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Explain the Fender Bass VI

#341
I picked up a Squier VI and completely fell for it , it’s something I pick up to have some fun goof around time for me . I love it .
The string spacing is tight , so it’s not easy to play the usual fingerstyle however … I’ve been playing a lot with thumb and fingers , and get a little more nail in my sound , so it almost sounds like I’m using a pick . This works with chords , or single note playing . I’ve found it sounds much better using a lighter touch . I let the amp do the work .
Using just the fleshy part of the thumb , and playing around the neck will get you a nice bassy thump . And some lines simply call for a pick .
I bounce between the full tone , and the choke switch . I’m glad it’s there , I use both options , and play around with various pickup combinations . With the VI I’ve added a TreVerb pedal and a Drive unit so I’ve got a little knob farm happening .
 
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#342
I had a bass VI and I’m not even sure.
Is a Bass VI E A D G the same octave as a traditional 4 string?

I think it’s the same gauge and note as a short scale Bass. However the fender pickups are really a bit thin sounding.

But functionally it’s a short scale bass eith a B and E.

I’d suppose quintessential tone would be to pull up Let it Be isolated bass track.
It’s a thin treble sound.
 
#344
I had a baritone jag for a while and it was really fun but I was never proficient enough with a pick to make the most of it. Ultimately sold it fund who knows what, probably a bass I ended up trading. I regularly wish I still had it. Definitely requires a different approach. Here's a band (not mine, but one of my favorite underground bands) that has the bass end of things handled by a jaguar baritone, I chose this track because it's instrumental and the vocals will not be everyone's cuppatea.

 
#345
I had a mid-'90s MIJ Fender VI, in mint condition because I was the 1st owner. Another one from way back that I regret not keeping.

v6zsyyx6rgbgh8zzeur8.jpg

Just like this one.
 
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#346
The last time I went to Church, there was a guy playing bass lines on a Fender 6. It sounded really nice and afterwards, I went up to see what it was and I asked about it. It was a vintage guitar and really piqued my interest in these. I'm not sure I need it or know what I'd do with it, but it sure as all heck is pretty cool~
 
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#348
This about covers it for why you'd want a Bass VI, and you either like that unique range or you don't.


This isolated bass track of Joe Perry playing Back in the saddle always freaks me out. It's sloppy as hell, but sounds great all combined. It sounds like what it is, a guitarist flogging a bass, but it works! For years I thought it was Tom Hamilton downtuning a bass but... Nope. Bass VI.
 
#350
Gilmourisgod said:
What's the scale length on the Fender/Squire Bass VI, and where do you get strings?
Click to expand...
30"
D'Addario, EB, Kalium, Newtone, La Bella, Fender.

Not all standard string sets fit non trem version of instruments in the Bass VI class both for the extended length the trem adds, or the strings fitting in the guitar sized tuners on some models.

DIY I'd use bass tuners if you want heavier gauges than the ones that ship stock. You also might want to look at the Ibanez SRC6, Schecter Hellcat and HB GuitarBass for some ideas on non Fender clones. If using a trem, I'd go for something other than the Fender style, prolly Hipshot or Kahler.
 
#351
Gilmourisgod said:
What's the scale length on the Fender/Squire Bass VI, and where do you get strings? The more I listen to them the, the more I want to build one. Maybe just a Strat-Bass format.
Click to expand...
Scale is 30". I prefer Fender and Labella strings, which have a decently heavy low E (unlike the floppy atrocity D'addario provide in their set). If you're after flatwounds, I believe Labella is tbe only game in town. I've heard good things about Kalium bass vi strings (which have a range of gauges) but haven't yet tried them.

The Fender/Squier bass vi requires longer strings than some similar instruments such as Danelectro 6 string basses due to the sizable gap between the bridge and the string anchor point.
 
#352
Gilmourisgod said:
What's the scale length on the Fender/Squire Bass VI, and where do you get strings? The more I listen to them the, the more I want to build one. Maybe just a Strat-Bass format.
Click to expand...
As said above, 30" scale but the vibrato assembly brings the length requirement up to 35.5" for the string to clear the nut. If you stick to the above for your build, the new version of the Fender Super 250b6 set is cheap and well-received; if that won't do, your choices would be somewhat limited (only some companies make this sort of "long medium-scale" strings, namely GHS, Rotosound, Thomastik).
In your shoes I'd strongly consider a reverse headstock (which would work well with the Strat-bass concept) or, alternatively, a combination of string-through-body loading plus placing the low-E tuner at a distance from the nut (for example, with a 2+4 headstock): so that the lowest string can be regular long-scale bass strings, significantly widening the range of available options.
Dabndug said:
I believe Labella is tbe only game in town.
Click to expand...
It isn't, FYI: Pyramid too makes a flatwound bass-VI set, the VI2595F.
 
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#353
Gilmourisgod said:
This about covers it for why you'd want a Bass VI, and you either like that unique range or you don't.


This isolated bass track of Joe Perry playing Back in the saddle always freaks me out. It's sloppy as hell, but sounds great all combined. It sounds like what it is, a guitarist flogging a bass, but it works! For years I thought it was Tom Hamilton downtuning a bass but... Nope. Bass VI.
Click to expand...

I would suggest that the Bass VI is capable of a range of tones and approaches - this is one of my favorites:



He's playing it like a bass! With his fingers! And he moved over from upright to this as his electric! It goes against "common knowledge" but truly, this is one of my favorite live performances in recent years, and at times I get obsessed with the fact that it was performed on a Bass VI. Plus the rest of the performance, including the great John Marshall on drums, who passed away this past week.
 
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#354
hieronymous said:
I would suggest that the Bass VI is capable of a range of tones and approaches - this is one of my favorites:



He's playing it like a bass! With his fingers! And he moved over from upright to this as his electric! It goes against "common knowledge" but truly, this is one of my favorite live performances in recent years, and at times I get obsessed with the fact that it was performed on a Bass VI. Plus the rest of the performance, including the great John Marshall on drums, who passed away this past week.
Click to expand...

I agree! I love Roy Babbington's playing on both instruments. If you really want to hear what the Fender Bass VI sounds like with clarity listen to this . Not sure who the drummer and trumpet player are, but they can barely play the piece. But Babbington holds it together incredibly well!!
 
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