Fender

Fender Bass VI Sunburst (1969)

$10,000.00

Pickup available at 165 Massachusetts Avenue

Usually ready in 1 hour

Payment Via Wire Transfer Or Check Required
Expedited Shipping Required

Product information

This 1969 Fender Bass VI in original 3-Tone Sunburst finish is one of the cleanest 60s Fender electrics we've had in our shop, and is the first vintage Bass VI we've ever offered for sale here at TME.


Upon first look it's hard to ignore just how stunningly clean this Bass VI is. With the exception of two notable marks/defects (the ding on the top, and a small splinter on the inside edge of the neck pocket), it's impressive just how well preserved this instrument is. The 3-Tone Sunburst is vibrant and rich with no real fading to speak of, and the neck finish is brilliant and bright with hardly any play wear to speak of. By all accounts, this was an instrument that was played sparingly early on and cased for most of its life.

The original Jaguar single coil pickups have their original winds and are nice and strong, all measuring in the low/mid 6k range which is typical of what we normally see with these pickups. The original wiring harness shows a pair of 250k CTS potentiometers dated the 42nd week of 1966, which is a known batch of pots that Fender used into the next decade.

The 4-ply tortoiseshell pickguard is very clean with almost no shrinkage, and all of the corresponding hardware - bridge, bridge cover, control/switch plates, vibrato assembly, and mute - are just as clean.

We replaced the original mute foam to ensure proper function, as the original foam had shrunken up and was no longer making proper contact with the strings when engaged.

The neck is a super comfortable slim/medium U shape with the 'A' neck designation. Stamped '6MAY67A' from the factory, this denotes a proper Bass VI neck completed in May of 1967 with the 'A' nut width of 1.5". The original decal is gleaming clean, with a bright unfaded Maple neck and bound Rosewood fingerboard with block inlays, a feature most commonly adopted on Fender's offsets and Jazz Basses from 1966 into the early 1970s. We shimmed the neck to improve break angle over the bridge and allow for an excellent playing experience.

The original hardshell case is - you guessed it - just as clean as the guitar. It wears the tailless badge that many Fender cases had from 1966-1967, and given the lower production numbers of these guitars relative to other basses and 6-string electrics, makes a lot of sense as to why you'd see this case paired up with a later 60s example. It's even got the original matching hang tag with serial number and assembly stamps!

We are such fans of this Bass VI and we know the next owner will be too. What an amazing piece of Fender history!

**Note: Expedited Shipping required. Contact us to discuss other shipping options!**

Body

Style
Solidbody Offset
Body
Alder
Finish
Urethane
Color
Sunburst

Hardware

Pickups
Original Single Coil | 6.22k Neck / 6.33k Middle / 6.02k Bridge
Electronics
Original CTS 250k | 137 6642 pot code
Controls
Pickup selector slide switches / Bass Cut "Strangle" Switch / Volume / Tone
Bridge
Original w/ Mute (replaced foam)
Tuners
Original F Stamp
Pickguard
Original

Neck

Neck
Maple | 6MAY67A Neck Stamp
Binding
White
Carve
Oval C | .78-.91"
Fingerboard
Rosewood
Radius
7.25"
Inlays
Pearl Blocks
Frets
Original
Nut
Original
Scale Length
30"

Other

Serial #
260927
Weight
8lb 12oz
Case
Original Hardshell

Preserving The Past. Played Into The Future.

Whether you're chasing a tone, honoring the history, or building a collection, we seek out the finest vintage instruments and, when needed, perform tasteful restoration to ensure they’ll play beautifully for decades to come.

Pricing

We price vintage instruments using current market trends and our extensive in-house sales history, ensuring each piece is accurately valued and fairly positioned.

Tasteful Restoration

When restoration is needed, we approach it with respect and restraint - always in service of preserving the instrument’s integrity and extending its musical life for decades to come.

Accurate Listings

Every vintage guitar we list is authenticated by our seasoned team and photographed in high detail, with clear, honest descriptions that show exactly what you’re buying - no surprises.

Shipping

With decades of experience shipping high-value guitars, we know how to pack and protect vintage instruments so they arrive exactly as they should: safe, sound, and ready to play.