Fender’s Custom Shop has just unveiled the Limited Edition George Harrison 1967 VI, celebrating one of the Beatles’ distinctive creative tools used during some of their most influential years.
The meticulous recreation is crafted in Corona, California. It promises to “faithfully capture the look, feel, and character” of Harrison’s original sunburst Bass VI, which was gifted to the band by Fender in 1968 and quickly became an integral part of their Abbey Road studio sessions.
Harrison’s bandmate, John Lennon, also wielded the Bass VI on multiple occasions. It can be heard on late-era classics such as Helter Skelter, Back in the U.S.S.R., Rocky Raccoon, Honey Pie, Birthday, and, of course, Let It Be. Keen-eyed fans will also recognize it from the iconic promotional video for Hey Jude.
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Occupying the space between the guitar and bass, the Bass VI enabled Harrison and Lennon to flex their tonal and compositional capabilities. Decades later, it remains one of Fender’s “most versatile and inspiring designs” – not to mention a cult favorite among fans.
“George Harrison’s Bass VI holds a unique place in Fender history,” says Chase Paul, Director of Fender Custom Shop. “It played a defining role in some of the most influential recordings ever made while showcasing the remarkable versatility of the Bass VI itself.
“With this Limited Edition release, our Custom Shop team has faithfully recreated George’s original instrument with extraordinary attention to detail, honoring its legacy and giving players and collectors the opportunity to own an extraordinary piece of music history.”
The Fender Custom Shop clearly rolled out the red carpet for Harrison’s Bass VI. Highlights range from the Relic Bleached 3-Color Sunburst finish and handwritten switch plate markings, to the Custom Shop Hand-Wound Jaguar pickups.
Key specs include a two-piece select alder body, maple neck, and era-correct bound 3A rosewood fingerboard. The 30” scale length, 7.25” radius, 21 vintage frets, block inlays, and individual on/off slide switches for each pickup all match Harrison’s original.
Premium trimmings, such as a six-saddle vintage-style adjustable bridge with a “floating” tremolo tailpiece and Bass VI mute, a 4-ply brown shell pickguard, and vintage-style tuning machines with the Fender logo, further add to this Bass VI’s appeal.
Priced at $9,500, the Limited Edition George Harrison 1967 Bass VI is now available for pre-order from partner retailers.
For more information, head to Fender.
