pavlovsdog wrote:

I got mine the other day and it's definitely a fixer upper. Volume knob wasn't put on correctly, nut is absolute shit, the pickups are so high they are touching the strings, etc. Totally unplayable as of right now.

Are the only option for flats the la Bella? $65is a lot for strings?

Elderly has them in stock for under $49.00 with free shipping. They're not necessary but are quiet and will last forever. A .95 low E is necessary to correctly intonate it. A .78 A is good too. Sorry about your other issues. Yuck!!!

This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.

pavlovsdog wrote:

I got mine the other day and it's definitely a fixer upper. Volume knob wasn't put on correctly, nut is absolute shit, the pickups are so high they are touching the strings, etc. Totally unplayable as of right now.

Are the only option for flats the la Bella? $65is a lot for strings?

Elderly has them in stock for under $49.00 with free shipping. They're not necessary but are quiet and will last forever. A .95 low E is necessary to correctly intonate it. A .78 A is good too. Sorry about your other issues. Yuck!!!

This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.

Brian... Help!

This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.

bigtikidude wrote:

is there an echo pedal in here?

That's what I was thinking, BTD. lol

That's what I was thinking, BTD. lol

that's what i was thinking, btd. LOL

Matt "tha Kat" Lentz
Skippy and the Skipjacks: 2018-2020
Skippyandtheskipjacks.net
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Otto and the Ottomans: 2014-2015
The Coconauts surf band: 2009-2014
www.theamazingcoconauts.com
Group Captain and the Mandrakes 2013
http://www.gcmband.com/
The Surfside IV: 2002-2005, 2008-2009
the Del-Vamps: 1992-1999, 2006-2007
http://www.dblcrown.com/delvamps.html

Something amusing.........when I got my Squier Bass VI last year I replaced the low E with a .100 and left the rest of the stock strings.
A year later that's what is still on there and it works great for me.
I guess I'm just not that picky and if something works for me I just leave it alone.

Cheers,
Jeff

http://www.facebook.com/CrazyAcesMusic
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Yeah.
I'm still with the round CircleK custom set (106), they are very stable and tight, intonation with a Jazzmaster stock AVRI bridge is just perfect. But it sounds like a modern short scale bass guitar. I really feel how this instrument was born for flats.
So, round for low E, and the rest LaBellas?

Giddy up! finally...

Just an update on mine. Staytrem tremolo upgrade installed and the loose clankiness of the stock vibrato is gone. Plus, the reshaped, higher arm keeps my fingers from accidently brushing the strings when I play ala Hank Marvin.

Also, I had a new slot cut for the high-E string, to move it in from the edge of the frets, so now the high-E string doesn't fall off the frets like before. This will do until I get a better nut.

After these improvements, I may want to upgrade the bridge later. But it plays a lot better already.

This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.

I read here that someone used it instead of a bass in a band, but most seem to go for the barritone sound... The sound seemed to lack, naturally, quite some low end (even with the neck and middle PU on), and sustain for a low end sound carpet (due to the low angle bridge).

The instrument is 100% a bass, in my opinion. With a string change, it can be tuned A-A, like a Baritone. Most people keep it E-E, bass tuning. However, people fully make use of all six strings so it isn't always traditional bass lines.

As for the break angle, that is all on the quality of your setup. The Squier does need some help to make it an everyday usable instrument. The bridge is an abomination and the stock string gauge is too light.

I compared a Staytrem VI bridge versus the stock bridge(both with Labella strings) and the Staytrem VI bridge has FAR superior low end response.

But then, I'm more a guitar player who has little experience in setting up a bass amp properly. So: Can this be overcome by EQ and settings when needed?

Musicians tend to be oblivious to the wonders of EQ/Tone controls. You can do big things with those knobs.

In other words: Is the Bass VI worth a serious main bass substitute? Is there anyone who uses it as an actual bass? Or is it rather a specific barri-tone effect in addition to a band's main bass? Should I rather let go of the barritone idea and buy a jazz bass instead?

Yes, it is a serious bass. And I will repeat it needs a little work to be an everyday workhorse bass. I'm not aware of anybody in surf using one, we used a VI on our first album on several tracks in place of our bassist regular Jazz bass, or Stone Gossard's amazing Lake Placid P-bass we found in the basement.

Outside of surf music, you have Jack Bruce of Cream, the Beatles, Placebo, Tielman Brothers, Jet Harris... The Cure used a couple heavily, really as a bass even thought it was higher voiced in addition to a lower bass guitar. Cocteau Twins have a track only featuring VIs.

John Entwistle used one in the early Who days. He used to prefer short scale basses. I've seen the Dead Kennedys with one, a band called Blonde Redhead uses a VI.

Until two years ago, it was extremely hard and expensive to get your hands on one of these guitars!