BigRedX Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 (edited) I've recently started using my Squier Bass VI a lot with one of my bands and while the sound and extended range fits in really well, the extremely narrow neck makes it very difficult for me to play accurately. So I've started looking at alternatives with roughly the same sound but featuring a neck with a more comfortable width. One of the problems I've come up against is how do manufacturers define this measurement? Is it the actual width of the nut from edge to edge? Or is is the distance between the centres of the highest and lowest strings? While defining the measurement as the actual width of the nut is the obvious choice, this measurement doesn't make any sense to me as it doesn't allow for how far in from the edge of the neck the outer strings actually are, which from a playing comfort PoV is far more important to know. So what I really need to do is to try some of the alternatives and see what feels and sounds the best for me. Anyway on with the choices... First and most confusingly the latest version of the Squier Bass VI appears to have a wider neck than mine (bought about 2 years ago). The Fender web site specifies a nut width of 42mm. Does anyone have a one of the latest models to check for me? My Bass VI has a nut width of 40mm and measures 35mm between the centres of the two E strings. The there are two models from Eastwood. The Sidejack Bass VI appears to be very much a baritone guitar with a 30" scale neck rather than a Bass VI. The nut width is given as 41mm. There is also a Teisco influenced version - the TB64 which has the more typical 3 pickup configuration and a seemingly more generous 43mm wide nut. I'm still waiting for Eastwood to get back to me with confirmation of these widths and hopefully also actual string spacing at the nut, since the last customer rep I spoke to thought that both models were the same. Does anyone have any recent experience with ordering from the Eastwood web site? How are they with returns since there doesn't appear to be any way of trying before I buy? I would have liked to try the Schecter Robert Smith Ultracure Bass VI, but it doesn't appear to made any more. I couldn't find it listed under either guitars or bass on the slow and difficult to navigate Schecter web site. Finally as a sort of left-field choice Ibanez do a 30" scale 6-sting bass - the SRC6. It's rather conventional looking compared with the other choices and is more like a normal bass guitar in design rather than a bass VI. Also the nut width is only 42mm. So does anyone actually own one of the above instruments and would care to comment on their playability and sound compared with the Squier Bass VI? Alternatively are there any other Bass VI type instruments that I should be looking at? I think the wider the nut the better. I couldn't say for sure until I've tried them, but I do know that the 40mm nut with 35mm E-E spacing of my Squier is far too narrow for me. I'm not bothered about having a vibrato - with proper bass VI strings on the Squier the tension renders it virtually useless. I do like the voicing options of the 3 pickup design which gives me both guitar and bass like sounds as required. Any ideas? Edited June 7, 2018 by BigRedX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 (edited) I've also been looking at bass VIs recently and at the moment my leading contender is the Burns Barracuda bass. https://www.thomann.de/gb/burns_barracuda_bass_white.htm I like the look of the Sidejack but I think the bass vi version has been discontinued recently as has Danelectro's equally retro looking bass vi model. Schecter also do a model called the Hellcat vi which looks more like a traditional Fender type arrangement. My research has led me to the conclusion that there's pretty much no chance of trying any of the models on my list before I buy so I'd also be interested to hear from anyone who has played any type of bass vi. Edited June 20, 2018 by Cato Spelling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted June 7, 2018 Author Share Posted June 7, 2018 That Burns Barracuda Bass is very nice looking and according to the specs has a 45mm nut, so hopefully more comfortable string spacing. Pity the pickups are Rezomatics rather than Tri-Sonics. I have a 60s Burns Sonic with Tri-Sonic pickups that has a fantastic sound. According to the Eastwood rep I was chatting with on line the other day the Sidekick Bass VI is still available. The Schecter Hellcat VI has been discontinued. I found it in the "vault" section of their website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmo Valdemar Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 12 minutes ago, Cato said: I've also been looking at bass VIs recently and at the moment my leading contender is the Burns Barracuda bass. https://www.thomann.de/gb/burns_barracuda_bass_white.htm I didn't know they still made these! I remember the one time Bassist magazine gave away a free CD, one of the tracks was Liqorice Locking playing one of these on The Man With The Golden Arm. Made my earholes go all funny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 I've also come across a couple of interesting bass vi types from a company called Agile but I don't think that they are available in Europe. https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=agile+bass+vi&oq=agile+bass+vi&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i60j0l2.13663j0j7&client=tablet-android-samsung&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted June 7, 2018 Author Share Posted June 7, 2018 Those Agile Bass VIs don't appear to be available anywhere. I couldn't even find a web site for them! Also some of the configurations are more in Baritone guitar territory than bass VI. Without confirmation of a 30" scale length I couldn't take a punt on one even if I could find one for sale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 14 minutes ago, BigRedX said: According to the Eastwood rep I was chatting with on line the other day the Sidekick Bass VI is still available. I assumed that they'd gone because I haven't been able to find anywhere that's stocking them at the moment. If that's not the case I may be flipping a coin between the Eastwood and the Burns. You've probably already seen this but... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howdenspur Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 There's the Gretsch G5265, a baritone with a 30 inch (well, 29.75) scale and a 43mm nut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 3 minutes ago, howdenspur said: There's the Gretsch G5265, a baritone with a 30 inch (well, 29.75) scale and a 43mm nut. I think the Gretsch is intended to be tuned A to A or higher. There are quite a few examples online of people stringing baritones with a bass vi set and tuning them E to E but the results seem to be mixed, with people complaining about low tension on the lower strings. I am looking at baritones as well but I can't really see any advantage of not having the instrument tuned a full octave below standard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted June 7, 2018 Author Share Posted June 7, 2018 (edited) As someone who also owns a Baritone Guitar (one of the Harley Benton dekos) IMO there is a place for both, but for Baritone I would go for 28" scale and tune B-B. With the right strings (the heavier of the two D'Addario Baritone sets for me) it gives a rich low tone that is still clear even in 1st position chords. Pickup position and type also has a lot to do with whether an instrument should be considered a Bass Vi or a Baritone guitar. Those on the Gretch (and the Sidejack) are very much in the Baritone position and type IMO. Edited June 7, 2018 by BigRedX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted June 7, 2018 Author Share Posted June 7, 2018 A search for 6-string short and medium scale basses on Thomann has also brought up the Gretsch G6120TB-DE Duane Eddy. It doesn't appear to be available yet and when it is it will be a snip at just over £3k... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted June 7, 2018 Author Share Posted June 7, 2018 And there's these from Mensinger. More "conventional 6-string bass" styling, although I do like the look of the 3 Hollow-body versions with the twin pickups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 (edited) 10 minutes ago, BigRedX said: A search for 6-string short and medium scale basses on Thomann has also brought up the Gretsch G6120TB-DE Duane Eddy. It doesn't appear to be available yet and when it is it will be a snip at just over £3k... That would be ideal for me. Duane Eddy has pretty much the exact twangy 60s instrumental/surf sound that I want. At 3k though I can't see me getting one anytime soon. Edited June 7, 2018 by Cato Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted June 7, 2018 Author Share Posted June 7, 2018 11 minutes ago, Cato said: That would be ideal for me. Duane Eddy has pretty much the exact twangy 60s instrumental/surf sound that I want. At 3k though I can't see me getting one anytime soon. I'm aiming for more of a post-punk sound - two note chords and alternating drone and melody string plucking. I also have my Bass VI tuned E A D G C E Maybe the Moserite styling of the Sidejack will be slightly more suited to what you want from the affordable end of the bass VI options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted June 7, 2018 Author Share Posted June 7, 2018 (edited) I've also found this from Music Man. Its slightly under 30" scale length and pickup type and placement seem to indicate it's more of an A-A Baritone guitar than a Bass VI, although it does have a 44.5mm wide nut. It's also probably the blandest of all the instruments listed here IMO... Edited June 7, 2018 by BigRedX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 5 minutes ago, BigRedX said: I've also found this from Music Man. Its slightly under 30" scale length and pickup type and placement seem to indicate it's more of an A-A Baritone guitar than a Bass VI, although it does have a 44.5mm wide nut. It's also probably the blandest of all the instruments listed here IMO... I'd completely forgotten about those. I think Jason Newstead of Metallica played a Silhouette live for a while on certain songs like 'Sad but True'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 23 minutes ago, BigRedX said: I'm aiming for more of a post-punk sound - two note chords and alternating drone and melody string plucking. I also have my Bass VI tuned E A D G C E Maybe the Moserite styling of the Sidejack will be slightly more suited to what you want from the affordable end of the bass VI options. I'm definitely thinking single coils or p90s as opposed to the humbuckers on more modern versions such as the Ibanez. If someone made a bass vi that had a 3 saddle tele bridge and pickups in the Telecaster positions that would, theoretically, be perfect for what i'm after. As it is I'm still leaning towards the Burns. Maybe with a cheeky cheap and cheerful second hand Danelctro Barritone on the side, just to cover all options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted June 7, 2018 Author Share Posted June 7, 2018 According to the Ed Friedland video, the Sidejack pickups are mini-humbuckers, but the Eastwood site describes them as P90s... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floFC Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 I was looking into bass VIs some time ago, and came across the Revelation RJT-60 B, which I quite fancied: https://www.revelationguitars.co.uk/guitar/rjt-60-b/ A fiesta red one would have been ace. 30” and 43mm nut width. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 20 minutes ago, floFC said: I was looking into bass VIs some time ago, and came across the Revelation RJT-60 B, which I quite fancied: https://www.revelationguitars.co.uk/guitar/rjt-60-b/ A fiesta red one would have been ace. 30” and 43mm nut width. That's interesting. I found a review here. The reviewer may or may not be Vladimir Putin in a bad disguise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 1 hour ago, BigRedX said: According to the Ed Friedland video, the Sidejack pickups are mini-humbuckers, but the Eastwood site describes them as P90s... Those Eastwood pickups do look like soapbar P90s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted June 7, 2018 Author Share Posted June 7, 2018 (edited) 8 minutes ago, EssentialTension said: Those Eastwood pickups do look like soapbar P90s. And Ed Friedland says that despite their looks they are mini(stacked?) humbuckers. The Revelation 6-string bass looks interesting and according to the Hotrox website they have them in stock, so I may go and check one out next week and see if the 43mm nut width is sufficiently wide for me. Edited June 7, 2018 by BigRedX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted June 8, 2018 Author Share Posted June 8, 2018 Of course what I really should do is to get Simon Farmer to make me a suitably modified version of the Gus G3 Baritone which as standard has a 30" scale length and a nut width of 45mm... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted June 8, 2018 Share Posted June 8, 2018 1 hour ago, BigRedX said: Of course what I really should do is to get Simon Farmer to make me a suitably modified version of the Gus G3 Baritone which as standard has a 30" scale length and a nut width of 45mm... What's his average build time? Having seen that clip about Prince's bass I'm guessing it's a fairly lengthy process even without factoring in that he's probably never built a bass vi before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted June 8, 2018 Share Posted June 8, 2018 1 hour ago, BigRedX said: Of course what I really should do is to get Simon Farmer to make me a suitably modified version of the Gus G3 Baritone which as standard has a 30" scale length and a nut width of 45mm... That sounds like an excellent plan ... but how long and how much ... and what colour? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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