In the 90’s I was working as a contractor at Microsoft. They had a weekly company newsletter that included want-ads and announcements. In one I read of auditions for a production of the musical version of “Forbidden Planet” where they were putting together a stage band.
Unable to read music scores, I lost out to another guitar player but I got a call from the music director about a week later asking if I was interested in playing the bass in the project. I never quite understood why my musical illiteracy made a difference on one instrument vs. the other but I just wanted to play so I eagerly agreed.
My only Bass was a Peavey knockoff of a Precision so the music director allowed me to use from his personal collection. I quickly focused on a Fender Mk VI, which was a six-string Bass with a Jaguar body. I never had so much fun playing that beast!
I’m a guitarist, NOT a bassist, so I’m sure that my approach to covering the bass parts might have upset the purists, but I was having fun and the director was pleased with the sound he was getting so no foul. That is, no foul except for Sidney, the guy who was chosen to play guitar. Sidney perpetually had a stick up his ass about me being in the band (and I found out later behind the scenes advocated for my removal).
During one rehearsal we did an impromptu “battle of the bands” solo warz and I (on the Mk VI) ran circles around our star player. He almost quit the project over that.
I looked to purchase a Mk VI for several years but could never find one that I could afford (they quit making them decades ago).
What a great instrument that was!
What a great instrument that was!
Fender occasionally re-releases the Bass VI from time to time, most recently under their "Pawnshop" series.
Currently, an Indonesian-made Bass VI is sold by Squier for $459.