Fender/Squier Bass VI - My honest opinion

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Fender/Squier Bass VI - My honest opinion

Рет қаралды 189,833

Күн бұрын

I bought this Fender/Squier Bass VI offset a couple of weeks ago and in this video I wanted to give it a quick review and show you guys how I intend to use it in my music.
When first I saw it at a local music store I actually thought it was baritone guitar but this is in fact a six string bass. It's a part of the vintage modified Squier Classic Vibe series but Fender originally produced those between 1961 and 1975 and they were used by many legendary musicians including The Beatles and Glen Campbell.
It’s a really cool instrument in my opinion and it can be played like a regular bass or even as a ‘deep’ guitar or something in between.
The short live clip from this video is from a gig I played with Ragnar Olafsson’s solo project. In the clip Ragnar sings and plays the acoustic guitar, I played the Bass VI (through my Kemper Stage Profiler) and Skúli Gíslason played the drums.
Here is a link to Ragnar’s music:
open.spotify.c...
You can support my work by joining me on my Patreon page where I post regular licks, short pieces and exclusive theory tutorials: / kbald
Here are some links to the gear I'm using in this video:
Pitbull Strings Long Life Edition 10-46 : amzn.to/3LkjuLt
Fender Deluxe Cable: amzn.to/3JbAH8b
Kemper Stage Profiler: thmn.to/thopro...
Mission Engineering Expression Pedal: thmn.to/thopro...
Canon SL3 DSLR Camera: amzn.to/3LiSYSW
00:00 A guitar or a bass?
01:42 A bit of history
02:25 The specs
04:05 I used it at a gig
05:13 There is problem though
06:07 My signal chain

Пікірлер: 456

@LivingroomGearDemos 2 жыл бұрын

Awesome! I want one.

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Highly recommend it! So much fun to play and sounds fantastic 👌

@jumemowery1050 2 жыл бұрын

I want one too!

@lemau8458 2 жыл бұрын

how much is it

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Around $500

@jumemowery1050 2 жыл бұрын

@@lemau8458 there are several listed on Ebay

@Tsudkyk 2 жыл бұрын

I found one of these in a pawn shop a few years ago. Every once in a while I will think about it and wish I had purchased it. It’s such a unique instrument.

@VicioStarbreaker 2 жыл бұрын

a few months ago i was at a pawnshop and saw a schecter hellraiser c1 and since that was my first guitar i purchased it because of nostalgia so when i picked it up i realized something was off and when i looked it up it turned out it is a schecter hellraiser c1 vi and since it was dirt cheap i took home with me...glad i did since it is very unique

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Absolutely man, I was at the music store for something completely different when I saw it. Couldn't really afford it but still went for it and I don't regret it at all 😀

@jasosmurray137 2 жыл бұрын

You can still get them new I’m pretty sure!

@anotheryoutubed 2 жыл бұрын

@@jasosmurray137 Tbh the Squiers being made now might actually be better than the Mexicans they made a few years ago...

@lemau8458 2 жыл бұрын

how much was it?

@4stringz. 2 жыл бұрын

I love mine. It’s so versatile with the bass strangle switch, and it sounds different through either a guitar or bass amp. And with effects, the possibilities are limitless.

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Absolutely, amazing instruments.

@ProfessionalsProfessional Жыл бұрын

Can you give suggestions on what amps work well with this guitar?

@claudevieaul1465 2 жыл бұрын

I feel it's both. I've strung my VI with a thicker gauge set then it originally came with, and and that makes a lot of difference! Playing single bass notes is easy enough (you'll get used to the smaller string spacing), and playing chords is a lot of fun too!

@101Volts Жыл бұрын

Yeah, any time these are strung up with an 84 on the bottom end, that's just trouble when at Standard E-E tuning. They need a 100 on the bottom end, minimum. Fender's newer set that ends with a 100 is just so much better than the 84 set that my 2013 Bass came with.

@timeshock1255 2 жыл бұрын

It was often used as a bass guitar by jazz musicians back in the day. One of them was the brilliant bass player Bradley Bobo, who used a Bass VI while on tour with the late Eddie Harris in the early 90s. They even played a show that was was broadcast on german TV where he could be seen playing the VI (finger-style). Great instrument, great player. The Fender VI has been forgotten a bit by many and just recently, it was (kinda) rediscovered.

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

I'll look him up and see if I can find some videos. And yes, it seems like there is a growing interest in the bass VI now, probably due to its appearance in Get Back.

@functionatthejunction Жыл бұрын

"It was often used as a bass guitar by jazz musicians back in the day. " It IS the bass guitar. The 4 stringed instrument people usually refer to as a "bass guitar is technically an electric bass.

@idolbass Жыл бұрын

Amazing, I played one in the late 70s as a bass on The Reels Albums. (Australian Band)

@eboethrasher Жыл бұрын

Cure fan, been desiring one and playing variants for 2 decades now. Never forgotten here as Robert Smith has used one as a melody machine since 81.

@kidwajagstang 2 жыл бұрын

Robert Smith of The Cure is also a frequent Fender Bass VI player

@michaelndong4531 8 сағат бұрын

And he uses it like a guitar, that’s the epic thing about it, you can approach it like a bass or a guitar, it’s it’s own instrument

@DanteDDC 2 жыл бұрын

I'd recommend Fender Super 250's strings, they're made for the Bass VI and will probably solve your problem. They go from 0.24 to .100 :)

@SimNGuitar 2 жыл бұрын

Really cool sounds. Thanks for making this video, a very fascinating Bass

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Simon 🙌 I’m very pleased with it. A really cool instrument 👌

@NoelSquitieri Жыл бұрын

A set of La Bella Bass VI strings really helped a lot. The rounds really accentuate the twang.

@Teller3448 Жыл бұрын

Thank you for playing clean without distortion!

@ndrslvn1886 2 жыл бұрын

I have two bass vi. One fender and one squier. The squire one has thinner bridge. Also the squier came with thinner strings than the fender. Both factors worsen the intonation issues. You can try reversing the bridge so that the intonation screws face up the neck. This will allow a bit more adjustment, since the spring is no longer compressed.

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tip, I will give it a go and see if it gets better 👍

@johnvcougar 2 жыл бұрын

Great guitar. Love the fresh direction it takes my bass lines when I'm writing.

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Totally agree, love this instrument. It's something completely different to the traditional electric bass.

@RockStarOscarStern634 Жыл бұрын

Fender updated the gauges of their Bass VI strings & now they're a 24-100 gauge set.

@Shred_The_Weapon 2 жыл бұрын

I too am primarily a guitarist, but I learned to play bass as a teen. Afterwards, I learned classical guitar technique and shed the pick. I understand why so many that have got this model play it with a pick, but I do believe that people can learn how to play this one traditionally.

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

It is possible to pluck it more traditionally but the string spacing just makes it very weird. I wouldn't be surprised if it was designed for those who play bass with a pick.

@noahcristian5814 Жыл бұрын

Good luck with that. This guitar is impossible to play traditionally. It was made for a pick hence the string spacing.

@Shred_The_Weapon Жыл бұрын

The secret is to be persistent, @@noahcristian5814. Like any other instrument, it would be a lot easier if I played it every day.

@MilesTippett 2 жыл бұрын

I personally use 106's for my VI, and i shimmed the neck a few degrees, and my intonation is PERFECT now. These can be pretty tricky to set up but they are worth it!

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the input, might give the heavier strings a go and then look into doing some shimming if needed.

@PaulJonesy 2 жыл бұрын

Great overview and demo, it’s one of the instruments I think about getting every now and then.

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Paul, glad you enjoyed the video!

@gxtmfa 2 жыл бұрын

Absolutely beautiful sounding instrument

@vickielawson3114 Жыл бұрын

Cool instrument! I like the old-style music you were playing. That [baritone guitar] sounds interesting and that type of music sounds good on it.

@Kbald Жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it ☺️🙏

@yattalog 2 жыл бұрын

I always wanted one, back in the 90's, but it was hard to find here in Brazil. If someone had one, it would never sell it, hahah Nowadays, we have this vintage re-edition, so, I can buy it someday. The same sound, but, only made now and not at the 60's/70's, and, still rocks!

@colehalford1893 Жыл бұрын

Wow. I’ve only heard of this instrument today, & I am a Bassist - omg 😱

@Ragnar.Iceland 2 жыл бұрын

What a badass sounding instrument! :)

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

It is indeed 🔥😎

@RockStarOscarStern634 Жыл бұрын

Aria Guitars in Japan created a 6 String Contrabass Classical Guitar which is actually an Acoustic Bass VI.

@BigBoss1292 2 жыл бұрын

I had the Fender Pawn shop version with the Jazzmaster style humbucker in the bridge, and one of the first run of Squiers from a few years back, sadly I no longer have either. I picked up the Fender for $400 at Sam Ash and sold it for $1700 to buy myself a vintage JCM800 . They are super cool and unique instruments though. I just bought a new Squier and can’t wait to get my hands on it

@wormstheii 2 жыл бұрын

I use this on all my recordings when i need to play the bass its so good and seeing it in get back was super cool and this was a really good video keep it up🤘

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed the video, thanks for watching 🙏🤟

@JosePineda-jn8jk 2 жыл бұрын

This is kind of blowing my mind, I was a little interested in baritone but I am super interested in this!

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Awesome man! I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun with it if you end up getting one.

@JosePineda-jn8jk 2 жыл бұрын

@@Kbald already on the used market checking what I can afford or potentially trade for. Great video got a like and sub from me!

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the support and welcome to my channel!

@johndoe8891 2 жыл бұрын

I had one of these for a while, such a fun fucking instrument to play, sounds absolutely incredible with my slash MXR octave fuzz. Playing chords on it is a really unique sound. They clearly play like a squire, but it sounds awesome. I highly recommend these if you want a new, unique sound, this bass is also incredibly versatile. I played this in a 4 piece punk band and it was fuckin awesome for playing live and recording.

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

I can imagine it must have sounded really cool in a punk band. It has that edge to it, especially when played with a pick.

@JoshuaWillis89 2 жыл бұрын

Probably confused the hell out of the audience lol

@4stringz. 2 жыл бұрын

I found a new saddle called a StayTrem from the UK. Makes the Squier bass vi a ton more playable

@elliotvernon7971 2 жыл бұрын

@@4stringz. I concur absolutely - the Staytrem saddles really lift the Squier as an instrument.

@BLACKACRES44 2 жыл бұрын

Rick Danko of The Band played one of these while in the Ronnie Hawkins Band. Believe my friend bought his guitar from a pawn shop. There are photo's of Rick playing it.

@aluhaable 2 жыл бұрын

My band bassist left and we couldn't find the right player so i consider to buy one of this I test it on a store and i fell in love but didn't the budget to buy it so i made my own from old guitar pieces, i put 100-45 bass strings for the lower strings and a 5th and 6th guitar strings for the higher ones and it sounds reaaaally big on bass lines and have a great tone on rythm

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Awesome man, glad you could find a way to make it work.

@eboethrasher Жыл бұрын

I've had varieties of these for well over a decade, until Squier came out with theirs I couldn't afford the real deal. My friend had the true real deals back in the day, early 90s. Huge Cure fans, so always loved to play the melodies, etc on them. But they are quite flexible for playing lots of things. They chord really great. I still have my OLP copy of the MM version, and my Schecter Hellcat VI. I had a Gretsch at one point but sold it to get the money to buy the Squier.

@seansmith8713 Жыл бұрын

I am thaving the same issue on the low E string. I removed the saddle spring and pushed it all the way back, and lowered the nut slot a little. That helped, but the intonation is still sharp on the low E. Why Fender didn't make a wider bridge like the Staytrem is beyond me. We should be able to intonate the guitar.

@anthonylakich1727 2 жыл бұрын

as a bass player for 25 years, i always tell guitar players i've worked with about the Beatles playing the Fender Bass VI... I say yeah if you can find one play it and buy IT! cause it just seems it's easier for guitar players to play the Fender Bass VI then a Normal Bass..(and good Demo Video)

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you man! Yes it is very easy to adapt to it as a guitar player, much easier that a normal bass. I'm very happy with it.

@aidanlarger8567 2 жыл бұрын

The main complaint on these is the floppiness of the bass strings and intonation. Usually a .90 for the low E does it. String joy makes a really good set for the bass VI. And as for bridge, the cheapest option would be a $20 mustang big barrel saddle bridge. The barrels are semi hollow to allow the spring to compress within it giving you just enough room for perfect intonation. Might also have to slot the top a little for the string thicknesses. Then theres staytrem and mastery that $200+

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tip. I will look up these barrels and see if I can get some.

@GaryCorben Жыл бұрын

I finally put the Staytrem on mine and it instantly made it more playable and perfect intonation. I can't put it down now...@@Kbald

@kevmac1230 10 ай бұрын

Fender makes a Bass VI set with a 100g E string that work excellent and take care of intonation problems.

@seankupisz3570 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for what you do! Turn the saddle around so the break point makes the string longer. If need be, remove the spring.

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tip 👌

@KeithGrommes 2 жыл бұрын

Wow this is really cool! I had no idea these existed! Great video, great demo! New subscriber!

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you man! Glad you enjoyed the video and welcome to my channel 🙏

@deanaf Жыл бұрын

As soon as you touched the tremolo, all I get is The Cure. lol

@Bbendfender Жыл бұрын

I have one on order now. Should be here in April.

@rl1049 2 жыл бұрын

Really good insights into the instrument and what it's like to live with and use in different settings - thank you!

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed the video, thanks for watching 🙏

@fredfloyd34 4 ай бұрын

Really...Fantastic thing.Should of come out when leo fender made the first strat.That bass is excellent.

@fablup5360 Жыл бұрын

I use the Fender VI for Beatles songs like Hey Jude .Yours Is a very good explanation to how use it.

@bigoldSupaD 2 жыл бұрын

Hiya champ, this is a 30-inch scale guitar with an 84 gauge string on the low E. My baritone is 28.5 inch scale with a 72 gauge for the low E (Ernie Ball). This guitar sounds very similar to my baritone and nothing like my p bass. This squire sits somewhere in that gray area between a baritone and a bass.

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Interesting, yes it's somewhere in between but can definitely be used as a regular bass in some situations.

@bigoldSupaD 2 жыл бұрын

@@Kbald Absolutely!

@joshwizinsky1979 2 жыл бұрын

@@Kbald When i used to be the bassist of the Punk Rock band i'm in, i used a Bass IV as guitar is my main instrument, and it felt more natural to use the IV..

@RockStarOscarStern634 Жыл бұрын

Thankfully Fender updated the String set for it, it's now a 24-100 Gauge String set.

@brutallyremastered4255 Жыл бұрын

Great Vid' Was just wondering about this thing.

@Kbald Жыл бұрын

Thanks ☺️

@Kayessee 2 жыл бұрын

I love my 5 string squire. Doesnt have the bar, but it has great action if you want to play fast.

@LittleFoilFish 2 жыл бұрын

I put a Staytrem bridge and a neck shim in mine. LaBella 105 string set too. No more intonation or tuning problems :) Great guitar

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tip, I might give these a go. Are the LaBells’s round wound or flatwound?

@LittleFoilFish 2 жыл бұрын

@@Kbald I went for the roundwound because they didn't have the flats in the heavier gauge and I was too impatient to wait :)

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

I tried the LaBella flatwounds but didn't like them so I put the old strings back in. The flatwounds sounded great but I didn't like how the felt when I was plucking with my thumb.

@brandxsavior 2 жыл бұрын

I did the same with my 2014 Squier VI, ordering a Staytrem bridge (before they stopped exporting to the US) and LaBella roundwounds; no intonation issues, and sounds great with the heavier gauge strings.

@ryangunwitch-black 2 жыл бұрын

This instrument is the key to the radness of The Cure.

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

It definitely has a unique sound.

@zoeherriot 2 жыл бұрын

And The Church used it a lot too.

@real.free.grace.9099 2 жыл бұрын

Here is one of the Fender VI you can see being used on the big hit "Who Loves You?" by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. The bassist using it is doing a phenomenal job on this bass! Great stuff and the Fender looks awesome with several close ups. Sounds outstanding too. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Y7GkjMqAspyWlp8.html

@LouisCiarlo Жыл бұрын

I read something where a guy put the bridge on backwards so you would have to adjust the intonation from the pickup side. He claimed it gave him just enough to get the E string right. Just wanted to share this.

@Kbald Жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing ☺️🙏

@davidrotter3862 2 жыл бұрын

I play upside down and backwards, (left handed, bass strings at my feet). I wish so badly that Squier would make a Left Handed version of this. Great video!

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Hopefully they will make it left handed at some point. These Bass VI are becoming quite popular so there must be a market for it. Thanks for checking out the video, glad you enjoyed it.

@murph9935 Жыл бұрын

If you're comfortable with some DIY, Warmoth offers a left handed Bass VI body and neck.

@soloflightwest 2 жыл бұрын

That Witchita lineman line you played was Carol on bass, Glenn used a Danelectro 6 string bass for that awesome lead.

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

You are right. Such an awesome bass line and the solo is amazing as well.

@xerodelacroix5552 2 жыл бұрын

I really wish this argument would end. Fender made it to be something between a bass and a guitar that wasn't a baritone guitar. It's both, depending on how you use it, and it and others like it (Schecter Hellcat VI, Ibanez Crossover, etc.) occupy their own space. I don't think there is much better proof that it's both and neither at the same time than The Cure's Disintegration album, where Robert Smith used one almost exclusively, but Simon's bass is still more prominent and cuts through the mix.

@angelmiranda9595 2 жыл бұрын

Very good demo, by the way, your band sounds really cool.

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much 🙏☺️

@breakalime 2 жыл бұрын

Staytrem make a wider bridge to compensate for the intonation issues. I also bought an American vintage tremolo system for mine but it didn’t quite fit the existing routing. The non-locking unit it came with has the common issue of the bar fitting quite loosely and so rattling significantly when in use.

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tip. I've seen many people mentioning the Straytrem bridges here in the comments. I will look those up.

@breakalime 2 жыл бұрын

@@Kbald they are made in very small numbers in the UK, so sometimes there is a significant wait to get one. As a result some people will attempt to resell their units for extortionate prices. I would avoid the temptation to buy one on the second hand market so as to not encourage such behaviour! It’s also been mentioned elsewhere, but LaBella make a good bass VI string set in both round and flat wound. They’re a bit pricey at 50 bucks set, but they are very good.

@novajohansson3194 2 жыл бұрын

This is so cool! I feel like this bass really would benefit from slightly tilted frets to make up for the intonation issues:)

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

That could solve some problems but then it would lose the vintage feel I guess.

@novajohansson3194 2 жыл бұрын

@@Kbald Oh, absolutely! I was just thinking from a practical standpoint😂 haha Regardless, it's such a cool instrument, I would love to try one out sometime🥰

@camerakungfu 2 жыл бұрын

The heavier strings help but for me I had to buy a StayTrem bridge to get the saddle back where it needed to be. I didn’t have to shim the neck, but others say it’s a necessary mod as well.

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

I have seen quite a few people mentioning the StrayTrem bridges. I will definitely look them up 👍

@rustyshacklefrench 2 жыл бұрын

great video!

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it.

@michaellandreth1392 2 жыл бұрын

Glen used Carol Kaye's Dano Six on Wichita Lineman and Galveston. Bill Pitman "King of the Dano 6" used one a lot including some Jan & Dean stuff. And the theme to the Wild Wild West. Glen can be seen playing a VI on a video from the 60's though.

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

You are right, Carol played the bass on Wichita Lineman.

@michaellandreth1392 2 жыл бұрын

@@Kbald Yes FenderPrecision Bass. But Glen did play the Dano 6.

@Bob-of-Zoid 2 жыл бұрын

With that tremolo system, I wouldn't call it perfect. Now Kahler makes a wicked base vibrato bridge: BTW it's a vibrato. Fender got Vibrato (regular, pulsating change of pitch) mixed up with tremolo (rapid variation in amplitude AKA Volume).

@a.abeyta6237 5 ай бұрын

Due to the name, it's a bass. A very cool bass.

@ronnieblanchet4072 Жыл бұрын

Sweet! SOLI DEO GLORIA (To The Glory of God Alone) Father, Son & Holy Spirit -Ronnie

@sifalovecraft5463 8 ай бұрын

Just ordered one of these, I've played bass for years but originally started with guitar and always thought of my bass strings at the top 4 strings of a guitar just played differently, I'm really excited to see how this fits my playing style

@kwnl-gappy-4-balls Күн бұрын

It's been 8 months how's it been?

@RockStarOscarStern634 Жыл бұрын

I have an Acoustic Bass VI.

@ShadaWolfXD Жыл бұрын

I'm a bass player that wants to start also playing guitar and is heavily considering picking this bass(?) up, at least more for the sake of getting more comfortable with tmstring spacings as well as the fact that it can. (seemingly) function as a guitar if needs be!

@ShadaWolfXD 11 ай бұрын

@@user-bp3zx7ow1g I should have edited this comment to give a follow up lmao - I ended up buying it like a month after leaving this comment and i love the thing to pieces (though it has a lot of issues, i definitely still need to make some upgrades and modifications to make it play at its best). really is a cool instrument, I mainly use it as a guitar, mostly so I have a reason to use buth my main bass and my bass vi for different reasons!!

@rikvartigyan2667 9 ай бұрын

Thanks, the flaw you mentioned near the end stopped an impulse buy

@emericklamontagne3652 Жыл бұрын

Great tutorial. Aloha from Hawaii.

@Kbald Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching, greetings from Reykjavik 🇮🇸

@RockStarOscarStern634 Жыл бұрын

You should probably get a set of 24-100 Gauge Bass VI Strings cause they're better balance tension wise and the 100 Gauge Low E will have even better intonation.

@Kbald Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tip. Might give those a try 👍

@RockStarOscarStern634 Жыл бұрын

@@Kbald Yes Fender recently solved that intonation issue by updating the gauges on their Bass VI set.

@ac81017 Жыл бұрын

I have to buy me one. Great video :-)

@Kbald Жыл бұрын

Thank you! 🙏

@louderthangod 2 жыл бұрын

I have a few VI. Nothing sounds better for cleans…like the left half of a piano.

@diegolatorre6793 2 жыл бұрын

I think I just wet myself, this sounds so cool, i need this

@user-di7wd3jp3r 8 ай бұрын

Thank you for the wonderful sound

@heksekvlt7161 2 жыл бұрын

finally bass guitar

@BladeDoomer86 2 жыл бұрын

Cool review man, new subscriber 👍🏻 keep it up

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Awesome, welcome to my channel. Glad you enjoyed the video!

@Owenrobot 2 жыл бұрын

Robin Mullarkey is using one of these on tour right now with Jacob Collier!

@erwinc.9117 2 жыл бұрын

I ended up opting for a Baritone Telecaster. Some of the things I like to do on bass (tapping for example) just doesn't work well on this due to the string spacing, and playing chords is still a bit too muddy. Baritone is a great in between where I can play guitar stuff at a lower frequency. I'll leave bass stuff to a regular bass.

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Which baritone Tele did you go for? I had one recently which was made in Mexico, quite fun to play but the pickups sounded a bit dull. There is a video here on my channel where I’m playing it, a cover of Smells Like Teen Spirit.

@erwinc.9117 2 жыл бұрын

@@Kbald the new squire classic vibe one, basically a regular Tele with a Baritone neck. I use it for math Rock and emo and it's great.

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Nice 👌

@mccypr Жыл бұрын

Cool! Thanks! 😎

@jimmymolthoff Жыл бұрын

i dont know if this helps for the fender to, but i have a different bass vi with a tune-o-matic bridge and for me it helped quite a lot to turn the saddle around for the intonation, those extra few millimeters are just the ones i needed! Maybe you could try that

@michaelescareno7048 Жыл бұрын

Great description of the Bass VI!! Eric Johnson just released a new video where he solos on the Bass VI. It's called "Another One Like You".

@Kbald Жыл бұрын

Thank you! Wow, I really need to check that out. I’m a huge fan of his.

@hedgy369 2 жыл бұрын

Intonation free fix , loosen strings , take out bridge and rotate 180 degrees so the screw heads are facing the bridge pick up

@hedgy369 2 жыл бұрын

i only did bridge reversal and adjusted action and got good results , this is vid : kzfaq.info/get/bejne/mqd5mJeVrpnNgqs.html or if you don't trust links haha (me neither) type ' Squier VI Vintage Modified Bass 6 string intonation' .

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tip and for the link. I will definitely check it out.

@thehowlingjoker 2 жыл бұрын

These are like the secret weapon of Robert Smith and The Cure's sound.

@gushutchinson8758 6 ай бұрын

Keep watching this video again... Intriguing, enthralling fascinating sounds properly juicy! There's a much more expensive Fender it's based on I assume? It's new to me...... The band you're in? Meg algersen I heard.. Liked it! I can't add anymore likes to this.. Then the kemper profiler video is calling... It's just money money Money though ahhhhhhhh!!!! Regards to you kbald

@night_fiend6326 2 жыл бұрын

Schechter made a VI too, even a signature model for The Cure.

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

That's cool, haven't seen that one yet.

@cptdoobs3691 2 жыл бұрын

I enjoyed mine while I had it, but I had (relatively common) issues with intonation, tuning stability etc. It just felt like the hardware was not made to sustain what this instrument is trying to do. After a couple hundred bucks of upgrades and constant tinkering I never got it to be a true workable instrument. Do your research first if your looking into getting one.

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your input.

@kenmiles4145 2 жыл бұрын

I put baritone strings on mine

@LeeHoMusic 9 ай бұрын

On my way to collect 2nd hand like yours!

@QuirqUK 2 жыл бұрын

I replaced the bridge on mine. It wasn't cheap, about £70 or £80 a fair few years ago, but it's a better design and I was able to intonate it properly. More recently, I bought the Harley Benton version, which I suspect comes out of the same factory as the Squier. I've defretted the HB to make a fretless Bass VI 🙂

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Man, I can imagine that must be fun to play. I might look into upgrading the bridge on the Squier at some point.

@QuirqUK 2 жыл бұрын

@@Kbald It is fun! A purpose built one would be better -- decent fret markings on the top of the fingerboard and on the sides as well. (I know, I know, I should play more by ear!) I think people in the US talk about Mastery bridges, mine came from Staytrem here in the UK.

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

I’ve heard good things about the Straytrem bridges. Might give them a go.

@gaborporempovics2415 Жыл бұрын

I think factory strings on Squiers are really terrible. The low E string was slightly out and I was not able to fix the intonation problem on my Squier CV late 50s P bass. I replaced it with a same gauge Thomastik Infeld set and the intonation problems were gone immediately. Since then I have a D'Addario black nylon set on the instrument and it is still perfect.

@Stgpop 2 жыл бұрын

I have been eyeing up one of these I think I might take the hurting from pocket for sound like that omg

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

It's definitely worth it. I wasn't planning to buy a new guitar/bass when I saw it but still decided to take it home, even though I should be saving money for my upcoming holidays 😆

@TheLostBoy1974 2 жыл бұрын

Robert Smith took this to another level on Disintegration.

@zoeherriot 2 жыл бұрын

He'd been using it since Faith - but Disintegration had some his most memorable hooks.

@ronb7481 2 жыл бұрын

I found mine to make a terrible bass and converted it to a baritone, which is working out much better. As a bass I found the string gauges to be unbalanced and way, way too slack on the 6th string.

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Interesting, I have had many questions here in the comments where people are asking if it can be converted into a baritone. I would be interested in hearing how it sounds.

@bioklastik1062 2 жыл бұрын

How do you convert it to baritone? I have an Ultracure VI that I want to do that with. What strings did you use?

@ronb7481 11 ай бұрын

@@bioklastik1062 Sorry I didn't see this sooner. I used s set of D'Addario EXL157's, it's a 14 - 68 baritone set. I had to get the kind folks at D'Addario to make me some 1st strings, special order, the one in the package was a couple inches too short. They sent me 5 of them free of charge, can't beat that. The other string I had to address was the 6th string. I didn't use the 68 in the package, I retained the original bass VI string in that position. I found that (84 gauge I believe) string to be sad sacked tuned to low E, but crank it up to A and it's perfect. The whole set works well in A, and you can still go +/- from there plus drop tunings like drop A. It plays like a heavy duty guitar, the tank of guitars. Mine is quite heavy unfortunately, not sure if they're all like that. As for the pickups, I haven't been overly impressed and would imagine some aftermarket jobs would make for an improvement. This is true of all lower cost guitars I suppose. I would just leave the original wiring and change the pups out. I don't play mine enough to make such an investment. It might sound better through a tube amp, I use a Mustang III. My Mustang sounds great when I use other guitars with Seymour Duncan's and EMG's but the stock pups in the Squier VI are kinda underwhelming as are most stock Squiers. Just okay.

@ronb7481 11 ай бұрын

@@user-bp3zx7ow1g I likely could have made a usable bass out of it with some changes in the string gauges. That's funny you went the other way, human nature to try something different! The stock set on my VI seemed all over the road for tensions, the 6th was so slack it was ridiculous and rattled. The original Fender VI had a 95 in that spot which would have been in greater tension. String gauges and the resulting tensions at given pitches is everything, yet few of us well understand it, including myself before this experience got me looking deeper into it. I used an online string gauge tension program to gain better understanding and have since used it in other applications, making some changes to my string gauge selections as a result. I also made myself a handy reference chart for play 'feel' vs string gauge vs tuning pitch vs scale length as a learning tool and gauge selector. One can pretty much predict what a set of strings or given strings within a set will feel like before they're even on the guitar. It's just some elementary physics when you get right down to it. The online calculators supplied by string makers are a great resource.

@ronb7481 11 ай бұрын

I also find I have great versatility employing a capo. Tuned in A as I am I can go all the way up the neck to any tuning I want. No intonation issues to speak of, I usually don't even have to tweak the tuners. I can play classical fingerstyle on the thing doing this, the action gets even better. I invested in a 30" neck checker to keep the action optimal. They are a must for every instrument or you're only guessing.

@floydthebarber9956 Жыл бұрын

This thing sounds like it would be killer on surf rock.

@Kbald Жыл бұрын

I’m sure it would sound awesome ☺️

@78tag 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for this video. I just watched a lot of videos on this guitar and those clowns from across the pond had me convinced I didn't want one. This demo gave me the feeling back that I might want one. Several people have recommended LaBella flat wound strings to improve the intonation and tone qualities. 👍

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for checking out the video. I’m very happy with my Bass VI, it is a lot of fun to play. Doesn’t cover all my bass needs but great for certain things. I actually tried the flatwounds LaBellas but took them back out as I found a bit hard to play fingerpicking on those. I think I definitely give them another chance.

@jjosullivan 2 жыл бұрын

Love this. I was reading about The Beatles use of this guitar quite recently. I think after seeing the Let It Be series. It sounds great, I'm quite jealous! 👍

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Such a cool instrument, a very unique sound.

@marvelherman419 2 жыл бұрын

Sounds like a guitar but also not. Unique tone for sure. Maybe the intonation issue is string height. Same as length but opposite direction. The bridge probably should have been tilted to compensate for scale length. Curious this guitar could be why the beatles sounded as they did. Still a bit confused on its vision however.

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, it is possible that it might have to do with string height. I might try heavier strings at some point, maybe try a 105 in the low E. I'm sure there is a way around it.

@zoeherriot 2 жыл бұрын

Listen to Priest=Aura by The Church. Steve Kilbey used the Bass VI as the only bass on that album. He got a great bass sound out of it.

@marvelherman419 2 жыл бұрын

@@zoeherriot thanks.

@marvelherman419 2 жыл бұрын

@@Kbald sounds like a plan.

@tornoonavi3290 Жыл бұрын

Que padre que pudieras tocar con ese bajo yo estoy pensando en conseguir uno, saludos desde México 🤘🇲🇽, gracias por los subtítulos en Español que buena onda Bro.

@ericbgordon1575 Жыл бұрын

I play guitar and bass myself. Since I've got some classical training on both, I have managed to create a kind of hybrid technique for my Bass Six which permits me to generate traditional bass guitar tones on it without the spacing getting in my way. My issue with it is that the pickups need to be wound for a sharper output.

@ericbgordon1575 11 ай бұрын

Wow, @@user-bp3zx7ow1g, thanks.

@Arcade1959 2 жыл бұрын

Listen to Jet Harris and Hank The Knife. Two great Fender VI guitarists

@larrylynch8113 2 жыл бұрын

About digital ; you ll come back from it ; I had a kemper too altho I loved it I really think nothing can replace amps and pedal ; but for light gigs get rid of heavy tube amp just a transistor one can easily make it work

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

You've got a point there. I love the Kemper and the options it brings but at the same time I really like the analog stuff as well. At the moment the Kemper is the perfect solution for me but if circumstances change I will definitely start using more analog stuff again.

@SSRT_JubyDuby8742 2 жыл бұрын

For the intonation have you tried cutting down the spring or even removing it from the saddle, that may give you the extra amount that you need? Like deployed 👍

@Kbald 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tip! I might give that a go and even make a follow up video about the results. Thanks!

@SSRT_JubyDuby8742 2 жыл бұрын

@@Kbald no worries, I hope that it goes well 🙏