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Whats your favourite six string bass ? (and why?)

#3
I used to own several 6 string basses, even a fretless one, but now they are down to a couple. Reasons are more of practical ones: I barely use the high-C string when playing in bands, they weighed quite a lot (5-6 kg) thus weren't that comforting for hourly gigs, and I've got a 7 string bass which I could use for practicing chords and melodies.

One that I keep is a fanned fret Ibanez SRFF806. This one weighs only 3.8 kg, so that takes care of the comfort aspect, and the low-B is 35.5" scale, which makes the notes clearly pronounced throughout the neck. The fan between the low-B to G is only 1.5" (which is only a half of Dingwall's) or 1.9" from low-B to high-C, so it doesn't really need adjusting when switching from/to parallel fretted basses.

Is it my favourite? For a 6er, yes, but not the most favourite out of my entire bass collections. One of reasons for having a 6 string bass is to play chords. But, I find it easier to play chords on my parallel fretted bass compared to the fanned fret one, which in reality, I almost always pick my 7 string when practicing chords.

So, I also need to ask OP, what are your goal(s) for having a 6er? And the same question like @MMiler28, are you set on fanned fret?
 
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#4
I presently own two 6-string basses.

A Roscoe SKB-3006 and a Ristola Exotic-6. Both basses sound awesome.


I prefer the Ristola because it balances much better on a strap. The Roscoe is neck heavy.

I believe Brian Ristola is no longer building basses, which IMO is unfortunate. If he ever goes back to building basses, I’ll definitely put down a deposit and have him build me another. My Ristola is the best bass that I own, and I’ve been playing it for close to 12 years now.

A2BA24E7-592E-41B1-AAE6-379E4E33B112.jpeg
 
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#6
Thanks for your contributions so far!

I‘m not necessarily set on fanned frets, I‘m just used to them because of my NG-2.

I eye a six string bass because we‘re a 3-piece band and playing chords is sometimes rather fitting and a five string bass, unless strung E-C, won’t let me do that.
 
#7
For tone and playability, Bongo 6. Greatest-sounding sixer in history, and all Music Man basses feel and play AWESOME. If ONLY Music Man would build Stingray or Sterling 6-strings, because man, those Bongos' looks are... ahem... an acquired taste, to say the least. I'm not a 6-string kinda guy, personally, so luckily I don't have trouble finding basses I love. Good luck!
 
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#9
I'm not any sort of a six-string player, but I've tried out an Ibanez Gio at a local GC a couple times and can't believe how decent it seems to both play and sound with the price tag of a true entry level bass. If I get enough of the itch for a six and decide to scratch it, that bass looks like a no-brainer.
 
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#10
Arthur U. Poon said:
I presently own two 6-string basses.

A Roscoe SKB-3006 and a Ristola Exotic-6. Both basses sound awesome.


I prefer the Ristola because it balances much better on a strap. The Roscoe is neck heavy.

I believe Brian Ristola is no longer building basses, which IMO is unfortunate. If he ever goes back to building basses, I’ll definitely put down a deposit and have him build me another. My Ristola is the best bass that I own, and I’ve been playing it for close to 12 years now.

View attachment 3748449
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**Bass Porn Alert**

...just wow, thanks for sharing :drool::drool::drool:
 
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#12
Thegrandwazoo said:
For tone and playability, Bongo 6. Greatest-sounding sixer in history, and all Music Man basses play awesome. If ONLY Music Man would build Stingray or Sterling 6-strings, because man, those Bongos are... ahem... an acquired taste, to say the least. I'm not a 6-string kinda guy, personally, so luckily I don't have trouble finding basses I love. Good luck!
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I agree with this since my number 1s are a 6 HH fretted and fretless.

I don't know what he means about acquired taste :D once you play it, it'll blow you mind.
 
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#14
JeroB666 said:
I agree with this since my number 1s are a 6 HH fretted and fretless.

I don't know what he means about acquired taste :D once you play it, it'll blow you mind.
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Well, aesthetically, they're not for everyone, haha! I also miss the oil/wax finished necks from the other MMs. I'm a Sterling kinda guy, personally. The Bongo is a hell of an instrument, to be certain.
 
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#16
SleazyB said:
Funny that you mention the Bongo, I just found a used one online! What’s a fair price for a used six string Bongo ? I absolutely have no idea what a used Musicman should go for
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I'd say in the neighborhood of $1200-1800 for normal ones, but there seems to be an inordinately high percentage of various special edition Bongos (vs other Music Man models, don't know why that is) which can get damn pricy.
 
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#20
Ibanez SR706 because it's an amazing instrument for the ~$US400 I paid for it with a moulded HSC. It has the great SR neck, is pretty in an understated way and sounds good enough to my ears that the few others I've tried in stores, always at about 4x+ the cost don't seem worth it.
The other I have is the Ibanez SRC6 which is a 30" scale unit tuned B-E.
 
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