Yes, electric bass guitars need an amplifier. Playing an electric bass guitar without a bass amp will not result in an inspiring sound so if you’re picking up your first bass guitar, you will need a bass guitar amp to go with it. This is because the lower in pitch a sound is, the more it needs to push the air to be heard. Due to this, you’ll often see bass guitarists with massive amplifier cabinets at live music venues to ensure enough sound that everyone can hear them.