NBVID: Squier Bass VI...

mkt3000 · Post by **mkt3000** » Tue Sep 17, 2013 6:12 pm

I'm really fucking tempted to get one when I'm in the states next month.. grrr

avj · Post by **avj** » Tue Sep 17, 2013 6:50 pm

Oh man, my Staytrem bridge arrived today. I really feel it necessary to say John from Staytrem is absolutely a class act, as has been said many times over here and elsewhere.

Arrived with what appears to be proper intonation too!

Before even I had the Bass VI, I had read about the stock narrow-width bridge not providing enough range to intonate properly. Staytrem are the only ones offering a proper-width Bass VI bridge in regular numbers, so it seemed an obvious choice. I messaged John on eBay to ask about availability of 9.5" bridges as they were sold out in the auction, and he said he was adding some more in the morning. He also said he was going to be on holiday until Sep 22 but if I ordered in the next 24 hours he'd get it shipped.

When I did the BIN on eBay, even though my PayPal account is verified and fine, somehow it was sent as an e-check or some shit I'd never seen before so it needed around ten days to clear. I figured I'd be waiting until he returned, as no sane man would send the goods without payment -- but that is exactly what he did to ensure I wasn't without it while he was away. He also did something I rarely see anymore on eBay, and that is to give me positive feedback immediately without holding back to potentially use retaliatory negative feedback against me if I left it for him.

So yeah -- another big wet smooch to John and Staytrem.

Golden_Sonic · Post by **Golden_Sonic** » Wed Sep 18, 2013 7:47 am

Good beast man! But how should I play correctly a Bass VI? On a guitar amp or a bass amp? What could it happen if I play it on a guitar amp?

jagsonic · Post by **jagsonic** » Wed Sep 18, 2013 8:01 am

I play my jazzbass on a guitaramp. In a band with drums and two guitars.

Ankhanu · Post by **Ankhanu** » Wed Sep 18, 2013 10:57 am

Golden_Sonic wrote:Good beast man! But how should I play correctly a Bass VI? On a guitar amp or a bass amp? What could it happen if I play it on a guitar amp?

Depending on the sound I want, I play through either a bass amp or guitar amp... Or both at the same time. The EQ ranges of bass and guitar amps differ, so your choice will have obvious impacts.

If running through a guitar amp, you may want to check the driver specs, make sure it/they have a good long travel distance, if not, brassier notes at high volume could blow the speaker. I've had no problems, though.

Post by **Mike** » Wed Sep 18, 2013 2:46 pm

I have a Staytrem bridge on my Jaguar. it's incredible.

avj · Post by **avj** » Wed Sep 18, 2013 3:34 pm

Ankhanu wrote:
Golden_Sonic wrote:Good beast man! But how should I play correctly a Bass VI? On a guitar amp or a bass amp? What could it happen if I play it on a guitar amp?
Depending on the sound I want, I play through either a bass amp or guitar amp... Or both at the same time. The EQ ranges of bass and guitar amps differ, so your choice will have obvious impacts.

If running through a guitar amp, you may want to check the driver specs, make sure it/they have a good long travel distance, if not, brassier notes at high volume could blow the speaker. I've had no problems, though.

I would agree. I'm planning on using the same rig as I did with a four-string, which is Orange AD30 and a 4x10 bass cab. With the strangle switch on the Bass VI, I would happily trust it into a guitar combo or cabinet. Do the Hellcat or Ultra VI have a high-pass/strangle switch?

Mike wrote:I have a Staytrem bridge on my Jaguar. it's incredible.

I fitted the Staytrem last night and it's as great as I'd hoped. Compared to the stock bridge, it even feels nicer in-hand -- like a proper piece of metal instead of a chromed-up who-knows-what. I dig the captive bushings in place of springs, and the bushings holding the grub screws solidly in place are a nice touch too. Our friend Science would probably mention something about slightly increased sustain and better string/body coupling, and I would grumble and agree with him.

Ankhanu · Post by **Ankhanu** » Thu Sep 19, 2013 8:06 pm

avj wrote: Do the Hellcat or Ultra VI have a high-pass/strangle switch?

Unfortunately, they do not.

avj · Post by **avj** » Thu Sep 19, 2013 8:13 pm

Ankhanu wrote:
avj wrote: Do the Hellcat or Ultra VI have a high-pass/strangle switch?
Unfortunately, they do not.

Bummer. It's a great feature on a Jaguar guitar and an even better feature on a Bass VI. Nothing that can't be emulated with an EQ pedal I suppose, but not as nice as a switch.

Do you still have a Hellcat and/or Ultra VI? Any plans to get a Bass VI?

ProcessedMeatMan · Post by **ProcessedMeatMan** » Thu Sep 19, 2013 10:38 pm

Fuuuuuuck do want!

Ankhanu · Post by **Ankhanu** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 4:17 pm

avj wrote:
Ankhanu wrote:
avj wrote: Do the Hellcat or Ultra VI have a high-pass/strangle switch?
Unfortunately, they do not.
Bummer. It's a great feature on a Jaguar guitar and an even better feature on a Bass VI. Nothing that can't be emulated with an EQ pedal I suppose, but not as nice as a switch.

Do you still have a Hellcat and/or Ultra VI? Any plans to get a Bass VI?

Have both; sold the old Hellcat with the minihumbuckers to buy a 2012 with the Duncan SJAG-1 pickups which I have tuned bass standard E-e, and restrung/retuned the Ultra as a B-b baritone, which works much better with the minihumbuckers.

I plan to nab a Squier for the trem and high-pass filter. I've had various plans to mod the Schecters to include one or the other, but never started in on them... My wife's agreed that I can get one, but then we bought a new car, so that's slowed a bit

Planning on grabbing an Olympic White one, and maybe getting a mint guard for it.

Thomas · Post by **Thomas** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 5:27 pm

I think I'm going to go for a sunburst one next month. If I gel with it I'll upgrade the bridge and trem (and possibly put a rails pup in the bridge).

In related news when I was playing The Last Of us on ps3 I really loved the music, especially a very haunting guitar sound that I couldn't quite put my finger on. Skip to a week or so later and I was watching a making of for the game and in the soundtrack section there is the dude recording the music and the amazing sound was.... you guessed it, a bass VI.

gusman2x · Post by **gusman2x** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 5:40 pm

The staytrems a great upgrade. It's not cheap, but i think the improvement in stability makes it real value for money. I don't know if a fender trem would be a big improvement though. I don't think that the lack of a lock on the squier trem means much. You'd have to go some to break a bass vi string

Another immense improvement was putting a heavier low E on. I just got one from a fender shortscale light set. It's a 0.095, and replaces the 0.084, which was just no use.

Ankhanu · Post by **Ankhanu** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 6:26 pm

gusman2x wrote:T... I don't know if a fender trem would be a big improvement though. I don't think that the lack of a lock on the squier trem means much. You'd have to go some to break a bass vi string

Another immense improvement was putting a heavier low E on. I just got one from a fender shortscale light set. It's a 0.095, and replaces the 0.084, which was just no use.

Yeah, I virtually never engage the lock on my Jaguar trem... I doubt I'd use it in the VI neither.

0.95 is pretty much a requisite... going lighter tuning to E is silly to me; heavier can work.

Ankhanu · Post by **Ankhanu** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 6:26 pm

gusman2x wrote:T... I don't know if a fender trem would be a big improvement though. I don't think that the lack of a lock on the squier trem means much. You'd have to go some to break a bass vi string

Another immense improvement was putting a heavier low E on. I just got one from a fender shortscale light set. It's a 0.095, and replaces the 0.084, which was just no use.

Yeah, I virtually never engage the lock on my Jaguar trem... I doubt I'd use it in the VI neither.

0.95 is pretty much a requisite... going lighter tuning to E is silly to me; heavier can work.

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Sat Sep 21, 2013 8:27 pm

Wonder if they're gonna reintroduce the heavier gauge sets for these now that Fender and Squier are both crankin' 'em out, wouldn't be a bad idea.

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Sun Sep 22, 2013 4:37 am

i have been torn the last two weeks, between getting one of these, and winterizing the house. gotta get insulation, foam, and plastic, plus heated pipe wrap, all in all it will come out to the same of a bass VI(squier).....

Ankhanu · Post by **Ankhanu** » Sun Sep 22, 2013 3:31 pm

Insulate

Ankhanu · Post by **Ankhanu** » Sun Sep 22, 2013 3:31 pm

paul_ wrote:Wonder if they're gonna reintroduce the heavier gauge sets for these now that Fender and Squier are both crankin' 'em out, wouldn't be a bad idea.

Given that they just discontinued them a year ago, I wouldn't hold your breath... It would be a great idea though, as the other 0.95" options are pretty freakin expensive in lengths long enough to work with the VI trem.

Chris Fleming · Post by **Chris Fleming** » Sun Sep 22, 2013 4:05 pm

Get one of those sleeping bags that have arms and legs?