Up for sale, a 1992 Fender Custom Edition Bass VI in excellent, 100% original condition and in perfect working order. This rare Fender is one of the earliest known examples of this "Made in Japan" model. While the short-lived Custom Edition line would see numerous high profile releases in the 1993 catalog, including the Bass VI, this example was produced a full year earlier. The Custom Edition headstock badge would set this model apart from the first well-known Bass VI limited reissue offered in ‘95, and this Bass VI was made at the Fujigen factory, only intended for sale to the domestic Japanese audience.

With this Bass VI, Fender stuck closely to the features introduced on this model in 1963, with a four switch control plate and three Jaguar-esque single coil pickups. 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 ideal, 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 9lbs 1oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with 25-85 roundwound strings, easy-playing action, and accurate intonation.

Neck Specs:

-Wood: Maple
-Shape: Slender C, measuring .820” 1st fret, .960” 12th fret
-Fretboard: Rosewood, 7 ¼” vintage-spec radius
-Frets: Slender, no wear
-Scale Length: 30”
-Nut: 1 9/16”, bone
-Tuners: Kluson-style Gotoh
-Serialization: “Made in Japan,” L-prefix
-Factory Markings: “Custom Edition” decal on back of peghead, model stamp on neck heel

Body Specs:

-Wood: Alder
-Pickups: Single coil x3
-Controls: Volume, Tone, Pickup On/Off x3, Low-Cut “Strangle” switch
-Harness: Full-size Japanese pots date to February, 1992
-Hardware: 1” wide bridge with barrel saddles, vibrato
-Plastics: Four-ply “tomato soup” red tortoise pickguard, pointer knobs

The gloss three-tone Sunburst finish exhibits limited checking, and cosmetic wear includes some tiny nicks on top around the vibrato, a few scratches on the back, and a couple dings along the lower bout perimeter. The smooth ambered gloss on the neck profile is flawless.

A modern Fender gigbag is included.