Squier CV Bass VI

[Old Fart]

I am jonesing for one of these and I know I cannot count on you to talk me out of it so this is your opportunity to talk me into it. I do have a couple of questions:

This is tuned one octave below a guitar, they say, but a regular four-string bass is also tuned one octave below, right? That is.... on a four-string bass, the E played at the seventh fret of the A string is the same note as the open E string on a guitar, right?

What is the lowest note these Squier VI basses play? Is it a B?

What is the string spacing?

How do the pickups sound? Will I want to upgrade the pickups? If so, are they hard to find and/or expensive?

 

[Flamingo21]

This is tuned one octave below a guitar, they say, but a regular four-string bass is also tuned one octave below, right?

Yes.

That is.... on a four-string bass, the E played at the seventh fret of the A string is the same note as the open E string on a guitar, right?

Yes.

What is the lowest note these Squier VI basses play? Is it a B?

No. It's an E. Same as the lowest note on a normally tuned 4 string bass. You see, the lowest four strings of a BassVI are the same pitches as the strings of a normally tuned 4 string bass.

To your other questions I don't know the answers.

 

[Lobster11]

Adding to what @instrumentalist said....

1. The string spacing is much tighter than on a 4-string bass: Think 6 strings squeezed into the space of 4. The whole point (I think) is to be able to play guitar chords just as you would on a guitar (but an octave lower).

2. The pickup is probably fine, depending on what exactly you want to use it for. (Which begs the question, what do you want to use it for?)

IMHO, the current master of the VI (although hers is a Lakland) is Julie Slick. Check out this set of her with her band EchoTest to get some ideas about the cool things you can do with one of these things:

 

[Spupilup]

Please don't compare a Lakland to a Squier VI. I cannot imagine Lakland would sell such a piece of firewood.

To the OP, find a used Squier VI that some delusional soul thought he could improve on because they way they shipped, they were a disaster. Find a used one with a StayTrem bridge so you stand a chance at getting intonation right. See if that same bass has had a shim installed in the neck (does wonders for correcting a horrible neck), cleaned up the rough fret ends and maybe even leveled the frets. Then, if you're really lucky, you might even find one with useable tuners. You may find a few, along the way with some of these repairs/upgrades but try to get a used one with as many as you can so you don't tear your hair out in frustration over the way these things originally shipped from the factory. They were nothing short of a disgrace.

 

[Old Fart]

I was hoping the low string could be a B. What was I thinking? Scale length is 30".

 

[Lobster11]

I was hoping the low string could be a B. What was I thinking? Scale length is 30".

I don't think scale length is the issue: The whole idea is that it's basically a guitar tuned an octave lower. So maybe a VI isn't what you're "jonesing for" after all?

That said, check out the Julie Slick vid I linked to see what you could do with a VI if you wanted to....

 

[scuzzy]

I own one, got a solid deal on it. It is a lot of fun and can sound passably like a bass or guitar. After a good setup, they are a fine instrument....... That being said.

i have never encountered a factory instrument with a worse setup than my brand new bass VI. It was unplayable, intonation was way off, bridge moving all over. After about 2-3 hours of non-stop setup tweaking, it's quite nice to play. But prepare to put work in, or pay someone else to.

Low B would be a stretch. Not really made for that type range. Drop D seems possible. But you will get some fret buzz, I'm sure. Get yourself one and have some fun!

 

[ErikP.Bass]

Research the Schecter Hellcat VIs too.

 

[Grizelda100]

I had been itching for one of these too (Squire bass VI).
I finally got the chance to try one last week.
Boy was I disappointed.

It was near impossible to get it to stay in tune. The string spacing was VERY tight and uncomfortable.
Nice, but narrow, neck. Pickups sounded horribad. Tremelo was a mess.

It seems more for a guitarist that wants to make bass type sounds? Which is fine I suppose. I don't mean to disparage people who like it and do great things with it. I just post this to recommend trying one out before buying it. It doesn't feel like a bass at all.

Hoping Lobster does a review on one.

 

[VoodooJazz]

I got one used here off the TB Classifieds, from a fine TBer. I’d read the confusing mix of satisfied reviews from owners (I think there’s a “club” thread here), as well as the dismal stories about horrible trems, impossible intonation challenges, third party replacement bridges, flipping bridges around, etc. I decided to try one anyway. I got a very cosmetically nice one here, with some setup issues. I surfed up the factory specifications, and spent an afternoon setting it up to factory specs, figuring that I would tweak from there. Gee, it sounded pretty good already! I then bought a set of Labella flats as raved about in the threads, and I couldn’t be more pleased. The neck is amazing and is always the first thing anyone says when they pick it up. The 3-pickup, 4-switch configuration yields a LOT of interesting tones. Played with a pick and palm muting, it’s a funk machine!

I wouldn’t recommend it as your only bass (but I could make do, without slapping), but as an extra instrument it’s a totally different animal. It’s a very versatile instrument to have in a home studio. YMMV, as is obvious from the varied comments, but I sure won’t be letting mine go anytime soon.

 

[A9X]

What is the string spacing?

10.8mm, same as a guitar.

Will I want to upgrade the pickups? If so, are they hard to find and/or expensive?

They're Strat pickups and any will work.

I was hoping the low string could be a B. What was I thinking? Scale length is 30".

There is a thread on TB where a member bought an Ibanez SRC6 (same type of instrument without the inherent flaws of the VI) and modified it tuned from B0. Very detailed on the process, some of which may apply to the Squier.

Re low B, it can be done apparently; here is one example ex factory.
Tony Grey Signature Monarch 6 Elite Headless - DEPOSIT – Fodera Guitars

I wouldn’t recommend it as your only bass (but I could make do, without slapping)

You can slap on them, it just takes practice and dexterity.

 

[DirtDog]

I own one. It fits a niche. I’ve had no problems with setup, tuning stability etc. I play guitar (of many types, incl pedal steel, console steel, dobro, a couple of different bait ones and lots of basses, Nashville high strung Tele….so on). Quality seems in line with the price I paid for mine.

Keep in mind that this is not a bass nor is it a baritone. All different animals. Shorter scale and one octave higher than bass (string 25-95). If you expect to do what a bass can or play it like a bass, you will be disappointed.

Play it with a pick, palm muted and plugged into a nice tube amp with reverb, kick in the strangle circuit and, man, you get THAT sound. From the Beatles to Glen Campbell to The Cure to Yo La Tengo.

 

[A9X]

Shorter scale and one octave higher than bass (string 25-95).

No. it's the same octave as a bass, especially with those string gauges.

 

[Spupilup]

Keep in mind that this is not a bass nor is it a baritone. All different animals. Shorter scale and one octave higher than bass (string 25-95). If you expect to do what a bass can or play it like a bass, you will disappointed.

How can you own one of these and not know the EADG are the same frequency as what you would get on any 4 string bass whether it’s a 34” or 32” or 30” neck?

 

[GeorgesEric]

The Hellcat is a fine instrument. A few things I noticed:

The selected amp (bass / guitar) choice makes a big difference in sound. I use a bass amp.

Timbre is varied. Nice palette of colours.

Sometimes, you can get sonorities similar to keys instrument (organ/piano/harpsichord).

String spacing isn’t bad, a person gets used to it. I play it finger style and it is roomy enough.

Neck is comfortable. Fretboard 12”.

The coating/paint finish on the white version of the instrument was not consistent with glossy white promo pictures.

Pickups are good. Strat-style configuration.

Good instrument to play gigs for the old folks. No high frequencies screeching sound to stress them out.

Smooth sound.

Stairway to heaven on a bass 6 is pretty cool. Not so much in the opening, but when the C Amin D verses come along.

Multi-purpose instrument.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

I am jonesing for one of these and I know I cannot count on you to talk me out of it so this is your opportunity to talk me into it. I do have a couple of questions:

This is tuned one octave below a guitar, they say, but a regular four-string bass is also tuned one octave below, right? That is.... on a four-string bass, the E played at the seventh fret of the A string is the same note as the open E string on a guitar, right?

What is the lowest note these Squier VI basses play? Is it a B?

What is the string spacing?

How do the pickups sound? Will I want to upgrade the pickups? If so, are they hard to find and/or expensive?

I don’t know anything about these. I will say, these have been around since the 60s. If they were all that, you probably would already know what you need to know. Just a thought.

 

[Spectrum]

Eastwood makes a couple of VI's as well, The Sidejack and the TB64, worth checking out.

 

[Jack Butler]

It's a very specific, and very cool sound. Also all guitar riffs and chords a guitarist knows can be played(albeit an octave lower) and that's works well for some scenarios. While the notes are the same as a bass, there's a reason most gigging bassists don't use one as their main instrument. Also string spacing too tight to be played in the normal way we think of with fingers. Of course it could be played fingerstyle like guitar.

 

[DirtDog]

How can you own one of these and not know the EADG are the same frequency as what you would get on any 4 string bass whether it’s a 34” or 32” or 30” neck?

You're right and I stand corrected.

I guess what I was not so specific about is that the second order (and most prominent) frequency of the Bass VI is not as prevalent as it is on a standard bass (Fender Precision in my case). Neither register much at 42-ish Hz - the fundamental freq - as compared to the second order harmonic (84-ish Hz). Yet, the Bass VI is more prominent for the overtones and 3rd and 4th harmonics compared to the P Bass, which will make an audible difference. But you're right - not an octave's worth of difference from a pure physics perspective.

Other than that, I'll stand by my assessment. The two sound different and they have different roles in my musical arsenal. I don't expect my P Bass to do what my Bass VI can do and vice versa. Hell, I don't even use a bass amp with the Bass VI.

P Bass freq response when plucking and open E string (34" scale, .105 gauge string) - plugged straight into the interface, no amp/mic/pedal in between. Tone controls set flat.

:

Bass VI freq response when plucking an open E (30" scale, .095 gauge string) - plugged straight into the interface, no amp/mic/pedal in between. Tone controls set flat.

 

[7dollarbologna]

If you get the Squier and heavily mod it, (replace everything)it will roughly be the same money as holding out for a 1990’s Japanese reissue.