Six strings basses - are you spaced out?

[Al Krow]

Guys, 

Looking for a quality six string bass that could double up as a Bass VI for playing chords and which I will be stringing E to E. 

I found my Squier Bass VI too narrowly string spaced, it felt closer to a normal 6 string guitar, but finding my Ibby SR 1206 too widely spaced. 

What are you guys playing that may be in between in terms of either a:

- normal six string bass with narrow string spacing, or

- a bass VI with wider (by bass VI standards) spacing. 

Relatively flexible on budget ie I'm fine with paying a bit more for the right bass, if need be. 

Cheers, AK

Edited September 4, 2019 by Al Krow

[TJ Spicer]

This has been on eBay for ages and would be in keeping with the theme. 😉

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/YAMAHA-RBX-JM2-John-Myung-DreamTheater-Signature-Active-6-string-Bass/283571212364?hash=item420629504c:g:orIAAOSwI4xc5bWw

Not sure how that scale length would feel with E to E, but it's definitely tighter spaced than the TRBs, as JM has 5 string necks with 6 strings effectively.

T

[Woodinblack]

There is the ibanez GVB36 like I had, which has a tighter spacing than the 1206, 15mm I think rather than 16.5mm or 11 like a SRC6. I had one but for me I had a problem that the neck spacing wasn't tight enough.

https://www.andertons.co.uk/bass-dept/bass-guitars/modern-bass-guitars/ibanez-gvb36-signature-series-6-string-bass-guitar-in-amber

 

[Al Krow]

Sounds like the SRC6 and the Bass VI both have very similar spacing then at 11mm, and helpful to rule that SRC6 out then.

Something around the 14mm +/- 0.5mm at the bridge, I'm guessing would be pretty ideal, but also not too much further narrowed at the neck i.e. relatively 'straight' from bridge to neck.

[Al Krow]

2 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

There is the ibanez GVB36 like I had, which has a tighter spacing than the 1206, 15mm I think rather than 16.5mm or 11 like a SRC6. I had one but for me I had a problem that the neck spacing wasn't tight enough.

https://www.andertons.co.uk/bass-dept/bass-guitars/modern-bass-guitars/ibanez-gvb36-signature-series-6-string-bass-guitar-in-amber

 

Just checked the Ibby website and:

"GVB36 features special 14mm string spacing, compared to our usual 16.5mm spacing. This narrow spacing allows for playing chords with much more ease, a staple of Gerald's playing style."

That sounds pretty perfect to me. I'll guess I'll need to "put up" with Barts in place of the big Nord singles I really like on the Ibby SRs, given that everything else is getting ticked.

When you say "the neck spacing wasn't tight enough", if I recall correctly from a previous thread in which you fed back on your GVB36 you mentioned that the neck width stayed similar to the bridge width i.e. fairly parallel strings all the way up the fret board rather than angling into a narrower neck string spacing? If so, that 'problematic' feature for you I'm hoping will be actually exactly what I'm looking for.

Hmmm...excellent! Now to see if I can get my hands on one  

[Al Krow]

Damn! Ed Friedland is raving about the more high end GVB 1006. I'm hoping for the sake of my wallet these aren't made any more...

...oh dear, the GVB 1006 is still there on the Ibby website!

@Teebs there goes the harem!

Edited September 4, 2019 by Al Krow

[fretmeister]

What about the Musicman Silhouette bass - actually a Baritone but can be strung E-E?

[Teebs]

12 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

@Teebs there goes the harem!

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

[Woodinblack]

33 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Just checked the Ibby website and:

"GVB36 features special 14mm string spacing, compared to our usual 16.5mm spacing. This narrow spacing allows for playing chords with much more ease, a staple of Gerald's playing style."

That sounds pretty perfect to me. I'll guess I'll need to "put up" with Barts in place of the big Nord singles I really like on the Ibby SRs, given that everything else is getting ticked.

It sounded quite good really. Just turned out I didn't play 6s and I found the parallel neck didn't work well for me, but as that is what you are looking for it would be good.

33 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

When you say "the neck spacing wasn't tight enough", if I recall correctly from a previous thread in which you fed back on your GVB36 you mentioned that the neck width stayed similar to the bridge width i.e. fairly parallel strings all the way up the fret board rather than angling into a narrower neck string spacing? If so, that 'problematic' feature for you I'm hoping will be actually exactly what I'm looking for.

Yep, that was my issue.

One of the other weird things is the bass / treble controls are backwards! 

 

 

[Al Krow]

I've just checked prices, I'd be completely mad to even think about getting the 1006...definitely makes sense to kick off with it's budget sibling!

[Woodinblack]

19 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

I've just checked prices, I'd be completely mad to even think about getting the 1006...definitely makes sense to kick off with it's budget sibling!

They are the same only the 1006 is just hand carved by Japanese nuns.

[Al Krow]

@BigRedX you're definitely one of our resident Bass VI experts - any other recommendations for a Bass VI but with wider string spacing than the 11mm on the two models we mentioned earlier  ie the Ibby SRC6 and Squier Bass VI?

@Woodinblackdid you have any stability issues with the neck of the GVB36? 

[Woodinblack]

Just now, Al Krow said:

 

@Woodinblackdid you have any stability issues with the neck of the GVB36? 

Stability? In what way? Well, dumb question from me I guess, no, I never had any mechanical problems with the GVB, it was really solid. I must say it was still one of my favourite colours too.

[Al Krow]

14 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

Stability? In what way? Well, dumb question from me I guess, no, I never had any mechanical problems with the GVB, it was really solid. I must say it was still one of my favourite colours too.

This was a post on TB:

"Only problem I have with the GVB36 is that the neck is unstable. I bought it new in 2018 but I have to adjust the trussrod every two weeks or so. The string height keeps changing by itself after a few weeks both lower and higher."

[BigRedX]

24 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

@BigRedX you're definitely one of our resident Bass VI experts - any other recommendations for a Bass VI but with wider string spacing than the 11mm on the two models we mentioned earlier  ie the Ibby SRC6 and Squier Bass VI?

Unfortunately not. The problem that we are finding with the typical Bass VI design is that they are essentially guitars with longer necks and fatter strings. I get the impression that they are designed for guitarists who want some lower notes rather than bassists who want an instrument that doesn't sound like bad jazz guitar in the upper register.

For me the 30" scale length and the 3 pickups are what gives the Bass VI it's unique sound that works well for both bass and "guitar" parts. Longer scale lengths tend to make the higher notes sound wrong to me. 

The Burns Barracuda that I am currently using has a wider string spacing at the nut, but narrower at the bridge compared with the Squier, so that won't be any good for you.

I just had a look at the GVB1006, it's 34", and the for that price you could have something custom made to your exact specification, which I suspect is what you will need to do.

 

Edited September 5, 2019 by BigRedX

[Al Krow]

8 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

I just had a look at the GVB1006, it's 34", and the for that price you could have something custom made to your exact specification, which I suspect is what you will need to do.

Cheers BRX. The GVB1006 new would easily be the most expensive bass in my collection and doesn't really make any sense. Woody reckons that it's going to be pretty similar to the GVB36  - ok the 1006 is higher spec'd but you could upgrade the pups and the EQ on the 36 for a fraction of the price difference between it and the 1006, if it was in someway lacking on the 36.

I definitely don't want to think about custom basses at this early stage of my exploring a Bass VI E to E stringing.

[BigRedX]

3 hours ago, Al Krow said:

Cheers BRX. The GVB1006 new would easily be the most expensive bass in my collection and doesn't really make any sense. Woody reckons that it's going to be pretty similar to the GVB36  - ok the 1006 is higher spec'd but you could upgrade the pups and the EQ on the 36 for a fraction of the price difference between it and the 1006, if it was in someway lacking on the 36.

I definitely don't want to think about custom basses at this early stage of my exploring a Bass VI E to E stringing.

One thing to consider on a 34" scale bass that you intend to string E-E is how easy it will be to get suitable strings for it. Although bass VI sets tend to be longer than standard 30" scale to allow for the vibrato mechanism, you are going to be right on the limit as to whether they will fit 34" scale instrument. Having just measured the excess on my Squier Bass VI so long as the distance between the bridge saddle and the anchor point is less than 40mm you should be OK with LaBellas but probably not with the Newtone Axions which are tapered at the machine head end.

[Dood]

5 hours ago, Al Krow said:

This was a post on TB:

"Only problem I have with the GVB36 is that the neck is unstable. I bought it new in 2018 but I have to adjust the trussrod every two weeks or so. The string height keeps changing by itself after a few weeks both lower and higher."

I had a GVB36 for ages and mine was rock solid. Great bass - you'll know it if you see it in the wilds as i have three EMG's installed in it. Yum!

[Woodinblack]

Double post

 

Edited September 5, 2019 by Woodinblack

[Woodinblack]

6 hours ago, Al Krow said:

This was a post on TB:

"Only problem I have with the GVB36 is that the neck is unstable. I bought it new in 2018 but I have to adjust the trussrod every two weeks or so. The string height keeps changing by itself after a few weeks both lower and higher."

Never had any of that, solid as a rock as any Ibanez I have had. In fact, the only think i ever had that with was a fender jazz.

I used to wonder why people said about necks moving.

I suppose if you lived in arizona or something it might be different.

2 hours ago, BigRedX said:

One thing to consider on a 34" scale bass that you intend to string E-E is how easy it will be to get suitable strings for it. Although bass VI sets tend to be longer than standard 30" scale to allow for the vibrato mechanism, you are going to be right on the limit as to whether they will fit 34" scale instrument.

Newtones do 34" scale guitar strings, and d'dario strings are over 40" so generally long enough for a bass scale - I know as I have looked for the chapman stick, which is actually more  than 34" scale with strings from 0.008 to 0.130, as it goes from the D just below guitar high E to the C just above 5 string B (other tunings are available).

Edited September 5, 2019 by Woodinblack

[BigRedX]

12 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

Newtones do 34" scale guitar strings, and d'dario strings are over 40" so generally long enough for a bass scale - I know as I have looked for the chapman stick, which is actually more  than 34" scale with strings from 0.008 to 0.130 .

That's good to know. I just had a look at my Newtone Axion strings which are my current favourites for Bass VI and it would be very marginal whether or not they fitted a 34" scale bass. Having said that I'm sure Newtone would wind a custom set of Axions for a longer scale length.

Edited September 5, 2019 by BigRedX

[Al Krow]

Just popped into Wunjos to speak to Tom about part ex'ing my Ibby SR1206 for a GVB36 and he spoke to their main supplier and it turns out they've been discontinued. Shame. 

Back to the drawing board! 

[Woodinblack]

There are a few around though

[Al Krow]

Well if you or anyone else spots any for sale in the UK, please give me a shout! 

[Paulhauser]

Also D'Addario makes the piccolo set of 52 42 32 20 (EXL280) so getting two other single nickel strings gauged  80 and 100 from them would do the trick and it fits to long scale necks (34" works for sure as I gave used these)