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Im with ends. Really like those first 16 frets or so.
Actually I used to have copule osngs that went Waaaayyyyy up there, but on the lower strings, and on every guitar I've ever played, intonation on the lower 3 strigns is pretty much a joke past 16 or so. So I ended up scrapping those ones.

classic gibson is 22 frets, classic fender is 21 frets. but most gibsons have horrible fret access. telecasters and mustangs have really good fret access. you can play a barre chords on the 17th fret for example. that's pretty much impossible on, say, a les paul.

Ankhanu wrote:Get a VI, they're awesome instruments
Peter Hook used one from time to time, even (his is a Shergold Marathon). Adding the high B and E strings to bass really changes what you can play with the instrument. They're a lot of fun and offer some great tones.

I'm always thinking about getting an Agile Argus, or maybe even the long scale Harm. Would be badass.

Mages wrote:classic gibson is 22 frets, classic fender is 21 frets. but most gibsons have horrible fret access. telecasters and mustangs have really good fret access. you can play a barre chords on the 17th fret for example. that's pretty much impossible on, say, a les paul.

Really? I find that upper access on a Mustang is actually quite poor and (maybe because) I have tiny hands. All Fender bolt ons feel really crappy at the 19th frets and up, but I still like having it occasionally. I find it much easier on a set neck or a neck-through. Hell, on a neck through, you can play scales at the 19-22th frets.

honeyiscool wrote:I'm always thinking about getting an Agile Argus, or maybe even the long scale Harm. Would be badass.

I've heard those Agiles are pretty decent for the cash. I haven't tried one though. Really, the only VIs I've tried is the Schecter Hellcat VI and the Fender Jaguar Baritone Custom (later named Jaguar VI). I only played the Jag unplugged, and it was sold when I finally got the cash to get it... got my HCVI last July and it's been great.

Looks like I'll have money from selling my MacBook on Sunday or Monday... then I'm placing an order for a Schecter Ultra VI. I was going to finance the purchase with the sale of my HCVI, but, a couple weeks into trying, no one's been interested in buying it... but the Macbook had bites within hours Still trying to sell the Hellcat, but, this way I can do a side by side playability/tone test! Yay!

The Ultra looks 80% cooler than Hellcat, set neck, too. On paper, it should be a winner by a mile. I'd hit. The only thing I worry about with the reverse offset is neck dive, but hopefully it's not too bad.

Honestly, though, I'll probably be better served with one of those douchey sleek looking standard scale 4-stringers with 24 frets. As much as I hate how they look, after having played my roommate's Ibanez, I have to say that for certain usage, there's none better. Cheaper, too.

Yeah, I'm not TOO worried about neck dive... hell, my Jazz bass has neck dive (basswood body). I'm not playing marathon sets anyway, so stamina is rarely an issue.
I adore the playability and tonal/role flexibility the VI has given me; I've greatly changed how I relate my instrument to the band. It's awesome

honeyiscool wrote:

Mages wrote:classic gibson is 22 frets, classic fender is 21 frets. but most gibsons have horrible fret access. telecasters and mustangs have really good fret access. you can play a barre chords on the 17th fret for example. that's pretty much impossible on, say, a les paul.

Really? I find that upper access on a Mustang is actually quite poor and (maybe because) I have tiny hands. All Fender bolt ons feel really crappy at the 19th frets and up, but I still like having it occasionally. I find it much easier on a set neck or a neck-through. Hell, on a neck through, you can play scales at the 19-22th frets.

I don't know what kind of set neck guitars you are playing but it doesn't sound like a gibson. the gibson neck join is definitely more bulky than a fender bolt-on. especially if you have a strap button on there like on an SG, flying V, 335, etc.

Ankhanu wrote:Yeah, I'm not TOO worried about neck dive... hell, my Jazz bass has neck dive (basswood body). I'm not playing marathon sets anyway, so stamina is rarely an issue.
I adore the playability and tonal/role flexibility the VI has given me; I've greatly changed how I relate my instrument to the band. It's awesome

Ever tried lightweight tuners? Makes a big difference IMO.

Do you ever play with fingers?

Mages wrote:I don't know what kind of set neck guitars you are playing but it doesn't sound like a gibson. the gibson neck join is definitely more bulky than a fender bolt-on. especially if you have a strap button on there like on an SG, flying V, 335, etc.

I've only had LP style. I don't know, it might be a combination of a lot of things, like radius, fingerboard width, etc.

honeyiscool wrote:

Mages wrote:I don't know what kind of set neck guitars you are playing but it doesn't sound like a gibson. the gibson neck join is definitely more bulky than a fender bolt-on. especially if you have a strap button on there like on an SG, flying V, 335, etc.

I've only had LP style. I don't know, it might be a combination of a lot of things, like radius, fingerboard width, etc.

yeah, definitely there are a lot of factors involved. and actually.... it's been a while since I had my les paul so I could be completely wrong about the fret access. other gibsons I've played since then haven't been so good though. but maybe the les paul isn't so bad actually... I can't remember.

honeyiscool wrote:

Ankhanu wrote:Yeah, I'm not TOO worried about neck dive... hell, my Jazz bass has neck dive (basswood body). I'm not playing marathon sets anyway, so stamina is rarely an issue.
I adore the playability and tonal/role flexibility the VI has given me; I've greatly changed how I relate my instrument to the band. It's awesome

Ever tried lightweight tuners? Makes a big difference IMO.

Do you ever play with fingers?

Nah, never replaced the tuners... never really felt the need. Plus, I use a coarse woven cloth strap and it generally grips my shirt well enough.

For standard bass styles, I play finger style. On the VI I tend to use a pick; the string spacing is kinda close for conventional finger style (but fine for traditional guitar styles)... but, that said, with a little practice, I can now play finger style on the VI just fine. It took some adjustment, but it's doable. I tend to prefer the pick tone in the VI too, whereas on a standard bass I generally prefer a finger tone.

Mages wrote:

honeyiscool wrote:

Mages wrote:I don't know what kind of set neck guitars you are playing but it doesn't sound like a gibson. the gibson neck join is definitely more bulky than a fender bolt-on. especially if you have a strap button on there like on an SG, flying V, 335, etc.

I've only had LP style. I don't know, it might be a combination of a lot of things, like radius, fingerboard width, etc.

yeah, definitely there are a lot of factors involved. and actually.... it's been a while since I had my les paul so I could be completely wrong about the fret access. other gibsons I've played since then haven't been so good though. but maybe the les paul isn't so bad actually... I can't remember.

I personally feel the upper fret access on a Lp is terrible compared to a Fender.... Mages u where right about a LP neck joint for sure, its like inches thick.... but there are other factors as Honey said....

I have always felt SG's have great access, the best out of all Gibsons, even with the strap button placement

Come to think of it, it has to do with my playing style when I'm in that region of the neck. I tend to anchor my left thumb at the neck joint, and then stretch. A Gibson neck joint just feels very nice there for me since things are nice and smooth, whereas a Fender neck joint feels blocky and coarse and uncomfortable. Doable, but not preferable. A rounded bolt-on joint helps this a great deal, though, but not a fan of those neck plate less designs, personally.

Of course, on a neck through it's like the joint isn't even there so it's the best out of the three, but then those are usually cursed with really high-end finishes that look more like furniture than instruments.

honeyiscool wrote:Come to think of it, it has to do with my playing style when I'm in that region of the neck. I tend to anchor my left thumb at the neck joint, and then stretch.

I can deffinately see that.... I am the dude that is dumb and always has my thumb to much on the back of the neck