Bass VI Alternatives?

[gumtown]

The Squier Bass VI is actually quite good quality and good value.

There is a long running topic here
Official Squier Vintage Modified Bass VI Club
on mods you can do to it.

 

[Waltsdog]

Musicman Silhouette and IIRC there may have been an OLP version.

The OLP MM5, I have one an it’s great. I sold my Squire Bass VI as for me the OLP is just a much better design.
One of the main benefits is the bridge not being halfway up the body so there is less reach making it more comfortable to play, it also fits in a guitar gig bag.

 

[Skillet]

Harley Benton VS

I'm quite pleased with mine, and check out the price.

 

[Poobini]

I'll mention the Eastwood Hooky again - the price is steep, but the wider string spacing is a total game changer.

 

[Lobster11]

If you happen to be sitting on a big pile of dough, Lakland Decade 6. Here's a little demo by Julie Slick:

 

[msb]

I picked up a CV Squier , and was pleasantly surprised by the build quality . I found the strings a bit floppy . For some reason they ship with a light set although Fender now make a heavier set with a .100 E string . I had to file the E slot on the nut slightly , the A & D slots were fine , slightly move some bridge saddles for intonation , I’m much happier with the stiffer string set .
And I have not had any tuning issues with the whammy bar , although it’s rarely used .
Gotta say I love the Bass VI ! I put a lot of time on it .

 

[Rib 13]

Harley Benton VS

I'm quite pleased with mine, and check out the price.

was just about to post this.......Im looking into one myself

 

[DirtDog]

The Gretsch baritone has a 29.75" scale length and is tuned B to b, but with that scale length I can easily see it being tuned E to e like a Bass VI. I even hear that it was originally marketed as a Bass VI before being rebranded as a baritone.

I got to play one at my local Guitar Center. It was a lot of fun to play and I might have walked out with one if it weren't for the guitar spacing, which I'm still not quite used to. Maybe one day...

-Cal.

It can be done. I did it. Finding a set of E-e strings in the right gauge can be tricky for this one. Need to be long enough to accommodate the Bigsby trem. When I did this about 10 years ago, there weee only one or two options.

 

[DirtDog]

I picked up a CV Squier , and was pleasantly surprised by the build quality . I found the strings a bit floppy . For some reason they ship with a light set although Fender now make a heavier set with a .100 E string . I had to file the E slot on the nut slightly , the A & D slots were fine , slightly move some bridge saddles for intonation , I’m much happier with the stiffer string set .
And I have not had any tuning issues with the whammy bar , although it’s rarely used .
Gotta say I love the Bass VI ! I put a lot of time on it .

I’m in the same boat. What’s the model code for the strings you used?

 

[WillyW]

I have String Joy strings on my eastwood.

they have 95-26 and 90-24.

Very happy with the strings.

I have a set of flats and not sure who made them but they feel like 100-high 20's (didn't like flats on it)

 

[dalkowski]

the guitar spacing

Throws me, too.

 

[iiipopes]

I'm all about the Hellcat... no Tremelo to go out of tune

Just lock it down with the slide lever on the back of the tailpiece.

 

[WillyW]

Just lock it down with the slide lever on the back of the tailpiece.

My eastwood doesn't have one, 7ender style vibratos are the worst, no idea why they get copied....

I may experiment with a wrap tailpiece next time I start messing with strings.

 

[Cave Puppy]

I had a Squier Bass VI for a bit. Key word - HAD. The thing weighed a ton (heavier than ANY other instrument I had at the time) and was impossible to intonate. I had to get a Mastery bridge to get it anywhere close. And the whammy bar? Useless. I recently got a baritone conversion neck for one of my telecasters and that suits me fine. My buddy has a Danelectro baritone. That thing KILLLS.

 

[Warpeg]

Thanks for all the replies! I leaning toward the Harley Benton GuitarBass VS. However, the shipping cost is almost half of the price! Maybe I'll just have to keep an eye out for one on the used market.

 

[Lobster11]

Thanks for all the replies! I leaning toward the Harley Benton GuitarBass VS. However, the shipping cost is almost half of the price! Maybe I'll just have to keep an eye out for one on the used market.

If you've never had a VI it would be a good idea to buy used and not spend a fortune, because you mind find that either you don't take to it or you can't find a use for it.

 

[WillyW]

I had a Squier Bass VI for a bit. Key word - HAD. The thing weighed a ton (heavier than ANY other instrument I had at the time) and was impossible to intonate. I had to get a Mastery bridge to get it anywhere close. And the whammy bar? Useless. I recently got a baritone conversion neck for one of my telecasters and that suits me fine. My buddy has a Danelectro baritone. That thing KILLLS.

Sweetwater had some of the squirrel bass vi's and the listed weights were ridiculous.

That's what's keeping me from getting one.

I have a barry-tone conversion neck, not a fan... E-e tuning is all I can handle...

 

[Killing Floor]

It can be done. I did it. Finding a set of E-e strings in the right gauge can be tricky for this one. Need to be long enough to accommodate the Bigsby trem. When I did this about 10 years ago, there weee only one or two options.

Stringjoy makes them, custom option. That’s where I got my E-E sets when I dabbled with that tuning on my baritone. You can pick gauge for each string.

 

[J Posega]

Thanks for all the replies! I leaning toward the Harley Benton GuitarBass VS. However, the shipping cost is almost half of the price! Maybe I'll just have to keep an eye out for one on the used market.

This one is on Reverb right now. Shipping is a bit ridiculous, but you might be able to talk them down on the asking price. Even at the current price, I think you'd be happy with it. Please buy it so I don't keep looking at it.

 

[J Posega]

I have a barry-tone conversion neck, not a fan... E-e tuning is all I can handle...

What kind of conversion neck is it? I've been looking for something like those DC Kunkle necks that bolt onto regular Fender style bodies for a long time.