Fender / Squier Bass VI

Started by gumtown, January 05, 2014, 07:32:56 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

gumbo

...I'd suggest counting sheep until it gets there, but.....     ;D
Read slower!!!   ....I'm typing as fast as I can...

gumtown

#26
Counting sheep? Yeah Right !  :)
Meanwhile I have just ordered 3 sets of spare strings

LB_767-6S La Bella Fender Bass VI - 6 String Stainless Steel Round Wound Set
Type: 767-6S: ..026 .035 .044 .055 .075 .095

from Bass Strings Online 
6447 Independence Ave Woodland Hills, CA 91367 
BassStringsOnline.com


There is also a monster thread on this model of bass and the mods that can be done to make it better.
http://www.talkbass.com/threads/official-squier-vintage-modified-bass-vi-club.1020321/
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

Elantric


gumtown

Just an update on the progress,
The 3 x packets of LaBella spare strings have turned up (USA > NZ),
but still no sign of the bass and it's 2 weeks past the last due by date.

I have raised a case with the eBay seller..
How can it go missing, where can it be???

Where are You Wilson?
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

Elantric

Man thats a really long time to wait.

Mine arrived 6 weeks after my order:

Ordered Jan 10, 2104

Delivered Feb 28, 2014

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=11283.msg73993#msg73993



gumtown

It was in stock, so it only had to be delivered...
Still to date it is "In Transit"
Usually takes 2 weeks to New Zealand.
It's not like a large box can be easily misplaced and forgotten,
probably the words Fender and Squier on the box may have attracted someones attention (maybe not Squier so much).

Time and date      Place                         Message
Tuesday, June 3 Erlanger,  N/A Shipped from US Shipping Center to International Destination

Monday, June 2 Erlanger,  N/A Customs Documentation and Labeling

Monday, June 2 Erlanger,  N/A Processing at US Shipping Center

Monday, June 2 Hebron, KY N/A Delivered to US Shipping Center-Delivered

Friday, May 30 INDEPENDENCE, KY N/A In Transit-Arrived at FedEx location

Friday, May 30 ELLENWOOD, GA N/A In Transit-Departed FedEx location

Friday, May 30 ELLENWOOD, GA N/A In Transit-Arrived at FedEx location

Friday, May 30 PANAMA CITY, FL N/A In Transit-Left FedEx origin facility

Thursday, May 29 PANAMA CITY, FL N/A In Transit-Arrived at FedEx location

Thursday, May 29 PANAMA CITY, FL N/A In Transit-Picked up

The Resolution Centre case gets reviewed on the 29th, I hope they send another.


Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

Elantric

QuoteMay 29 PANAMA CITY, FL
Must have ordered from here:  http://www.samash.com

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

gumtown

From here http://www.ebay.com/usr/leitzmusic
The only seller I could find that would ship a Fender product overseas,
all the others have an agreement with Fender not to export.

They have fulfilled their part on the supply and delivery to eBay shipping,
the problem is with eBay's Global Shipping program.....
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

gumbo

Quote from:  gumtown on June 25, 2014, 05:09:51 PM


the problem is with eBay's Global Shipping program.....

...yes, can't say I'm a fan of that either.. :P

..certainly hope this gets resolved..I was hanging out for your review!!

Good luck Mate..
Peter
Read slower!!!   ....I'm typing as fast as I can...

gumtown

todays rant...
>:( >:( >:( >:(
I just gets worse,
eBay have conceded that the bass is lost in transit,
they ruled in favour of my resolution case, and ruled to give me a "full refund of $278.00"
which includes the $349.00 original purchase and the $90.00 shipping and $71.00 import duties.
CASE CLOSED - they say if you wish to appeal the ruling, hit the appeal button - THERE IS NO APPEAL BUTTON ANYWHERE
grrrrr  >:( >:( >:( eBay  >:( >:( >:( grrrrr  >:( >:( >:( >:( not happy  >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

Elantric

Bummer!


FWIW -Ive also had MANY nightmares from sellers who employ "Ebay Shipping"

gumtown

so... after many phone calls to eBay (and trying to stay composed), I finally got 'all' my money back after a system 'glitch'..

So... I brought another vintage modified bass vi from evil Bay, an Olympic white one.

Oh no... not again !!! It's been 5 days and the domestic USPS tracking still says "Manifest",
meaning the item was picked up but the tracking info has not yet been scanned.
Does this mean it's lost from day one??
All I can do is wait and poke my eyeballs with my fingers with anguish..
can anyone decipher this - my immediate thoughts >  &(&^(!^#&!@#^*^$_(*&^$%(&!%$_&($  >:(

If I were to see the funny side of it all, I would have to say "what a comedy of errors".
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

supernicd

Ouch!  I've had that exact thought before and can decipher it, but I don't think the forum rules permit me to post the translation here.

I feel your pain though.
Strat w/ GK-3, Godin LGXT
VG-99, GR-55, GP-10
---------------------------------------------------------------

gumbo

...sending you good thoughts, my Friend.. :-*

...certainly hope this works out!

Cheers,
Peter in Oz
Read slower!!!   ....I'm typing as fast as I can...

gumtown

Tah DAHHHH !!!
It arrived. second time lucky  :D
Looks like I'm going to need to give it a good ol' setup,
jeez that low E rattles.
I immediately went about installing the hybrid "GK-3B body and GK-3 pickup".
The GK-3B comes with a nifty (and solid & beefy) clamp arrangement,
the pickup part, I couldn't find any proper double sided tape,
so I trimmed down some stick-on Velcro dots into two strips and stuck the pickup side onto the floating bridge.
At least I can re-position it when required.
I may yet drill the pick-guard to fix the pickup down permanently.
Yet to take it home and try it out.





Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

Elantric

Glad to see you finally took delivery of your Bass IV!

gumtown

This Bass vi really needed a re-setup, it was so bad.
The E & A strings were buzzing hard out and the more I lifted the action, the more they buzzed.
Then I realized the bridge was set too low, and the saddles too high, where the saddle adjustment screw was touching the string.

I pulled the factory strings off, and looked at the bridge and discovered it has height adjusters in it.
Then screwed them out longer/higher, and fitted the new LaBella round wound strings.
The saddles could now be lowered so the saddle adjustment screw is not pointing upward at a 45 degree angle anymore.
A tune up and intonation adjustment, and final saddle height tweak, and now good as new.

A GK system setup on the GR-55 and it's away. The synth and modelled tones sound great and track well using the regular GK-3 pickup on the bass vi.
Had to boost the Normal Pickup level to +8dB to match my existing synth tones and my other bass P.U. levels.

But have now discovered the stick on Velcro is a bad idea for the GK pickup, I'm going to screw it on now, screws and springs.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

gumtown

Wow my last post has just vanished?
Here goes again..

The GK pickup is now screwed.... two screws and a pen spring cut in half, much better than the Velcro.
Note I had also impatiently cut the two saddle screws too.

Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

gumbo

Yeah, I noticed your impatience.. ;)  ....but after what you've been through on this one, you're excused!!!

I REALLY am very interested in hearing just how this is going to work out for you...you are in fact my beta tester.. :o   ..before I make suggestions to the Guitar Police that I have to have one too...

Cheers,
Peter
Read slower!!!   ....I'm typing as fast as I can...

mojo thorne

I know a few people on this board are playing these.  I want to experiment with some heavier gauge strings, particularly for the low E string.  The 0.95 gauge string feels a little floppy compared to the others, while the other five strings are tight and bright.  I'm curious what results others may have had with different string gauges on this guitar.

john318

Any updates on how well this works?  I have an Olympic White Bass VI that I am strongly considering adding a GK3 to.  I'm particularly curious as to how well the low E tracking is. Considering it has lighter gauge strings than a 4 string bass, does it track better than the heavier regular guage strings do? (My bass VI has .95s on the Low E).

Also (I'm a GR-55 Noob) is fingerpicking a viable option on this thing?  I'm primarily a bass player, but was thinking of having piano on the three lower guage strings and regular bass sounds on the higher guage strings.  The Bass VI's format would make this a dream to play on if it tracked well enough.

gumtown

May take some getting used to finger picking, as the string spacing is the same as a regular guitar, but with fatter strings.
The GR-55 in bass mode does not mind finger picking, and to use piano on the higher notes/register will work fine.
The only issue with the GK-3 used in bass mode is the GK setup string sense ( 6 x gain settings) needs to be a bit lower than usual.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

john318

This sounds almost too good to be true, haha.  I'm a bass player out of necessity, a guitar player for years.  While I actually prefer using my 5 string bass for playing bass, there are a few slower songs I've traditionally finger picked on my acoustic and sang while sitting around the house.  Simple chords, thumbing the bass notes and slowly finger picking the top three notes of each chord.  I was playing the bass VI in this manner and thats when it struck me to see if anyone had tried the Bass VI with the GR55.  From what I can see, few have, and even fewer posted anything on the web about it.  I can't thank you enough for sharing your experience.  I'll be picking up a GR-55 ASAP.

Elantric


gumtown

UPDATE:
Although the combination of the GK-3 (guitar) pickup and the GK-3B (bass) body (the wart) seemed to work well initially,
it has bugged me after some use, with having to adjust the GK setup sensitivity levels on the GR-55 right down to near nothing.
I conclude that the miss match of guitar and bass pickups does not work completely.
The guitar GK-3 pickup is high output with the GK unit set to a low gain,
and the GK-3B pickup is low output with the GK unit set to a higher gain.

I swapped out the GK-3B bass wart unit for the guitar GK-3 guitar one, which matches the installed pickup,
and the Bass VI works as it should with the GK setup sensitivity levels set around 60~70.
Mainly the PCM triggering is now more reliable and stable.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/