanship from the date of original purchase. Normal wear items like strings and finish marks from playing are not defects. Keep your receipt in case you need to make a claim.

Where is it made?

The country of origin listed is China. The design is Fender's and the model is part of their entry-level Debut line, which is produced overseas to keep the price accessible.

How does delivery work?

We deliver anywhere in Australia with a tracked courier. Most orders arrive within 3 to 7 working days of the order date, a little longer to regional and remote addresses. Delivery is free on orders of $150 or more and a flat $15 under that. You get a tracking link by email as soon as the parcel is on its way.

Is this a good gift?

It is a solid gift for someone who has talked about learning bass. The included Fender Play subscription gives them lessons to start with, which removes the first hurdle. If you are unsure about left or right handed, ask first, as this model is right-handed only.

What if it is not right for me when it arrives?

Contact our support team and we will walk you through the options. If the instrument arrives damaged or has a manufacturing fault, we will arrange a replacement or refund. If it is simply not the bass you expected, let us know promptly and keep the original packaging, as returns are easier when the instrument goes back as it arrived.

Buying Your First Bass, A Practical Guide to Precision Style Electric Basses

6 min read Music Instruments

Why the first bass matters more than people think

Most people who give up on bass do not give up because they lack talent. They give up because the instrument they bought made every session harder than it needed to be. A neck that is too chunky, strings sitting too far off the fingerboard, tuners that slip after ten minutes, a tone that sounds thin no matter what you do. Each of those is a small annoyance on its own. Stacked together over a few weeks, they turn practice into a chore.

A precision style electric bass avoids most of those problems by being simple. One pickup, two knobs, four strings, a fixed bridge. There is almost nothing to adjust and almost nothing to misunderstand. You plug in, turn up, and the sound that comes out is immediately recognisable as bass. That recognition matters, because hearing yourself sound like the records you love is what keeps you coming back to the instrument.

What makes a P-style bass sound the way it does

The defining feature is the split single-coil pickup. Instead of one long bar magnet under all four strings, the pickup is cut into two halves. One half sits under the E and A strings, the other sits under the D and G, and the second half is offset slightly towards the bridge. Wiring the two halves together cancels a good deal of electrical hum, which is why this design stays quiet near computer screens and dimmer switches where some other pickups buzz.

Tonally, the result is thick in the middle with a firm edge on the attack. Notes land with a bit of punch rather than just a soft thud, so the bass line stays audible in a mix without needing to be loud. That is the quality producers have been chasing for seventy years, and it is why this layout keeps turning up on recordings across genres that otherwise have nothing in common.

The tone control is a simple high-cut. Fully open, you get brightness and string noise, useful for pick playing and anything that needs attitude. Rolled all the way back, the top end softens and the sound becomes round and warm, closer to old soul and reggae records. Most players find a spot somewhere in between and leave it there, then adjust at the amp.

The neck is where comfort lives

This model uses a slim C-shaped neck profile. The letter refers to the cross-section shape of the back of the neck. A C shape is a gentle, even curve, neither flat nor sharply peaked, which suits a wide range of hand sizes. Slim means the front-to-back depth is on the shallower side, so your thumb does not have to stretch as far around to let your fingers reach the strings.

For a beginner, this is the single most useful feature on the instrument. Bass strings are thicker and longer than guitar strings and they need real finger pressure. A neck that forces your wrist into a bent position tires you out in fifteen minutes. A slim profile lets you keep the wrist straighter, which means longer practice without aching.

The fingerboard is laurel, a close-grained hardwood that feels smooth under the fingertips and takes fret work well. It does not need any particular treatment beyond keeping it clean and not letting the instrument dry out in a hot room.

Hardware that keeps you in tune

Two parts do most of the tuning work. The first is the set of open-gear tuning machines on the headstock, styled after the vintage originals. Open-gear simply means the gear teeth are visible rather than enclosed in a sealed housing. They turn smoothly and hold their position, and the visible gearing makes it easy to see if anything needs attention.

The second is the 4-saddle hardtail bridge. Hardtail means it is bolted solidly to the body rather than floating on springs, so string tension is constant. Four saddles means each string has its own small adjustable block. Moving a saddle forward or back changes the effective string length, which is how a technician sets intonation. Get that right and a note fretted at the twelfth fret matches the open string an octave up. Get it wrong and the bass sounds progressively more out of tune as you climb the neck.

All the hardware is chrome plated. That is partly about looks and partly about keeping sweat off the metal underneath.

Who this bass suits

Three groups get the most out of an instrument like this. Complete beginners, because nothing on it is confusing. Guitarists moving across to bass for a band or a recording project, because the layout is familiar and the tone is the default everyone expects. And players who already own something fancier and want a straightforward passive bass to leave at the rehearsal room.

If you are shopping for a teenager, check their reach against a full-size neck before ordering, since this is listed as a full size instrument. If you are shopping for yourself as an adult learner, the slim neck profile is the detail to focus on. Anyone searching for the best bass guitar for small hands should know that a slim C profile on a four-string is about as friendly as a full-size bass gets.

One thing to confirm before buying as a gift: this is a right-handed instrument. Left-handed players need a dedicated left-handed build.

What else you need to buy

The bass arrives with a Fender Play subscription included, which covers the lessons side. On the gear side, budget for three things.

An amplifier comes first. A small combo rated somewhere between 15 and 25 watts is enough for a bedroom and most will have a headphone socket for silent practice. Second, a cable with 6.35mm jacks on both ends, since that is the output socket on the bass. Third, a strap, even if you mostly sit. Standing changes your wrist angle, and it is better to get used to that early rather than discover it the first time you play with other people.

A clip-on tuner and a simple stand are both cheap and both earn their keep. A spare set of nickel strings is worth having in a drawer too, because strings always break at inconvenient moments.

Setup and care

Any new instrument benefits from a setup. A technician checks the neck relief, the string height at the nut and bridge, and the intonation at each saddle, then adjusts them to how you like to play. It usually costs less than a set of strings and it transforms how an entry-level bass feels. If you only do one thing after buying, do this.

Day to day care is easy. Wipe the strings and the body with a dry cloth when you finish playing, because sweat and skin oils are what kill strings and dull hardware. Keep the bass on a stand or in a case, away from windows, heaters and damp corners. Wood responds to temperature and humidity, and most neck problems trace back to an instrument living somewhere uncomfortable. If you are putting it away for months, slacken the strings a little first.

The short version

A precision style electric bass is the sensible starting point for almost anyone learning the instrument. This one gives you a split single-coil pickup with volume and tone, a slim C-shaped neck with a laurel fingerboard, a 4-saddle hardtail bridge, open-gear tuners and chrome hardware, in a shiny Sunburst finish. It is a full-size, right-handed, four-string instrument weighing 4.5 kg as listed, with a standard 6.35mm output jack and a two-year limited warranty.

Add a small amp, a cable and a strap, get it set up properly, and you have everything you need to learn bass lines that sound like the ones you already love.

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Page summary

A Fender precision style electric bass, model name Mini Precision Bass, model number 0379700503, in a shiny Sunburst finish. It is a full-size, right-handed, 4-string bass with a split single-coil pickup plus volume and tone controls, giving a punchy P Bass tone. The neck has a slim C-shaped profile with a laurel fingerboard, and the hardware includes a 4-saddle hardtail bridge, open-gear tuning machines and chrome fittings. Strings are nickel and the output is a standard 6.35mm jack. Listed weight is 4.5 kg, packed dimensions 19.9 x 8.1 x 25 cm, country of origin China, UPC 885978124121. A Fender Play subscription is included and a 2-year limited warranty applies. Amplifier, cable and strap are not listed by the maker.