Description
Presented here is a Fender VI Electric Bass Guitar from 1970 in classic Sunburst finish in nearly all-original condition except for a missing mute assembly.
This 1970 Fender VI example is in good condition showing light, honest play wear for an instrument now 56 years old. The finish shows a few small dings around the body, but it is well preserved. There is natural tarnish and wear to the metal parts. The frets are original but low, and for ideal playability a professional refret would bring this vintage classic up to studio grade.
Sold with its original black rectangular hard shell case, containing the trem arm. The flip-up, Jaguar style mute assembly is long gone.
The Fender VI or Bass VI as it was sometimes branded is a remarkably useful instrument. Laid out like a guitar but with a Jazzmaster style trem system, 30 inch scale and tuned a full octave lower, it fits into a wide range of sonic spaces. However, despite its advantages it was never much in demand and over the entire 14-year production run, in Rosewood and rare Maple neck versions, fewer than 1,500 were built.
Historically, the Fender Bass VI took center position on many studio recordings, including Glen Campbell's 'Wichita Lineman'. Jack Bruce used one on many of the tunes on Cream's first album 'Fresh Cream'. The Lovin' Spoonful mixed one into many tracks. Robert Smith of The Cure applied it to many tracks on 'Disintegration'. And several members of The Beatles used one, notably played by John Lennon on 'Back in the USSR' and 'Helter Skelter'. Harrison used it on 'Honey Pie', 'Birthday' and 'Hey Jude'.
Construction and materials
Following Fender's proven and very successful pattern, the Fender VI / Bass VI pairs a solid Alder body with a Maple neck. From 1961 to 1970, all models had Rosewood fingerboard, but from 1970 to discontinuation a solid Maple neck was available.
For electronics, there are three pickups. 1961 models used Strat-style pickups with a plate holding three on-off slider switches. For 1962 when the Fender Jaguar was launched, the Fender VI gained not only Jaguar style pickups, but an enlarged plate with a fourth passive high-pass filter, commonly known as the 'strangle' switch. These are followed by Master Volume and Master tone controls and an output jack on a front-mounted metal plate (rather like the Jazz Bass control mount plate).
Hardware originally started with a set of Kluson Deluxe tuners, but in 1967 these were replaced with the 'F' stamped tuners. When these 'F' stamped tuners were introduced, they were made by a local tool and die shop (Race & Olmsted), but by the later 1970's Schaller produced them. The bridge, mute assembly and vibrato tailpiece are remarkably similar to the parts used on the Jazzmaster and Jaguar. The pickguard is a faux-tortoise.
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There are no refunds or returns on used items unless authorized in advance by a Twelfth Fret Sales Associate at time of sale. View Our Full Terms Here |
DETAILS:
- Instrument Model: Fender VI
- Instrument Manufacturer: Fender
- Instrument year: 1970
- Instrument Finish: Sunburst
- Instrument Class: Solidbody Electric Bass Guitar
- Instrument serial number: 291361, built during 1970 at Fullerton, CA
- Country of Origin: USA
- Instrument Condition: Good
- Right-handed
- Instrument Weight Imperial: 9.504 lbs
- Instrument Weight Metric: 4.32 kgs
- Scale Length Imperial: 30 in
- Scale Length Metric: 762 mm
- Nut Width Imperial: 1.485 in
- Nut Width Metric: 37.73 mm
- CITIES Documentation Required: No
- Case included: Yes
- Case original: Yes
- Items in Case: Trem Arm
- Case Type: Hard Shell Rectanglular Black
- Consignment: Yes
- Product ID: 190852
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There are no refunds or returns on used items unless authorized in advance by a Twelfth Fret Sales Associate at time of sale. View Our Full Terms Here |