This Fender VI 1961, also called the Bass 6, is the oldest example of the model that I've been able to find. Fender's Bass 6 is a six string bass guitar with offset style floating bridge and tremolo tailpiece. This vintage Fender VI 1961 came through the shop a few years ago but I've been looking for another example ever since. I'm always a vintage guitar buyer but I'm especially looking for nice examples of the Fender VI in custom colors. You can contact me here to sell a Fender guitar.
This Fender VI 1961 came to me from the family of its original owner. They said their father used the Bass 6 to play Cumbia style music in the 1960s and 1970s. This makes sense because the Bass 6 is possibly inspired to be an electric bajo sexto.
On great book for more information on vintage Fender VI Bass 6 guitars is Fender: The Golden Years by Martin Kelly and Terry Foster. This book includes a thorough cataloging of all the Fender models made in the 1950s and 1960s including the Fender VI. It's one of my favorite books for more information about vintage Fender guitars.
How to date a Fender Bass VI
Knowing how to date a Fender guitar is important to establishing its value. This Fender VI 1961 is special since it's the oldest I was able to find. Here are the steps I take to date a Fender bass: serial number, neck and body dates, potentiometer codes, and features. It's important that all parts of the guitar match to around the same time period. If you'd like an Fender expert's opinion on the date of your vintage Fender bass guitar then you can contact me at the Contact Me button below.
Fender serial numbers aren't the best way to date Fender guitars since they're not necessarily consecutive and they are easily swapped using only a screwdriver. They still need to match the general range that the rest of the parts date to. The serial number of this Fender VI 1961 is a 5 digit number starting with 76. My Fender serial number lookup indicates that this serial number was used in 1961.
The next place to look for how to date a Fender bass guitar would be the neck heel and possibly the bridge pickup cavity. If you're not familiar with this process then I recommend having a skilled technician inspect your guitar. The neck heel of this Fender VI reads "10/61" indicating October of 1961.
The bridge pickup cavity date is less important to have, but it's nice to see. I do not recommend disassembling a guitar this far unless you're very very familiar with vintage Fender guitars. The bridge pickup cavity date also reads 10/61 indicating October of 1961.
Sell a Fender Bass 1950s 1960s
As a Fender guitar collector, I'm looking for the nicest examples of all Fender bass guitars made in the 1950s and 1960s. You can contact me here to find out what I would pay for your bass: Sell a Fender. I'm especially looking for custom color Fender basses from the 50s and 60s. If you have a guitar I'm looking for then I may be able to come to you for an in person transaction.
