See and hear the living history of the Fender Bass VI through Mason Stoops’ prized 1962 model that once belonged to Italian guitarist Alessandro Alessandroni (1925-2017). Alessandroni worked with composer Ennio Morricone on several spaghetti western soundtracks, and his twangy Bass VI riffs helped define the genre—such as his melodic lines on the main theme of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
“I still can’t believe I was able to get it,” said Stoops.
A Little Extra Mojo
The mysterious tonal differences that sometimes exist between the same models of ’60s Fender instruments was observed by Guitar Center Hollywood repair maestro Dave Maddux, who noticed Stoops’ Bass VI possessed a bit more muscle than the Fender Bass VI guitars in the store’s Vintage Room.
“Your Bass VI is much louder than the two we have here,” said Maddux. “The pickups have much more output
Misunderstood Magic
As iconic as the sound of a Fender Bass VI has been on spaghetti western themes and songs such as “Wichita Lineman” (Glen Campbell), “Pictures of You” (The Cure) and “Strange Brew” (Cream), its tonal value is sometimes undervalued in the recording studio.
“A lot of times, I'll bring it into a session and they'll be like, ‘Oh no, we’ve already got bass. We’re good,’” says Stoops. “I say, ‘I understand. You can keep that.’ The tic-tac bass thing was so special because it would double what a bass was already doing or come up with a complementary part. It sits in this really special frequency where it doesn’t step on the bass, but it also doesn’t step on guitars. I just fills in this gap in a song that otherwise is kind of just abandoned. They really were on to something, and I hope more people appreciate how special and unique a Bass VI is.”
“I would like to see a revival of the instrument,” adds Maddux. “It has never received the recognition it deserves.”
Grab Your Own Bass VI
You may not be as lucky as Stoops to acquire an iconic vintage instrument, but you can absolutely explore twangy tone creation with a new Bass VI. The Fender Vintera II ’60s Bass VI is designed to evoke some of the retro vibe of Stoops’ 1962 model (as well as other ’60s versions) with its vintage-style Bass VI single-coils, pickup selection and low-cut switches, 21 vintage-tall frets and vintage-style floating tremolo. You can also tic-tac your tracks with the budget priced Squier Classic Vibe Bass VI. The Squier version still brings on the fab ’60s—and beyond—with its Fender-designed Alnico single-coils, pickup and low-cut switching and vintage-style floating tremolo.
Shop Now: Fender Vintera II '60s Bass VI in Lake Placid Blue
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