Fender Custom Shop 60's Bass VI Maple Journeyman Relic Target 3-Tone Sunburst

Debuting in 1961, the Fender® Bass VI six-string bass quickly became a favorite secret weapon in the arsenals of producers and players seeking to add extra sonic depth to their sound. Beloved of both guitarists and bassists, the Bass VI earned its place in the mix, appearing on a surprisingly large and diverse array of recordings over the ensuing decades (Jet Harris, Glen Campbell, the Beatles, Aerosmith and the Cure to name only a few).  

If you've played a Fender Bass VI before, you know how versatile and useful it can be, especially in the studio.  If you have not, you're in for a treat.  For this one in particular, we spec'ed it out ourselves to create a unique version.  It's a vintage-styled instrument with a bit of a tweek.  If you had to do a double-take to make sure you were seeing a vintage style Bass VI with a maple fretboard, don't be alarmed - that's what this is.  And it's the only one out there exactly like this at the moment.

With a gently aged Journeyman Relic lacquer finish on its two-piece alder body, this beautifully crafted 60's Bass VI model radiates an impressively stylish aura.  We chose to a thin nitro finish with no poly undercoat, minimal checking, and a gorgeous mid-60's style Target 3-Tone Sunburst finish. We specfically asked for this version of sunburst, recreating the look of a Custom Shop Bass VI that was made for a special customer of ours.  We can't say whom, but we can say this: after nailing the color, Fender decided to add Target 3-Tone Sunburst to their offering, as it's noticeably different than regular 3-Tone Sunburst.  We love it, and chose to do it on this build.

It has a rock solid roasted quartersawn maple neck with ’60s-style oval "C” profile, topped with a 9.5”-radius quartersawn maple fingerboard that has narrow tall (6105) frets, making it a very comfortable neck to play.  To make it even easier to play, we had the back of the neck relic'ed heavier, to give it the worn in feel.  The maple fretboard does make it different than other Bass VI builds; players will enjoy more snap in the response, a bit more brightness, and an overall unique tone.

Three shielded single-coil Jaguar pickups, traditional wiring with three pickup selector switches and bass-cut switch, master volume and tone controls give you the classic sound of a Bass VI with plenty of tonal options.

One of the other main tweaks we made was utilizing RSD Bass VI bridge, designed by Scott Buehl (Masterbuilder and metal magician at the Custom Shop), for improved intonation and stability.  Be sure to look closely at the photos to check out this innovative bridge.

A four-ply nitrocellulose tortoise shell pickguard, vintage-style tuning machines, bone nut, and “wing” string tree with nylon spacer top it off.  Includes deluxe hardshell case, strap and certificate of authenticity.

Come to Truetone Music to experience this amazing instrument, or get it now by ordering right here!