Or one of these?: Lindert Guitars Franklin Bass VI: http://namm.harmony-central.com/Newp/WNAMM97/Lindert/Franklin.html
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The Short-Scale Six-String Clubfor the original six-string basses!
- Thread starter lunarpollen
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That appears to similar to my Burns which is what I call a true short scale bass it could easliy be mistaken for a guitar as mine often was in the 60s.
Below is a shot of mine alongside two of my other instruments.
it won't be with me much longer as a guy from Paris is interested in it.
Below is a shot of mine alongside two of my other instruments.
it won't be with me much longer as a guy from Paris is interested in it.
I was actually thinking more along the lines of Strat humbuckers in single coil size a la DiMarzio ToneZones.
These are what I use on my MIJ Fender VI. They're a lighter gauge (.024 - .084) than the Bass VI strings made by Fender (.025 - .095), can be tuned E - e, are easier to bend (I can bend the 1st & 2nd strings slightly more than a semi-tone without breaking them), and they're easier on the frets too:
'D'Addario XL156 XL nickelplated steel, Roundwound': http://www.lordofthestrings.com/lots/RAPRL/Fender-Bass-VI/1210.html
However, the finger noise is atrocious, which is why I am thinking of trying these: 'La Bella Electric Fender Bass VI Flat Wound, .026 - .095, 767-6F': [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] which, to my knowledge, are the only flatwound strings currently available for the Fender VI.
La Bella advertises these as being intended for B - C tuning.
Have any Fender VI owners here used La Bella flatwounds tuned E - e?
If so:
- how much can the 1st & 2nd strings be bent before breaking?
- does the E 6th string sound good, or does it 'thud'?
- and how well do these strings intonate?
Thank you.
'D'Addario XL156 XL nickelplated steel, Roundwound': http://www.lordofthestrings.com/lots/RAPRL/Fender-Bass-VI/1210.html
However, the finger noise is atrocious, which is why I am thinking of trying these: 'La Bella Electric Fender Bass VI Flat Wound, .026 - .095, 767-6F': [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] which, to my knowledge, are the only flatwound strings currently available for the Fender VI.
La Bella advertises these as being intended for B - C tuning.
Have any Fender VI owners here used La Bella flatwounds tuned E - e?
If so:
- how much can the 1st & 2nd strings be bent before breaking?
- does the E 6th string sound good, or does it 'thud'?
- and how well do these strings intonate?
Thank you.
I think that JustStrings has it wrong, those are the same gauges (roughly) as an E - E set. I get the feeling that they are thinking of those in the same terms as a typical 6 string bass that tunes from B below the low E and a C above the G string of a 4 string bass.
The LaBella set is what I plan to use on my upcoming VI. I don't know how far you can bend 'em though.
I get the strings for my Burns 6 stringer from :- Invalid Link Removed where they are made to order/your spec, this company is very helpful.
I tune EADGCF
I tune EADGCF
Hi Bassman62.
Are you using flatwounds? If so, what are their gauges and scale length?
Thank you.
PS: You don't play chords on your Burns?
Hi BenderR.
My MIJ Fender VI came with these pre-installed: 'Bass VI Stainless Steel 5350s (5350) Bass VI Stainless Steel Roundwound Gauges: .025, .035, .045, .055, .075, .095 Fits most 27" to 29" scale length baritone guitars': Invalid Link Removed
When I tuned them up to E - e, the 1st string was nearly impossible to bend, and when I forced it, it broke at approx. a 1/4 tone pitch increase.
As well, the 6th string's intonation was dramatically sharp--even after removing the 6th string's saddle spring and drawing said saddle to the rear edge of the bridge.
Once again, Fender shot themselves in the foot vis a vis 'VI sales by failing to supply good bass guitar - I repeat: bass guitar--not electric bass - strings (light tops, medium-heavy bottoms in both roundwounds and flatwounds) with their reincarnated Bass VI.
Based upon the parsimonious selection of inadequately-gauged strings which are available for the Fender VI, it would seem that neither Fender, La Bella, D'Addario, nor GHS has anyone on their payroll who actually plays a Bass VI! For if they did, then they would understand that these are truly dual-role instruments (bass and guitar) which need to be strung accordingly!
Let's hope that the GHS flats for the Fender VI have a light enough core wire in their 1st & 2nd strings to at least be functionally bendable--without breaking...
Hi BenderR.
My MIJ Fender VI came with these pre-installed: 'Bass VI Stainless Steel 5350s (5350) Bass VI Stainless Steel Roundwound Gauges: .025, .035, .045, .055, .075, .095 Fits most 27" to 29" scale length baritone guitars': Invalid Link Removed
When I tuned them up to E - e, the 1st string was nearly impossible to bend, and when I forced it, it broke at approx. a 1/4 tone pitch increase.
As well, the 6th string's intonation was dramatically sharp--even after removing the 6th string's saddle spring and drawing said saddle to the rear edge of the bridge.
Once again, Fender shot themselves in the foot vis a vis 'VI sales by failing to supply good bass guitar - I repeat: bass guitar--not electric bass - strings (light tops, medium-heavy bottoms in both roundwounds and flatwounds) with their reincarnated Bass VI.
Based upon the parsimonious selection of inadequately-gauged strings which are available for the Fender VI, it would seem that neither Fender, La Bella, D'Addario, nor GHS has anyone on their payroll who actually plays a Bass VI! For if they did, then they would understand that these are truly dual-role instruments (bass and guitar) which need to be strung accordingly!
Let's hope that the GHS flats for the Fender VI have a light enough core wire in their 1st & 2nd strings to at least be functionally bendable--without breaking...
Interesting post, one that, IMO, strikes to the core of the matter. I don't think that string makers or even Fender truly understands just what a VI actually does. Now I realize that this is just my opinion but FWIW here goes: the first time I saw a Bass VI in the Fender brouchure I saw back in '67 my impression my impression was that it was a cross between a Bass and a Guitar; 42 years later I haven't seen any reason to change my opinion.
My experience with the Jaguar Baritone Custom bore this point out. I played in a duo with a friend on guitar and vocals. I would handle the bass parts but I could do some simple fills in the upper register too. Also, because of the guitar tuning intervals I could play upper structures of chords if needed.
What I've seen from the string manufacturers doesn't make a lot of sense to me. The D'Addario XL156 makes no sense at all to me going from .084 - .024. If anything, it's the reverse of what is needed, an .084 on the low E is going to be pretty floppy and I would imagine that trying to play a bass part on it without bending the notes sharp would be pretty tricky. Bending the upper strings isn't important to my use of the Bass VI but I agree that the .025 high E is not exactly made for bending. You might be able to find some single strings of the right gauge from one of the manufacturers. I know that there is a piccolo bass set that has an .020 for the top G. If I'm reading the circular mils chart correctly that actually amounts to a significant reduction in mass and a corresponding decrease in string tension.
Once you get into the realm of short scale basses all logic seems to be in peril. As an example, my Fender Mustang came from the factory with strings that run from .045 - .105. The only set of replacement strings Fender sells run from .040 - .095. Think about it, Fender makes their own strings so offering a replacement set that duplicates the original strings should not be all that hard for them. Don't get me wrong, I can get all that I want from D'Addario but the logic of Fender's offerings evades me.
Ditto for the Bass VI and Jaguar Baritone Custom. I've heard that Bass VI strings will fit the Jag Bari but only if you drill out the tailpiece for larger ferrules. You'd have thought that someone at FMIC would have caught onto this as a way to reduce the number of string sets that they need to have in their catalog.
I think it all boils down to the fact that a lot of people don't see any short scale bass as a serious instrument. Many people think that a short-scale is a student's instrument and forget that there are people that prefer a 30" scale. Tendonitis is what led me to playing short scale basses but I've found that I prefer short scales now for several reasons. Stanley Clarke is 6' 3" tall and dwarfs his short scale Alembic. I just wish that the sting manufacturers would add some more choices to their catalogs. (In all fairness, D'Addario does offer a pretty good selection of 4-sting sets in short and medim scales.)
Yup! The ahead-of-its-time duality/versatility of a short-scale 'VI is a handy band instrument option in our current age of extended-range basses (and guitars), synth bass, and ever-expanding musical horizons which are seeing bass instruments in general being 'let out of the kitchen'.
Yeah, I thought of perhaps augmenting 32" scale-length Rotosound RS77M Medium (.040, .050, .075, .090) flats: Invalid Link Removed (the E on the 30" set falls a 1/4" short of the nut on my MIJ VI) with piccolo bass strings if they are available as flatwounds...
One novel string acquisition approach I learned of a few months back involved a guy who rounded up a posse of fellow 'VI users to go splits on a minimum order of custom made strings. (Of course, getting everyone to agree on what & how the strings should be...)
Irony: Since the MIJ 'VI (and I expect the CS 'VI as well) uses the same tail-piece as the Jazzmaster and Jaguar guitars, 'VI strings with small ball-ends (like the Fender ones for the Jaguar Baritone Custom, and the D'Addario XL156 set) will fit a Fender VI.
There is/never was a need for the Fender VI string set with the large ball-ends...
Bingo! With the refreshing and foresighted exception of SX (Essex), most other EB makers seem to be ignoring short-scale (and left-handed) basses in spite of our living in an age of computer-related RSI adversely affecting hobby players, veteran bass players who are feeling the effects of father time, and a growing population of female bassists, many of whom I suspect would relish the option of buying basses the same way they can purchase footwear--in sizes made to fit them.
I guess many marketers are like some generals--they prefer to use old tactics to fight new battles.
The bass guitar manufacturing world could use the marketing equivalent of Apple Computer's 1998 iMac 'bout now...
IIRC, I once read an interview with Stanley where it said he was 6'6". He's a big (tall) dude.
I recall listening to a Jet Harris recording from the '60s that had some dandy extended-range sounds in it. Had that been played in the '70s or '80s people would have identified it with Fusion but by that time Jet Harris was off of the radar screen as far as the general public was concerned.
I didn't realize that the VI requires medium length strings but I'm hardly surprised. I own three short-scale basses (if you count my Jag Baritone Custom) and none of them use short scale strings. My Mustang requires medium length strings, probably because of the fact that the strings load through the body. My Warwick has about 1.5" between the tailpiece and the bridge and there's a fair distance between the nut and the tuners. Even medium length strings are a close call for that bass.
I hadn't even thought about whether piccolo-bass strings would be flatwound but I'm certain that they are not. I had a set of piccolo bass strings once (just for grins) and they were indeed roundwounds.
Custom runs of strings should be available in fairly modest quantity. From what little I know about the process it would seem to me that it should be pretty easy to work that sort of run into the production schedule in between runs of regular production strings. There was an episode of How It's Made that featured some D'Addario's being made. There's still a fair amount of human involvement in the process even though the winding itself is automated.
I've always wondered about that. It seems to fit in with the ambiguity that is built into every facet of the Bass VI. If a Bass VI was conscious it would have severe identity issues.
One of the hallmarks of the last 30 years or so is the ability to make smaller production runs of just about anything and everything. Variations that would have been economically unfeasible a generation ago are commonplace today. Im certain that when I ordered my CS Warwick they just made a simple one-time change to their CNC gear and let fly. The penalty in time or cost for that custom-specd instrument was minimal. I find it interesting that Fender seems to be so hidebound in their approach to custom instruments. Most of their custom shop offerings seem pretty run of the mill to me, at least from the standpoint of how far they have to step away from normal production techniques. I would think that they could offer basses in your choice of scale lengths without upsetting the apple cart.
That's absolutely amazing. I knew he was tall and I know that the pictures I've seen of him look like an average sized person playing a toy bass. I feel a bit funny playing my Mustang and especially my Warwick (which rattles around in a Strat-sized case). Both the Warwick and the Mustang sound a lot bigger than they look. I recently was at a jam where there were two other bass players. Most of the time I played my guitar but when I broke out the Warwick everyone was amazed that such a diminutive instrument could sound so huge. Old Stanley was onto something when he decided to go with a short-scale Alembic.
Hi Bassman62.
Are you using flatwounds? If so, what are their gauges and scale length?
Thank you.
PS: You don't play chords on your Burns?
Hi, the strings are round wound:- .090 .080 .070 .065 .045 ,025.
I dont play chords due to tuning EADGCF.
This week it will be on its way to France now that we've sorted the final transaction details, I love this little baby but I need the money more at the monent.
Well that may be your impression but I think you're wrong just as many people got the wrong impression about my Burns 6 string Bass.
The Fender Bass VI is a true bass played in the bass register which is what it was designed and made to do.
The Fender Bass VI came out around 1963; I wanted one but couldn't afford one so I went for the Burns instead as it was 30% cheaper and within my price bracket.
Hollies Bassist Eric Haydock used a Fender Bass VI on all the Hollie's early recordings there is certainly no Baritone just true Bass.
I don't know where you got the impression that I was saying that the VI was not a real bass because that was precisely my point, it's a bass with an extended upper range that allows you to get up into guitar territory when need be. That's the way I've use my Jag Bari and that's the reason I'm spending a tidy sum for a CS VI. I don't use an E-E 6 string in bands with another bass instrument and don't see much point in doing so.
Sorry if I misread your post, I've looked up the 'Jaguar' under Fender Basses but cannot find any reference to a Baritone Jaguar; have you restrung yours for baritone playing, the one I tried in Electromusic Doncaster UK last week was strung as a Bass.
Fender made a Jaguar Baritone Custom from about 2004 - 2006. Basically it was a Jaguar body with a stop tailpiece and a tune-o-matic bridge with a 28.5" scale neck. They came with a set of strings that went from .095 - .025 and were tuned E-E. They work pretty well and sound great but the low E is very easy to bend sharp so it can be a challenge to play as a bass. This was, by Fender's own words, supposed to be a substitute for a Bass VI in their lineup but it didn't really catch on as such. A great proportion of them ended up restrung and tuned B-B which in my opinion was a real shame because the instrument was a great bass to use in a trio. Here's a picture of mine which remains strung E-E:
Link Removed
I've always felt that the VI and it's equivalents from other makers were a great idea, a bass that was very versatile in the upper range yet could take care of business and be a great bass in its own right.
My condolences Bassman62. It's a crying shame that you have to part with a musical instrument which has been with you for so long. :-(
Although it would seem that you made good use of it--and that's what really counts.
You've still got your two five-string long-scales, right?
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Which brand of strings were you using on your Burns? I don't recognize their gauges.
I'm afraid that my Jaguar Baritone Custom/Bass VI is one of those that's ended up being tuned B-B, but only since after I got a real Bass VI, and with some hesitation as I love the way it sounds with stock strings and tuning. Either way, it's a wonderful instrument, even though I didn't find it usable as a bass, because of the mentioned low E-string issues, and because I never got it to intonate properly on that string.
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