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Fender 6 string bass


waynepunkdude
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After the success of the Danelectro 6 string bass, in the early 60's, Leo Fender made this one. They were intended to be played in the studio when a different kind of solo was required. Glen Campbell played the solo on the "Wichita Linesman" on a Danelectro 6 string bass.

Jack Bruce used one until it was stolen in the early months of Cream, then he switched to the EB3. They were short scale and had the same string spacing and were tuned as a guitar, ie E A D G B E. As far as I can remember they were reissued awhile back. The Cure used two together when touring in the 90's. Maybe they still do.

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[quote name='skankdelvar' post='519221' date='Jun 20 2009, 12:33 PM']Funny how they've never cropped up as re-issues...[/quote]
Ah, but they did [url="http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/product/11204-fender-bass-vi-sunburst.html"]a few years back[/url], for one year only.

There's still a few NOS ones on US sites for around $3k.

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[quote name='BottomEndian' post='519285' date='Jun 20 2009, 01:48 PM']Ah, but they did [url="http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/product/11204-fender-bass-vi-sunburst.html"]a few years back[/url], for one year only.

There's still a few NOS ones on US sites for around $3k.[/quote]

Ta for that - my error. :)

B*gger, I'd have one of those if it was $2,500 cheaper and there wasn't an amp-shaped hole in my bank account.

Edited by skankdelvar
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www.bassvi.org

There's a whole forum dedicated to these instruments, although the one in your picture seems to have different pickups - maybe it's a baritone guitar version or suchlike. I played one once and it really was like a slightly big, deep sounding guitar. I'd definitely go for one but the MIJ reissues go for megabucks these days. Schecter do their own modernised version called the hellcat, but it doesn't look nearly as nice as the Fender.

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I have what I guess is the most recent interpretation of a Bass VI (although a much cheaper version).

One of these:

[attachment=27428:200712_g...tracks_1.jpg]

It's really good fun for underpinning acoustic/electric guitars when doing stripped down arrangements. I recorded a session for BBC radio Bristol on Thursday:

[attachment=27427:l_3d0fbd...a19ea04d.jpg]

If you'd like to hear it, I'll upload a link to the "listen again" feature once the BBC have attached the correct link!

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[quote name='BottomEndian' post='519285' date='Jun 20 2009, 01:48 PM']Ah, but they did [url="http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/product/11204-fender-bass-vi-sunburst.html"]a few years back[/url], for one year only.[/quote]

they were reissued in the mid-90's too, which is when mine was made.

they're an unusual instrument, but an awful lot of fun.

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[quote name='charic' post='519673' date='Jun 20 2009, 11:47 PM']theres also the musicman 6 string sillouette bass. Or however its spelt![/quote]

Close call :)
It's the Silhouette Bass. And you're right, the concept is similar. Its scale length is just under 30" and it's tuned a full octave below a guitar, like the Fender Bass VI. Schecter also builds a similar instrument, the Hellcat VI, with a 30" scale and three Duncan Designed minihumbuckers.

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[quote name='BottomEndian' post='519285' date='Jun 20 2009, 01:48 PM'][quote name='skankdelvar' post='519221' date='Jun 20 2009, 12:33 PM']
They're kind of an evolutionary dead-end, but I think they're cute. Sound awesome played clean with cavernous reverb.

And a whole lot prettier than the [b]Bass Five[/b] that Fender also knocked out. Funny how they've never cropped up as re-issues...[/quote]

Ah, but they did [url="http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/product/11204-fender-bass-vi-sunburst.html"]a few years back[/url], for one year only.

There's still a few NOS ones on US sites for around $3k.
[/quote]

That's a bass VI is it not? Not a bass V as Skank mentioned.

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[quote name='liamcapleton' post='519744' date='Jun 21 2009, 02:13 AM']Actually the more I think about these things, the more I really want one![/quote]
:) no pics yet but there is one for sale on [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=52219&hl="]this[/url] thread it seems...

[quote name='Tom Android' post='518414' date='Jun 19 2009, 02:24 PM']...
Yamaha Drop 6 Baritone Electric - dark teal-green. Virtually unplayed condition. Never gigged, perfect. Lovely neck, good sound. It's a Yammy!
...[/quote]

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[quote name='Buzz' post='520011' date='Jun 21 2009, 04:00 PM']That's a bass VI is it not? Not a bass V as Skank mentioned.[/quote]
That's the trouble with pronouns. I read this:
[quote name='skankdelvar' post='519221' date='Jun 20 2009, 12:33 PM']And a whole lot prettier than the Bass Five that Fender also knocked out. Funny how they've never cropped up as re-issues...[/quote]
as
[quote name='skankdelvar' post='519221' date='Jun 20 2009, 12:33 PM']And [the Bass VI is] a whole lot prettier than the Bass Five that Fender also knocked out. Funny how [the Bass VI have] never cropped up as re-issues... [given that they're prettier :rolleyes:][/quote]
And I assume that's how Skank meant it, given his response to the Bass VI reissue. But it's also absolutely readable as
[quote name='skankdelvar' post='519221' date='Jun 20 2009, 12:33 PM']And [the Bass VI is] a whole lot prettier than the Bass Five that Fender also knocked out. Funny how [the Bass V have] never cropped up as re-issues...[/quote]
I can see exactly why they haven't reissued the V, though. A longer-scale fiver with only 15 frets that sold 200 units in [b]five years[/b]? Not exactly a well-loved, long-missed model people are desperate to see again... :)

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Sorry for all this, guys! :)

The sentence should have read:

[quote]And a whole lot prettier than the Bass Five that Fender also knocked out. Funny how neither has cropped up as a re-issue.[/quote]

Which, as they re-issued the 6, means Bottom-endian had it right, yet so did Buzz :rolleyes:

I , on the other hand, conveyed inaccurate information in a poorly constructed and confusing sentence! :lol: :D

...and apologies to the OP for the accidental thread derailment.

Edited by skankdelvar
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[quote name='Happy Jack' post='520610' date='Jun 22 2009, 11:33 AM']This is my baritone: [url="http://tinypic.com/a/r1y1/3"]http://tinypic.com/a/r1y1/3[/url][/quote]
I'd forgotten about Lindert! I quite wanted one of their guitars back in my late teens. Heady days... :)

What's the scale length on that?

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