6-string basses

uOpt

uOpt

Something Cool
For a specific project I am looking for a 6-string bass. Either something reasonably priced or easy to flip. Something clear and piano-ish sounding.

I think my options are mostly:
  • I liked that spalted maple top LTD I used in guitar center to test an amp
  • A Warwick Corvette. I think sound-wise that's a good bet and for some reason people don't pay much for the Corvettes
  • A Bongo

Anybody active in that space? My major concern is that the thing sounds too stiff because of all the added wood in the neck, not to mention they might throw in additional rods.

Pickup wise, I dunno. Better plan for stock pickups. Looks like soapbars are the most common. With that I can pick between SD, EMG and a few others. I would prefer a JJ setup but that's probably stretching passive coils too much.
 
Re: 6-string basses

I've played 6 strings for a couple of years now (and my main axe is a Warwick Streamer LX Broadneck 6). I also have a Corvette $$ fretless 6.

The Corvette 6 would be a solid bass with a nice midrange character (I have a 5 string Corvette std as well). I really don't like the stock MEC pickups and preamp. At the very least, you could switch out the preamp for an SD STC-3 band preamp. The midrange control on that really plays well with Warwicks and opens them up a lot more than just stock. Add to that the ASB-6 pickups, and you have a nice setup that's deeper tonally than stock, and has more dynamics and sensitivity to your playing.

My Streamer LX has ASB-6 pickups and the STC-3 preamp, and all of my other Warwicks have AT LEAST an SD preamp (in the case of the Jack Bruce sig, I'm not sure how feasible it is to get new pickups for it), so I've done that a couple of times.

As for clear and piano-ish sounding, I'd definitely recommend something like the GHS Contact Core Super Steels. The "exposed core" (I put that in parenthesis, mainly because there is a very fine first wrap covering the core wire) gives you excellent clarity and articulation, and is excellent for chord work. Other than that, any set of steel strings is going to give you that brightness that you're looking for.
 
Re: 6-string basses

Check out Yamaha six string basses.
 
Re: 6-string basses

Ibanez will get you in the door quite well, from entry-level ($500-ish) all the way up to the pro models.
 
Re: 6-string basses

One Bad Monkey said:
Given that the OP is already concerned about the stiffness of the neck in regard to the additional wood and possible double truss rods, a carbon graphite neck might be out of the question.
Click to expand...

Yeah, not to mention it is too expensive for a simple project bass.

There was a graphite neck for a Stingray sold on basstalk a while back, I was tempted to try it out. But truth be told I am a total wood snob. A neck has to be floppy, otherwise it's never gonna sound good.
 
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