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

#162
I'm not using this as a 'baritone guitar', but as
a bass guitar, with occasional leads. I'm having
decent but not spectacular results (for now).
The long story after 3 weeks of use is:

The situation is I am the bass player in a
lightweight folkrock band- acoustic rhythm,
3 voices, light percussion and bass. We lead
praise and worship rallies, getting folk to sing.
Sometimes a lead riff intro or solo would
work well, so I did it on bass, with just OK results.

Enter the G5265. Strung with D'Addrio XL156 24-84's,
it uses the E-E tuning, so the bottom 4 strings
are identical to a bass. So I can now play normal bass
parts, but take a riff on the upper two strings, which
cover the middle registers of a normal guitar.

My impressions? I get a decent bottom for the bass
notes. In a singalong context, thats fine, but maybe
not in concert. Because the strings are not as thick
as normal bass, I don't get the 'fightback' I'm used
to, to be as expressive as I can be on my J-Bass.

The pickups are very reactive, and there is enough
room to use my fingertips, so MAYBE with practice
I can get even more expressive in my playing.

The upper registers are not as expressive as a normal
electric guitar either, because of the thicker, wound
strings used. (perhaps I'll experiment with lighter
gauge for the B and E strings). But again, they get
the job done. I may also consider a dual amp setup.

The guitar itself (used, but in perfect condition)
had NO issues. It was set up perfectly, no buzzes,
all works fine. A minor issue with staying in tune long
term, maybe because of new strings. 2 pickups, x 3
settings gives a LOT of variation of tones.

I don't use the Bigby sway bar, so its parked away.
I wish there was an easy way to lock it, because I
suspect tuning one string varies the spring tension
on all the others. And putting new strings on IS A
MAJOR PAIN in the butt.

All in all, (if you want to put in some work adjusting
your playing), when used as a bass/with leads, the
Gretsch does a pretty good job. I wouldn't use it
in a rock band setting, but as support to an acoustic
rhythm guitar, it gets the job done.

PS: the original owner had it strung B-B with lighter
strings. The Surf-Rock twang was spectacular as well
as tic-tac muted playing, before I swapped in the bass
strings.
 
#163
Mine is outfitted with all dimarzios.
I like the look of the rails pickups, and it eliminated string spacing issues for my bass pickup.

Tone Zone S in the bridge (sounds great for combining signals, because its ALL mids), Cruiser in the neck (very stratty), bass pickup is a split-P.

Knobs and switch only control guitar side.
Bass pickup is straight to the jack.
Separate signals all the way to the board.

This VI is much more rock-oriented than most I've seen.
Suits my needs well.
 
#173
OldFartBassMan said:
I don't use the Bigby sway bar, so its parked away.
I wish there was an easy way to lock it, because I
suspect tuning one string varies the spring tension
on all the others. And putting new strings on IS A
MAJOR PAIN in the butt.
Click to expand...

The vibrato arm on most Bigsby units can be removed via undoing a couple screws, and the unit can be parked in a stable fashion by swapping out the spring for an identical length & girth of metal pipe. The string tension would hold it in place, and it's not compressible, so if you adjust one string, tuning should remain constant on the others. You might even be able to find a metal pipe coupling that would work, instead of having to cut your own little piece of pipe. Something like this, in a size that would fit in place of the spring: http://www.thepipefittings.com/gifs/pipe-couplings.jpg
 
#174
I apologize for the bad photos! she's not done yet, but i thought i would share-
She'll be extra pretty with the nice alder and maple :)

p.s. This is all USACG with bits from Fender, Pickup Wizard, CTS, Paul Rhoney, Pickguardian, etc...


8047255650_6a8c8f9c09_c.jpg


6992898467_32e3c2f48d_c.jpg
 
#176
Habilis said:
Wow! I'd love to see an "Ingredients List" for that. I'm leaning more and more toward building my own Bass VI and any tips would be great.
Click to expand...

This is taken from a sticky at offsetguitars.com.

It's not all that hard to build a Bass VI.


This was a post that Alfred (BassVIst) posted on the FDP a while ago....I saved it on a text document a while back, and thought we should have it posted here...

Awright…. I’ve been asked about building USA Custom Guitars “Baritone VI” bass VI replicas so often that I decided to write this little form letter…

Most of the hardware and electronics can be ordered from Musician’s Friend online. I prefer ordering from them because you can see what’s in stock, have more delivery options and I’ve had no errors or issues at all with them.
But often Angela Instruments will have Genuine Fender parts at a better price. Parts Is Parts has a better selection, offering aftermarket parts… but Allparts usually has those at a better price…
Guitar Parts Resource is my latest favorite online store… mostly because they accept Paypal, so I can avoid using credit cards and pay directly out of my checking account…

All have been great, but Parts Is Parts has had the best customer service, in my opinion… and probably the best “one-stop-shopping” option…

Musician’s Friend has:
a real Fender Bass VI case for $130
Fender strat/tele vintage style (Kluson style) tuners
Fender vintage style strat string tree
Fender vintage style neck plate
Fender bone nut blanks
Fender output jack
Fender 250k solid shaft pots
Fender Jazz bass knobs (got a collection goin of unused tiny black knobs… lol)
Fender vintage style Strap buttons
Fender 5350 Stainless roundwound Bass VI strings
And Fender Custom Shop Texas Special Strat Pickups if you so choose…

You’ll have to order the following from one of the other vendors mentioned above:
Fender Jaguar diamond shaped switch plate
Fender Jaguar black on/off pickup switches
Fender Jaguar AV RI Tremolo Unit and arm
Fender Jaguar or Mustang Bridge assembly (should include saddles and body thimbles)
And if you didn’t get the Texas specials… Fender Jaguar AV RI Pickups w/ aged covers ( I get two necks and a bridge, and put the bridge in the middle position)

The original bass VI prototype had a Jaguar/Jazzmaster bridge base…
As do the current Custom Shop Masterbuilt bass VI’s…

I use an aftermarket Mustang bridge.
The low E saddle has to be cranked all the way back for proper intonation… and that causes the intonation screw to angle upwards, often buzzing against the string while playing…

So I just cut about a quarter of an inch off of the screw with a hacksaw.
Perfect.

I’ve tried GraphTech’s mustang-like saddles and LOVE the Tusq ones.

I also prefer to get Tusq pre-slotted nuts so that I only have to open them up a bit… instead of cutting a fresh nut.

I’m partial to flatwound strings on everything… So I get the LaBellas from [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Which are now $56 or so.

I can’t think of anything else right now… maybe I’ll add more to it later Smiley

USA CG will cut a pickguard for a better price than most anyone, i'm sure...

there were under $20 last time i ordered one from them

that's out of their standard materials in stock
they won't order anything for you, but you can order your own stock and send it to them and they'll cut it...

Tony at www.pickguardian.com also has VI guards


------------------------------

[edit]

There is a source in France for repro wide bridge bases, four-swich plates and control plates - M.Huort.
 
#178
To Kenstee:

Thanks for all that info. I know I don't really care about how faithful it is to the original in terms of looks (Vintage knobs, etc.) but all of that stuff is good to know. What I would REALLY like to know is where to get necks and bodies? Warmoth used to offer Bass VI necks and IIRC bodies but now I don't see them anymore. Do you use a repurposed bass body? Guitar body? Ditto, neck? Right now I have a Squier Jaguar bass that I would be happy to repurpose as the base of a Bass VI build but I don't know if that would work or not.
 
#179
Habilis said:
Do you use a repurposed bass body? Guitar body? Ditto, neck? Right now I have a Squier Jaguar bass that I would be happy to repurpose as the base of a Bass VI build but I don't know if that would work or not.
Click to expand...

If you're have a 30" scale bass, then yes, you can use the body and neck. All you have to do is replace the bridge with a six-string bridge, replace the nut, and then do either of the following:

A)Fill the four bass tuner holes and re-drill for six guitar tuners, like so:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

B)Just drill two new guitar tuner holes, like this:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=242224&d=1325049858

I chose the first option on mine (I made my own telemaster-style body & used an SX short-scale jazz neck), but the second option will get you there a little faster.

By the way, if you're using an existing short-scale bass body, the Bronco is the way to go, as it only has one pickup, which is roughly the same size as a typical single-coil guitar pickup. Rout the other two pickup cavities yourself, make a new pickguard, and you're good to go.
 
#180
So, if I bought a whole Squier Bronco bass I could do this, right? Swap the bridge out for a Jaguar/Jazzmaster bridge and tail, rout the body, swap in some P-90's, and retrofit the neck/nut for 6 strings? I'm trying to think of a way to keep my costs down. As we approach the $400 mark it just makes more sense to me to wait for a used Hellcat VI or Eastwood Sidejack VI to show up.
 

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