Bass VI Conversion

[Matt R.]

I was checking out lefty Squier Jazzmaster guitars and I started wondering if one could be converted to a Bass VI. Anyone done or thought of this? I wonder if it’s possible and if so, what changes would need to be made? Maybe the biggest issue would be scale length?

[Jeroen]

Scale length will be an issue, bridge placement is different on a Jazzmaster compared to a Bass VI.

There are several options out there that can save you the trouble:
- Revelation RJT60B (I know you just missed out on one)
- Burns SSJ - never saw one out in the wild, but their website shows a lefty
- Schecter Hellcat VI
- Schecter Ultra Bass VI
- Eastwood Sidejack (Mosrite copy) VI
- Eastwood Hooky (Shergold copy, Peter Hook signature)
- Danelectro currently do a lefty singlecut baritone with a 29.75" scale. Comes stock tuned to B I think, but lends itself well to bass VI stringing;
- SX shortscale Jaguar bass. I've seen people add two tuner holes on the treble side of the headstock and put a guitar bridge and a new nut on it, and the result was pretty cool!

[Jeroen]

Oh, and IIRC someone on here once modded a Hamer Slammer series shortscale bass to a Bass VI. Easy fix, and they can be had used for stupid money.

[Matt R.]

Thanks man! I’m aware of a few of the models you just listed, but a couple of those I need to check out. The thought of converting a short scale bass also crossed my mind.

[superheavydeathmetal]

I think intonation is going to be a problem. You are going to need some pretty thick strings to tune down to E on 25.5”, and I would guess that isn’t going to intonate well.

Also, those thick strings will definitely need a custom nut, and they might not even fit on guitar string saddles or through a guitar bridge/string-through-body holes and even the tuners.

I am happy to be corrected about any of this if I am off base.

[LefThanDed]

Oh, and IIRC someone on here once modded a Hamer Slammer series shortscale bass to a Bass VI. Easy fix, and they can be had used for stupid money.

[ch willie]

Get Back is giving me Fender VI fièvre...

I wish Warmoth's build page weren't so much better than ever.

For around $800 for neck and body of a "Bass6", depending on features. Lots of choices, lots of fun to build on that app. It'd be fun to put one of them together. I'd see one in my near future, but it would cause blunt force trauma when my darlin' bopped me on the noggin with it.

[MikeV]

I'm new here. Been playing lefty bass since around 1988-mostly rock oriented. Anyway, watching Get Back made me curious to start shopping for a VI. Saw a Revelation on Reverb, but it was scarfed up pretty fast. I have an Eastman Sidejack lefty Baritone (28" scale). Watching a couple of Danelectro conversions on youtube, I bought a $12 set of Ernie Ball Bass VI (90-20) strings. The B groove in the nut was of course not wide enough, but before I sand it-I thought I'd still try to tune it. The E still sits in the groove-though up a bit and I might have to lift the action a hair (no fret buzz when amplified). The intonation appears to be pretty workable and I actually gigged a full set on it last week.

Like a brand new instrument, I can't put it down. I really wish Squire would put out a lefty VI, but this works pretty good. When we gig as a quartet without a lead guitarist-I do some leads, so the extra 2 strings will come in handy. The baritone was a pain to figure out modulations -this is easier and fun to play.

[Jeroen]

- Burns SSJ - never saw one out in the wild, but their website shows a lefty

There's one for sale in the UK right now, in greenburst:
https://www.gumtree.com/p/guitar-instru ... 1424387738

[fivebass52]

- Burns SSJ - never saw one out in the wild, but their website shows a lefty

There's one for sale in the UK right now, in greenburst:
https://www.gumtree.com/p/guitar-instru ... 1424387738

That's a great-looking bass...