Description
Review of the Ktaxon 5 String Electric Bass Guitar Full Size Standard Right Handed Bass Kit
This is a full size five string electric bass sold as a complete kit with a gig bag, strap, cable, wrench and plectrum, finished in gloss black and described as an upgraded version of the manufacturer’s standard model. The body is a reshaped double cutaway derived from a familiar Japanese sports bass outline, fitted with two humbucking pickups and a three way selector. It sits in both the bass guitars range and the beginner starter kits range.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Two humbucking pickups instead of single coils. A humbucker uses two coils wired to cancel the hum that single coils pick up from mains wiring and screens, which matters on a bass because the noise sits in the same low frequency range as the instrument.
- A three way selector gives usable tonal range. Neck pickup alone is round and warm for fingerstyle, bridge alone is tighter and more articulate for picked lines, and both together sits in between.
- Five strings rather than four. The extra low B string extends the range downward without moving up the neck, which is what modern rock, worship and metal parts increasingly assume.
- A C shaped neck profile is specified and no assembly is required. C is the shallowest common profile and the least tiring for a hand that has not built strength, which matters more on a five string because the neck is wider. The listing states the instrument is playable straight from the box.
Cons
- The product title and the spec table disagree about the fretboard wood. The Amazon title says rosewood fretboard while the spec table says laurel. These are different woods with different densities and different finishing needs, and nothing in the listing resolves which is correct.
- No scale length is stated anywhere. On a five string bass this is the most important missing number, because a 34 inch long scale and a 30 inch short scale feel completely different and require different string sets. A buyer cannot order replacement strings confidently without it.
- No instrument weight is given. The only figures listed are package dimensions of 44.1 by 12.8 by 1.65 inches. A five string bass is a heavy instrument and shoulder comfort over a long session depends entirely on that number.
- The only body wood named is maple. The spec table gives maple for the top and back with a material type of solid wood. A bass body cut entirely from maple would be unusually heavy, and the listing never confirms whether this refers to a veneer, a cap or the whole body.
- The size field reads “Upgraded”. That is a variant name rather than a size, so the size field carries no information at all.
- The pickup output, the electronics type and the fret count are all unstated. There is no way to tell from the listing whether the electronics are passive or active, which changes whether a battery is needed.
Detailed Product Description
The body shape is described as modified from a classic sports bass outline for better ergonomics, specifically so the control knobs fall more comfortably under the hand when seated. That is a genuine practical detail rather than marketing, since knob placement on the original shape can be awkward for a seated player. The finish is a gloss black described as scratch resistant, and the listing calls the construction three dimensional cutting for reduced weight, meaning the body is contoured rather than a flat slab.
The neck is maple with a C profile. Maple is stiff and stable, which is what a long five string neck needs to resist twisting under the tension of five strings.
Electronics are two humbuckers with chrome rotary controls for volume and tone plus a three way pickup selector, giving one volume, one tone and three pickup positions. That is a simple layout to learn on, and the round full voicing the listing claims is a fair description of what a humbucker equipped bass covers.
The fretboard is either laurel or rosewood depending on which part of the listing is believed. Both are dense and dark, and laurel is the common substitute used since rosewood export restrictions tightened, so the practical difference is small.
What Comes with the Product
The listing states the kit includes the bass, a portable gig bag, an adjustable strap, a cable with noise reduction, a wrench tool and a plectrum. No assembly is required.
Not included and not mentioned: an amplifier, a tuner, spare strings, a stand and any lesson material. The absence of an amplifier is the significant one, because an electric bass produces almost no usable sound unplugged, and a standard guitar practice amp will not reproduce the low B string properly. Budgeting for a bass specific amplifier is effectively mandatory rather than optional. The included wrench is presumably for truss rod adjustment, though the listing does not confirm a truss rod is fitted.
Who It Suits
This suits a first time bass player who already knows they want five strings, or a guitarist adding a bass for home recording who needs the extended low range and does not want to spend heavily to get it. The humbucker pairing makes it a reasonable fit for rock and metal parts where a quiet noise floor matters.
It does not suit a young beginner or a player with a small frame, because a five string neck is wide and full scale basses are heavy. Anyone in that position should read the guide on short scale versus full scale bass before committing, especially since this listing never states its own scale length. It also does not suit anyone who wants a plug in and play package, since no amplifier is included. Comparable Ktaxon and budget bass options include the Ktaxon four string precision style kit, the Ktaxon six string bass and the Glarry GJazz bass with amp.
How to Maintain
Wipe the strings after every session. Bass strings are expensive relative to guitar strings and last far longer when the residue is removed. Keep the bass in its bag when not in use and away from heat and direct sun, and check the strap buttons regularly, since a five string bass is heavy enough that a loose button becomes a dropped instrument.
Watch the neck relief over the first few months. Five strings put more tension on a neck than four, and a new instrument settles as the wood adjusts, so buzzing open strings or a climbing action means the neck is moving. Because the scale length is not documented, measure from the nut to the twelfth fret and double it before buying replacement strings, so the set is long enough to reach the tuners. The guide on guitar string gauge explained covers how gauge affects tension and feel.
Tips and Recommendations
Buy a bass amplifier or a headphone amp with a bass voicing before the instrument arrives. A guitar amp asked to reproduce a low B string will distort and can damage its speaker.
Fit a wider strap than the one supplied. Narrow straps concentrate the weight of a five string on one point of the shoulder and become uncomfortable within twenty minutes. Learn to mute the low B with the fretting hand early, because the extra string rings sympathetically and is the most common reason a new five string player sounds muddy.
Product FAQ
Is an amplifier included?
No. The kit lists a gig bag, strap, cable, wrench and plectrum only. A bass amplifier must be bought separately.
What is the scale length?
The listing does not state it. Measuring from the nut to the twelfth fret and doubling that distance is the reliable way to determine it before ordering strings.
Is the fretboard rosewood or laurel?
The product title says rosewood and the spec table says laurel. The listing contradicts itself and does not resolve the question.
Does it need assembly?
No. The listing states no assembly is required and the instrument can be played after unpacking, though it will need tuning first.
