Which 4-string bass guitars have active pickups?
This page compares 7 4-string bass guitars with verified specifications and prices. Top options include Sterling by Music Man SUB Ray4 Active, Fender Player Jazz Bass V4 Active, Music Man StingRay Ray4 Active. Prices range from £300 to £907. All data is sourced from manufacturer documentation and specialist retailers.
| Product ⇅ | Price ⇅ | Number of Frets ⇅ | Scale Length (inch) ⇅ | Body Material ⇅ | Neck Material ⇅ | Fingerboard Material ⇅ | Pickup Configuration ⇅ | Tuner Type ⇅ | Bridge Type ⇅ |
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Sterling by Music Man SUB Ray4 Active
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£299.81 ≈ | 21 | 34 in | Basswood | Hard Maple | Hard Maple | H (ceramic humbucker) | Open Gear (3+1) | Fixed Bridge (fully adjustable) |
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The SUB Ray4 Active is a 4-string StingRay-style bass with a basswood body, hard maple neck and fingerboard, a single ceramic humbucking pickup and a 2-band active preamp powered by a 9V battery. It offers a classic Music Man StingRay tone and simple, durable hardware aimed at gigging players and beginners seeking an active, punchy bass. The instrument suits players who want StingRay-style sound at a lower price point. ★ Ideal forSuitable for players seeking a 4-string bass with active pickups because it has an active 2-band preamp and a single ceramic humbucking (H) pickup providing active tonal control.
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Fender Player Jazz Bass V4 Active
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£906.95 ≈ | 20 | 34 in | Alder | Maple | Maple | Two Player Series Alnico 5 Single-Coil Jazz Bass | Open-gear tuning machines | 4-saddle HiMass bridge |
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The Player Jazz Bass V4 Active is a modern Fender 4-string Jazz-style bass with a 34 in scale, 20 frets, alder body, maple neck and maple fingerboard, fitted with two Player Series Alnico 5 single-coil Jazz Bass pickups and an active preamp for extra tonal shaping. It offers rock-solid hardware including open-gear tuners and a 4-saddle HiMass bridge, making it versatile for studio and live players who want classic Fender tone with modern punch. ★ Ideal forThis suits players seeking 4-string basses with active pickups because it has an 18-volt active preamp combined with two Player Series Alnico 5 single-coil pickups and a HiMass 4-saddle bridge for increased output and tonal control.
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Music Man StingRay Ray4 Active
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£299.81 ≈ | 21 | 34 in | Basswood | Hard Maple | Maple | 1 Ceramic Humbucker | Open Gear | Fixed Bridge |
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The StingRay Ray4 Active is a 4-string bass with a 34 in scale, 21 frets, a single ceramic humbucking pickup and a 9V active 2-band preamp, built on a basswood body with a hard maple neck and maple fingerboard. It offers StingRay-style tone and punch with simple active EQ and a fully adjustable fixed bridge, aimed at beginners through gigging players seeking classic StingRay sound at a lower price. ★ Ideal forSuitable for players wanting a 4-string bass with active pickups because it includes a 9V active 2-band preamp and a single ceramic humbucking pickup for active, punchy tone.
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Ibanez SR500E Active 4-String
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£562.16 ≈ | 24 | 34 in | Okoume | 5-piece jatoba/walnut | Rosewood | HH (Bartolini BH2 neck and bridge) | Die-cast | Accu-cast B500 fixed |
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The SR500E is a 4-string Soundgear bass with a lightweight okoume body, 5-piece jatoba/walnut neck, dual Bartolini BH2 humbucking pickups and an Ibanez 3-band active EQ with bypass. It offers modern playability with a 34 in scale, 24 frets and adjustable Accu-cast bridge, suited for versatile studio and stage use. The electronics provide both active shaping and passive bypass for tonal flexibility. ★ Ideal forPlayers wanting a 4-string bass with active pickups and onboard 3-band EQ - the SR500E has Bartolini BH2 pickups and an Ibanez active preamp with EQ bypass.
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Yamaha TRBX504 Active 4-String
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£449.72 ≈ | 24 | 34 in | Mahogany | 5-piece Maple/Mahogany | Rosewood | HH | Covered Die-cast | Die-cast high-mass fixed bridge |
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The TRBX504 is a 4-string active/passive bass with a sculpted solid mahogany body, 5-piece maple/mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard. It uses two YGD-designed H5 Alnico V humbucking pickups and a 3-band active EQ with an active/passive switch, offering punchy, versatile tones for gigging or studio work. ★ Ideal forIdeal for players seeking a 4-string bass with active pickups because it features an active 3-band EQ and two H5 Alnico V humbucking pickups (HH) for powerful active tones.
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Sire Marcus Miller V7 4-String Active
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£646.86 ≈ | 22 | 34 in | North American Alder | Hard Maple | Hard Maple | Marcus Super-J Revolution neck and bridge (single-coil) | Premium Open Gear | Marcus Miller Modern-S Bass Bridge |
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The Sire Marcus Miller V7 4-String Active is a 34 in scale jazz-style bass with hard maple neck and fingerboard, paired with Marcus Super-J Revolution single-coil pickups and an active Heritage-3 preamp for wide tonal control. It features a modern Marcus Miller bridge and premium open-gear tuners, suited for players seeking versatile active/passive functionality and punchy J-style tone. ★ Ideal forIdeal for players wanting a 4-string with active pickups because it specifically includes Marcus Super-J Revolution single-coil pickups plus the Heritage-3 active preamp for active tonal shaping.
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Schecter Stiletto Studio-4 Active
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£598.89 ≈ | 24 | 34 in | Mahogany | Maple/Walnut | Rosewood | HH (EMG 35HZ neck and bridge) | High-ratio Schecter tuners | Diamond Custom Bass (fixed 4-saddle) |
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The Stiletto Studio-4 Active is a neck-through 4-string bass with a mahogany body and bubinga top, 24-fret rosewood fingerboard, EMG 35HZ active humbucking pickups and a 3-band active EQ powered by 18 volts. It combines a thin C maple/walnut neck and high-ratio tuners for fast playability and stable tuning, suited for players who need punchy, high-output tones. ★ Ideal forSuitable for players seeking a 4-string bass with active pickups because it ships with EMG 35HZ active humbucker pickups and an 18-volt active 3-band EQ providing high output and tonal shaping.
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