Description
Review of the Ktaxon Electric Bass Guitar 4 String Bass with 20 Watt Amplifier, PJ Type Pickup, Naturally Air-Dried Maple Neck, Rosewood Fretboard, Basswood Body (Red)
This Ktaxon is a full-size four-string electric bass sold as a bundle with a 20 watt practice amplifier. It uses a basswood body, a maple neck, a rosewood fretboard and a PJ pickup pair, meaning a split single coil at the neck and a single coil at the bridge. The listing positions it for beginners and for players wanting an inexpensive full-size bass with amplification included.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- The PJ pickup pair is the most useful layout at this level. A split coil at the neck gives the thick, round fundamental most rock and pop bass lines need, while the bridge single coil adds bite and definition. Blending the two with the volume knobs covers most styles without any extra gear.
- Two volume and two tone controls give real blend control. Independent volumes let a player dial the pickup ratio precisely rather than choosing between fixed switch positions.
- A 20 watt amplifier is a sensible size for bass. Bass frequencies need more power than guitar to be audible, so a 20 watt bass amp is roughly equivalent to a much smaller guitar amp, and is enough for a bedroom.
- Four-bolt neck attachment is easy to service. A bolt-on neck can be shimmed or replaced without specialist tools, which keeps long-term repair costs low.
Cons
- No scale length is stated anywhere. That is the most important single figure on a bass, because it determines whether the instrument is long scale at roughly 34 inches or short scale at around 30 inches. The reach to the first fret differs enormously between the two, and the listing simply does not say.
- The model number suggests five strings. The item model number is KT-IB-555 while the product is clearly a four-string. That is a naming inconsistency rather than a functional problem, but it is worth knowing before ordering.
- The 15.77 pound weight covers the whole shipment. Quoted against a 47.64 by 19.69 by 6.1 inch carton, that number includes the amplifier and accessories. No weight for the bass alone is given.
- The wood description is loose. The table lists the body as basswood but also gives a material type of “solid wood”, and the description refers to a naturally air-dried fretboard while the product name attributes air-drying to the maple neck. The two do not line up.
- The accessory list is vague. The description says it comes with “a complete set of accessories” without itemising them, so what actually arrives beyond the bass and amp is unclear.
Detailed Product Description
The body is basswood, cut using what the listing calls three-dimensional contouring to reduce weight without hollowing out the resonance. In practice this means the body is carved with a belly cut and a forearm contour, which matters more on a bass than on a guitar because the instrument is larger and heavier against the ribs. The finish is red.
The neck is maple, attached with four bolts, with a rosewood fretboard. Maple is stiff enough to resist the considerable pull of bass strings, which is why nearly every production bass uses it. Rosewood as a board gives a slightly softer attack than maple and is open-pored, so it needs occasional conditioning. The headstock uses a dual adjustment lever and what the listing calls a stabilisation system, which is intended to help intonation hold.
Strings are nickel-plated carbon steel, described as thicker with greater tension. Heavier bass strings produce a fuller tone and hold pitch better when played hard, but they are harder on fingers and require more grip strength. The bridge is fixed. The supplied amplifier is rated at 20 watts and uses a mesh grille intended to keep dust out of the speaker, with protective corners on the cabinet.
What Comes with the Product
The bundle includes the four-string bass, a 20 watt amplifier and an unspecified set of accessories. No assembly is required.
The listing does not itemise the accessories, so a buyer cannot confirm whether a cable, strap, gig bag, tuner or spare strings are present. A cable is essential to connect the bass to the amp, and a strap is essential because a bass is too heavy to hold in position without one. Assume neither is included until the seller confirms it. There is also no tuner and no instructional material described.
Who It Suits
This suits a beginner bassist who wants a full-size instrument and an amplifier in one order, and who is not particular about brand. The PJ pickup layout is versatile enough that a player will not outgrow the tonal options quickly, even if the components themselves are basic.
It does not suit anyone who needs a confirmed scale length before buying, such as a younger player or an adult with a short reach. Those buyers should look at a documented short-scale option and read the short scale versus full scale bass guide first. Comparable bundles include the Stedman Pro beginner bass with 15 watt amp and the GLARRY GJazz bass kit. Another Ktaxon four-string is the Ktaxon PB-style bass.
How to Maintain
Wipe the strings down after every session. Bass strings are expensive to replace and last far longer if skin oils are removed, and nickel-plated steel dulls noticeably once corrosion starts in the windings.
Check the four neck bolts periodically, because bass string tension is much higher than guitar tension and a bolt-on joint can loosen over time. Condition the rosewood board when the strings are off, roughly twice a year. Store the bass flat or on a proper stand rather than propped in a corner, since the extra weight makes a falling bass more damaging to itself and to the floor.
Tips and Recommendations
Confirm the scale length with the seller before ordering. It is the one specification that determines whether the instrument physically fits the player, and it is the one this listing omits. Measuring from the nut to the bridge saddle on arrival will confirm it.
Keep the amplifier well below maximum. Bass speakers distort ugly rather than pleasantly when overdriven, and a 20 watt cabinet pushed hard will sound worse, not louder. The guide to amp wattage for home practice covers what is realistic indoors. More instruments sit under bass guitars and beginner starter kits.
Product FAQ
Is this a long scale or short scale bass?
The listing does not say. No scale length appears anywhere in the product data, so confirm it with the seller before ordering.
How many strings does it have?
Four. The model number KT-IB-555 might suggest otherwise, but the product is described throughout as a four-string bass.
What pickups does it use?
A PJ pair: one split single coil at the neck and one single coil at the bridge, with two volume and two tone controls.
Is a cable or strap included?
The listing refers only to “a complete set of accessories” without itemising them, so this cannot be confirmed from the product data.
