Fender Vintera III Early '60s Bass VI, Candy Apple Red

Back again with their acclaimed Vintera series, Fender reintroduces beloved, iconic models made to vintage-spec that deliver pleasant throwback tones in affordable, accessible packages. Here, for the Vintera III collection, the brand hones in on specific eras to tell the story of their legendary history, encapsulating the vintage homage with period accurate decisions—looks, feels, and aesthetics all accounted for. This early '60s Bass VI in Candy Apple Red shows why this unique bass guitar has prevailed through the ages, showcasing the intricate points that solidified itself within Fender canon.

This Bass VI story starts with an alder solidbody carved to form the iconic offset silhouette. A great tonewood for both guitar and bass, this decision offers supreme resonance and a punch that is felt across the entire range. The balanced tone lets the mids sing while the low-end presents power that never becomes muddy. Offered here in a glowing Candy Apple Red gloss polyester finish, and adorned with a 3-ply mint green pickguard and nickel/chrome hardware, the early '60s Bass VI harnesses the vintage essence in all aspects—aesthetically and tonally. Bolted on to the body is an early '60s "C" shaped neck found with a gloss urethane finish, a smooth and comfortable unit that starts slim at the nut and widens slightly towards the twelfth fret. With the extended range offered by the Bass VI, this neck choice will feel perfectly playable for guitar and bass enthusiasts alike. Affixed to the neck is a rosewood fingerboard lined with 21 vintage tall frets across its 30" scale length, supplying enhanced sustain and signature Fender tone when gliding seamlessly through all octaves. Guided by clay dot inlays and white side dots, bassists will never worry about precision when producing the unmatchable vibe of the Bass VI.

Getting down to the core of what makes this offset bass so special, we find the floating tremolo system. Feeding from a 6-saddle vintage-style adjustable bridge with engageable Bass VI mute, the iconic bass with a trem arm meets its pitch modulating heart in the tailpiece, equipped with a locking button to ensure notes are consistent when warbling isn't intended. Strange for any other bass, but perfect for the Bass VI, the hybrid feel of the instrument lets players utilize the Bass VI like they would a guitar, so why not put a tremolo system on it? But don't fret, all bass notes are solidified by the Fender vintage-style tuning machines, an installation that maintains tunings and intonation are sound even when abusing the tremolo system.

Despite its guitar-like roots, the Bass VI packs a bass-oriented punch due to its singular electronics system. Captured by three vintage-style early '60s Bass VI single-coil pickups found in the neck, middle, and bridge positions, the Bass VI exudes beefy bass tones that can be mangled to mimic screaming guitar-like crunches—a hybrid instrument for hybrid applications. To configure the pickups, on/off switches are found just below the pickups—three of which are designated to the appropriate pickups. The fourth switch, however, engages the "strangle" circuit, a high-pass filter that thins the tone and pronounces the brightness of the instrument for cutting leads or guitar imitation. Dialed in by master volume and master tone knobs, the Bass VI never claimed to be complex, but always and forever touts its impressive tones.

Bass, guitar, you name it! Carve a special sonic space with the Fender Vintera III Early '60s Bass VI in Candy Apple Red.