1963 Fender Bass VI Pre-CBS Vintage Offset 6-String Bass Guitar Sunburst w/ Case

Up for sale, a 1963 Fender Bass VI, honestly-played and in perfect working order, complete with a hardshell case. Boasting the tweaked feature set introduced on this model in 1963, with a four switch control plate and three Jaguar-esque single coil pickups, this Bass VI features the traditional Fender tonewood complement of an alder body, maple neck, and Brazilian rosewood fingerboard. This Bass VI retains its original nitro lacquer finish on the neck and majority of the body, with the back of the body freshly refinished to match by Riggio Custom Guitars.Originally designed for studio players looking to nail the Nashville "tic-tac" bass tones, the Bass VI has a present and clear low end, with a sinewy snap that cuts through a mix yet still retains plenty of warmth. For guttural surfy twang, the Bass VI is an ideal companion, and when drenched in Fender reverb, the tones can be haunting and ethereal. Of course the range of the instrument allows the player to also strum full chords and augment bass lines with leads and complex chord shifts not possible on a conventional bass. Beloved by session musicians, used prominently in the Beatles catalog, wielded by Jack Bruce on a good chunk of Cream's recordings, and central to much of the Cure's output in the past 40+ years, the Bass VI is an indispensable tool for a wide range of musical styles. This Bass VI weighs 8lbs 14oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with 20-95 roundwound strings, easy-playing action, and spot-on intonation.The maple neck has a slender U-shaped carve at the nut, with full shoulders in every register and rolled fretboard edges, measuring .780” deep at the 1st fret and .980” at the 12th. The Brazilian rosewood fretboard has a 7 1/4“ radius with clay dot inlay and original slender fretwire which benefits from a level and crown. The frets have decent meat remaining and show no wear, playing cleanly in all registers up the 30" scale with a straight neck and a responsive, optimally-adjusted truss rod. The original nut measures 1.53" in width. On the headstock, the original Kluson Deluxe single line tuning machines turn smoothly and hold accurate pitch. The neck heel has a bold May, 1963 stamp and the original "paint stick" markings are present in the neck pocket, indicative of an original finish.On the alder body, all of the electronics work as they should, with three individual pickup on/off switches as well as a low cut "strangle" switch for when even more top end presence is needed. Master Volume and Tone controls round out the basic and intuitive layout. The original Stackpole pots have visible date codes from the 50th week of '63, and three of the four original two-way switches are present. The original 1" wide bridge base has been outfitted with aftermarket (and decidedly vintage) oversized custom brass saddles. A marked improvement over the stock saddles, these brass blocks ensure plenty of sustain, note detail and overall stability. Fender's classic offset vibrato unit tops things off with a smooth, easy-actuating response, and the growls and twangy warbles that the vibrato can coax out of the Bass VI are truly unique. The chrome-plated vibrato and control plate have plenty of shine, and the original nitrate tortoise pickguard is intact with minimal shrinkage, complete with its separate aluminum shielding plate.The original nitro lacquer finish on the face of the body exhibits various dings and finish chips on the body perimeter, some finish loss on top north of the pickguard and on the top edge of the neck pocket, and various additional minor marks from honest use. The back of the body (only!) has been recently professionally refinished by Riggio Custom Guitars, as the back had previously been stripped of its finish. It's a flawless match, complete with a very tasteful relic treatment to blend seamlessly with the original playwear on the body perimeter and top. The original nitro gloss finish on the neck profile has been worn to the smooth bare maple on the majority of the carve.A mid-1960s Fender-branded black tolex hardshell case is included.