A Short Scale 6-String Bass? Surely this can't work 🤔
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 มิ.ย. 2022
- When it comes to playing bass, most of us tend to settle pretty early on with a particular number of strings. You might think of a bass guitar as having 4-strings and that’s it. But have you ever considered making the switch to a 6-string bass?
[In today’s new video], I unbox my brand-new bass and delve into some of the questions that I keep getting asked about it.
As always, see you in the shed…
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Thunder cat, Anthony Jackson, John Patituci, and John Myung are the artists who inspired me to pick up a six string. I hope SBL one day starts a course dedicated to six string mastery.
Every 6 string bassist I played with was a tonal pig. Stepping all over the pianist and guitarist ranges. Was horrible in a group setting. 6 string basses are BS.
@@FYMASMD having a guitarist and a pianist in the same group is already a horrible setting tone wise. Also I dont think its 6 strings fault, maybe it was just the player who didnt know what his job is in such a group was. Im sure if you put John Patituchi in a group like yours, hed be the last player to sound bad.
@@FYMASMDissue of the player not the instrument.
Thanks Scott for this great review! I wish to add some words on scale. To me the scale is one of the mayor incluencer to the tone of the bass. Short is warm and round , and long is bright and defined. I did 30" 6 string bass with a fat low B. If the low B has a poor response is not for the scale (or tension) but because its construction. Stiffness of the neck is for me the key to let them soung good with any scale. Multiscales has different tone on each string, so is good just if this is what you are looking for.
Yesssss I love my 5 string ibanez with low B!!
@manneguitars are you going to make more of these soon? How can I buy one? I want to compare to dingwall.
Short scales are amazing, I love them!
And this particular one looks and sounds gorgeous!
A work of art!
A 6 string opens up more options. A short scale allows for better precision. Sounds like a win win to me.
Not to mention the beautiful note definition you get with short scales. Match made in heaven
They lack of sustain in the mid-low and low range. Notes sound warmer and rounder BUT the sound/vibration ends faster.
@@LCA1985 Get a Korina one then! Sustain for days and loud
Anthony Jackson is one of my favourites. I love when he plays the B string with a pick.
Oteil Burbridge is amazing too!
Here in Brazil we have Itiberê Zwarg (Hermeto Pascoal’s bassplayer). He’s a genius!
Anyone who plays with Hermeto has got to be a beast! The man is a genius. I’m definitely going to check Itibere out. I’m a huge fan of the late Nico Assumpcao who was a brilliant 6 string bassist as well.
And Roy Vogt ain’t too bad either!! Cant believe I ran into your comment. Amazing.
Thundercat is my favorite bassist and hes the reason why i bought a 6 string 2 years ago!! the album (Where the Giants Roam) albaolutely takes you places, places youd wanna go.
Tour Rar Albaolutely Fright!
“It feels absolutely rock hard!” Fav Scott quote
Steve Bailey is my favorite six string bass player. I've been learning how to do his harmonic technique, it allows me to play things like pinch harmonics in solos, and chords and scales with harmonics a full octave higher than my guitar can go. Les claypool is also a beast, he's the reason I got a six string bass.
Jared Smith from Archspire is incredibly technically skilled, and uses the full extent of his six string bass. Worth checking out!
This looks awesome. I think people need to remember: SHORT SCALE BASSES ROCK! Same with guitars. There are so many people that bought a short scale instrument, bought "regular" strings and then complained about the "slop" of the B and even E. They "promised" you "have" to have a long scale to make things work... but that's bull - and I'm going to prove it. :) A lot of people need to go to the Stringjoy Tension Calculator page and pull up two browsers: one with "regular" strings at 34 inch scale, and a second with a 30 inch scale. Then they can put together a string gauge that will match tension making for a more consistent feel and playability from instrument to instrument. That opens things WIDE regarding possibilities. Also, it speaks to a lot of 90s G scale 7 string guitars and even 28 inch basses that people thought were "junk". The instrument wasn't the problem: YOU were. :) I've mainly stuck to 4 string basses though I think if I can get my hands on a 5, 6, or even a "BEAD" 4 I'd be in heaven. It's long overdue. :) Anyway, great video as always Scott. :)
To me, regardless of how many strings you have, it's about what are the best tools that work for you or for the music. The second bass I ever owned was a short-scale 4-string, and I initially felt it was a kiddie bass, but it mellowed with age and really developed this nice sound with deep lows and bright highs. So I definitely can't knock short-scale basses.
Christian Galvez from chile .. brutal chord melody in the six bass .. otro mundo lo recomiendo saludos desde chile
I own two Manne basses and I am so proud to see one being played by Scott!
I just got my first 6-string. Mitchell FB and I'm loving the sound and extra options of the low B and high C.
Philosophies of use are all on point here!
One issue that wasn't addressed is string spacing. Earlier in my bass playing journey I went from primarily playing a short scale 4 to a regular scale 6 and survived it (kind of?!). Many of the 6 strings have tight string spacing and now days that is the major adjustment for me when switching back and forth between my extended range 5 and 6 strings to 4 strings with standard 19mm Fender string spacing.
Same here, the secret is a really good setup.
Agree. I got 2 basses at the same time. A fretless 4 and fretted 6. The 6 has 16.6mm spacing. I was at first disappointed it wouldn't be suitable to convert to fretless as it wasn't suitable for fingerstyle. But it has proved particularly good for chords and arpeggios. As a guitar it has filled a space I didn't anticipate filling.
Very important point you make about the string spacing. My 6 has 17mm, which I have found to be a bit tight for my fat fingers. Before buying, that is something very important to check. If someone wants to get a Five or a six, they may want to consider going with a company that provides the option to build with the string spacing you need.
@@Grumdot You can get yourself in kind of a "pickle" no matter which way you go there. If you keep the standard 19mm spacing you will probably end up with a huge unwieldy neck, especially in a 6, if you have smaller hands. I can usually adapt to the tighter spacing if it is the only bass I am playing at the time. My main issue is switching back and forth during a gig or session. I think it is a muscle memory thing? I get even more "fumbly" than usual. LOL! Then another issue is muting the "extra" strings etc... But I do really dig the low "B" for lots of things. Also, I don't think Scott brought up in the video that it really helps if you play with vocalists who like to move the keys around to fit their vocal range. There are a whole lot of easier options in like Eb and other odd keys with the B string in play! Plus who doesn't like dropping some low C and D-bombs in those standard keys from time to time :)
@@markblackstad8705 Yeah swapping basses can be tricky.. I always learn a new riff/piece on the 4, not on the 5 because if you do it the other way round you'll suddenly find that you've got no 'real estate' where a string used to be..! Aaaargh! :D
That bass is really thought out. Nice!
I just wanna know how his tone completely changed at the very beginning sounded almost like he had an octave pedal for the first chords
Right...I had to remind that a few times to try and see what the hell was going on....
Naw it’s just that roundwound zing and good technique
Wow, it has such a beautiful tone! I have both a six string bass and a 4-string short scale. The six string bass is significantly harder to play for me seeing as I have small hands, so some chords are impossible for me. Maybe one day I can pick something like this up, because I really love the versatility and the range of the six string bass
Hello,
thanks for the tip. I have now bought the bass and I love it!
Nice one man! Enjoy!
String muting is a big thing to pay attention with 5 & 6 strings that I didn’t realise before I got mine.
wow that is an amazing sounding bass! so many tones
The Fender Bass 6 is a short-scale 6-string bass, and despite its major design issue, it's a great instrument. Made to be tuned like a guitar, but one octave lower, it's pretty unique but very useful.
What's the major design issue?
@@toongurl Intonation and string tension, due to the design of the bridge when combined with the neck angle.
That piezo sample from 3:50 is MOODY. I love it.
It does work...and don't call me Shirley.
Beautiful instrument and those cords were very beautiful as well.
Wow, the soloed Zen Blade sounds _gorgeous._ 😻
What an absolutely BEAUTIFUL bass! :D
Great tones! Would love to get my hands on one of these, thanks for the demo and info.
👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻
One of my favorite things about a 6 string is how easy it makes transposing songs. The extra string up and down gives you room to just move the song's shape to another position without having to figure out weird fingerings or jump to the same note in the "wrong" octave because you've run out of space (which always makes a song sound a bit off; you're messing with the motion of the bass notes in the harmonic stack of the song). It was great when i played with a vocalist who would put cover tunes in her own register by putting a capo up and down her guitar's neck. I really had to think hard using my 4 string on how to play everything in the new key. Picked up my 6 and i could just move my left hand to the new position and play the song pretty much how i already know it with the shape & direction of intervals & fingerings the same.
Admittedly, the C string is a bit wasted on me if i'm not playing along with Primus songs at home or using it in these unique transposing situations. (Occasionally a nice set of tapping doublestops high on the G & C with left hand on the low notes makes for a killer surprise bass fill too.) I plan on getting a 5 at some point. I play my 4 string more often these days, but i added a 6 to my arsenal of tools decades ago. It was my primary bass playing in a Hip Hop/Neosoul band, and couldn't imagine not having it around.
I love 6 string Bass ❤️
thanks for sharing this SBL
Jimmy Haslip is my favorite 6 string Bassist
It’s beautiful. Would love to get my hands on one
Beautiful bass….. and excellent sound
Beautiful bass!!!
matt fack is probably my favourite 6 string bassist although he doesn't really play too much of it anymore
Great bass, great vid, Scott! Thank you. Dave Schools from Widespread Panic is among my favorite 6-string bass players.
Sounds like a really nice guitar. My first experience with 6-ers was the John Patitucci-VHS when he played Bach and the tune Searching, finding. Sounded like magic to me, and in fact it still does.
My favorite 6 string bassist is Jimmy Haslip! However, Patitucci is the first player I saw and really heard. Specifically, his debut album with his Ken Smith on the cover.
Check his second part DCI instructional video where he goes into greater detail on the 6 string!
Nice! String selection can have a big impact as well. Lately I've been tuning my B to a C on my 33".
Livens up the string a bit and I'm finding that open low C has more use in more of my situations than an open B. (Not playing metal)
Also great for a "bar" double octave with the high C while working the other strings
Fantastic instrument, I made my own 5 string shortscales, one through neck and one bolt on, and tune them E-A-D-G-C. And for good reason it seems, I myself am not sold on the B-string in the video. Through body does not help with string tension, but it does make it easier to choose strings, you might get away with using regular long-scale bass strings on this one.
String tension is determined by scale length, thickness (weight) of the string, and the frequency you tune it to, obviously. This is assuming the neck and the rest of the instrument is "adequately" stiff, so easily able to withstand the combined force of all the strings without bending too much.
First off, that's a gorgeous bass. The first instrument I learned to play was the bass. I started with a 4 string and played it for about 3 month's. Then for my 15th birthday I was graced with a beautiful 5 string we call Ruby. To this day she is the only bass I play... I'm 42. All she has seen is a cleaning and new strings. I've played a few 6 strings and have found them a joy to play. I've just never brought myself to retire Ruby. But this one here may sit in for her on occasion. I love the shorter neck. Scales would be a dream to play.
I think that if your style is to have a bass virtuoso surrounded by supporting musicians, then the C string is obviously super useful. If you are led by guitar, the EADG is the tonal range you're there to fill. This instrument is super beautiful, extremely interesting, and enriches the world. I'm happy it exists and you 6-string bass folks are out there showing out.
Ibanez dit the short scale 6 string bass thing with the SRC6, and I love it!
This with a Musicman style pickup in the sweetpot would be perfect!
Just purchased a 6 string. It definitely makes you ensure that your fretting hand position is executed properly to hit the notes correctly across the neck . But then going back to the 4 string it just makes it so much more comfortable.
What a beauty this is !
Imma go out on a limb and say I could commit to this bass 🥺🥺🥺
What a piece of work!
Jared Smith of Archspire inspired me learning the Six String ! One of the best decisions i made over the last years.
If you tune the c and g half note lower u can play it like a octave down guitar in standard B. Makes Fun playing Bach like this ;D
I played 4 string short scale only for more than 10 years. Then I got a regular scale 6 string and haven’t looked back. It’s the best thing ever. It’s so versatile. The secret to make it comfortable to play is a really good setup, it may include fret leveling and a shim. At least for cheap to mid-range ones, like my Ibanez gsr 206b.
Do short scale basses get set-up the same way as long scale basses?
@@kevinsantti9783 yes, it’s the same
First of your videos I have watched. Used to play 4 string in the late 60s, early 70s in a folk rock band. The only 6 string player I ever saw was Jet Harris, with Tony Meehan on drums, both ex Shadows, live at the Granada, Grantham, in the early 60s. Harris played a Fender. But oh, I wish I had something like this Manne, back in the day!
Reggie Young was my first real inspiration for 6 string bass. It was the Eric McDaniels album that clinched it for me.
John Patitucci for me, just because he's been on 6 string for decades and is amazing. There are so many amazing players out there, hard to single one out here......
TOTALLY agree, Mr Vibert!
This is a beautiful instrument
Jared Smith hands down favourite 6 string player
The bass sounds beautiful
Favorite six string player that inspired me to get my own 6-string; Kim Stone (with the Rippington, John Patitucci, Alain Caron, Gerald Veasley, and Jimmy Haslip.
Preamps and direct boxes really count with short scale basses.
This is especially true live.
It is amazing how a passive instrument like an EB-3 or Jerry Jones Longhorn 6 comes to life with a good active DI. I use Radial's J48 for the passive basses but there are others.
I have a short scale 7 string that has active pickups and runs hot. I use a Radial JDI which is passive for that and other active instruments.
In both cases the short low E and B strings have a life and punch I just don't get by just plugging into an amp.
Huge bonus is that the snake does not interfere with my tone. Snakes are a horrible variable to contend with when gigging. Some are 25 feet long. others 150 feet and quality varies wildly making them the most unpredictable passive tone control. they essentially become a huge capacitor.
Great content here.
Lots of food for thought.
Cheers!
Snakes? What do you mean?
Thank you Scott
Thanks for tuning in!
Scott holding a 6-string. I still remember your video on why you shouldn't play one. Glad you are finally onboard.
Also, the long part of the body helps stiffening out the neck for that B string. It's almost like an extended width to it.
Felipe Andreoli & Anthony Crawford & Henrik Linder are wonderful 6-strings bass players.
Like Prince used to say…Larry Graham only needed 4 strings LOL. That being said, I’m always in awe of guys who really push the bass boundaries. Great looking and sounding bass.
For sure my reference 6string players are Myung and Jacob
Back in '01 I made a very similar bass, although it had 7 strings and it was headless. It was 32" scale and I used (Australian timbers) Grey Ironbark for the neck and Cooktown Ironwood for the fretboard. Both quite challenging to work, but very hard and stiff. It was also reinforced with carbon fibre rods. There is nothing like that low B that I've heard before or since. Until this video!
Anthony Jackson, killer musician.
Moto Fukushima & Henrik Linder, both are who inspired me play a six strings.
And for someone who said Jaco only need four, um……. sorry, his son is playing a Fodera six strings :)
my fav is Andreas Blomqvist, dude is so, so good
That is a gorgeous instrument. I'd love to play that. The 31" scale would really lend itself to alternate tunings.
Beautiful bass! But you have amazing tone no matter which bass you're playing. I would love to hear what outboard gear you prefer.
Amazing sound. As are most your basses. But I have no money, and working pay check to pay check with kids at home makes this out of my reach. I have a great sounding pbass fender. I spend more time making adjustments then spending the money. I love this bass, it's beautiful sorry and has great tones. Thanks for sharing Scotty.
Again just an amazing informational video.
Gerald Veasley. Great looking bass.
I asked the Manne for a quote for one of those! My Favorite 6-string bassist is Charles Berthoud.
Recently added a short scale bass that I'm planning on tuning up as a B-standard tenorbass. Guess you could argue it's a BEAD tuned piccolo bass, but I was going for the bass strings of a baritone guitar to be able to play an octave up from my 5-string bass using the same positions. May add a 6-string bass one day, but, coming from low brass, I'm used to switching between instruments in different pitch ranges.
Man perfect tuning for octave dividers. I have one set up like that
My favourite 6 string players are Damian Coccio and Dominic LaPointe, especially when he was in Beyond Creation. The song Earthborn Evolution in particular.
Owoohhhhhhh gorgeous bass😭😭😭
I started playing the four string back in 1990 and soon I started to fancy playing chords and melodies high on the fingerboard to the dismay of many a guitarrist... for years, despite having tried them, I never felt attracted to 5s and 6s. In fact, the low B string never ever spoke to me. Until two years ago when I saw a used 5 string 24 fret neckthrough Aria for €200. I took it to a luthier and had it set up with a new nut and a string set with a high C. I was blown away with the possibilities the EADGC tuning opened up for me, I almost never touch the 4 stringers now. I'm so in love with the high C, I wish I had started with one like this from the beginning.
I agree, I recently got a 5 string strung E to C and am loving it, whole new worlds of possibilities! I can now play jazz chords from a lead sheet on my bass, it’s a really great feeling.
What string sets are you guys using for E-C, I’m using this tuning currently and finding which strings work for me
I’m using Ernie Ball Flatwounds, i believe its the 50-105 package and then my local store put on a C string from another set
@@adhamfranco I use Warwick Black Label 40310 ML 5C 020/100". I really like these strings.
Faso from Trio Bobo and Elio e Le Storie Tese, 6 strings player of my heart.
Les Claypool is my main reason for wanting a 6 string.
I'll never make it sound the way he does, but I'd like to give it a go regardless.
Dominique Forest from Canada, he plays 6 strings fretted and fretless basses, check this brilliant lad, mate!
Intuitively I’d say with a fanfret/multiscale setup this should work extremely nice
Would make a great Bass VI too
Ibanez for life
Yeah, my GSRM20B Mikro with La Bella DTF's is an astonishingly great player.
Would be great to add 5/6 string branch to the Player Path!
Once again, everybody should check out the great Faso, bass player for the italian humor-prog-Zappesque-rock band Elio e le storie tese. A master of his craft, with his unique Yamaha TRB6 he has become part of the landscape of italian music in the last forty years.
Claypool was the OG!! If I recall correctly, Carl Thompson was the first to build one too.
My favorite 6 string bass player is les Claypool.
Some of my favorites are Les Claypool and John Myung
This and that Mike Bendy Fodera are seriously cool, I hope short scale 6 strings become a thing
I still don't understand why builders don't go with a 24" scale 5 string.Then you can use regular 5 string 34 scale, and now the low string open on 24 scale is E with a high C. Makes sense to me
I’m in awe! I've decided that I'm going to play only short-scale basses. Recently, I was wondering if a five or 6-string short scale even exists. @scottbasslessons How much does this bass cost?? Thanks
The B string on my Ibanez mikro also kicks consolidated a....posterior!!
This is one of the first boutique basses that mashes me thing, "yeah, that's worth it". Please could you do a comparison between this bass' low B and the Dingwall super long scale low B!?!
I want that bassssssss
After almost 30 years of playing bass, I got my first six string last September. I've absolutely loved it, and it's become my #1. Kiesel has an extremely comfortable nut width; it's barely wider than my 5 string Warwick Corvette. A short scale sounds like a cool option for a 6. I Don't mind the 34" scale but it'd be interesting to try the shorty
How do you deal with the smaller string spacing? I bought a used midrange 6-string with 16.5mm spacing at the bridge and I absolutely hate it and haven’t been able to get used to it over the course of several months. I’m used to Fender 4 and 5 strings so maybe it’s just too different for me.
@@milkwalkerjones633 for me, the only challenge was getting my hand in shape to play the low C since I'm now reaching over a 6th string, but once I built a little more strength and dexterity, I was ok. I haven't had any trouble with string spacing, maybe just a factor of the way my hands are built. I actually have very little experience with Fender basses; I've only owned a Squier 4 string jazz, which was replaced by a Jackson 5 string after a few months, then Warwick 5 strings from 2003 til I got my Kiesel in 2021
Thunder Cat is the dude with the coolest grooves.
Tanx scott i love the bass
Charles Berthoud of course!
I’d love to see you review the Emerald Balor bass…
My biggest struggle with playing 5 and 6 string basses is that I'm so used to the top/low string being a E and I find myself accidentally playing down a string. I wish I had a 5 when I started but they were insanely expensive back then.
Steve Lawson! Come on Scott, gotta give the shoutout to your SBL peeps!!!