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The Short-Scale Six-String Club Part 4 - for the original six-string basses!

#721
Tom0Blam0 said:
Just looking for some insight from folks that have experience with these instruments - I am building an explorer-style bass vi and I'm thinking about the bridge and tuners. I'd like to do a 3x3 tuner set up and I would prefer to do a hardtail-style bridge relative to a tune-o-matic or fender bass vi style bridge.

Does anyone have insights or recommendations for hardware for this type of build/these instruments? I'm thinking barriers will include finding items that will accommodate the larger strings. Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

How is the build going (several months later)?

I'm thinking about (ha, I have a notebook of specs and a big life-size drawing, so I guess it's more than "thinking") building a VI, but as a bassist first, I'm kind of coming at it the other way--"A guitar for bassists" rather than a "bass for guitarists," to play off the characterization I've seen of the Fender VI. I want wider string spacing to better accommodate fingerstyle playing, so I split the difference between what my Yamaha TRBX and Dean Edges have (19mm) and my guitars (11mm) and decided to go with 15mm or so. My design is coming in close to the Ibanez SRC6 in some ways, but with the wider string spacing. I'm planning on Grover bass mini-tuners, also 3x3 like you. Leading candidate for a bridge is the Kahler 2450 N6, which looks like it will get the spacing I want. Alas, no tremolo. That would be a $300 upgrade.

Curious what bumps in the road you might have encountered or interesting discoveries.
 
#722
Been eyeing the Dean Icon Baritone Guitar as a possible candidate for a Bass VI. Not crazy about B & E. I'd rather go E, A, D, G, C, F#.
What strings would work for the C and F#?

Link Removed
Made In
  • Korea, Republic of
Body Shape
  • Double Cutaway
Right / Left Handed
  • Right Handed
Number of Strings
  • 6-String
Body Type
  • Solid Body
Fretboard Material
  • Ebony
Body Material
  • Mahogany
Neck Construction
  • Set-Neck
Neck Material
  • Mahogany
Nut Width
  • 1.6875"
Scale Length
  • 27"
 
#723
Or even this ESP LTD EC-1000 Baritone Electric Guitar


L92598000001000-02-720x720.jpg

Specs
Body
  • Body Type: Single-cutaway solid body
  • Top wood: Maple
  • Body wood: Mahogany
  • Body finish: Satin
Neck
  • Neck shape: Thin U
  • Neck wood: 3-piece mahogany
  • Joint: Neck-through
  • Scale length: 27"
  • Truss rod: Standard
Fingerboard
  • Material: Ebony
  • Fret size: Extra-jumbo
  • Number of frets: 24
  • Inlays: None
Electronics
  • Configuration: HH
  • Neck: Fishman humbucker
  • Bridge: Fishman humbucker
  • Control layout: Individual volume, Individual volume, Master tone
Hardware
  • Bridge type: Fixed bridge
  • Tailpiece: String thru body
  • Tuning machines: Locking
  • Color: Black
 
#724
B-Mac said:
Been eyeing the Dean Icon Baritone Guitar as a possible candidate for a Bass VI. Not crazy about B & E. I'd rather go E, A, D, G, C, F#.
What strings would work for the C and F#?

Link Removed
Made In
  • Korea, Republic of
Body Shape
  • Double Cutaway
Right / Left Handed
  • Right Handed
Number of Strings
  • 6-String
Body Type
  • Solid Body
Fretboard Material
  • Ebony
Body Material
  • Mahogany
Neck Construction
  • Set-Neck
Neck Material
  • Mahogany
Nut Width
  • 1.6875"
Scale Length
  • 27"
Click to expand...
Why C and F#, as opposed to tuned in 4ths: C and F?

I'd imagine a 27" scale E1 would need a quite heavier gauge string as opposed to the most common .085 ~ .095 gauge used on Bass VI.
 
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#727
Supadope said:
I don't know.

Fifty bucks more for new? The bridge looks much beefier on the old model. But the Bart pickups sound beautiful on the two videos that they're promoing, so I'm not really sure if the EMGs are better or worse.

I'm new to the Bass VI world.
What do you mean by more choice on the EMGs?

And I'm personally leaning towards multiscale because I currently string my VI with bass 102E & 76A and guitar 25D, 18G, 12B, & 9E strings.
Click to expand...
What make of strings?
 
#729
I forgot to post here: a few months ago I discovered the Bass VI and became a bit obsessed, but didn't want to spend the money as I'm still in the early-ish phase of relearning bass after several decades away. Then I discovered the Aria Pro II Jet B-Tone guitar, which is cheaper than a Squier and has a 30" scale - plus I love the design. Bingo!

J-B'tone - Baritone - Aria Guitars - Electric, Acoustic, Classical Guitars and Bass (ariaguitarsglobal.com)



Here's what I've done to make it work (and it works great from my inexperienced viewpoint, but I would love to get it in front of someone who knows these instruments better):
1. Fender 250 Bass VI strings (the 24-100 set, but I've ordered the heavy Stringjoys as a backup)
2. I unwrapped the E, A & D strings as they were too long with this Stratocaster-style bridge
3. Added two springs to the tremolo & screwed it much of the way down to ground the bridge against the body - it holds a steady tune well when I stop tweaking everything, even if I use the trem arm to do a bit of My Bloody Valentine-esque dives
4. I widened the nut openings with a set of jeweler files, seems good to me...?
5. Some neck adjustments (easy with the exposed truss rod adjuster) and bridge height tweaking. I'm really happy with the action, very little of the buzzing I hear in many Bass VI videos on YouTube

I love the growl in the middle setting (both pickups) which is how I usually play it - there's a huge difference in sound between the two pickups. I didn't like the humbucker that much until I rolled off the tone on bass or added distortion for guitar lead sounds - both sound great to me. I highly recommend trying one, with the caveat that it's a newbie opinion with no side-by-side comparison:

Aria Pro.jpg
 
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#733
hieronymous said:
Maybe this is where my love of the Bass VI started?

53143838760_60c65a756a_z.jpg


JK! But this pic of me and my Acetone amp is from 1995 soon before I stopped playing for several years. During my "hiatus" I kind of got obsessed with the Bass VI, though I didn't get a short scale 6-string bass until the 2000s.
Click to expand...

I had to dig a bit, but found your Bass VI clip on your YouTube channel...
 
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#734
BillyB_from_LZ said:
I had to dig a bit, but found your Bass VI clip on your YouTube channel...
Click to expand...

Hey - thanks for digging that up! Why the heck didn't I post it?!! I had fun playing it - I should make a version with the original bass removed (thank you Moises!) - maybe use different basses.

I need to get my Bass VI looked at though. It's one of the 1996 MIJ reissues, I want to either get the trem unit immobilized, or mod it with a hardtail bridge of some sort (recommendations anyone?) - it's been sitting in the case for I think over a year and should be out being played! I feel like I have a concept for it - basically a short scale extended range bass, meant to be played as a bass - and beyond! I especially want to try it though my main pedalboard, which includes a Geddy Lee SansAmp pedal...
 
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#735
hieronymous said:
Hey - thanks for digging that up! Why the heck didn't I post it?!! I had fun playing it - I should make a version with the original bass removed (thank you Moises!) - maybe use different basses.

I need to get my Bass VI looked at though. It's one of the 1996 MIJ reissues, I want to either get the trem unit immobilized, or mod it with a hardtail bridge of some sort (recommendations anyone?) - it's been sitting in the case for I think over a year and should be out being played! I feel like I have a concept for it - basically a short scale extended range bass, meant to be played as a bass - and beyond! I especially want to try it though my main pedalboard, which includes a Geddy Lee SansAmp pedal...
Click to expand...

I just bought a Squier VI after GC lured me in with a 10% discount. I'm not sure I have any business playing one, but I also joined the Bass VI page on FB and there seem to be a lot of aftermarket bridge parts to make them more usable. Not sure I want to dive down that rabbit hole, but I still have 30 days or so to decide if I want to keep my VI.
 
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#736
BillyB_from_LZ said:
I just bought a Squier VI after GC lured me in with a 10% discount. I'm not sure I have any business playing one, but I also joined the Bass VI page on FB and there seem to be a lot of aftermarket bridge parts to make them more usable. Not sure I want to dive down that rabbit hole, but I still have 30 days or so to decide if I want to keep my VI.
Click to expand...
Congrats! I would say, play it as much as you can, whether around the house or with a band. If it speaks to you, keep it for now at least. If not, no big deal. What do you want to do with it? I have to say, I'm hooked on the idea at the very least. Maybe not enough for it to be my main instrument, but I will never let mine go!
 
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#737
I was watching a Tim Pierce video about "Wichita Lineman"

where he gives a shout-out to the maker of its sorta-bass VI: @Rob Page of Pipe Dream Fretworks.

Product pages on his website aren't terribly informative (they could use a thorough spec tab with a clear view of what's non-negotiable and what is customisable), but it is interesting stuff.

6-string models are 28" and multiscale, 30 to 28" scale:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Prototypes/early specimens were 27", if I understand correctly:

Here's another Pierce video, this time dedicated to the instrument itself:


WIDE nut width. In general, the instrument seems to straddle both the traditional Dano-style VI and the modern 6-string, at an even shorter scale. Possibly of interest to anyone who is considering the Eastwood Hooky 6 (the multiscale option may also be an Ibanez SRC6MS alternative).


[I've no connection of any sort to the company.
Nor do I endorse (though I understand it) Tim's heavy use of YT-traditional big titling...]
 
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#740
BillyB_from_LZ said:
I just bought a Squier VI after GC lured me in with a 10% discount. I'm not sure I have any business playing one, but I also joined the Bass VI page on FB and there seem to be a lot of aftermarket bridge parts to make them more usable. Not sure I want to dive down that rabbit hole, but I still have 30 days or so to decide if I want to keep my VI.
Click to expand...

No worrying about bringing it back... I'll be over soon!
 
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