2022: Most sold basses via Reverb - Fender Bass VI at #1?

You mean Fender have been lying about their emissions?

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As everyone knows, the Stingray was the best thing Leo Fender ever created :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

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So… when Reverb puts this out, are they differentiating between new and used sales?

I often wonder how much of these sales are turnover from people who no longer want their insert instrument on list any longer.

Sales of new Squier Classic Vibe VI basses making it number 1 is a vastly different thing than sales of used Squier Classic Vibe VI basses making it number 1, I would think.

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Good question Tim. I’d guess that’s all sales (new and used) and as a lot of retailers sell new through Reverb. This probably accounts for that anomaly.

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So why not Fender?

They sound good
They retain value
Easy to resell
Well made
Easy to find parts

The downside

They’re popular

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For me, getting a Squier Bass VI was driven more by the sounds of a couple of bands I love that often used a Bass VI or Bass VI-ish instrument as a melodic instrument (New Order, The Cure). Also the affordability of this instrument (<$500 USD brand new, around $400 USD used) increases the chances that folks are going to experiment with the instrument and likely contributed to the popularity the instrument in 2022.

From a practical, music production perspective, I find myself using the Bass VI all the time. I have a natural affinity for melodic music in the low-mid range (think: violas, cellos). The Squier Bass VI was an easy and affordable way for me to experiment and create with a melodic instrument purpose made for this register.

That said, the Squier Bass VI is a flawed instrument that reflects its creation as a “bass” designed for guitarists doubling on bass. It needs several modifications to help it reach its potential (replace the bridge and shim the neck to fix intonation issues; replace the strings with higher gauge ones; etc.). Fortunately, there are loyal and dedicated groups of enthusiasts for the instrument. So getting the instrument to a reliable state is fairly easy to DIY without having to send it to a guitar shop.

Playing the Squier Bass VI confirmed what I suspected: I love this instrument! However, there are better implementations of the concept. The full-fat Fender Bass VI is excellent, but expensive. Schecter makes a Hellcat VI that corrects the issues with the Squier Bass VI. Eastwood makes a few of replica versions of the vintage Bass VI-ish models

Ibanez made their version of the Bass VI, the Ibanez SRC6, from 2015 - 2020. It was unique in that it is a Bass VI designed from a bass-centric perspective. Many consider this to be the best modern implementation of the Bass VI concept, with passive (!) EMG pickups, active on-board EQ, fast neck, and wider string spacing (allowing for fingerstyle and slapping). These instruments are harder to find these days, but one usually pops up on Reverb every 1-2 months or so. If you want one and see it for sale, jump on it. They usually sell within a day. I’ve got one arriving tomorrow–can’t wait to try it out!

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You misspelled Bongo :slight_smile:

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bland looks (not bad, very likeable, just not usually gonna knock your socks off)
low variety
encephalitic headstock

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I think Leo just rolled over in his grave :rofl:

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I just remembered this (a bit off-topic thought):

“King of the bongo
King of the bongo…”

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This is reverb only, which does not account for the ZILLIONS of GC and Sweetwater and local music shop Squiers, Peaveys, Ibanez etc.
Reverb is a place for people who know their way around an instrument, not all the new kids on the block.

So I wouldn’t get so upset over a Bass VI being on top, or a Rick being so high up.
Something similar happened when I started looking at all the Conn Saxes in my website archive. I started making some assumptions about production quantities over time and folks corrected my assumption that it is not representative of manufacturing quantities but rather collectable, resaleable quantities.

Reverb has a specialized audience, so this list is not generalized.

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I’m not upset. I just didn’t realize that there were that many Beatles fans on Reverb :wink:

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I’m both, but bought mine elsewhere :upside_down_face:

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I am sure you were really meaning G&L

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That’s kind of funny since down in the SE US people take Chevy versus Ford pretty seriously and I have seen folks get pretty mad at both. :rofl:

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Like so many things, it’s more about the illusion than the reality.

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that’s for sure.

that said, Fender makes the instruments I like, so I use Fender instruments. nothing really complicated. I’m not searching for the ultimate bargain, I just want the thing that works for me. Fender does that.

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What @terb said. Use whatever works for you. I aint gonna get mad about it.

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Not at all sure anybody’s mad about this list. @itsratso was bummed, but nobody’s mad.

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I didn’t take it that he was. My statement was more general than having anything to do with @itsratso.

My thought process was leaning more towards how people get mad about Chevy versus Ford. :rofl:

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