Fender Bass V anyone?

[nowhereian]

These seem to be pretty cool instruments. I think they were made only in the 60's. There have been one or two for sale near me but I've never played one. Does anyone have any other information? How do they sound/play/feel etc? Are there any recordings I can hear one on?

<img src="http://www.kitarapaja.com/pics/fbass51.jpg">

 

[superbassman2000]

they are tuned to a bass with a high B i think...right?
its like a bass VI, only without that high E...

i don't believe that they were very popular, but i could be wrong

 

[Trevorus]

That one looks like a refin.

 

[lonote]

The 5th string was a C. I remember when they came out and, no, they weren't very popular.

 

[superbassman2000]

The 5th string was a C. I remember when they came out and, no, they weren't very popular.

i knew it was something like that...

 

[Frank Martin]

They were tuned EADGC, the C was there to make higher-note reach easier - but it only had 15 frets...
not many were made, and the demand for them was low, so the production stopped sometime later

 

[Starmo]

15 frets? What's the scale length?

 

[Frank Martin]

AFAIK normal, 34".

They figured that above 15th fret it gets a bit cramped and uncomfortable, so they rather added another string, to ease playing the higher register

 

[Starmo]

Wouldn't 15 frets on a 34" scale make really big frets?

 

[lonote]

Wouldn't 15 frets on a 34" scale make really big frets?

Well, it could but in this case it makes for a long body.

 

[BenF]

Cool, I always wondered what John Paul Jones was playing in the attached image, it's got to be a Bass V.

 

[Starmo]

Well, it could but in this case it makes for a long body.

I see.
It's clearer in the pic above.

 

[vellu]

I have that Fender BASS V, from 1965 here in Finland.
I change "normal" 5-string set with low B, and it works fine.

See mine:
http://www.geocities.com/fenderbassv