NBD: Fender Pawn Shop Bass VI!!

hachi kid · #1 01-17-2013, 06:40 PM

FINALLY!!! I HAVE ONE!!! I'm so freaking jazzed about this thing! I've been sort of dreaming of a Bass VI, or something like it, for years, but never was able to get my hands on one. I saw Fender was releasing this, and I eventually found zZounds was selling them in just the color I wanted (C.A.R.) for $799 shipped! that, plus the $100/mo deal they have...well, I just couldn't pass it up!

this thing sounds great, though! it does need a setup pretty badly. another user said he shimmed the neck, and it helped immensely...so, I'm gonna look into that. I kind of like the bridge humbucker a little bit, but I really dig the sound of the middle/bridge together. the neck pickup can do the woody EB-0 type sound, but the small string gauge let it down a bit, as far as true deep low-end punch. the e, as a lot of people have said, is a bit floppy...but come on, it's a 30" scale bass with light gauge strings on it. the tremolo is pretty much only for effect...I only leave it in locked mode, however...it's impossible to keep in tune if I put it in full floating mode. my only gripe is the saddle guides are rubbing on the E and A strings...but that will be fixed with a setup. overall, I LOVE this thing! I'm eventually going to mod it with different pickups, a Jag switch plate, stereo outputs, and a different pickguard.

one thing I'm curious about...I'm trying to find out what production number this is...the serial # is MX12308234

I'm not sure how to decode the serial number.

oh yea, I forgot to say.....I've been playing for 12 years, and this is my very first Fender!

PICS:

D.M.N. · #2 01-17-2013, 06:46 PM

Roboglitch · #3 01-17-2013, 06:48 PM

For $799 it shouldn't need to have the neck shimmed!

**mjac28** · #4 01-17-2013, 06:49 PM

Beautiful congrats

hachi kid · #5 01-17-2013, 06:55 PM

while I don't disagree, I knew this wasn't going to be perfect...it's a Fender....

Veldar · #6 01-17-2013, 07:04 PM

Wow, all the Djent kids need this instead of the 8 string guitars.

leokatero · #7 01-17-2013, 07:06 PM

I knew this wasn't going to be perfect

duritsch21@cinc · #8 01-17-2013, 07:21 PM

Congrats on a Sweet looking Bass.

FrednBass · #9 01-17-2013, 08:57 PM

Great, now i'm GASing for one.

thank you, thanks a lot.

By the way, congrats!

Rockin Mike · #10 01-17-2013, 09:09 PM

It's soooo cooool!

hachi kid · #11 01-17-2013, 09:18 PM

FrednBass: ......only $100/mo.......

HenfieldJ · #12 01-17-2013, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hachi kid

this thing sounds great, though! it does need a setup pretty badly. another user said he shimmed the neck, and it helped immensely...so, I'm gonna look into that. I kind of like the bridge humbucker a little bit, but I really dig the sound of the middle/bridge together. the neck pickup can do the woody EB-0 type sound, but the small string gauge let it down a bit, as far as true deep low-end punch. the e, as a lot of people have said, is a bit floppy...but come on, it's a 30" scale bass with light gauge strings on it. the tremolo is pretty much only for effect

I have pretty much the same comments after trying one out at my local GC. I was ver surprised that the middle/bridge pickup combo sounded so good! I may go the zzounds route as well, and I like the red with the painted headstock, it will kind of go with my vintage Competition Mustang Bass with a blue body and headstock! I would definitely put the LaBella 0.95" flats on it, but I am not sure about the switch plate. A common mod for strat guitars that want the other pickup combinations is to have a push/pull switch on the volume control, and wire it so that it turns on the bridge and neck pickups, that way you can get the other two combinations that the 5 way switch does not give you!

Rockin Mike · #13 01-17-2013, 10:47 PM

bridge solo = switch position 1
bridge+mid = switch position 2
mid solo = switch position 3
mid + neck = switch position 4
neck solo = switch position 5
bridge+neck = volume pullout
bridge+mid+neck = ???

are you saying that with the switch in position 3 (mid solo) and the volume pulled out (bridge+neck) you get all 3 pickups?

hachi kid · #14 01-17-2013, 11:33 PM

more photos of this thing opened up

SLaPiNFuNK · #15 01-18-2013, 01:56 AM

Had to hop on and take a look. Beautiful! Enjoy that!!!

grisezd · #16 01-18-2013, 04:06 AM

Very nice. I resorted to making my own from a cool old guitar body and a 30in Dano bass VI neck. I might have to seek one of these out. I agree that the low E needs at least a .095 to avoid an almost useless E at this scale. I'm in a 3 piece cover band and it's nice to have the upper range to help cover 2nd guitar lines!

ch3zzz · #17 01-18-2013, 05:00 AM

Hi man!

Plz write the demo! I think that many people want to know how sound GDAE!
I do not know whether to order it from Germany for 800 euros
I hope that your demo will help me and others
Best Regards!

*From Russia with L<3ve*

HenfieldJ · #18 01-18-2013, 05:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockin Mike

bridge solo = switch position 1
bridge+mid = switch position 2
mid solo = switch position 3
mid + neck = switch position 4
neck solo = switch position 5
bridge+neck = volume pullout
bridge+mid+neck = ???

are you saying that with the switch in position 3 (mid solo) and the volume pulled out (bridge+neck) you get all 3 pickups?

Yes, exactly, and with the switch in position 1 or 5, you get bridge+neck!

alexlocurto · #19 01-18-2013, 05:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Veldar

Wow, all the Djent kids need this instead of the 8 string guitars.

Too true.

thedudebrah · #20 01-18-2013, 05:49 AM

Are you gonna be playing this trough a bass amp or a guitar amp? I'm on the fence about getting one and every demo I've watched has it run through a guitar amp, which I have no intentions of doing. Some sound clips through a bass amp would be great if you're feeling generous!