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Post subject: Re: Bring Back Fender Bass VI
Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 11:52 am
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Is the string spacing the same as on a regular 6 string guitar, or is it a little bit wider?


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Post subject: Re: Bring Back Fender Bass VI
Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 4:11 pm
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Not sure if it's appropriate to post this here - mods please remove if not - but the Music Zoo has one of the current Japanese reissues in their inventory:

http://www.themusiczoo.com/product/15616/Fender-Classic-Series-Bass-VI-Vintage-White-/

The exciting thing to me is that they have it listed as part of the "Classic Series" - think Fender is thinking of putting some out over here? Is this just a feeler? It looks like it hasn't been sold yet, it's been up for almost a month...

EDIT: Sorry just noticed that it actually has sold, as it's listed as "out of stock" further down on the page. But hopefully that is a good thing and they will start distributing them here!

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Post subject: Re: Bring Back Fender Bass VI
Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2013 10:02 am
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Well, it's back!!!!

http://www.fender.com/en-NL/series/pawn-shop/pawn-shop-bass-vi/


As a Pawn Shop Model.


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Post subject: Re: Bring Back Fender Bass VI
Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2013 2:45 pm
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TonH wrote:

Something in the description caught my eye: "the seldom-seen Fender Bass Guitar (also known as the Bass VI)" - I have never seen the Bass VI referred to as "Fender Bass Guitar" - wouldn't that be a P or Jazz Bass??? :?:

And to me, this new Pawnshop model is a pretty significant departure from the traditional Bass VI (pickups, switching options) but at least they kept it 30" scale.

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Post subject: Re: Bring Back Fender Bass VI
Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2013 9:42 pm
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The Pawn Shop boasts a humbucking Jazzmaster pickup in the bridge and two overwound Jaguar single-coils! :P

Yet the chrome metal control plates were gone and the pickup switching is much simpler than the original - good point. :wink:

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Post subject: Re: Bring Back Fender Bass VI
Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2013 10:02 pm
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When will it be in the shops do you think?

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Post subject: Re: Bring Back Fender Bass VI
Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 11:15 am
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Any word on if they'll do a classic series version or anything? This new version is cool, but for my money I want the chrome control plates and no strange mismatched bridge pickups... I've been desperate for a Bass VI for years now, but I'd hate to to buy a fender, rip it apart, and then rebuild it to be an actual Bass VI. I doubt it'd be hard to do the modifications, but it's the principal of the thing. Anyone listening Fender?

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Post subject: Re: Bring Back Fender Bass VI
Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 8:00 am
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This new Fender Bass VI (if you can even call it that) is a total disappointment. It's features have been rather dramatically reduced/downgraded from the real thing. Gone are the separate on/off switches for each pup - instead a cheap, less customizable blade assembly has been used. Gone is the strangle switch. Gone are the 3 single coil Jag pups which gave it that amazing sound. Gone are the great .095>.026 strings which gave it that classic bass response and tone. Instead, it comes with significantly lighter gauge strings - which greatly impacts tone. Not even sure it can accommodate the proper gauge strings as an option. The truss rod is not the stronger reinforced one found on other VIs. So, structurally may be an issue with thicker strings. And they might not fit in the stock tuning pegs/nut or bridge. Some of the first players to try one out have said it feels a bit flimsy (especially the floating trem) and the bass response was poor - particularly on the E string.

You might be much better off getting the 2012 Schecter Hellcat VI which is more true - IMO - to the classic Bass VI and is very reasonably priced for what you get (uses 3 Seymour Duncan SJAG-1 pups - which sound great btw) except it does not have a trem- which for me is kind of useless with thick strings anyway OR get the UltraCure Robert Smith VI also from Schecter OR get the new MIJ version of the Fender Bass VI - which is MUCH closer to the specs of the classic Bass VI - available from Japanese retailers and some US ones OR get a Burns Barracuda. Why couldn't they just do this right and produce a "real" Bass VI like the current MIJ model and made this stripped-down version the cheaper Squire version? What a missed opportunity. I'll pass.....YMMV

Some early user reviews and comments can be found here...https://www.facebook.com/groups/34542190945/


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Post subject: Re: Bring Back Fender Bass VI
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2013 10:29 pm
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I got tired of waiting and made my own. It has an original VI bridge, switch and control plate.
http://www.wizardsofaz.com/gecko/bassvi.html


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Post subject: Ignore Kenstee
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 3:45 pm
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Kenstee has posted the same "rant" in every thread he can find about this instrument. It's sort of pathological - Kenstee, what did these instruments ever do to you? He's entitled to his opinion, but I disagree. It's hard to say this is a "drastic downgrade".

Yeah, it's got a blade switch. So what. And yeah, it's built around lighter gauge strings. That's also changeable, if desired. Some players have also said it feels solid, well-built, and better than other Bass VI knockoffs.

The Pawn Shop Bass VI is a fine instrument, especially given the price of alternatives, vintage units, MIJ bits, etc.

I considered the Schecters, but I found them to be unacceptably ugly. As for build quality, I can't say they were any better or worse than the Pawn Shop VI.


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Post subject: Re: Bring Back Fender Bass VI
Posted: Thu May 09, 2013 5:57 am
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The 5-way blade selector makes the pickup switching much easier than those infamous complex sliding switches.

The addition of a hot bridge humbucker with Jazzmaster covers adds more fatness and growl.

Personally I prefer having this baritone guitar with a pair of blendable Enforcer humbuckers in the same Jazzmaster fashion.


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Post subject: Re: Bring Back Fender Bass VI
Posted: Fri May 10, 2013 9:59 pm
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Those sliding switches are a maintenance nightmare. The blade switch is far more reliable and requires no maintenance.

If anything the slide switches they are using now are better than during the CBS era and the blade switches worse, but still the slide switches are still not as reliable as the blades over the long haul.

They should include a can of DEOXIT with every Fender with slide switches.

Can someone please talk about what the original Fender VI is good for? The most common use I know of is the studio application of doubling the electric bass part to add a top and attack. Several noted producers used it for that. Another use is to emulate the Ladislav "Ladi" Geisler "Knack-Bass" tone like you hear on old Bert Kaempfert recordings...which is perhaps better known today as a "Tic-Tac" tone. Those Kaempfert sessions were MADE by that signature bass tone which was PERFECT for use in string/horn orchestrations and nobody did it better than Mr. Geisler. Lots of people tried to duplicate it but few succeeded.

What are some other good applications for this instrument? I really would like to know.


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Post subject: Re: Bring Back Fender Bass VI
Posted: Sat May 11, 2013 2:41 am
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There is this Dutch artist/band called Hank the Knife adn the Jets that used the Bass VI.

It's used as a guitar (baritone).

See and listen to these clips.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOoV6vIJ8QM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTIhstWjsZU


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Post subject: Re: Bring Back Fender Bass VI
Posted: Sat May 11, 2013 9:11 am
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The Beatles used one in the filming of Let It Be. If you have that video/movie, you'll hear it a lot. Glenn Campbell used it quite often for that booming sound he had in so many songs. Rick Danko of the Band used one, Jack Bruce of Cream had one. The tone is different from any other. http://timeelect.com/music/exp-mk6-1A.mp3


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Post subject: Re: Bring Back Fender Bass VI
Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 4:12 am
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I've brought it 2 month later, It's fine instruments, but mex production isn't better of squier production... for me...
The Great problem of Pawn Shop Bass VI is the bridge... the saddles is faulty in this bridge... in particular the low E, is impossible... it's a terrible fender mistake... I must buy a thirdy party bridge is 1" wide with screw the rest in place, not just the original that grow up until string...


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