Fender Bass V!

ShaunNecro

Joined: Mar 06, 2007
Posts: 524
Bay City (Michigan)

Posted on Jul 16 2007 12:07 AM

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Fender-Bass-V-5-String-Bass-Guitar_W0QQitemZ120141028291QQihZ002QQcategoryZ118984QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

That's right, a Fender Bass V. Has anyone here ever heard of one of these things before?

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I am super sweet
www.myspace.com/thetremblors

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dp

Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 3546
mojave desert, california
United States

Posted on Jul 16 2007 11:32 AM

The Fender Bass V is a short scale five-string bass tuned E-A-D-G-C.

The idea behind this design was to allow access to notes in the upper register without having to play "up the neck" beyond the 12th fret. Instead, one could play "across the neck", and change positions less often.

I have never played one of these, but I hear they sound real nice like the Mustang and Bullet basses.

-dp

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bigtikidude

Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 25697
Anaheim(So.Cal.)U.S.A.
United States

Posted on Jul 16 2007 12:16 PM

I have seen these occasionally at some music stores.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

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Jeff(bigtikidude)

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ShaunNecro

Joined: Mar 06, 2007
Posts: 524
Bay City (Michigan)

Posted on Jul 16 2007 04:49 PM

The funny thing is that I usually like playing around the 7th to 12th fret. I think it sounds better.

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I am super sweet
www.myspace.com/thetremblors

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dp

Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 3546
mojave desert, california
United States

Posted on Jul 16 2007 06:10 PM

ShaunNecro
The funny thing is that I usually like playing around the 7th to 12th fret. I think it sounds better.

I hear you, Shaun! The variety of tones a normal long-scale Fender 4-string can make between lower and upper register's is pretty impressive...

I think that's one reason this Fender V never really caught on...bass players didn't see the need...and guitar players would simply use a short-scale 4-string, or a Bass VI...

-dp

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Showman

Joined: Nov 13, 2006
Posts: 40
Los Angeles born and raised
1 POTD Pin

Posted on Jul 24 2007 07:41 PM

Sorry this is a little off topic, but the Fender Bass V was the staple of The Cure's guitar sound in the early years of the band. Robert Smith used the bass as a guitar and has been one of his favorites ever since. I remember as a teen watching live cure shows and thinking how huge the strings looked, and had no idea it was actually a bass.

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Happiness is being a surf musician that actually surfs. Ride Lord Hunt Surfboards!!!

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JONPAUL

Joined: Apr 29, 2010
Posts: 2472
Venice, CA
United States

Posted on Dec 24 2012 12:06 PM

Don't see these around very often. There's a '66 on eBay at the moment.

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Insect Surfers
The Tikiyaki Orchestra
The Scimitars
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djangodeadman

Joined: Jan 25, 2007
Posts: 1568
Brighton UK
3 News Pins

Posted on Dec 24 2012 12:12 PM

Showman wrote:

Sorry this is a little off topic, but the Fender Bass V was the staple of The Cure's guitar sound in the early years of the band. Robert Smith used the bass as a guitar and has been one of his favorites ever since. I remember as a teen watching live cure shows and thinking how huge the strings looked, and had no idea it was actually a bass.

But that was a Bass VI, not a Bass V.

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Los Fantasticos

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JONPAUL

Joined: Apr 29, 2010
Posts: 2472
Venice, CA
United States

Posted on Dec 24 2012 12:46 PM

Indeed, Django, that was a Bass VI.

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Insect Surfers
The Tikiyaki Orchestra
The Scimitars
Lords Of Atlantis
Fiberglass Jungle - Surf Radio

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FlatRacer

Joined: Apr 07, 2008
Posts: 182

Posted on Jan 16 2013 11:12 AM

John Paul Jones played a Bass V in an obscure little British combo. I think their name was Lead Balloon, or something like that.

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Kawentzmann

Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 1062
Berlin, Germany
3 Link Pins

Posted on Jan 16 2013 01:31 PM

Bass VI

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The Exotic Guitar of Kahuna Kawentzmann

You can get the boy out of the Keynes era, but you can’t get the Keynes era out of the boy.

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Tuck

Joined: Sep 02, 2006
Posts: 3166
Denver, CO
12 Calendar Pins

Posted on Jan 16 2013 07:16 PM

Roman numerals. They **** with my dyslexia, too.

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ToneMonkey

Joined: Mar 22, 2012
Posts: 25

Posted on Jan 18 2013 09:40 AM

I believe that Jack Bruce played a Bass VI on the Fresh Cream.

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ShaunNecro Joined: Mar 06, 2007 Posts: 524 Bay City (Michigan)	Posted on Jul 16 2007 12:07 AM http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Fender-Bass-V-5-String-Bass-Guitar_W0QQitemZ120141028291QQihZ002QQcategoryZ118984QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem That's right, a Fender Bass V. Has anyone here ever heard of one of these things before? — I am super sweet www.myspace.com/thetremblors Top
dp Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 3546 mojave desert, california	Posted on Jul 16 2007 11:32 AM The Fender Bass V is a short scale five-string bass tuned E-A-D-G-C. The idea behind this design was to allow access to notes in the upper register without having to play "up the neck" beyond the 12th fret. Instead, one could play "across the neck", and change positions less often. I have never played one of these, but I hear they sound real nice like the Mustang and Bullet basses. -dp Top
bigtikidude Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 25697 Anaheim(So.Cal.)U.S.A.	Posted on Jul 16 2007 12:16 PM I have seen these occasionally at some music stores. Jeff(bigtikidude) — Jeff(bigtikidude) Top
ShaunNecro Joined: Mar 06, 2007 Posts: 524 Bay City (Michigan)	Posted on Jul 16 2007 04:49 PM The funny thing is that I usually like playing around the 7th to 12th fret. I think it sounds better. — I am super sweet www.myspace.com/thetremblors Top
dp Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 3546 mojave desert, california	Posted on Jul 16 2007 06:10 PM ShaunNecro The funny thing is that I usually like playing around the 7th to 12th fret. I think it sounds better. I hear you, Shaun! The variety of tones a normal long-scale Fender 4-string can make between lower and upper register's is pretty impressive... I think that's one reason this Fender V never really caught on...bass players didn't see the need...and guitar players would simply use a short-scale 4-string, or a Bass VI... -dp Top
Showman Joined: Nov 13, 2006 Posts: 40 Los Angeles born and raised	Posted on Jul 24 2007 07:41 PM Sorry this is a little off topic, but the Fender Bass V was the staple of The Cure's guitar sound in the early years of the band. Robert Smith used the bass as a guitar and has been one of his favorites ever since. I remember as a teen watching live cure shows and thinking how huge the strings looked, and had no idea it was actually a bass. — Happiness is being a surf musician that actually surfs. Ride Lord Hunt Surfboards!!! Top
JONPAUL Joined: Apr 29, 2010 Posts: 2472 Venice, CA	Posted on Dec 24 2012 12:06 PM Don't see these around very often. There's a '66 on eBay at the moment. — Insect Surfers The Tikiyaki Orchestra The Scimitars Lords Of Atlantis Fiberglass Jungle - Surf Radio Top
djangodeadman Joined: Jan 25, 2007 Posts: 1568 Brighton UK	Posted on Dec 24 2012 12:12 PM Showman wrote: Sorry this is a little off topic, but the Fender Bass V was the staple of The Cure's guitar sound in the early years of the band. Robert Smith used the bass as a guitar and has been one of his favorites ever since. I remember as a teen watching live cure shows and thinking how huge the strings looked, and had no idea it was actually a bass. But that was a Bass VI, not a Bass V. — Los Fantasticos Top
JONPAUL Joined: Apr 29, 2010 Posts: 2472 Venice, CA	Posted on Dec 24 2012 12:46 PM Indeed, Django, that was a Bass VI. — Insect Surfers The Tikiyaki Orchestra The Scimitars Lords Of Atlantis Fiberglass Jungle - Surf Radio Top
FlatRacer Joined: Apr 07, 2008 Posts: 182	Posted on Jan 16 2013 11:12 AM John Paul Jones played a Bass V in an obscure little British combo. I think their name was Lead Balloon, or something like that. Top
Kawentzmann Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 1062 Berlin, Germany	Posted on Jan 16 2013 01:31 PM Bass VI — The Exotic Guitar of Kahuna Kawentzmann You can get the boy out of the Keynes era, but you can’t get the Keynes era out of the boy. Top
Tuck Joined: Sep 02, 2006 Posts: 3166 Denver, CO	Posted on Jan 16 2013 07:16 PM Roman numerals. They **** with my dyslexia, too. Top
ToneMonkey Joined: Mar 22, 2012 Posts: 25	Posted on Jan 18 2013 09:40 AM I believe that Jack Bruce played a Bass VI on the Fresh Cream. Top

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Fender Bass V!