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Should I buy a cheap Bass VI?

Should I buy a SubZero Rogue bass VI?

  • Yes, buy buy buy! More basses == more happiness

    Votes: 34 43.6%

  • No, save your money for the real thing

    Votes: 31 39.7%

  • Whatevs dude

    Votes: 13 16.7%
  • Total voters
    78
eyvindwa

eyvindwa

Aug 1, 2007
1,247
646
Oslo, Norway
www.diskord.net
#1
So, I was browsing the interwebs, and came over this little gem(?), which is on sale at the moment: Invalid Link Removed

Very cheap, shipping is cheap, and I have 30 days to return it if I hate it. Should I get it? Did anyone try any of these before?

I have wanted to try a Bass VI for a long time, but I don't really have an actual use for it in any of my bands (yet?).
 
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#5
I am a huge fan of the bass VI. I haven't had a chance to try a Shergold Marathon, but I have had an EBMM Silhouette and still prefer the Fender VI. They are awesome and loads of fun, but it's a big difference than switching from a P to a J or from a Stingray to a Ric or whatever. It's like a whole new planet.

On the one hand, going cheap could be an easy way to find out if you like the instrument as much as the idea of the instrument. On the other, if it's problematically cheap, then you'll not know if it's the build quality or the instrument type. I'd recommend holding out for a Squier. It might end up being all the VI you ever need.

A bass VI can work for anything. You'll have to spend some time acclimating and getting your touch in order but there's absolutely no reason it can't be used. You could decide it's not worth the effort, but that doesn't mean it couldn't work.
 
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#7
Could be cool. They call it a "baritone guitar" in the English language ad copy, but it seems more of a bass based on scale length (30"). The strings seem guitar-like, though (D'addario 0.14 - 0.68).

I’m not digging the ceramic pickups spec - for me, they’d almost surely have to go, so before buying I’d want to know about the string spacing over the pickups and whether a set of guitar pickups (or whatever) would be appropriate as replacement pickups. Also specs-wise, I see the radius at 13.7" would be the flattest of any instrument I’ve owned, though i imagine it would not be all that much different than a Gibson. I like the fretboard inlays and the Fender-y look...

Why have you "wanted to try a Bass VI for a long time"? What kinda stuff have you imagined doing with it/what would it give you? Do you have any song examples in mind? (‘cuz maybe I need one of these things too! :roflmao: )
 
#8
dmt said:
Why have you "wanted to try a Bass VI for a long time"? What kinda stuff have you imagined doing with it/what would it give you? Do you have any song examples in mind? (‘cuz maybe I need one of these things too! :roflmao: )
Click to expand...

Well, I write songs for my bands, and I'm often inspired by new/different instruments with different sounds, so that would be the main purpose of this (besides plain old fun, of course).
 
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#10
eyvindwa said:
So, I was browsing the interwebs, and came over this little gem(?), which is on sale at the moment: Invalid Link Removed

Very cheap, shipping is cheap, and I have 30 days to return it if I hate it. Should I get it? Did anyone try any of these before?

I have wanted to try a Bass VI for a long time, but I don't really have an actual use for it in any of my bands (yet?).
Click to expand...
Go for it! I love it!:thumbsup:
 
#13
Jonithen said:
I am a huge fan of the bass VI. I haven't had a chance to try a Shergold Marathon, but I have had an EBMM Silhouette and still prefer the Fender VI. They are awesome and loads of fun, but it's a big difference than switching from a P to a J or from a Stingray to a Ric or whatever. It's like a whole new planet.

On the one hand, going cheap could be an easy way to find out if you like the instrument as much as the idea of the instrument. On the other, if it's problematically cheap, then you'll not know if it's the build quality or the instrument type. I'd recommend holding out for a Squier. It might end up being all the VI you ever need.

A bass VI can work for anything. You'll have to spend some time acclimating and getting your touch in order but there's absolutely no reason it can't be used. You could decide it's not worth the effort, but that doesn't mean it couldn't work.
Click to expand...
What is your Fender VI model called ? Never heard of that.
 
#14
The squier bass vi is awesome and actually more correct to an original than the fender offerings. I owned a bass VI for a while and it was very nice. Some people have gripes about the tailpiece being a pain to mess with, mine never showed the issues others were having with them, but you can buy a replacement upgraded one that drops right in. The dude from Deftones has all the money in the world for basses but he plays the squier!
 
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#19
Baritone Guitars are fun. Do it!

I have a Danelectro Baritone, that has been surprisingly good for the price over the years. Has held up much better than expected. Leans towards “jangly” tone by nature, but still has decent lows.

Used to have a Schecter Celloblaster that was interesting too. 5 strings tuned in fifths.

Trying to decide if I want to try get a Fender VI, or a PRS Baritone.
 
#20
eyvindwa said:
Well, I write songs for my bands, and I'm often inspired by new/different instruments with different sounds, so that would be the main purpose of this (besides plain old fun, of course).
Click to expand...

Makes sense. I’m the same way.

That said I’ve owned a Bass VI twice. And each time I did I really wanted to like it. And both times I got rid of it again. To me it was one of those things that sounded great as a concept, but ended up being of extremely limited use. Or for me at least.

Maybe somebody more creative or clever than me could have found a bigger role for it to fill in their compositions. But I can’t say that the ones I had (Fender) were particularly fun to play nor did they sound all that great. So for me they were more a novelty instrument than anything else. And I’m guessing I’m not alone in that opinion considering how rarely they show up in a band setting.

But that’s all me. Your mileage (and success with it) may vary. Luck! :thumbsup:
 
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