Handmade in Brooklyn, NY
The Bass VI "Jag One" Pickup set
The Bass VI Answer to What a Bass VI Should Sound Like
Clear low end, punchy middles and a bright snappy high response.
The owner of Sound Laboratories is first and foremost a bass player. While he's known to play lead and rhythm guitar in many bands and on lots of recordings he's well known as a bassist. Bass is his first instrument. One afternoon he was listening to Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons' December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night). Damian was intrigued by this unique bass sound. Figuring out the bass line by ear he couldn't "nail down the sound of the bass." Trying to find the sound with every 4 stringed instrument he had he just couldn't get "that sound!"
Being the song was released in 1975 it was hard to find the technical specs down to the instrument. There was one video where bass player Don Ciccone was playing what looked like a bigger than usual Jaguar. Further research revealed this "Jaguar" was a Fender Bass VI.
Where on Earth can you find a Bass VI with similar pickups? Fender ended it's proaction back in the 70's. They made a Pawn Shop version with a different pickups and switching configurations...not the same. Fender Custom Shop makes a true version of the Bass VI but its got quite a ticket and GC does not stock them. Squire makes an affordable version with Jaguar style single coil pickups complete with the chrome combs.
During the testing phase much of the sound was there with the Squire Bass VI but not nearly as meaty, rich and full of tone. The middle pickup wasn't reverse wound and phased when combining pickups. It sounded cold, kind of incomplete. More research was needed. How to box Don Ciccone sound in Jag style pickup? Damian jumped on his Triumph Bonneville T100 and visted Retrofret Brooklyn. Retrofret not only had a Fender Bass VI they had a few vintage Bass VI's to play and listen to.
The Sound Laboratories' Bass VI, "Jag One" as they are dubbed comes as close as a vintage Bass VI pickup as possible but with the life of Sound Laboratories inside each pickup.
The Jag One is contains all the vintage goodies for a complete Bass VI sound. Vintage cloth push pull lead wire, chrome comes and your choice of plastic pickup covers.
Reverse Wound Middle Pickup
Reverse Winding the middle pickup allows for Hum-Cancellation when either the bridge pickup or the neck pickup is engaged with the middle pickup.
Staggered Magnetic Poles
Staggered Magnetic Alnico V Poles assist with an even sound across all 6 strings.