Gold Tone ME-Bass Black Edition 23-Inch Scale Electric MicroBass with Gig Bag (Limited)

The Gold Tone ME-Bass Black Edition is the limited matte-black version of one of the most genuinely playable short-scale electric basses Gold Tone has ever built — and at 23 inches of scale length and only 5.5 pounds, this single-cutaway solid-body MicroBass disappears into a backpack and reappears on stage sounding far bigger than it has any right to. The Black Edition wraps the entire mahogany body, neck, and headstock in a clean matte black finish that pairs beautifully with the black hardware that has always been part of the ME-Bass design. If you have been waiting for an ME-Bass that looks as serious as it plays, this is it.

Underneath the new finish, the platform is unchanged from the ME-Bass Gold Tone bassists already trust. A fully-active MBass preamp with 9V EQ — volume, treble boost, bass boost — drives a piezo-style transducer pickup that captures real fundamental bass tone, not the boomy compromise you get from most travel basses. The specially-engineered bridge with long-throw adjustable string compensation lets you switch between Aquila Thunderblack polymer strings and standard steel strings without having to swap out hardware. A 24-fret rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays gives you the full range you need for fingerstyle, slap, or pick playing, and the butterfly bass-style tuners hold pitch reliably even after long flights or temperature swings. The 1-11/16-inch bone nut and two-way adjustable truss rod round out a parts list that punches well above this price point.

Every Gold Tone instrument receives a professional factory setup at the Gold Tone facility in Titusville, Florida before it ships. That means the neck relief is checked, the action is set at the nut and bridge, intonation is verified across the full 23-inch scale, and the active electronics are tested before the bass goes in the box. What arrives at your door is a gig-ready instrument, not a warehouse pull.

Why Buy From Banjo Warehouse

Banjo Warehouse is an authorized Gold Tone dealer with full manufacturer warranty coverage on every instrument we sell. I’m Geoff Hohwald — I’ve spent more than 45 years in this industry, co-own Watch & Learn in Atlanta, wrote Banjo Primer (the top-rated beginner banjo method on the market), and co-designed the Gold Tone OB-Standard alongside the Gold Tone team. My relationship with Gold Tone goes back to the early days of the company, and I know these instruments inside and out. The ME-Bass Black Edition is a limited run, so when it’s gone it’s gone. Financing is available through PayPal Pay in 4, Afterpay, and 3, 6, 12, or 24-month plans with no late fees.

Gold Tone ME-Bass Black Edition Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Black Edition just a finish change, or does it sound different?

The Black Edition uses the exact same mahogany body and neck, the same active 9V MBass preamp, the same adjustable bridge, and the same Aquila MicroBass Thunderblack strings as the natural-finish ME-Bass. Tone-wise, the two basses are identical — the difference is purely cosmetic. If you have heard a Gold Tone ME-Bass before, the Black Edition will sound like exactly that.

Can I use steel bass strings on this instead of the Aquila polymer?

Yes. The adjustable bridge on the ME-Bass was specifically engineered to accommodate either polymer or steel strings — that long-throw compensation system is what makes the swap practical without setup work every time. Most players keep the Aquila Thunderblack strings (they were designed for this scale and produce remarkably full low-end), but if you prefer the brighter attack of steel strings, the bass handles that transition cleanly.

How does a 23-inch scale length feel for a player coming from a standard 34-inch bass?

The ME-Bass is dramatically smaller than a P-Bass or J-Bass — that’s the whole point — but the proportions still feel like a bass guitar, not a toy. EADG tuning is identical to a standard bass, so muscle memory transfers immediately. Most players adjust within a few minutes; the shorter scale just means your fretting hand covers more ground per inch. Travel-bass players, doubling guitarists, and recording musicians who want a real bass sound from a couch-friendly instrument are the typical audience.

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