Fender Bass VI

The Fender Bass VI is a six-string bass guitar tuned one octave below standard guitar, occupying a unique sonic territory between bass and baritone guitar. Introduced in 1961 with a 30-inch scale, it features three single-coil pickups and a floating tremolo system. Robert Smith of The Cure adopted the Bass VI as a key part of the band's studio sound, using it to add a distinctive low-end texture that sits between conventional bass and guitar frequencies. Its thinner strings compared to a standard bass allow guitar-style chording and lead playing in a lower register, enabling melodic bass parts that would be difficult on a conventional four-string. The Bass VI fell out of production for decades but has been reissued by Fender and Squier, driven largely by demand from post-punk and shoegaze players seeking its unusual voicing.