CrazyAces
Joined: Jul 31, 2012
Posts: 4052
Nashville, TN.
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Posted on Oct 11 2014 07:48 PM
"Thanks, Jeff. Any news from D'Addario about producing Bass VI strings?"
Noel,
I haven't talked to anyone from D'Addario in a while but I'm going to have lunch with the Nashville rep next week so I'll ask
Cheers,
Jeff
— http://www.facebook.com/CrazyAcesMusic
http://www.youtube.com/user/crazyacesrock
http://www.reverbnation.com/crazyacesmusic
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JObeast
Joined: Jul 24, 2012
Posts: 2762
Finknabad, Squinkistan
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Posted on Oct 11 2014 11:43 PM
Has anyone posted a list of tunes that feature Bass VI? Typically, it seems to be featured in bass-baritone melodic solos, in mid- to slow-tempo songs.
Found this:
FIFTEEN GREAT BASS VI TRACKS
I liked the Jet Harris track best, then Joe Perry's. A lot leaves me cold, or rather a bit nauseous. I have lost my taste for lot of rock music... those singers with their egos... (where's the vomit face?)
Liz Fraser excepted.
I had no idea so much New Wave music was composed and played on Bass VI – thought the Robt. Smith thing was just guitar down around the 3rd fret. New Order, Cocteau Twins too. Now I know how they did that!
— Squink Out!
Last edited: Oct 12, 2014 01:10:53
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Oct 12 2014 12:04 AM
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JObeast
Joined: Jul 24, 2012
Posts: 2762
Finknabad, Squinkistan
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Posted on Oct 12 2014 12:43 AM
Ah um... Dane Eddy tribute?
Dutch? Sounds like Adam & the Ants without Burundi drums.
JakeDobner wrote:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jws-u3T9XqQ
— Squink Out!
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JObeast
Joined: Jul 24, 2012
Posts: 2762
Finknabad, Squinkistan
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Posted on Oct 17 2014 10:06 PM
So Gearnuts sent the missing vibrato arm today and it seems to work great, if a tad stiff with all that tension the tailpiece carries. The funny thing was how the arm was shipped - in a box with 3 layers of heavy duty bubble wrap! Like it might get damaged if they shipped it in a mere envelope!
— Squink Out!
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MartinSoundLabs
Joined: Oct 21, 2014
Posts: 2
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Posted on Oct 21 2014 01:20 PM
Greetings! First post. I broke down last week and ordered a Squier Fender VI (quite the contrast to my Custom Shop Deluxe Tele or my prized Reclaimed Eastern Pine Tele from this year!)... arrived from Amazon and already had the bridge reversed... have gone through several pages of this thread and need to read the whole thing, but have already seen somebody mention the freaking low E and how the screw goes through so far (it came this way, obviously somebody who has read this page returned it and now i have it) the tip of the adjustment screw is higher than the low E slot.. so the string slips out of the groove any time i play it.
Ordered at the same time a few sets of alternate stings... but not the Bella everybody here mentions.
Plan to record this baby, if i ever get it working, through my Fender Custom Shop Twin Amp.
What finally drew me to purchase this was listening to a Danger Mouse/Jack White record called Rome, namely the song Black with Norah Jones. (not surf, but in full disclosure)
Look forward to reading through all these fantastic posts and learning how to string and adjust my VI to get as sweet as possible.
Respectfully,
Christopher Martin
https://soundcloud.com/martinsoundlabs
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MartinSoundLabs
Joined: Oct 21, 2014
Posts: 2
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Posted on Oct 21 2014 01:31 PM
JObeast wrote:
My Bass VI just came an hour ago in a huge box via Fedex. It's really a nice instrument for $300 and plays great. granted the strings leave something to be desired (La Bella flats coming in mail) but otherwise, it's great right out of the box.
One thing, though – no whammy bar came with it. Is this normal? Should I call GearNuts and tell them to send me one posthaste? I feel something is missing in an offset without a wiggle stick on it.
Did yours come with the bridge adjustment screws facing backwards like mine did (from Amazon?) i sense that i was sent one somebody modded and then returned, frustrated at not being able to dial in the low E string.
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Noel
Joined: Mar 15, 2011
Posts: 8528
Back in Piitsburgh, Pennsylvania, where I grew up.
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Posted on Oct 21 2014 02:46 PM
Here's a close-up of the bridge on mine. It didn't want to intonate with the floppy stock low-E string, but was easy to intonate with heavier strings. As you can see, there's plenty of adjustment available, and the action is nice and low without buzzes, too. Nothing touches any strings anywhere on the bridge, even when I use the vibrato bar.
— This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.
Last edited: Oct 21, 2014 14:49:33
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pavlovsdog
Joined: Nov 22, 2010
Posts: 288
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Posted on Nov 18 2014 05:40 PM
Anyone put a mastery bridge on theirs?
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pavlovsdog
Joined: Nov 22, 2010
Posts: 288
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Posted on Nov 18 2014 05:44 PM
I'm thinking about buying one but I love to mod so I'll probably put $700 in parts into it.
I might be better off getting a neck and body from USACG with nice parts.
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Nov 18 2014 06:04 PM
Mastery bridges aren't a good fit for a Bass VI the same reason a Jag/Jazz bridge isn't a good fit. Get the Stay Trem Bass VI bridge it is the proper size and will handle the intonation without trouble.
I don't see how you could put $700 in parts into it.
I did a Stay Trem Bridge($90), AVRI pickups($40ea), Paint for headstock($20), new pickguard($35), new CTS pots($4.50 ea), and I had some wire and some caps laying around that have very little value. I chose not to upgrade the Vibrato($40 CIJ, $65 AVRI, $150 Mastery, $200ish Vintage). It will likely need a new nut as well, shockingly my nut was really decent and I kept it. You don't need new tuners and the vibrato isn't very useful no matter how nice the unit is.
With these upgrades it is a Nitro finish away from being a USACG Bass VI. The wood is shockingly nice on it, some have had reports of poor fret work but this wasn't true of mine.
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pavlovsdog
Joined: Nov 22, 2010
Posts: 288
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Posted on Nov 18 2014 06:33 PM
New nut
Mastery bridge + mastery vibrato
cloth wiring, pots, caps
pickguard
I was going to do novak pickups which are $95 each.
I didn't realize AVRI pickups were an option at 40. Is the middle pickup an AVRI too?
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pavlovsdog
Joined: Nov 22, 2010
Posts: 288
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Posted on Nov 18 2014 06:34 PM
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pavlovsdog
Joined: Nov 22, 2010
Posts: 288
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Posted on Nov 18 2014 06:36 PM
Also, labor costs if i have to get fretwork done and get a new bone nut carved.
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Nov 18 2014 06:44 PM
pavlovsdog wrote:
New nut
Mastery bridge + mastery vibrato
cloth wiring, pots, caps
pickguard
I was going to do novak pickups which are $95 each.
I didn't realize AVRI pickups were an option at 40. Is the middle pickup an AVRI too?
Yeah, the middle is an AVRI. You can buy them single. You can even get the AV '65 pickups which are AMAZING and cost $50ish each. I prefer them over Lollars. And definitely don't do the Mastery and go for the Staytrem. You won't be able to intonate the Mastery, you won't be able to intonate the stock bridge either!
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Noel
Joined: Mar 15, 2011
Posts: 8528
Back in Piitsburgh, Pennsylvania, where I grew up.
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Posted on Nov 18 2014 07:07 PM
Jake, what amp do like best with your Bass VI?
— This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.
Last edited: Nov 18, 2014 19:08:13
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Nov 18 2014 07:25 PM
I've been playing at home, so I've just been using Logic Pro. I REALLY like using Logic Pro at home.
My Valco 9171A would be my choice between my Super Reverb or the 9171A, it handles low end incredibly well.
I go for more of the Peter Hook thing when I'm playing instead of a baritone thing or "what people think is spaghetti western" thing.
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pavlovsdog
Joined: Nov 22, 2010
Posts: 288
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Posted on Nov 18 2014 07:58 PM
Where are you buying single AVRI or '65 pickups? I only see sets for sale.
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Nov 18 2014 08:19 PM
'65s are a set. AVRIs are singles. I forget where I got my last single... Angela's, Ebay, or Amazon.
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JObeast
Joined: Jul 24, 2012
Posts: 2762
Finknabad, Squinkistan
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Posted on Nov 18 2014 11:32 PM
Jake,
You mean Valco GIM 9171A amp, the one with parallel outputs?
I had such a head+speaker cab combo, but appointed in blue and sold under a different marque, but similar Valco make and sold at Montgomery Ward.
I think the Pete Hook approach to Bass VI is one of the most striking voices given to the instrument. Do you have recorded examples of your own efforts on it?
Trey Spruance plays a Dano baritone restrung and tuned like a Bass VI. which he uses exclusively when his band SC3 play the John Zorn Masada suite. He gripes about the intonation of that instrument played that way (I didn't notice – he must bend the strings into pitch).
My Valco 9171A would be my choice between my Super Reverb or the 9171A, it handles low end incredibly well.
I go for more of the Peter Hook thing when I'm playing instead of a baritone thing or "what people think is spaghetti western" thing.
— Squink Out!
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