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Fender Unveils Pawn Shop Bass VI and Mustang Bass Models

by Kevin Johnson | Saturday, January 12th, 2013

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Fender has announced four new models in the company’s eccentric Pawn Shop series, one they describe as “guitars that never were but should have been.”

The new lineup includes two basses: The Pawn Shop Bass VI and the Pawn Shop Mustang Bass.

Fender Pawn Shop Bass VI

Originally produced from 1961 to 1975, the Fender Bass VI is a six-string bass guitar tuned E to E. The new model sports a 30˝ scale and is updated with Special Design Hot Jaguar single-coil neck and middle pickups with a JZHB humbucker in the bridge position.

Fender Pawn Shop Bass VI

Other features include a vintage-style adjustable six-saddle bridge with “floating” tremolo tailpiece, a “C”-shaped maple neck, and a 9.5˝-radius rosewood fingerboard. It comes in Three-color Sunburst, Black, and Candy Apple Red.

Fender Pawn Shop Bass VI Demo:

Fender Pawn Shop Bass VI Specs:

Neck Shape: “C” Shape
Number of Frets: 21
Fret Size: Medium Jumbo
Fingerboard Radius: 9.5˝ (24.1 cm)
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Neck Material: Maple
Nut Width: 1.650˝ (42 mm)
Scale Length: 30˝ (76.2 cm)
Neck Plate: 4-Bolt
Pickup Configuration: H/S/S
Bridge Pickup: JZHB Humbucking
Middle Pickup: Special Design Hot Jaguar
Neck Pickup: Special Design Hot Jaguar Single-Coil
Pickup Switching: 5-Position Blade
Controls: Master Volume, Master Tone
Hardware Finish: Nickel/Chrome
Bridge: Vintage Style Adjustable 6-Saddle Bridge with “Floating” Tremolo Tailpiece
String Nut: Synthetic Bone
Tuning Machines: Vintage-Style
Control Knobs:Jazz Bass Knobs

Fender Pawn Shop Mustang Bass

The Fender Pawn Shop Mustang reinvents the classic “competition” Mustang bass of the early ’70s with a racing stripe and familiar 30˝ scale.

Fender Pawn Shop Mustang Bass

New to the bass’s configuration is a single humbucking pickup in place of the original single-coil. It comes in Three-color Sunburst, Candy Apple Red with stripes, and Olympic White with stripes.

Fender Pawn Shop Mustang Bass Demo:

Fender Pawn Shop Mustang Bass Specs:

Neck Shape: “C” Shape
Number of Frets: 19
Fret Size: Medium Jumbo
Fingerboard Radius: 9.5˝ (24.1 cm)
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Neck Material: Maple
Nut Width: 1.5˝ (38.1 mm)
Scale Length: 30˝ (76.2 cm)
Neck Plate: 4-Bolt
Pickup: Fender-Designed Humbucking
Controls: Master Volume, Master Tone
Hardware Finish: Nickel/Chrome
Bridge: Strings-Thru-Body with 4 Individually Adjustable Saddles
String Nut: Synthetic Bone
Tuning Machines: Standard Open-Gear Tuners
Control Knobs: Jazz Bass Knobs

Both basses will be debuted at the NAMM show this month. The Fender Pawn Shop Bass VI and Mustang Bass will be each carry MSRPs of $1,079.

For more info, check out the Fender website.

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Comments:

Yoel Firkin Whitehouse says:

February 21, 2013 at 11:40 am

Someone get me that mustang, may not be the old classic but I had given up on brand spanking new instruments that just all look the same with no character whatsoever. I’m appeased.

Joven Urriquia Tidon says:

January 17, 2013 at 7:55 pm

..and some more disappointments from Fender.

Cody C. Yarwood says:

January 17, 2013 at 12:40 am

Ok, I’m STOKED. Say what you want about the Bass VI being poorly designed (as in not like the original), it’s still a Bass VI, and with these tweaks, maybe it won’t be such a flop this time, and it’ll regain some decent standing in Fender’s line.

Personally, I can’t decide between these two models in red… decisions, decisions…

Ken Stern says:

January 17, 2013 at 9:25 pm

It was a “flop” because people didn’t want it. Not for any other reason than that. The point is there are several very nice (and in many ways superior) VI alternatives to this Pawn Shop model. Bottom-line is you are paying a substantial premium for the “privilege” of having a Fender decal on it. But…YMMV

Ken Stern says:

January 12, 2013 at 9:25 pm

This new Fender Bass VI (if you can even call it that) is a total disappointment. It’s features have been rather dramatically reduced/downgraded from the real thing. Gone are the separate on/off switches for each pup – instead a cheap, less customizable blade assembly has been used. Gone is the strangle switch. Gone are the 3 single coil Jag pups which gave it that amazing sound. Gone are the great.095>.026 strings which gave it that classic bass response and tone. Instead, it comes with significantly lighter gauge strings – which greatly impacts tone. Not even sure it can accommodate the proper gauge strings as an option. The truss rod is not the stronger reinforced one found on other VIs. So, structurally may be an issue with thicker strings. And they might not fit in the stock tuning pegs/nut or bridge. Some of the first players to try one out have said it feels a bit flimsy (especially the floating trem) and the bass response was poor – particularly on the E string.

If you want a Bass VI type instrument you might be much better off getting the 2012 Schecter Hellcat VI which is more true – IMO – to the classic Bass VI and is very reasonably priced for what you get (uses 3 Seymour Duncan SJAG-1 pups – which sound great btw) except it does not have a trem- which for me is kind of useless with thick strings anyway OR get the UltraCure Robert Smith VI also from Schecter OR get the new MIJ version of the Fender Bass VI – which is MUCH closer to the specs of the classic Bass VI – available from Japanese retailers and some US ones OR get a Burns Barracuda. Why couldn’t Fender USA just do this right and produce a “real” Bass VI like the current MIJ model and made this stripped-down version the cheaper Squire version? What a missed opportunity. I’ll pass…..YMMV

Some early user reviews and comments can be found here…https://www.facebook.com/groups/34542190945/.

Gianpaolo Sferrazza says:

January 23, 2013 at 8:40 am

Also heard Eastwood has a Bass VI at an affordable price but its up to personal taste…

http://www.eastwoodguitars.com/Bass/sidejack-bassvi/sidejackvi_frm.htm
http://www.myrareguitars.com/new-eastwood-sidejack-bass-vi-guitar

Colton Frausell says:

January 12, 2013 at 8:25 pm

Finding strings for the VI would be a pain in the ass.

Ken Stern says:

January 12, 2013 at 9:25 pm

Actually, for this version of the Bass VI Fender chose (for some odd reason) to use a lighter than typical string BUT it has very broad availability, the D’Addario XL156 Fender VI (.024-.084.) Finding these strings will be absolutely no trouble! The real issue is that Bass VIs typically use .026>.095 strings that sound IMO so much better. Not sure if these heavier strings will fit this model. The heavier strings are available from LaBella in rounds and flats BUT are quite expensive.

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Fender Unveils Pawn Shop Bass VI and Mustang Bass Models