Description
Review of the Stedman Pro Beginner Series Bass Guitar Bundle with 15-Watt Amp, Gig Bag, Instrument Cable, Strap, Picks and Polishing Cloth, Sunburst
The Stedman Pro EB46-SB-15W is a full-size four-string electric bass sold as a complete bundle with a 15 watt practice amplifier. It uses a basswood body with a maple neck and adjustable truss rod, a rosewood fretboard, 20 frets and a split neck pickup paired with a bridge pickup. The package targets beginners who want a bass and everything needed to play it in one order.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- The split neck and bridge pickup pair is the most useful layout at this level. A split coil at the neck gives the thick fundamental most rock and pop lines need, while the bridge pickup adds definition. Between them they cover the majority of what a beginner will be asked to play.
- The maple neck has an adjustable truss rod. Bass strings pull hard, and a truss rod is what lets neck relief be corrected as the wood settles. Without one, a cheap bass becomes unplayable within a couple of seasons.
- The amplifier removes the second purchase. A bass is close to inaudible unplugged, so bundling a 15 watt amp means a beginner can actually hear what they are playing from day one.
- Twenty frets on a full-size body is the conventional layout. Anything learned here transfers to a standard bass without relearning positions or spacing.
Cons
- The string material is listed as phosphor bronze. Phosphor bronze is an acoustic guitar winding. Electric bass strings are nickel or stainless steel, because a magnetic pickup barely registers bronze. If the field is accurate the bass will sound weak amplified, and if it is wrong the table cannot be trusted.
- The fretboard is listed as Brazilian rosewood. Brazilian rosewood is a restricted, expensive timber that does not appear on beginner instruments. The description elsewhere simply says rosewood, which is far more plausible.
- The pickup field contradicts the description. The table gives a single magnetic single coil, while the description gives a split neck pickup plus a bridge pickup, which is two. These cannot both be right.
- The accessory list is inconsistent. The description names a chromatic tuner but not a polishing cloth, while the product title names a polishing cloth but not a tuner. A buyer cannot tell which arrives.
- No scale length is stated. The listing describes the bass as 46 inches, but that is the overall length. The vibrating string length, which determines reach and tension, is absent.
Detailed Product Description
The body is basswood with a sunburst finish, measuring 46 inches overall at its listed dimensions. Basswood is soft, light and consistent, which is why it dominates entry-level instruments. On a bass it keeps the weight manageable, which matters more than on a guitar because a bass body is larger and heavier against the ribs during a long session. The listed 18 pound weight covers the guitar, amplifier and accessories in the shipping carton rather than the instrument itself.
The neck is maple with an adjustable truss rod, topped with a rosewood fretboard carrying 20 frets. 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 is open-pored, giving a slightly softer attack than maple and needing occasional conditioning oil.
Controls are one volume and one tone, described in the listing as regulators. That is a simpler arrangement than the two volume and two tone layout found on many PJ basses, so blending the pickups precisely is not possible here. The bridge is described as individually adjustable, meaning each string’s height and intonation can be set separately with a hex key and screwdriver. That adjustability is genuinely useful and is not always present at this price.
What Comes with the Product
The bundle includes the bass, a 15 watt amplifier, a gig bag, an instrument cable, a shoulder strap, picks, a spare string and, depending on which part of the listing is correct, either a chromatic tuner or a polishing cloth.
Not included are a stand, a capo, a hard case and any instructional material. The gig bag protects against dust and scratches but not impact, which matters more on a bass because of the extra weight. If a tuner does not arrive, buy one immediately, because bass strings are thick and slow to settle and tuning by ear is difficult for a beginner.
Who It Suits
This suits an adult or older teenage beginner who wants a full-size bass and an amplifier in one purchase and is not particular about brand. The truss rod and adjustable bridge mean the instrument can be set up properly rather than being stuck with whatever the factory left.
It does not suit a younger player or an adult with a shorter reach, since a full-size bass neck is a long stretch to the first fret. Those buyers should read the short scale versus full scale bass guide and look at a documented short-scale instrument. Comparable bundles include the Ktaxon bass with 20 watt amp, the Safeplus full-size bass kit and the Silvertone LB11 bass package.
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 before they work into the windings. Condition the rosewood fretboard when the strings are off, roughly twice a year.
Check neck relief every few months by sighting down the fretboard from the headstock. Bass string tension is much higher than guitar tension, so necks move more, and the truss rod is there to correct it. That adjustment is easy to overdo, so hand it to a shop the first time. Store the bass on a proper stand or lying flat rather than propped in a corner.
Tips and Recommendations
Confirm the string type on arrival. If bronze acoustic strings really are fitted, replacing them with a standard nickel-wound bass set will transform the amplified output, and the cost is small relative to the instrument.
Keep the amplifier volume well below maximum. Bass speakers distort harshly rather than pleasantly when pushed, so a 15 watt cabinet driven hard will sound worse rather than louder. The amp wattage guide for home practice covers what is realistic indoors, and the string gauge guide explains what to buy. More instruments sit under bass guitars and beginner starter kits.
Product FAQ
How many pickups does it have?
The listing contradicts itself. The description says a split neck pickup and a bridge pickup, which is two, while the spec table lists a single magnetic single coil.
Does a tuner come in the box?
Unclear. The description lists a chromatic tuner, while the product title lists a polishing cloth instead. Confirm with the seller.
What is the scale length?
Not stated. The 46 inch figure is the overall length of the instrument, not the vibrating string length.
What strings does it use?
The table says phosphor bronze, which is an acoustic guitar winding and is unlikely to be correct on an electric bass. Treat this as unconfirmed.
