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Six strings basses - are you spaced out?

Al Krow

Al Krow

Jan 15, 2018
1,179
1,748
London
#1
Guys,

I'm looking for a quality six string bass that could double up as a Bass VI for playing chords and which I will be stringing E to E.

I found my Squier Bass VI too narrowly string spaced, it felt closer to a normal 6 string guitar, but finding my Ibby SR 1206 too widely spaced.

What are you guys playing that may be in between in terms of either a:

- normal six string bass with narrow string spacing, or

- a bass VI with wider (by bass VI standards) spacing.

Relatively flexible on budget i.e. I'm fine with paying a bit more for the right bass, if need be.

Cheers, AK
 
#3
Al Krow said:
Guys,

I'm looking for a quality six string bass that could double up as a Bass VI for playing chords and which I will be stringing E to E.

I found my Squier Bass VI too narrowly string spaced, it felt closer to a normal 6 string guitar, but finding my Ibby SR 1206 too widely spaced.

What are you guys playing that may be in between in terms of either a:

- normal six string bass with narrow string spacing, or

- a bass VI with wider (by bass VI standards) spacing.

Relatively flexible on budget i.e. I'm fine with paying a bit more for the right bass, if need be.

Cheers, AK
Click to expand...
Are you referring to just spacing at the bridge, or at the nut too?
Any preference as to scale length?

You could convert a baritone-scale 8-string guitar to a wideish-spaced short-scale 6; or do the same to a (long or short-scale) 5-string bass; or get an Ibanez Gerald Veasley Signature:
Ibanez Signature GVB36-AM Gerald Veasley « Electric Bass Guitar
Invalid Link Removed
At 14mm it nearly exactly splits the difference between a bass VI and your own Ibanez.
 
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#6
Ed Friedland is raving about the more high end GVB 1006. I'm hoping for the sake of my wallet that these are now out of production!



...oh dear, just checked and the GVB 1006 is still there on the Ibby website!
 
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#8
Al Krow said:
Guys,

I'm looking for a quality six string bass that could double up as a Bass VI for playing chords and which I will be stringing E to E.

I found my Squier Bass VI too narrowly string spaced, it felt closer to a normal 6 string guitar, but finding my Ibby SR 1206 too widely spaced.

What are you guys playing that may be in between in terms of either a:

- normal six string bass with narrow string spacing, or

- a bass VI with wider (by bass VI standards) spacing.

Relatively flexible on budget i.e. I'm fine with paying a bit more for the right bass, if need be.

Cheers, AK
Click to expand...
I have the same issue. Have always found the Bass VI spacing extremely narrow. The only alternative besides ordering one to the Fender Custom shop is building a new neck with slightly larger spacing. Hope Fender will produce sometime a wider spaced Bass VI.
 
#11
Al Krow said:
Ed Friedland is raving about the more high end GVB 1006. I'm hoping for the sake of my wallet that these are now out of production!



...oh dear, just checked and the GVB 1006 is still there on the Ibby website!
Click to expand...


The GVB1006 is way overpriced. I don't think they have sold many of those. For 3000 dollars I would consider it. But 5500 is just insane.

I have a GVB36 which I play on a daily basis. Really like it. It is a regular six string though with smaller spacing. It's not a bass VI.

Only problem I have with the GVB36 is that the neck is unstable. I bought it new in 2018 but I have to adjust the trussrod every two weeks or so. The string height keeps changing by itself after a few weeks both lower and higher. Any other users have the same experience?
 
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#17
I've got an Ibanez 1206 too and I personally find that the spacing is as wide as I'd ever want. I've played a Modulus that was 14mm at the bridge and it felt fantastic. I'm primarily a pick player and for chords, especially in higher positions, the 14mm string spacing made things feel a bit more connected, like I was able to play it all at the same time instead of a fast arpeggio.
 
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#18
TigerInATrance said:
I've got an Ibanez 1206 too and I personally find that the spacing is as wide as I'd ever want. I've played a Modulus that was 14mm at the bridge and it felt fantastic. I'm primarily a pick player and for chords, especially in higher positions, the 14mm string spacing made things feel a bit more connected, like I was able to play it all at the same time instead of a fast arpeggio.
Click to expand...

Which Modulus six string is that exactly? I thought the GVB36 was the only non custom six string bass with 14mm there is.
 
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#20
Just popped into Wunjos Store in Central London to speak to Tom (really good chap I've know there for several years) about part ex'ing my Ibby SR1206 for a GVB36. He got in touch with their main Ibby supplier and it turns out the GVB36 has been discontinued. Shame.

Back to the drawing board!
 

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