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6 strings with these specs?

sikamikanico

sikamikanico

Mar 17, 2004
4,112
4,078
#1
I'm interested in getting a 6 string to give it a go. That said, I'm really picky on the specs, particularly around the neck. Over the past several months, I've been trying to try everything I can and I think these are the most critical specs for me:
  • 18mm+ bridge spacing (17.5mm maybe)
  • ~54mm+ nut width
  • thin neck profile (I think D profile?)
  • 1 truss rod. I might consider 2 truss rods as I'm not necessarily looking for a "forever bass", but I really don't want to mess with 2 and as far as I can tell they're not really needed, especially with a 3+ piece neck...
I'm mostly interested in bolt-ons, 34"+ scale, and in a $1500 range, maybe $2k.

These are some of the basses that come close. It seems like Tune may be my best bet, tho I haven't found any to try yet.
upload_2023-8-20_13-31-15.png


Some impressions from my tests: I found Sire and Dingwall necks too chunky, but I did try the 5 string versions, not 6 stringers. I really like Ibby SR necks, but bridge spacing is just too narrow. I have once played a 5 string MTD Kingston, but don't recall how it felt in my hand (probably good enough), so I think asymmetric profiles may work for me too. I didn't bond with a Yamaha TRB 6 string and I think it was the narrow nut width that bothered me the most. The wider TRBJP models are out of my price range. I don't know if all TRB 6 string models had the narrower 50mm spacing in the past?

Any other basses out there to consider?
 
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#2
The question is kinda lost at the end of the long post, but I’m mainly just fishing for ideas of other basses/models.

I’d also welcome any other considerations for choosing a 6 string, including what specs don’t translate directly from 4/5 strings. Maybe I could get used to <18mm spacing? Maybe C shaped necks feel different on a 5 vs 6 string from the same makers? Etc…
 
#4
sikamikanico said:
I'm interested in getting a 6 string to give it a go. That said, I'm really picky on the specs, particularly around the neck. Over the past several months, I've been trying to try everything I can and I think these are the most critical specs for me:
  • 18mm+ bridge spacing (17.5mm maybe)
  • ~54mm+ nut width
  • thin neck profile (I think D profile?)
  • 1 truss rod. I might consider 2 truss rods as I'm not necessarily looking for a "forever bass", but I really don't want to mess with 2 and as far as I can tell they're not really needed, especially with a 3+ piece neck...
I'm mostly interested in bolt-ons, 34"+ scale, and in a $1500 range, maybe $2k.

These are some of the basses that come close. It seems like Tune may be my best bet, tho I haven't found any to try yet.
View attachment 5164049

Some impressions from my tests: I found Sire and Dingwall necks too chunky, but I did try the 5 string versions, not 6 stringers. I really like Ibby SR necks, but bridge spacing is just too narrow. I have once played a 5 string MTD Kingston, but don't recall how it felt in my hand (probably good enough), so I think asymmetric profiles may work for me too. I didn't bond with a Yamaha TRB 6 string and I think it was the narrow nut width that bothered me the most. The wider TRBJP models are out of my price range. I don't know if all TRB 6 string models had the narrower 50mm spacing in the past?

Any other basses out there to consider?
Click to expand...
@gebass6 might be able to help you out?
 
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#6
mellobud said:
Ibanez BTB was wide and flat
Click to expand...

yeah, these are on my radar… from what I can tell, these have 17mm spacing… were there any wider ones in the past?

Erik Turkman said:
It’s not a bolt on, but otherwise the Ibanez SRSC806 fits the description. The challenge is finding one. SRSC806
Click to expand...

thanks, I forgot about this one! I suppose I could relax my bolt-on requirement for a trial bass…
 
#14
Les Fret said:
Yamaha TRB1006J meets your specs. I wouldn’t stare blind on the bolt on thing.
Click to expand...
As someone who plays a TRB1006J, I'd disagree on this choice -- compared to my Ibby 6er, the neck is CHONKY. I love it, but OP is apparently not looking for that. Plus, the string spacing is too narrow for the specs ("only" 17mm; if that half mm makes much of a difference, I think not. But people around here are picky about the weirdest things) and the nut width isn't wide enough (50mm). Miniscule differences. But you know.
 
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#16
I've owned a BTB, the first single cut they made. I think the full name is BTB686sc Terra Firma.
I could swear that this one had 18 or 19mm string spacing. Being used to this bass and touching the SR instantly calls up an uncomfortable feeling because of the narrow string spacing.

The neck is wide and flat. It's well within budget, but it has two truss rods.
 
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#18
Thumpin6string said:
The Ibanez SR Premium 6 and their Prestige 6 have a nice thin neck and I believe 18mm spacing. Not sure of the nut width. I used a Prestige neck on my Franken 6 fretless build. The SRs are less $$ than the Prestige models, but both are nice basses.
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Click to expand...

Snert said:
They're all 16.5mm.
Click to expand...

Thumpin6string said:
Well, my fretless is using a Prestige neck with 18mm spacing. If everything else works, maybe a bridge swap?
Click to expand...

yeah, specs are 16.5, adjustable up to 17 or so… I thought about swapping a bridge to get some more mm out, but was worried about strings getting too close to the edge of the neck. Do you have any problems with that? Any chance you’d post a pic?
 
#19
Les Fret said:
Yamaha TRB1006J meets your specs. I wouldn’t stare blind on the bolt on thing.
Click to expand...

Nashrakh said:
As someone who plays a TRB1006J, I'd disagree on this choice -- compared to my Ibby 6er, the neck is CHONKY. I love it, but OP is apparently not looking for that. Plus, the string spacing is too narrow for the specs ("only" 17mm; if that half mm makes much of a difference, I think not. But people around here are picky about the weirdest things) and the nut width isn't wide enough (50mm). Miniscule differences. But you know.
Click to expand...

yeah, I’m one of the people picky about the weirdest things :D or, as I like to think of it, who have refined tastes :cool: a couple mm more here, a few mm less there, and the thing is almost unplayable to me… I love Yamaha, but TRBs are out unless they vary from model to model. I tried one in a shop so not sure what model exactly, but it felt rather chunky, yeah, and for sure the nut width was too narrow for me… will try to try more in the future…
 
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