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Which 6-string bass?

dcr

By dcr
in Low Down Lowdown

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PhilMan99

PhilMan99

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While I don't like "the sound" of my bass unless I have my Line6 Bass PODxt (in which case I'm quite happy), I've come to like my Ibanez SR496's neck. It has rather close string-spacing, and a "flat-plank" neck (rather than the "half-log" type of neck).

 

6-strings can be quite wide; unless you want to slap on it, you may want to look at something with narrow string-spacing.

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Seamy ALB

Seamy ALB

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I have a Warwick Corvette 6, to be honest I've only ever played two other 6 strings in store a peavey cirrus(I Think) and a washburn. I'm not really in a position to comment on other than what I own which is excellent and to say the move to 6 was the best thing I ever did!!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Little-Bitter/185235472447

 

 

 

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DavidMPires

DavidMPires

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I'm thinking in buy sometime next year the yamaha RBXJM6 is the signature of John Myung from Dream Theater, but the best is that is a great 6 string bass with a seymour duncan humbucker and costs like £550 do the currency please.

So may be good to have a look

 

www.myspace.com/davidbassportugal

 

"And then the magical unicorn will come prancing down the rainbow and we'll all join hands for a rousing chorus of Kumbaya." - by davio

 

 

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Eric VB

Eric VB

Posted
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Originally posted by Newf Stimpson:

Any 6's with a nut width smaller then 2 inches? Say 1 3/4" or 1 7/8".

You are sadi..., er, masochi..., er, one of those fellows that enjoys pain! :o:D

 

I forgot the name of the first 6-string I fell in love with. It had 4-string spacing on a nice wide neck. Ahhh ... comfort! ;)

 

To each his own, of course. You can always custom order, right?

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Eric VB

Eric VB

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Originally posted by DavidMPires:

I'm thinking in buy sometime next year the yamaha RBXJM6 is the signature of John Myung from Dream Theater, but the best is that is a great 6 string bass with a seymour duncan humbucker and costs like £550 do the currency please.

So may be good to have a look

Yeah, I've been meaning to take a look at the Yamahahahas. ;) They look purty but I haven't had a chance to get my hands on one yet. A JP6II, or don't they have a non-signature 6, too?

 

I wouldn't mind fingering a Peavey or Carvin while I'm at it.

 

But first I have to win the lotto. So, uh, hold that thought! :D

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dcr

dcr

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Thanks for the input. Keep it coming!

 

The Carvin seems to be a favorite. They turn upon eBay pretty regularly, & the prices are pretty good.

 

I've tried the Yamaha TRB. It was pretty good; I'd like to spend a lot more time with one. They also make an RBX with 6 strings (Myung signature); call me shallow, but I don't dig the "infinity" inlay.

 

I'll bet the Warwicks are fabulous; but they're spendy.

 

The Ibanez BTB556 looks pretty good. Would love to try one. Any experience/thoughts?

 

I looked at Warmoth; they offer a 6 in their "Gecko" line. Looks pretty nice...but by the time you pay for all the bits & bobs, you may as well get one of the other ones mentioned here.

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Pernax

Pernax

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Originally posted by dcr:

They also make an RBX with 6 strings (Myung signature); call me shallow, but I don't dig the "infinity" inlay.

That's the old model, the new RBX-JM2 is a bit different:

 

http://www.gakki.com/catalog43/yamaha_rbx_jm2.jpg

 

I'd love to give one a go, the price ain't that bad either.

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DavidMPires

DavidMPires

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It is on my wish list. I was really close to buy one, but ultimately decided to buy the spector 5 string, co's was needing a good fiver.

But next year that baby will come to the papa.

 

www.myspace.com/davidbassportugal

 

"And then the magical unicorn will come prancing down the rainbow and we'll all join hands for a rousing chorus of Kumbaya." - by davio

 

 

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jlrush

jlrush

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By dcr:

 

I've tried the Yamaha TRB. It was pretty good; I'd like to spend a lot more time with one.

 

I can't say enough good things about the TRB fiver I just bought, it's about 10 yrs old. I've heard the TRB models are nicer than the TRBII.

All I've seen on eBay in TRB 6's is the Patituchi model. It's pricey but I'll bet it's a great fish.

Good luck in the search.

Visit my band's new web site.

 

www.themojoroots.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Texian

Texian

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I'll add another thumbs up to the Yamaha TRB basses. However, if you can play a couple different basses with different string spacings, that might help you decide.

 

I personally don't like 5 and 6's with narrow string spacing becuase I feel cramped AND because the Yamaha TRB6 is what I learned/adapted to play when I made the jump from 4. The neck is wide (I like it) and it will make sure you stay on top of your left hand technique in order to play the thing (I'll get sloppy playing my MM SR5 and grab the neck like a baseball bat. Can't do that with the TRB6).

 

That said, if you have small hands, it might be pretty dang hard for you to play a TRB 6 string or other basses with that wide of a neck. I'm fairly average in height and build (so i assume I have average size hands) and don't have a problem with the TRB.

 

Also, the TRB, like the Carvin's are 35" scale basses. Do a search on the board and you can read a long list of opinions and technical theory on 34" vs. 35".

 

good luck!

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Basshappi

Basshappi

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Hey Dan! How're things Down Under?

 

As to a 6er I'd also recommend the Carvin. Ed Friedland has a Bunny Brunnel model and the sound of that thing is fantastic. Also wit the pup and electronics combo he has in it is very versatile.

 

Ed\'s BB76 is here!

 

It's true that you can get them fairly regularly on ebay but even if you order it new you can't beat the price!

 

I was wondering why you were unloading your Godin considering how much you like it and now I know why.

 

Good luck and enjoy whatever you finally decide upon.

Nothing is as it seems but everything is exactly what it is - B. Banzai

 

Life is what happens while you are busy playing in bands.

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dcr

dcr

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Hey, Dan! Things are great down here (way, way down here). I hope you enjoyed your first week of being Rumsfeld-free. :D

 

Thanks for the link to Ed's BB76. In fact, I've been wanting a Carvin BB for years; maybe this is the time?

 

I might be unloading my Yamaha BB605, too. I wouldn't need it on top of a 6...but damn that bass plays & sounds great. I still can't believe how cheap it was! Quite a score. Naturally, I'm favorably disposed to a Yamaha 6 already! (And thank, Pernax, for the update on the RBX--that's much better!!)

 

Actually, I'm thinking about unloading almost everything. Rather than ship it back to the US, risk theft, damage, etc. Keep the Rick for a fretted 4; get a 6 & a fretless, & call it good. Who knows.

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h364

h364

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Sorry about the noobish question, i've played 4 string bass for two years, i would love my next bass to be a 5+ string. If i was to get a 5 i would probably get a 6 cuz its 5 and more! Yeah, so what our the major benifits of going more than four strings?
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jlrush

jlrush

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Nice Carvin.

 

h364 - Low B, high C.

I haven't played a six yet, but the B string on a five gives a really powerful E in the 5th position and the D and below are awesome.

Visit my band's new web site.

 

www.themojoroots.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

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John50

John50

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Originally posted by dcr:

Thanks for the input. Keep it coming!

 

The Ibanez BTB556 looks pretty good. Would love to try one. Any experience/thoughts?

Hi dcr,

I tried A BTB556, really liked it, so much that I brought the BTB555 (new) a few months ago. Just a personal choice that for my requirements / ability at this point, I preferred to stick with a 5 string. The string spacing on the BTB 5 is a fraction wider than the 6, and certainly wider than my existing, or the various other basses I tried. It took me about 2 days to get used to, and I prefer it now. Both the 5 and 6 sound identical, and the variation in sound that the 3 band eq in conjuction with the mid range frequency cutter knob will give is very impressive, and versatile. With the treble on full, and the bottom pickup only, plus the freq. cut control fully clockwise, its response is very, very touchy!! But an interesting very live sort of funky electric guitar sound. Go to the opposite extreme with the adjustments, and you get a big fat sort of fuzzy thick dark bass sound you can chew on! somewhere half way between, i can get a sound that sort of approximates a plucked upright bass. Not the same, but it is useful for the types of music I get involved in.

 

I'd really recommend your trying one if you possibily get the chance. The opinion of myself, and others is that it is a lot of bass for the money.

 

I've just finished a nearly 3 week season of a local Theatre Restaurant Musical show, Stephen Sondheim's 1962 show "A Funny Thing happened On The Way To The Forum". The music appeared deceptively simple when I first got it, but proved to take some getting into the grove with it. And as I was reading music, also some awlful keys (5, 6 flats) for me as a relative learner. I used a wide range of sounds with my BTB555 for this show, although I dare say the majority of the audience would not have noticed, but none the less, I still enjoyed and got satisfaction from creating different sounds and styles for the various moods of the many songs. Nice to be at home again at night for a bit!

 

Best of luck, and have fun searching for your new axe (bass) dcr

 

John

MUSIC is food for the soul
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dcr

dcr

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Thanks for that, John! I was hoping you'd chime in with your impressions. That one has definitely been in my sights.

 

And how cool is that, playing for musical theater! Awesome. I've never seen that play live, although I own a copy of Zero Mostel's film version, which just slays me. That's the way to become a bass player, eh!

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nadu

nadu

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The yamaha rbx is a sweet bass, ive tried that one and i think is a fine instrument. However, i think its a little too flashy.

And ive never seen any advantage of 6 string basses, 4 string is good for me, easier to play too.

Nadu, the intergalactic

funk-grand-master

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EddiePlaysBass

EddiePlaysBass

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Originally posted by nadu:

And ive never seen any advantage of 6 string basses, 4 string is good for me, easier to play too.

I've been playing my 5-er for so long now, that to me this has become the "standard". I'm curious what the 6-er I'll be picking up on Sunday will be like ...

 

As for advantages, it's a personal choice is all I'll say about it. Don't get me wrong, nadu, I'm not picking a fight, but I'm tired of having to defend myself for having one or two more strings than what most people are used to seeing. I don't comment on people having 4-stringers either, nor do I question the (dis)advantages of those instruments.

"I'm a work in progress." Micky Barnes

 

The Ross Brown Shirt World Tour

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