I play a VI in a surf band as a bassist. Combined with 2 guitars and a drum. When used with a set of roundwound strings, the VI does not really cut it imho. Although when used with a La Bella set of flatwounds especially designed for the VI it tonal bliss ! Then it sounds much, much deeper and it really adds that vintage bass tone this kind of music needs +I can double guitar parts when needed. Whenever I play it, the VI puts a huge smile on my face! It tightens the whole band together, better then my 34" basses do...
Oh man, so much to cover here. First off, the Bass VI has been used by everyone from The Beatles and Cream to The Cure and RHCP. In fact, all the bass lines you hear on the The Beatles white album, Abbey Road and Let it be where Paul is playing piano or guitar, is the Bass VI. Let it be, The long and winding road, Back in the USSR etc...Second, 30 inches is a short scale bass and again, tons of legendary bass players from McCartney to Jack Bruce to Carol Kaye have used short scale basses. So a Bass VI wont sound exactly like a P or Jazz bass, but it can absolutely be used as a bass on any track because it IS a bass. Want a fatter bass sound? Get heavier gauge strings and/or run it thru a BF Bassman, Twin or Ampeg. Its an excellent instrument.
Hi Michael. Enjoyed your post! I did an earlier video on the Bass VI where I cover some of the history that you mention. Before I went digital with the Fractal, I played my Bass VI through a ‘73 Bassman 100 Silverface with a 2x12 cabinet. Great rig for guitar, bass and VI. I still have it but it doesn’t get much use these days. That rig was _loud_
Pickup choice is a big thing with a VI; I generally use the middle pickup on its own when playing songs I'd otherwise play using my Precision. It's not an equivalent, but the tone really works well in that context. For what it's worth, the P-bass is gathering dust; I can't put the VI down.
I recently purchased a Squire Classic Vibe version of the Bass VI. It is really a fun and inspiring instrument. I think it would be interesting to put a humbucker in the bridge position, and then string it like a baritone guitar
Great video Brent! I use a Bass VI in a jazz trio with a saxophonist and a drummer. It fills the harmonic gaps that a keyboard would. Occasionally it will fill the role of a bass soloist, but not often. EQ wise, I've found the fact it doesn't sound like a P or a J bass is an advantage as the chords I'm playing are fairly dense and ornate (what with it being jazz and all). Having a "thinner" sound gives clarity to the chords. My go-to pickup configuration is Middle and Bridge, although I do switch around a bit depending on the piece we're playing
Thanks for your videos! I'm in a custom bass vi with a Luthier thanks to the Fontaines DC song "Jackie Down The Line" but i just discovered a whole new world about it! I'm just a guitarist who will try to create short bass lines with occasional chords so I think it will suit me. Keep the good work, subscribed!
Thank you. Very informative. I am considering on of these. Started with a Fender Music master way back. Eventually got a Precision. Age and arthritis have let me to a 32" Jazz bass copy. A 6 would lead to an interesting power trio dynamic.
Fun comparison, thanks! Guitarist here but I do have a Rickenbacker & Hofner (both flat-wound) and I would love one of these - good enough for John & George, good enough for me!
I’ve been obsessed with the bass vi since the 90’s, yet have never managed to get my hands on one. I’ve been on the look out for a 90’s Japanese one for a while. Somehow I’ve only just discovered your videos on the bass vi but they were both great. Really well done. In terms of your last comment about a band with just drums, keys and bass vi, The Crawl by Placebo is a song that’s based mostly on the bass vi, with drums and some keys. Their whole second album is littered with bass vi. That and Disintegration by The Cure are the two albums that introduced me to the bass vi sound.
You can fake a typical bass in a mix with an EQ pedal, muting the strings, playing with the thumb, using a bass amp and (ideally) using flatwound strings. You never get the same experience as a player though, but something different. It's also worth mentioning that having a thin sounding bass which the VI does well gives a lot of sonic space to the kick drum in a mix.
I use a Fender VI as a bass for recording. I write quite melodic bass lines not just playing the root all the time and I want them to be heard. I find it has a crisper more defined sound but with bass sounding characteristics.
The Bass Six is definitely not meant for any form of “traditional” bass parts. During the 2010s when the Squier Vintage Modified Bass Six hit the Market, I tried it out a couple of retailers and figured out that it isn’t supposed to be played like just a bass or a guitar. Although I did record the record under my real name about the history of the Brooklyn Bridge and included my Vintage Modified Bass Six for most of the bass parts, I purchased it with the mentality that it could be used in a fusion-type context the way Victor Wooten has played tenor bass on Flecktones tracks. On many occasions when I have played it, I have allowed myself to divide between traditional basslines and a kind of harmonic extension from the two extra strings. More people should think of approaching it that way.
Your comments about string tension being less because of the short scale length are irrelevant if you use string gauges appropriate to the scale length. Putting it differently, you have strings that are too light for the scale length.
Do the strings of the BassVI fit the P-Bass? What about the length? I'm asking because I'm thinking about applying LA BELLA 767-6F FLATWOUNDS FOR FENDER BASS VI to my LTD B-206 SM bass guitar but I think they'll be short for my guitar, am I right?
Standard bass is better suited for slower tracks that require more bottom fill. In mid to high tempo music, I would say it doesn't matter how deep you fill the low end, because it will all be lost in the mix. At the same time, bass 6 is always well readable, it is not lost in any situation. Bottom line, I would say that the Bass 6 is suitable for almost any music, it is completely versatile. And if you have a compact home studio, then this is just perfect for you because you can use it as both a bass and a guitar. Why do you need many guitars? Take this one guitar and cover all your needs
That's a really great perspective. Great point about a standard bass having more low end...it does for sure. But also, as you say, a lot of that low end you wind up needing to take away or at least "tame" in the mix. And so, you wind up having to do some extra work in compression or eq to account for that. I never thought of it that way. In my next recording project, I will try using the Bass VI in place of the P-Bass and see to what degree it simplifies things in the mix. Although, as I think about it, I suppose another approach could be to dial in a brighter tone with less low end on the P-Bass either on the tone control or the amp before recording the part. Lots to think about here.
Years ago I had the pawn shop bass vi as my main instrument in a ambient band I was the bassist. I used it with a fender bassman 250 combo (2x10) and a deluxe reverb. I would make the bass amp very big sounding and the guitar amp very bright. The end result was pretty good had to use a amp selector to mute the guitar amp from time to time. It was fun. But went back to play a 4 string after a while. The idea was cool not the load in with all that gear tho.
Thanks for this vid! The exact comparison I was looking for. I’ve played guitar for years and sometimes just want to throw down quick bass on a track before I lose inspiration/my thought. Sometimes my little Martin and short scale guitars get the most play around my house because they’re the easiest to pick up, move from room to room and play right away. I think the real allure of the VI bass is some of the experimental thinking/exploration/sonic layering/drop tuning that one might do with it where they wouldn’t a bass. Even more so if it’s a guitarist who’s more comfortable on 6 strings. Appreciate your insight on how the VI might need some EQ/compression changes to compare to a regular P-bass. Cheers from Chicago
Hey, thanks Mike! I think you really nailed it. The Bass VI is such a unique animal that it inspires or perhaps requires one to approach it differently, which makes it a real catalyst for creativity. Even for a guitar player like me, yes, it has six strings, but the longer scale and the heavier gauge strings mean that my fingers don't fall into the same patterns as they do on a guitar.
My friend Lee Sklar uses mandolin frets on many of his basses. I just use short scales, and mostly with a pick. That said I don’t get much fret rattle. I have two vi basses, one a Squier and the other is a Gretsch. I’m 70 now and have used a Gibson EB2C since 1970, I also have a Hofner club and a few others. I also use flats and not bright sounding round wounds. I don’t feel my choice of scale length is as limiting as your video makes it out to be. Currently I do mostly recording and garage playing. My performance years are a decade past.
My bass VI clone I’m building uses four hot rails and is tuned Gb standard down an octave (Gb1-Gb3) I play with a six string bass player tuned F#0 to G2 and a guitarist tuned in Eb standard
There is a band called 'The Church', they have an album called 'Priest=Aura'. As far as I know, the Fender VI bass was used on every track on that particular album.
I saw the Church many years before that... Kilby was playing his Fender VI and it took me a quick minute to figure out who the hell was playing bass because it looked like everybody on stage had a guitar. Plugged into an SVT and playing the low strings you would have thought he was on a P-bass, I think he had flatwounds but maybe he just rolled the tone control down. Absolutely beautiful bass sound with super punchy low end and no string rattle at all. Either going with flats or putting a heavier low E string ((like a 100 rather than the stock 84) if you stay with rounds is essential to getting the VI to sound like a regular bass of that's what you are going for with it. Just like any 30" bass put heavy enough strings to make up for the looseness of the short scale and it will be pretty difficult to tell it from a 34" bass. You still have to deal with the tight string spacing of the VI but as long as you are good with that it can absolutely play the role of a "normal" bass.
My bass VI sounds very different over a guitar vs bass amp. I don't think it can be a sonic replacement for a long scale bass but neither can a short scale bass like a mustang .
Fender Bass-6 seems similar to a long neck guitar also maybe known as a baritone guitar. 6 strings, longer neck, and three pickups: so what level on the scale is it? With the different pedals today. Is it possible that this instrument can be used as a guitar and as a bass at the same time?
Bought the Duane Eddy bass VI. It is a beautiful instrument. I double it often with the P bass and palm muting. That's how they did it in the old days... doubling with a dog house bass. Then there's the "La Bamba" sound.
You wouldn’t play a bass VI to try and sound like a P, better for it to be its own sound and equally, a P couldn’t sound like a VI. I have certainly used mine as the sole bass in my band and it sounds great. It has more definition and is less woolly than a P ( I have both)
Can you play anything like a guitar solo on it? I have seen several of these videos and nobody puts any gain to it and "rips" a solo. I am sure you couldn't shred on it like a guitar, but I have not seen anyone use the whole neck with distortion.
I have a Harley Benton Guitarbass, and I'm coming to it more as a bassist. Heck, I even got a custom string set specifically so I could tune it all in fourths, E to F, like a Bajo Sexto. I plan on learning some more chordal techniques beyond basic power chords so I can pull some guitar moves on it, but otherwise, I think it's sufficient enough as an extended range bass. I was even thinking about trying a low B string on there, but with the short scale I'm not too confident about it.
Now have you tried Mustang Bass which is also 30" scale but does not have flubby Low E string. This is the other bass coming from Guitar that is comfortable, and would get you closer to P bass in tone. I also have J - Bass which feel long after playing guitar. Agree with you Bass VI is it own thing.
the original inverter was Danelectro and that bass was made famous by the great Carol Kaye the studio musician of the wrecking crew playing the 6 string bass doubling the upright bass the style became known as tic tac bass was very popular in country if you listen to Patsy Cline recordings
Hello . I also have the Fender Six bass . I use it for the songs of Jet Harris. And I play Besame Mucho from Apollo 100 , so not the one of Jet Harris.
I have always used the Fender Bass VI string set: www.fender.com/en-US/accessories/strings/super-250s-bass-vi-strings/0730250413.html Other folks rave about the options from Stringjoy and La Bella, but I have not played with those yet.
@@jackglabere6653you might consider ordering none from Sweetwater. They have a great return policy if it isn’t your thing. I’d be happy to connect you to my customer rep there, Ryan. He can tell you all about it.
@@jackglabere6653You’ll want a set that is made for the Bass VI. Just Google for it. Fender, LaBella and Stringjoy are popular, although I’ve always used the Fender ones. To be honest, a set will last a looooong time.
Hi Jon. The 4 lower strings on a Bass VI are in the same octave and deliver the same notes as a conventional 4-string bass (i.e. they are in the same octave). What differs is the way those notes sound. The 4-string bass has a lot more resonance and sustain at low frequencies (and not very much at the upper-mid and high frequencies) whereas the Bass VI tends to be focused more on the mid-range frequencies (and it tends to not sustain notes for nearly as long). A standard guitar is tuned one octave higher compared to either a Bass VI or a 4-string bass.
Is not a bass considered (tone?) Hi impedance and as a clef scale instrument, where the guitar is considered a treble and low impedance string instrument. Of all orchestrated string instruments, " what instrument of string does match in tones and scales to the FenderVI - instrument?
Stephen Stills proved that a Bass VI could be used artistically with his breathtaking solo in the latter half of CSNY’s Deja Vu. It starts out up in guitar territory, seamlessly descending down into the bass register. But even Stills used a P Bass for his more conventional bass lines. Easier to play, easier to EQ.
I used the Squire version tried many set ups and gave up..Id buy the FENDER version next time I feel like one...traded mine with upgrades for another RC600 scew that PIA
Back in the USSR by the Beatles is a good example of a Bass VI in action. Also checkout Maneskin. Vic DeAngelis rocks a short scale in that band and there's no lank of punch. You simply need the right setup. Also I agree the Bass VI can't do what a P or Jazz can do, but then again a P or Jazz can't do what a Bass VI does. It's its own thing, which I hope to have soon
If you want to know how this instrument sounds in the context of a band, listen to Placebo's Without You I'm Nothing album. Songs like Burger Queen are good examples of how this instrument should be used, and it's especially convenient when there's only one guitar in the band.
an interesting highly relevant story ..robert smith of the cure who pretty much single handedly rekindled interest in the fender vi in the early 80s so much wanted to use the fender vi on the recording of their hit single primary ..however due to certain sonic tonal failings he had to revert to a pair of p basses instead to pull this thing off ..so while the vi is a great songwriting tool there are circumstances where a good old long scale bass is the only way to go.
Nearly all basses from Gibson, Rickenbacker, Hofner, Hagstrom, and others were 30" scale length for many years. The shorter the scale length, the heavier the strings need to be to achieve the same tension. You can have custom strings made - they aren't cheap, but they last a very long time and make a world of difference. Despite what the company has said, the Fender VI was a baritone guitar from a time when there was no such thing. If it was a bass, it would be tuned in all 4ths, like the short-lived Fender V that came out a few years later.
I don't think anyone really wants to use the Bass VI as an actual bass--most use it as a baritone guitar. Modern metal players especially like it tuned down to E1 standard for djenty sounding distorted guitar tones, as some find it more familiar and comfortable than 7, 8, or 9-string guitars.
@@brentfoxguitar345 I think it's Simon with the Bass VI pluged in a Bass amp, If you look closely the videoclip of Fascination street you can see Simon with the Bass VI, but it's Robert SMith who said in an interview that the bass line recorded for this track is not a bass but something between a bass and a guitar.... exactly what a Fender Bass VI is !!!
From someone whos been playing a VI for years, its the pickups that makes it go wobbly The string pull of those alnico poles is gigantic, if you low the neck pickup at max, or even ditch it, theres no more wobble nor muddy low e In the end i got tired and changed all 3 for rail pickups, and no more problems Also 30” scale, is the same tension and distance as tuning a 34” 1 full tone lower, and putting a capo on 2nd fret 👀
A So-Call Bass VI is Just a Guitar, It is a Contraguitar Contraguitar = B0 E1 A1 D2 G2 B2 E3 Baritone Contraguitar = F#0 B0 E1 A1 D2 F#2 B2 Barbaritone Contraguitar = C#0 F#0 B0 E1 A1 C#2 F#2 (Standard Tuning For Guitar in a Pitch of a Bass) Barbaritone Contraguitar is an Ordinary Guitar That Has a Scale Length of a Bass and It Is Tuned To Standard Guitar Tuning in the Pitch of a Bass) Except That The Bass is Tuned in Perfect Fourths - Bobby McLoughlin
Is not a bass considered (tone?) Hi impedance and as a clef scale instrument, where the guitar is considered a treble and low impedance string instrument. Of all orchestrated string instruments, " what instrument of string does match in tones and scales to the FenderVI - instrument?
Fender Bass-6 seems similar to a long neck guitar also maybe known as a baritone guitar. 6 strings, longer neck, and three pickups: so what level on the scale is it? With the different pedals today. Is it possible that this instrument can be used as a guitar and as a bass at the same time?
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I play a VI in a surf band as a bassist. Combined with 2 guitars and a drum. When used with a set of roundwound strings, the VI does not really cut it imho. Although when used with a La Bella set of flatwounds especially designed for the VI it tonal bliss ! Then it sounds much, much deeper and it really adds that vintage bass tone this kind of music needs +I can double guitar parts when needed. Whenever I play it, the VI puts a huge smile on my face! It tightens the whole band together, better then my 34" basses do...
Of all the videos I’ve watched on the Bass VI this one has been the most useful.
Exactly!!!
How many chugg-chugg should I go through?
A very thoughtful, practical and useful comparison. Thanks!
Oh man, so much to cover here. First off, the Bass VI has been used by everyone from The Beatles and Cream to The Cure and RHCP. In fact, all the bass lines you hear on the The Beatles white album, Abbey Road and Let it be where Paul is playing piano or guitar, is the Bass VI. Let it be, The long and winding road, Back in the USSR etc...Second, 30 inches is a short scale bass and again, tons of legendary bass players from McCartney to Jack Bruce to Carol Kaye have used short scale basses. So a Bass VI wont sound exactly like a P or Jazz bass, but it can absolutely be used as a bass on any track because it IS a bass. Want a fatter bass sound? Get heavier gauge strings and/or run it thru a BF Bassman, Twin or Ampeg. Its an excellent instrument.
Hi Michael. Enjoyed your post! I did an earlier video on the Bass VI where I cover some of the history that you mention.
Before I went digital with the Fractal, I played my Bass VI through a ‘73 Bassman 100 Silverface with a 2x12 cabinet. Great rig for guitar, bass and VI. I still have it but it doesn’t get much use these days. That rig was _loud_
On abbey road and the white album. The jazz bass was used also on songs where Paul was playing guitar or piano
@@rustedsunday7489 I’m glad you mentioned it.
I'm sure it hasn't been on a RHCP album unless I'm mistaken. John Frusciante has though.
@@rustedsunday7489 ..originally it was the bass vi on the first takes but george martin insisted on a long scale bass replacement for the final cut.
Pickup choice is a big thing with a VI; I generally use the middle pickup on its own when playing songs I'd otherwise play using my Precision. It's not an equivalent, but the tone really works well in that context. For what it's worth, the P-bass is gathering dust; I can't put the VI down.
I recently purchased a Squire Classic Vibe version of the Bass VI. It is really a fun and inspiring instrument. I think it would be interesting to put a humbucker in the bridge position, and then string it like a baritone guitar
Great video Brent! I use a Bass VI in a jazz trio with a saxophonist and a drummer. It fills the harmonic gaps that a keyboard would. Occasionally it will fill the role of a bass soloist, but not often. EQ wise, I've found the fact it doesn't sound like a P or a J bass is an advantage as the chords I'm playing are fairly dense and ornate (what with it being jazz and all). Having a "thinner" sound gives clarity to the chords. My go-to pickup configuration is Middle and Bridge, although I do switch around a bit depending on the piece we're playing
Great! Looking to buy a p bass in the near future
Thanks for your videos! I'm in a custom bass vi with a Luthier thanks to the Fontaines DC song "Jackie Down The Line" but i just discovered a whole new world about it! I'm just a guitarist who will try to create short bass lines with occasional chords so I think it will suit me. Keep the good work, subscribed!
Thank you. Very informative. I am considering on of these. Started with a Fender Music master way back. Eventually got a Precision. Age and arthritis have let me to a 32" Jazz bass copy. A 6 would lead to an interesting power trio dynamic.
Fun comparison, thanks! Guitarist here but I do have a Rickenbacker & Hofner (both flat-wound) and I would love one of these - good enough for John & George, good enough for me!
I’ve been obsessed with the bass vi since the 90’s, yet have never managed to get my hands on one. I’ve been on the look out for a 90’s Japanese one for a while.
Somehow I’ve only just discovered your videos on the bass vi but they were both great. Really well done.
In terms of your last comment about a band with just drums, keys and bass vi, The Crawl by Placebo is a song that’s based mostly on the bass vi, with drums and some keys. Their whole second album is littered with bass vi. That and Disintegration by The Cure are the two albums that introduced me to the bass vi sound.
You can fake a typical bass in a mix with an EQ pedal, muting the strings, playing with the thumb, using a bass amp and (ideally) using flatwound strings. You never get the same experience as a player though, but something different. It's also worth mentioning that having a thin sounding bass which the VI does well gives a lot of sonic space to the kick drum in a mix.
I use a Fender VI as a bass for recording. I write quite melodic bass lines not just playing the root all the time and I want them to be heard. I find it has a crisper more defined sound but with bass sounding characteristics.
The Bass Six is definitely not meant for any form of “traditional” bass parts. During the 2010s when the Squier Vintage Modified Bass Six hit the Market, I tried it out a couple of retailers and figured out that it isn’t supposed to be played like just a bass or a guitar. Although I did record the record under my real name about the history of the Brooklyn Bridge and included my Vintage Modified Bass Six for most of the bass parts, I purchased it with the mentality that it could be used in a fusion-type context the way Victor Wooten has played tenor bass on Flecktones tracks. On many occasions when I have played it, I have allowed myself to divide between traditional basslines and a kind of harmonic extension from the two extra strings. More people should think of approaching it that way.
Your comments about string tension being less because of the short scale length are irrelevant if you use string gauges appropriate to the scale length. Putting it differently, you have strings that are too light for the scale length.
Do the strings of the BassVI fit the P-Bass? What about the length? I'm asking because I'm thinking about applying LA BELLA 767-6F FLATWOUNDS FOR FENDER BASS VI to my LTD B-206 SM bass guitar but I think they'll be short for my guitar, am I right?
Standard bass is better suited for slower tracks that require more bottom fill. In mid to high tempo music, I would say it doesn't matter how deep you fill the low end, because it will all be lost in the mix. At the same time, bass 6 is always well readable, it is not lost in any situation. Bottom line, I would say that the Bass 6 is suitable for almost any music, it is completely versatile. And if you have a compact home studio, then this is just perfect for you because you can use it as both a bass and a guitar. Why do you need many guitars? Take this one guitar and cover all your needs
That's a really great perspective. Great point about a standard bass having more low end...it does for sure. But also, as you say, a lot of that low end you wind up needing to take away or at least "tame" in the mix. And so, you wind up having to do some extra work in compression or eq to account for that. I never thought of it that way.
In my next recording project, I will try using the Bass VI in place of the P-Bass and see to what degree it simplifies things in the mix.
Although, as I think about it, I suppose another approach could be to dial in a brighter tone with less low end on the P-Bass either on the tone control or the amp before recording the part. Lots to think about here.
Thank you for video ! but special thanks for comments
I once put extra long baritone strings on my vi. That was a blast, tuned it to a low b.
Years ago I had the pawn shop bass vi as my main instrument in a ambient band I was the bassist. I used it with a fender bassman 250 combo (2x10) and a deluxe reverb. I would make the bass amp very big sounding and the guitar amp very bright. The end result was pretty good had to use a amp selector to mute the guitar amp from time to time. It was fun. But went back to play a 4 string after a while. The idea was cool not the load in with all that gear tho.
Thanks for this vid! The exact comparison I was looking for. I’ve played guitar for years and sometimes just want to throw down quick bass on a track before I lose inspiration/my thought. Sometimes my little Martin and short scale guitars get the most play around my house because they’re the easiest to pick up, move from room to room and play right away.
I think the real allure of the VI bass is some of the experimental thinking/exploration/sonic layering/drop tuning that one might do with it where they wouldn’t a bass. Even more so if it’s a guitarist who’s more comfortable on 6 strings.
Appreciate your insight on how the VI might need some EQ/compression changes to compare to a regular P-bass. Cheers from Chicago
Hey, thanks Mike! I think you really nailed it. The Bass VI is such a unique animal that it inspires or perhaps requires one to approach it differently, which makes it a real catalyst for creativity.
Even for a guitar player like me, yes, it has six strings, but the longer scale and the heavier gauge strings mean that my fingers don't fall into the same patterns as they do on a guitar.
My friend Lee Sklar uses mandolin frets on many of his basses. I just use short scales, and mostly with a pick. That said I don’t get much fret rattle. I have two vi basses, one a Squier and the other is a Gretsch. I’m 70 now and have used a Gibson EB2C since 1970, I also have a Hofner club and a few others. I also use flats and not bright sounding round wounds. I don’t feel my choice of scale length is as limiting as your video makes it out to be. Currently I do mostly recording and garage playing. My performance years are a decade past.
I use 106's on my VI and it works great as a dedicated bass.
I also run it through a GK 800 and Ampeg cab, which doesnt hurt!
My bass VI clone I’m building uses four hot rails and is tuned Gb standard down an octave (Gb1-Gb3) I play with a six string bass player tuned F#0 to G2 and a guitarist tuned in Eb standard
There is a band called 'The Church', they have an album called 'Priest=Aura'. As far as I know, the Fender VI bass was used on every track on that particular album.
You're absolutely correct. And when they finally toured the entire album in 2011, Kilbey played the whole set with a VI.
I saw the Church many years before that... Kilby was playing his Fender VI and it took me a quick minute to figure out who the hell was playing bass because it looked like everybody on stage had a guitar. Plugged into an SVT and playing the low strings you would have thought he was on a P-bass, I think he had flatwounds but maybe he just rolled the tone control down. Absolutely beautiful bass sound with super punchy low end and no string rattle at all. Either going with flats or putting a heavier low E string ((like a 100 rather than the stock 84) if you stay with rounds is essential to getting the VI to sound like a regular bass of that's what you are going for with it. Just like any 30" bass put heavy enough strings to make up for the looseness of the short scale and it will be pretty difficult to tell it from a 34" bass. You still have to deal with the tight string spacing of the VI but as long as you are good with that it can absolutely play the role of a "normal" bass.
My bass VI sounds very different over a guitar vs bass amp. I don't think it can be a sonic replacement for a long scale bass but neither can a short scale bass like a mustang .
Fender Bass-6 seems similar to a long neck guitar also maybe known as a baritone guitar. 6 strings, longer neck, and three pickups: so what level on the scale is it? With the different pedals today. Is it possible that this instrument can be used as a guitar and as a bass at the same time?
Tuned E to E, and yeah.i use a fuzz octive and a looper
Bought the Duane Eddy bass VI. It is a beautiful instrument. I double it often with the P bass and palm muting. That's how they did it in the old days... doubling with a dog house bass. Then there's the "La Bamba" sound.
Were you playing skinty fia by fountaines dc before pink floyd?
@bobcatonemanband uses a bass vi in most tracks usually with pedals and finger picks playing the bass line and melody simultaneously
just checked out his channel, it's awesome.
You wouldn’t play a bass VI to try and sound like a P, better for it to be its own sound and equally, a P couldn’t sound like a VI. I have certainly used mine as the sole bass in my band and it sounds great. It has more definition and is less woolly than a P ( I have both)
Can you play anything like a guitar solo on it? I have seen several of these videos and nobody puts any gain to it and "rips" a solo. I am sure you couldn't shred on it like a guitar, but I have not seen anyone use the whole neck with distortion.
nice sound - I have a Bronco Bass - its easy to change it to a Bariton Guitar
I have a Harley Benton Guitarbass, and I'm coming to it more as a bassist. Heck, I even got a custom string set specifically so I could tune it all in fourths, E to F, like a Bajo Sexto. I plan on learning some more chordal techniques beyond basic power chords so I can pull some guitar moves on it, but otherwise, I think it's sufficient enough as an extended range bass. I was even thinking about trying a low B string on there, but with the short scale I'm not too confident about it.
Now have you tried Mustang Bass which is also 30" scale but does not have flubby Low E string. This is the other bass coming from Guitar that is comfortable, and would get you closer to P bass in tone. I also have J - Bass which feel long after playing guitar. Agree with you Bass VI is it own thing.
I have not played a Mustang bass but I’d love to. I’ll look into them. Thanks for the suggestion!
I love the Mustang bass with flats!!
Mustang bass also has a 30” scale neck. I’d love to see the mustang and the bass VI compared.
the original inverter was Danelectro and that bass was made famous by the great Carol Kaye the studio musician of the wrecking crew playing the 6 string bass doubling the upright bass the style became known as tic tac bass was very popular in country if you listen to Patsy Cline recordings
The Bass VI sounds much better with flatwounds. I use those on my Mustang Bass, making it sound much like a Precision.
Hello . I also have the Fender Six bass . I use it for the songs of Jet Harris. And I play Besame Mucho from Apollo 100 , so not the one of Jet Harris.
Maybe if someone wired the pickups in series?
Hi, can you tell me please, what kind of strings do you use for the fender VI ?
I have always used the Fender Bass VI string set: www.fender.com/en-US/accessories/strings/super-250s-bass-vi-strings/0730250413.html
Other folks rave about the options from Stringjoy and La Bella, but I have not played with those yet.
There's your problem. Get something with fatter strings like a La Bella set flat wound or round wound but get at least a 95 low E string
@@andyschultz3898 what do you mean? i see that set has 100 low E
@@myyt4382 looks like they change the string sizes it ships with. Mine originally had a .084 low E that was wayyyyy too floppy.
@@andyschultz3898 these are not the strings it is shipped with - see the link above 😉
odd, because I have flatwounds on my Squier VI and it definitely puts out just as much bottom end as my Fender J...yours sounds very tinny
Idk, this whole video juat seems to be shitting on the Bass VI. He's just really biased and just didn't care to set it up correctly.
Would you get a more bassy tone by playing through a bass amp and using a bass equalizer pedal?
Definitely. Could also roll the tone knob back.
@@brentfoxguitar345 Thanks. I can't even find a Squire model and I don't want to buy one without trying it out.
@@brentfoxguitar345 Do you know if you can use standard bass strings or do you require strings made just for that model?
@@jackglabere6653you might consider ordering none from Sweetwater. They have a great return policy if it isn’t your thing. I’d be happy to connect you to my customer rep there, Ryan. He can tell you all about it.
@@jackglabere6653You’ll want a set that is made for the Bass VI. Just Google for it. Fender, LaBella and Stringjoy are popular, although I’ve always used the Fender ones.
To be honest, a set will last a looooong time.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think a 4-string is an octave lower than a Bass VI and a standard guitar is an octave above the Bass VI.
Hi Jon. The 4 lower strings on a Bass VI are in the same octave and deliver the same notes as a conventional 4-string bass (i.e. they are in the same octave).
What differs is the way those notes sound. The 4-string bass has a lot more resonance and sustain at low frequencies (and not very much at the upper-mid and high frequencies) whereas the Bass VI tends to be focused more on the mid-range frequencies (and it tends to not sustain notes for nearly as long).
A standard guitar is tuned one octave higher compared to either a Bass VI or a 4-string bass.
I had a 6 strings bass guitar made by Hofner many years ago.
Is not a bass considered (tone?) Hi impedance and as a clef scale instrument, where the guitar is considered a treble and low impedance string instrument. Of all orchestrated string instruments, " what instrument of string does match in tones and scales to the FenderVI - instrument?
Stephen Stills proved that a Bass VI could be used artistically with his breathtaking solo in the latter half of CSNY’s Deja Vu. It starts out up in guitar territory, seamlessly descending down into the bass register. But even Stills used a P Bass for his more conventional bass lines. Easier to play, easier to EQ.
I used the Squire version tried many set ups and gave up..Id buy the FENDER version next time I feel like one...traded mine with upgrades for another RC600 scew that PIA
I play my bass vi like a guitar and I feel that’s how it should be approached
The Beatles used it on the White album in 1968 whenever Paul didn't play bass. ☮️&♥️, ☮️&❤
Back in the USSR by the Beatles is a good example of a Bass VI in action. Also checkout Maneskin. Vic DeAngelis rocks a short scale in that band and there's no lank of punch. You simply need the right setup. Also I agree the Bass VI can't do what a P or Jazz can do, but then again a P or Jazz can't do what a Bass VI does. It's its own thing, which I hope to have soon
Topic is obviously revealed deeply and meanwhile shortly. Plus to karma :-)
If you want to know how this instrument sounds in the context of a band, listen to Placebo's Without You I'm Nothing album. Songs like Burger Queen are good examples of how this instrument should be used, and it's especially convenient when there's only one guitar in the band.
an interesting highly relevant story ..robert smith of the cure who pretty much single handedly rekindled interest in the fender vi in the early 80s so much wanted to use the fender vi on the recording of their hit single primary ..however due to certain sonic tonal failings he had to revert to a pair of p basses instead to pull this thing off ..so while the vi is a great songwriting tool there are circumstances where a good old long scale bass is the only way to go.
I had not heard this story before. Love it! Thank you!
Nearly all basses from Gibson, Rickenbacker, Hofner, Hagstrom, and others were 30" scale length for many years. The shorter the scale length, the heavier the strings need to be to achieve the same tension. You can have custom strings made - they aren't cheap, but they last a very long time and make a world of difference. Despite what the company has said, the Fender VI was a baritone guitar from a time when there was no such thing. If it was a bass, it would be tuned in all 4ths, like the short-lived Fender V that came out a few years later.
Sick!
SOLI DEO GLORIA
(To The Glory of God Alone)
Father, Son & Holy Spirit
-Ronnie
I don't think anyone really wants to use the Bass VI as an actual bass--most use it as a baritone guitar. Modern metal players especially like it tuned down to E1 standard for djenty sounding distorted guitar tones, as some find it more familiar and comfortable than 7, 8, or 9-string guitars.
Fun fact, Fascination street bass line was recorded with a Fender Bass VI on the album Disintegration but playing with a bass live......
I did not know that! Very cool. Do you know if Simon recorded the part or was it Robert?
@@brentfoxguitar345 I think it's Simon with the Bass VI pluged in a Bass amp, If you look closely the videoclip of Fascination street you can see Simon with the Bass VI, but it's Robert SMith who said in an interview that the bass line recorded for this track is not a bass but something between a bass and a guitar.... exactly what a Fender Bass VI is !!!
just add the lower octive really low. Fattens that thing right up.
Money was played with a oick
From someone whos been playing a VI for years, its the pickups that makes it go wobbly
The string pull of those alnico poles is gigantic, if you low the neck pickup at max, or even ditch it, theres no more wobble nor muddy low e
In the end i got tired and changed all 3 for rail pickups, and no more problems
Also 30” scale, is the same tension and distance as tuning a 34” 1 full tone lower, and putting a capo on 2nd fret 👀
Very interesting. Can you say more about what you mean by "go wobbly"?
It’s a bass with 6 strings but it’s not a 6 string bass
A So-Call Bass VI is Just a Guitar, It is a Contraguitar
Contraguitar = B0 E1 A1 D2 G2 B2 E3
Baritone Contraguitar = F#0 B0 E1 A1 D2 F#2 B2
Barbaritone Contraguitar = C#0 F#0 B0 E1 A1 C#2 F#2 (Standard Tuning For Guitar in a Pitch of a Bass)
Barbaritone Contraguitar is an Ordinary Guitar That Has a Scale Length of a Bass and It Is Tuned To Standard Guitar Tuning in the Pitch of a Bass) Except That The Bass is Tuned in Perfect Fourths
- Bobby McLoughlin
Is not a bass considered (tone?) Hi impedance and as a clef scale instrument, where the guitar is considered a treble and low impedance string instrument. Of all orchestrated string instruments, " what instrument of string does match in tones and scales to the FenderVI - instrument?
Fender Bass-6 seems similar to a long neck guitar also maybe known as a baritone guitar. 6 strings, longer neck, and three pickups: so what level on the scale is it? With the different pedals today. Is it possible that this instrument can be used as a guitar and as a bass at the same time?