I must be insane... I just ordered a Bass VI!

[tremoloman***]

I can't afford it at all, but I just couldn't pass it up. I put a deposit down and ordered the Bass VI I've been wanting for so many years. It won't get here until October, so I've got time to gather up the cash from gigging. I'd better start playing every week to pay this thing off!

[Justaguyin_nc]

Congrats Trem... you probably know this link already but anyways.. I thought this was informative about the Fender Bass VI once apon a time.. http://theband.hiof.no/articles/fender_bass_vi.html

Now get gigging and try to hold on till the fall.. it's only MONTHS away..

[Robert****]

Yes, you are insane, and we all know it

Seriously, how do you use that thing? Is it a six stringed bass or a guitar with insanely heavy strings?

[Tim]

I am impressed with all you new bass guitar owners. I am witnessing the makings of several one-man bands. Between the drum machines, backing tracks, guitars and now bass guitars, there should be some super songs written and recorded with the home recording programs.

I can see a new category on the Fret Net, “The Battle of the One-Man Band”. Congratulations to all you bass players. I wish I had the talent.

[tremoloman***]

One man band? Not me... I have enough trouble being a guitarist!

As far as what I will use the Bass VI for, I've written some songs that are just need the tones only a baritone can produce. The Basss VI is designed to be set in standard tuning, but t's one octave below a guitar and one above a bass, giving it a different character.

The Bass VI can be used as a bass, but I wanted one to get the really nice sounds Robert Smith of The Cure gets from his. It just has its own sound you can't really put into words. If you have ever listened to The Cure, chances are you've heard the Bass VI many times.

I found a webpage that has some great pics and soundclips you can check out:
Bass VI samples

To hear it in a "real" song, goto this link and listen to "Pictures of You", "Disintegration", or "Prayers For Rain".
Bass VI in action

Give 'em a listen and let me know what you think.

[SuperSwede]

Great sound...
So are you a Cure fan Katastrophe?

[Katastrophe]

Yep, T-man, absolutely, certifiably insane. The samples of this guitar are cool, and definitely blurs the line between bass and guitar! Post some samples of you playing it when it comes in!

Swede -

Nope, can't say that I'm much of a fan of The Cure... They have a original sound, and I don't change the channel when they are played on the radio, and there's a few songs of theirs that I like, but I don't own any of their albums. It would be cool to do a cover of one of their songs, though...

[SuperSwede]

Katastrophe, when I was playing in a pub band, the only fun song to play was "Friday I´m in love".. beats Sweet Home Alabama & Born to be wild anyday

[tremoloman***]

Katastrophe,

I promise to post pics, soundclips, and all other goodies when it comes in. I'll also show a picture of an empty wallet and bank account.

I am a *HUGE* Cure fan. Robert Smith seems to get "so much out of so little" in his playing. The Cure are one of the few artists that instantly grab my attention as soon as I hear anything they play. I feel Robert creates an atmosphere in his sound that few can achieve. Jimi Hendrix and Johnny Cash are the other two that just slap me off the head and make me listen.

[Katastrophe]

Katastrophe, when I was playing in a pub band, the only fun song to play was "Friday I´m in love".. beats Sweet Home Alabama & Born to be wild anyday

I have survived my band, on two separate occasions, trying to put Sweet Home Alabama in the set list. I hope it doesn't go back in. I love the song, but we just can't do it justice. I won't play Born to be Wild on general principle.

I feel Robert creates an atmosphere in his sound that few can achieve. Jimi Hendrix and Johnny Cash are the other two that just slap me off the head and make me listen.

I definitely agree with you on that, my friend!

[Robert****]

I hear you guys are talking about me again.

I feel Robert creates an atmosphere in his sound that few can achieve. Jimi Hendrix and Johnny Cash are the other two that just slap me off the head and make me listen.

[SuperSwede]

I have survived my band, on two separate occasions, trying to put Sweet Home Alabama in the set list. I hope it doesn't go back in. I love the song, but we just can't do it justice. I won't play Born to be Wild on general principle.

Its strange, whenever you try to introduce a slightly less well known song for a well-refreshed audience you get a very cold response. But when you start playing that born to be wild intro they all start to go crazy... *sigh* that is why I dont play pub gigs anymore, I really think that it becomes boring after a while.

[tremoloman***]

Its strange, whenever you try to introduce a slightly less well known song for a well-refreshed audience you get a very cold response. But when you start playing that born to be wild intro they all start to go crazy... *sigh* that is why I dont play pub gigs anymore, I really think that it becomes boring after a while.

I'd say 25% of the songs in our set list are "throw the audience a bone" tunes. It sucks, but it is a part of playing gigs at bars.

A solution to this problem I came up with was to gather a collection of dead and tired songs like 'Play The Funky Music', 'Roadhouse Blues', 'Sweet Home Alabama', 'You Shook Me All Night Long' that crowds always want to hear and enjoy. Then play them in different arrangements, making them "your own". If you do something completely different, it will sound fresh, be more fun to play, and keep people from scrutinizing you expecting a note-for-note rendition of the song. Who wants to be a live jukebox? I sure as heck don’t!

For example, we do a country version of 'Hey Joe' that came out pretty cool. We took 'Sweet Home Alabama' made it into an 80s style hard rock song. We’ve been pleasantly surprised how well the remakes have gone over. We even cover the Haddaway song 'What is Love?' that was always used on that SNL skit where Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan bob their heads to all at the club.

One of the funniest comments we’ve heard on our version of SLA: "I think you guys kicked *** tonight. I really loved Sweet Home Alabama - but there’s just one thing – there’s no shred in southern rock! You just don’t DO that! But you guys made it work and did sound cool!" I guess you had to be there to get the full effect, but if we were able to win over a room full of rednecks in their 50s with shredding, tapping, and feedback sounds in a southern rock song, anything is possible. There aren’t supposed to be any rules in rock & roll, so I keep it old school and just do my own ting.

People can be won over if you just use a little creativity.

[SuperSwede]

You should let us hear a recording of you playing that sweet home alabama version some day! I bet it sounds awesome

We used to play a eurodisco song too, "Trust Me" by Pandora. Of course we played it in 180bpm and truckloads of distorsion

[tremoloman***]

I'm almost educated enoughon my BR-1600 CD to begin recording gigs, so as soon as I get one done I promise to send some clips of our insanity.

I'm no Jimi though...

[SuperSwede]

I'm no Jimi though...

No you are Tremoloman...

[tremoloman***]

Hey... right on!

It's funny having your own logic used on yourself.

[SuperSwede]

Gotcha?

Anyway, Im looking forward to your clips! Be sure to included the "What is love".