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The Short-Scale Six-String Club Part 3 - for the original six-string basses!

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#22
kenstee said:
Well, depends if you think the original Agile nut was a one time defective part OR was just of overall inferior quality. Me? I wouldn't go with the Agile replacement. On guitars sold that inexpensively corners (cost-wise) need to be cut somewhere. Not a slam on Rondo - just a business reality given their low cost model. To my knowledge I don't think they operate as a non-profit.

I know the Rondo-cultists will flame me but..I'd go with a non-Rondo option like custom-made bone. In the end you typically get what you pay for.
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I don't think anyone is going to argue with you that Agile guitars are cheap and some of their hardware and electronics leave a bit to be desired. That said I've never seen a nut problem of that sort on any of my Agiles...but nuts are cheap so IMHO there is little incentive to buy a no name nut when a known good nut brand is already pretty inexpensive. Me personally I would go for a Graphtech Tusq, I like it on my Hellcat...and the price is right.

Side note I'm really loving the Argus Toast heavily distorted chugga
chugga sound with Hellcat strung flat on bass...seriously huge powerful sound on this remix. I realize that a bass vi is not traditionally used in that role...but it sounds unreal. Makes me want a 30" 8 string...
 
#23
Well, I think I'm going to go with a nice bone nut that Kurt offered me. He's been really pleasant to deal with.

Also, until my nut broke, I had been using my Argus as well as a LPB Argus that one of my guitar friends has in the role of lead/rythm/bass total package instrument for heavier music (although I'm not really partial to the style, sometimes it's just fun to let loose and really rock out) and there is no need for a bass in the mix anymore. Even when being played like a lead guitar the sound just fills out so deeply it's like there still is a bass punding away underneath. This thing really likes the distortion mods on my old GT-3, weird.
 
#24
The push-pull switch, when pulled out, basically just acts as a "neck pickup always on" feature. The five-way switch still works the same, except that the neck pickup remains on no matter what. It gives you two extra pickup combinations--all three pickups and neck+bridge--in the two switch positions that would normally give you middle+bridge and bridge.
 
#27
lunarpollen said:
The push-pull switch, when pulled out, basically just acts as a "neck pickup always on" feature. The five-way switch still works the same, except that the neck pickup remains on no matter what. It gives you two extra pickup combinations--all three pickups and neck+bridge--in the two switch positions that would normally give you middle+bridge and bridge.
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Thanks
 
#28
lunarpollen said:
The push-pull switch, when pulled out, basically just acts as a "neck pickup always on" feature. The five-way switch still works the same, except that the neck pickup remains on no matter what. It gives you two extra pickup combinations--all three pickups and neck+bridge--in the two switch positions that would normally give you middle+bridge and bridge.
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OK. Got some great info here on Barracuda Push/Pull and Tone controls courtesy of Trevor who runs a Burns site http://www.trevormidgley.com/BurnsGuitars/index.html.


<<What exactly does the Push/Pull control do?>>
As with most Burns, the tone controls and push/pull facility are quirky. Here's what happens:
&#12288;
With the push/pull selector "in", the guitar behaves just as you'd expect.
&#12288;
With it "out", however, the following applies:

  • With the p/u selector in the bridge position, you're getting the bridge & neck pickups.
  • With the p/u selector in the bridge/centre position, you're getting all three pickups.
  • With the p/u selector in the centre, and also the centre/neck position, you're getting the centre & neck pickups.
  • With the p/u selector in the neck position, you're just getting the neck pickup.


With me so far? Let's press on... Tone Controls -
&#12288;
The tone controls operate on the same pickups whether the push/pull is in or out. the work as follows:

  • Use the "back" tone pot in conjunction with the following pickup
    combinations -
Bridge
Bridge/centre​

  • Use the "front" tone pot in conjunction with the following pickup combinations
Neck
Neck/centre
Centre
Bridge/centre​

All you gotta do now is play the damn thing!"

And there you are.......
 
#29
Yeah, Trevor basically described the way the 5-way switch works when the neck pickup is switched to "always on" via the push/pull switch. Apparrently it's a common Strat modification too. Personally I think it should be standard on all instruments with a 5-way switch!
 
#32
Number27 said:
curious: do you guys all play your Bass VIs as basses, or do you also play chords on them and such?

also, bass amp or guitar amp?


i've put down a deposit on a HARM 6 string at rondo (for when he gets the in in september).
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I usually play mine like a deep guitar, but sometimes as a bass. Sounds more solid in the bottom with flats IMHO. I just finished a remix where I'm playing my Hellcat VI with flats as a bass and my Argus with Fender rounds as a heavy rhythm guitar. Played both through the same amp (Fender 59 Bassman reissue), just changed mics and pedals.

Bass VI sounds a lot more like a plain Jane bass through a modern bass amp, more like a guitar through a guitar amp...depends on what your ultimate sonic intention is. The ideal setup would be something like a 50 watt classic tube Bassman or 100 watt Twin through a full frequency bass cabinet like what earcandycabs.com sells, if you intended to play live not as a bass.
 
#33
I play mine as a bass, a baritone guitar, and everything in between.

I just put the LaBella flats on my Hellcat VI and it sounds amazing!! The pickup combinations sound a lot more distinct from one another, as does the coil-tap feature. And the VT Bass pedal seems to really shine with flatwound basses, it's just amazing. I will have to record some soundclips...
 
#34
lunarpollen said:
I play mine as a bass, a baritone guitar, and everything in between.

I just put the LaBella flats on my Hellcat VI and it sounds amazing!! The pickup combinations sound a lot more distinct from one another, as does the coil-tap feature. And the VT Bass pedal seems to really shine with flatwound basses, it's just amazing. I will have to record some soundclips...
Click to expand...

Yeah wish I could post the remix I did because they sound great...
 
#36
lunarpollen said:
I just put the LaBella flats on my Hellcat VI and it sounds amazing!! The pickup combinations sound a lot more distinct from one another, as does the coil-tap feature. And the VT Bass pedal seems to really shine with flatwound basses, it's just amazing. I will have to record some soundclips...
Click to expand...

Excellent! Did you need to make any adjustments to the Cat once you installed the flats to get everything just right?
 
#40
kslight said:
Agile Harms available for order...still only natural finish...would be curious to see if they can use the hellcat strings.
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and i'm happy as a cat in a cannery :D

email said:
This is a comment regarding your order from Rondo Music. Great News! Your item is available ahead of scheduled. We will be charging your balance, 184.95 and shipping shortly. We highly recommend adding a case for production. Price on the case is $59.95. Please let us know

Current status:

Order ReceivedTracking number:

Thanks,Rondo Music
Click to expand...

the original ETA was september.. so 4 months early is AWESOME :bassist:
 
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