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Fender Steve Bailey Signature 6 Jazz Bass

Bassflute

Bassflute

Jun 24, 2006
2,560
91
Vancouver
www.youtube.com
Disclosures
Endorsing Artist: MTD basses and strings; Bergantino Amps & Cabs
#1
That is the BEST bass Fender has built since Leo left the company in '65. What a superb instrument. Balance is very good, it's light, great sound, sustain, great single coil sound, a little single coil noise but not ridiculous like some (F Bass et al), punchy, good access, nice neck, amazing bridge, THE POLE PIECES ACTUALLY LINE UP WITH THE STRINGS (Praise Be! Call the Pope - it's a freaking MIRACLE!!! I KNEW we had the technology!!!) looks really really cool, price is right, sounds freaking great! What a nice, nice job. My second favorite six string bass ever (next to the MTD's - let's get serious here...), but that's saying a lot, as I'm a fussy bugger...to quote the great gear-head Tom Bowlus; 'Different flavours of greatness'. For the first time in about 40 years, I am actually wanting to play a Fender bass again, and not because of stupid machoism or misplaced brand bigotry, but because it is FINALLY a serious, REAL instrument again. A far cry from the junk they have been pumping out since I was a teenager. I never thought I'd live to see it. Wow.

I have not bought anything with a Fender name on it since 1982 - and even then it was the first generation Squire Jazz Bass from Japan (lawsuit model). And I haven't because they have been building absolute ****, for lack of a better term. And I grew up playing Jazz and Precisions. I have heard they have a new manager there who actually cares about music, and the bass, and between him and Steve they have done a wonderful job. I SURE HOPE THEY KEEP THE QUALITY CONTROL UP!!!!! As it sits right now, they have a total winner on their hands - I hope they sell a couple of million - Steve deserves all the success he gets. I think I sold two today (students) and I am going to buy a set (matching fretless & fretted).

Great job, Steve & Fender - a truly SUPERB instrument with your name on it, and Leo's. Fantastic! This bass marks the turnaround point for Fender basses - the day they got real again. It's about freaking time. Let's hope they stick with it.

Cheers,
Cameron
 
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#4
Wow, Cameron, [laughing] was this a contest to see how many people you could needlessly offend trying to praise a bass?

(1)
Bassflute said:
a little single coil noise but not ridiculous like some (F Bass et al),
Click to expand...

(2)
Bassflute said:
Call the Pope - it's a freaking MIRACLE!!!
Click to expand...

(3)
Bassflute said:
For the first time in about 40 years, I am actually wanting to play a Fender bass again, ... A far cry from the junk they have been pumping out since I was a teenager. I never thought I'd live to see it. Wow.
Click to expand...

[Laughing] Don't get me wrong, *I* am not offended, I just thought it was funny how much earth you scorched in praise of a bass.

At any rate, I'm glad to hear it works for you.

BTW, I have heard some Marcus Miller Fenders that also sound great, but that's just my opinion I guess. Your mileage may vary. :bassist:
 
#6
I played a fretless one at Bass Player Live a few months back - it was nice, but didn't quite send me.... but when Steve Bailey got up an played it it just shut me up. He appeared to play it effortlessly and it sound great... So while I don't fully agree with the OP about Fender, I will say that the idea of a Fender 6 string has always struck me as silly - until now.
 
#7
Sooooo... do you like the Steve Bailey bass?:hiding::p:D

Bassflute said:
That is the BEST bass Fender has built since Leo left the company in '65. What a superb instrument. Balance is very good, it's light, great sound, sustain, great single coil sound, a little single coil noise but not ridiculous like some (F Bass et al), punchy, good access, nice neck, amazing bridge, THE POLE PIECES ACTUALLY LINE UP WITH THE STRINGS (Praise Be! Call the Pope - it's a freaking MIRACLE!!! I KNEW we had the technology!!!) looks really really cool, price is right, sounds freaking great! What a nice, nice job. My second favorite six string bass ever (next to the MTD's - let's get serious here...), but that's saying a lot, as I'm a fussy bugger...to quote the great gear-head Tom Bowlus; 'Different flavours of greatness'. For the first time in about 40 years, I am actually wanting to play a Fender bass again, and not because of stupid machoism or misplaced brand bigotry, but because it is FINALLY a serious, REAL instrument again. A far cry from the junk they have been pumping out since I was a teenager. I never thought I'd live to see it. Wow.

I have not bought anything with a Fender name on it since 1982 - and even then it was the first generation Squire Jazz Bass from Japan (lawsuit model). And I haven't because they have been building absolute ****, for lack of a better term. And I grew up playing Jazz and Precisions. I have heard they have a new manager there who actually cares about music, and the bass, and between him and Steve they have done a wonderful job. I SURE HOPE THEY KEEP THE QUALITY CONTROL UP!!!!! As it sits right now, they have a total winner on their hands - I hope they sell a couple of million - Steve deserves all the success he gets. I think I sold two today (students) and I am going to buy a set (matching fretless & fretted).

Great job, Steve & Fender - a truly SUPERB instrument with your name on it, and Leo's. Fantastic! This bass marks the turnaround point for Fender basses - the day they got real again. It's about freaking time. Let's hope they stick with it.

Cheers,
Cameron
Click to expand...
 
#8
Here's mine! I really like the feel of the neck. I thought it would be harder to get around on than it is. I have my spacing at the bridge set at 24mm. I don't think it will replace my Tony Franklin as #1, but it could...

Oh yeah: I kept the stock strings on for a couple of days, but I really don't like SS strings. It now has DR nickel Lo-Riders.
 
#9
Tom7 said:
BTW, I have heard some Marcus Miller Fenders that also sound great, but that's just my opinion I guess. Your mileage may vary. :bassist:
Click to expand...

Try soloing the back pickup one one of those basses sometime...

:spit:

Not exactly versatile when you are forced by extreme noise levels to only ever have both pickups on. Also, that bass could hardly be described as anything new...just a modded Jazz. Steve Bailey's bass is all new from the ground up. The bridge design is a work of art.

As to your other points, one of my very Catholic friends, whose kids BOTH go to Catholic school, as did he, uses that phrase all the time, so I didn't think it would offend. And as far as F Basses being noisy (back pickup soloed) isn't an insult - it's a fact.

Cheers,
Cameron
 
#11
Wow! It's great that Fender is making this bass. I posted a couple of months ago asking about it, and everybody said that it was just custom made for Steve, and that Fender would not be producing it. I guess that's wrong huh? Where can I look online for prices and details? I've been debating a fretless 6 for a while and would love to try one of these out. Thanks for posting: )
 
#12
Bassflute said:
Try soloing the back pickup one one of those basses sometime...

:spit:

Not exactly versatile when you are forced by extreme noise levels to only ever have both pickups on. Also, that bass could hardly be described as anything new...just a modded Jazz. Steve Bailey's bass is all new from the ground up. The bridge design is a work of art.

As to your other points, one of my very Catholic friends, whose kids BOTH go to Catholic school, as did he, uses that phrase all the time, so I didn't think it would offend. And as far as F Basses being noisy (back pickup soloed) isn't an insult - it's a fact.

Cheers,
Cameron
Click to expand...

+1 on the F-bass p/u noise (the soap bar units on the one I had 20 years ago).

--------

The burning question for me? Where's the six-string P?! :)
 
#13
Thunkinfunder said:
Here's mine! I really like the feel of the neck. I thought it would be harder to get around on than it is. I have my spacing at the bridge set at 24mm. I don't think it will replace my Tony Franklin as #1, but it could...

Oh yeah: I kept the stock strings on for a couple of days, but I really don't like SS strings. It now has DR nickel Lo-Riders.
Click to expand...

is it just me, or does 24mm seem obscenely wide? :confused:
 
#16
El-Bob said:
is it just me, or does 24mm seem obscenely wide? :confused:
Click to expand...

That is what I thought at first. The spacing at the nut is nowhere as wide. It has an interesting taper to it. I have the saddles set dead center. There is some room to play with the adjustments, but I'm still getting used to the whole instrument, and I really do like the 24mm right now. It's kind of a novelty, I guess. I was taken off guard a bit at first. I admit it!
 
#17
And I thought my GAS was gone ..

then Fender goes and does this ...
And Sadowsky introduces the Will Lee model ...
And all the Foderas for sale ...

I have one of the older Aria SB sigs, and I love it. I can only imagine that this is just a fantastic bass. Steve does good work. I'll be looking for one to try.

How is the EQ on this? One of the things that I liked about the Aria SB was the EQ, with the built in "fretless contour." I also noticed that the old SB had a mute switch on the bass as well ..

BTW - I have 2 F Basses - never noticed an extraordinary amount of noise :-)
 
#20
The EQ is pretty simple. It sounds good to me, but I don't know any of the particulars of it's design, other than what's on the specs. Not a lot of info there. I swore off of active electronics a couple of years ago, but I think I like these. They are not what I think of as overpowering to the natural tone. At least that description makes sense in my head...
 

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