Samick Fairlane 6

This is my first new bass. Everything else I've owned has been used. This is a Koren made bass, like a lot of the upper end Samick's that I've seen. Normal setup for a 6 string bass from what I can tell. I like having a blend control. I, personaly, would rather have a tone knob the a bass and trebble boost/cut... but I'm almost a guitar player more then a bass player, so I'm probably just not used to them yet.

I love the neck on this bass. Very tight and thin, but it gives you room to move. It has a very very comfortable curve to it also

I loved the sound of this bass when I plugged it into my board at home. I just wish I had some better speakers to run it through then my monitors. Its a bit bright for me...but I did use that trebble cut feature to fix that. I've played this through a yamaha b100, my board, just some headphones and a peavey max 115. the peavey isn't a great amp, but the bass did sound pretty nice though it. I am going to be either getting a new cab for my yamaha head, or going with a crate...most likely. The active electronics make this a nice studio bass, but I wish the battery was a little easier to get to...or...install an on/off/on switch so you can run active, mute, or passive.

I'm not a bassist, so I didn't really try everything out there before I decided on this. I decided that I wanted a 6 string so I wouldn't have to upgrade later on, and Samick is a name that I do know and trust.

From a guitar players point, the bass was set up very very well. Its a very solid instrument. The pickups were set up just right. Nothing negative to say about it at all.

This bass will survive more shows then I will I think. I've been around Samick guitars for a while and I've gotta say that this bass will stand up, like all of thier guitars, to just about anything you can throw at it.

I would gig with this bass, but I would bring an extra 9 volt for those active pickups.

I have talked with the folks at Samick before. But, never about returning anything. More just questions on the product, and they were very helpful and had all the answers to all my questions.

I've been playing bass on and off for about 6 years. I've had some used ones before...played on ibanez, fender, peavey and a few others. This is the best bass that I have had a chance to get my hands on.

If I ever lost this one, I'd definatly get another.

The only thing that I would change about this bass is that battery, or the switch from active to passive.

This is merely an addendum to a review I've written already. I forgot to mention that the strap buttons are terrific. I never understood the cone shaped strap buttons. Those things can't hold a strap very well. This are more mushroom shaped.

Also, when a repairman did a set up for me he informed me that the bass has dual truss rods. This made my jaw drop. I personally think all 6-string basses should have dual truss rods since their necks are wide. I'm surprised that a more budget-conscious 6 like this one has dual truss rods yet many high end basses like Warwick only put a single truss rod in their 6-strings.

The dual truss rods alone boost my rating of features from an 8 to a 9.

With the right set of strings, you can find a great sound from this bass. The tonewoods are tried and true traditional tonewoods and the pickups do their job. For me, I think SIT Powerwounds are a great match for this bass. But for someone looking for a more mellow, upright-like tone, go with Ken Smith Burners.

Otherwise, nothing to add beyond what I already said. Sound's still an 8.

Again, nothing much to add here. Mine did have a slightly scratchy blend pot, but cleaning it out solved that problem.

The wiring in the control cavity is a tad messy, though. Still, for this price range, it's to be expected. I would highly recommend having a repairman/luthier rout out a separate batter compartment for you. You can buy flip up compartments from Carvin or Warmoth. This will make your life easier.

Still an 8.

I've needed nothing beyond regular maintenance. The neck is a 1-piece neck and the dual truss rods are great in keeping it from twisting/warping. I've had no problems with that.

The bass is a solid piece of work, and a good set up can really bring out the character of this bass.

Again, Samick is a big corporation so you probably won't get much of a response out of them.

So as long as you have a reputable music store and/or tech, it's all good.

This bass is still a 9 in my book. At the price I paid and learning about the dual truss rods, this bass is a killer value. It's too bad Samick isn't exactly seen as a "cool" brand name. Everyone I know reacts almost ambivalently or slightly deridingly when I say my bass is a Samick, but when they play it, they change their tune right away. Greg Bennett has done wonders for the brand. I hope Samick continues to use dual truss rods in the necks of their 6 string basses in the future.

Still a 9.

This nice-priced Korean made 6-string features a 34" scale 22 fret bolt-on maple neck (with 6 bolts), rosewood fingerboard, and alder body with a foto-quilt top. It has a pair of stock soapbar pickups, active electronics (balance, volume, bass, treble), and a die-cast bridge. The offset body shape and transparent red finish look sharp.

The bass pretty much has everything I need, nothing I don't. And the stock tuners keep it in tune very well.

My only beef is that the battery is housed in the control cavity, so changing it can be a hassle. Also, there are no threaded brass inserts in the screw holes, so the holes could get stripped out after multiple battery changes. Threaded brass inserts would have been great, or better yet, a separate battery compartment with an easy access door.

Still, for the price I paid for it ($300 preowned in mint condition) it's pretty darn good.

I use this bass with Ken Smith Burners strings (lights), an Ashdown 2x10 combo and a Digitech BP80 effects pedal. I usually play without effects, but sometimes a little chorus or evelope filter really sounds cool. But I digress...

The pickups and preamp are surprisingly quiet, even with the treble boosted (I like a lot of treble in my sound). It sounds great through my Ashdown and great through other amps like the SWR Workingman's 12.

The electronics aren't very versatile in that they don't create a wide array of sounds, but the ones I do get are very usable. It's mostly bread and butter and more vintage tones. If you want a hi-fi modern tone, then this may not be the bass for you. I like the tones I get out of the bass (many of which are the tried and true ones which sit well in a band mix) but I do wish the electronics were more versatile since I really like the more modern tones.

The low B is usable, but nothing stellar. I've played better, I've played worse.

My only beefs are that the knob layout is unintuitive and I *think* the balance/blend knob is reversed, thus the ergonomics aren't great. The center detents are nice and firm, though.

Also, the stock strings used are terrible. They sound wooly, boomy, with terrible articulation. If you get this bass, get a new set of strings too. I use Ken Smith Burners and they're awesome strings.

This really surprised me. I was never even thinking of a Samick bass till I picked this one up. The playability is wonderful, the tuners keep the bass in tune very well, the hardware looks sharp, the 6-bolt neck joint is tight, the transparent red finish looks sharp and was applied well, the pickups and preamp are surprisingly quiet (good since I tend to boost my treble a lot), the fretwork is respectable, and all the knobs and tuners work well...

The only beef I really have is that the nut has rather sharp corners which can poke if you're doing fast runs.

But for the price, very good.

This bass has stood up to the rigors of both bars and a kindergarten classroom. For the longest time, the Samick name was synonymous with poorly-built, low-quality, cheap garbage, but since Greg Bennett came along, their stuff has gotten much better. Especially for the price I paid, this bass is extremely solid. The finish, hardware, strap buttons, everything is great.

Would I take it to a gig without a backup? Maybe, but the only reason I'd need a backup is if the battery dies since changing it would be a hassle.

I've never dealt with Samick customer support, but I can certainly assume that since they're such a huge company, the likely won't give you the kind of customer service that a single luthier (i.e. Sheldon Dingwall, Matt Pulcinella, Carey Nordstrand, Chris Stambaugh, Pete Skjold, and others) would give you.

When I was shopping for a reasonably priced 6-string, I found this Samick and a Peavey Fury in the store. I tried out the Fury first. Fantastic bass. Slim, fast neck, great sounds, killer looks, and over all it just looked, felt, and sounded like a bass 2-3 times more than its $374 asking price.

After such a great impression with the Peavey, I ambivalently tried the Samick...whoa baby! The neck just melted in my hands. The narrower-than-standard string spacing was very nice since I have small hands and I was able to fret every note quickly without wrist pain. While the appointments weren't as nice as those on the Peavey and the Peavey IS the better bass, the playability of the Samick won me over. I simply could NOT put the bass down. And for $300 used, it was a steal. I'd buy another Fairlane 6 in a heartbeat. The neck is perfect for me. However, those with larger hands may want to steer clear since the string spacing is tighter than usual.

I was never even thinking of a Samick till I encountered this bass. I'm glad to see that Samick's products are getting better thanks to Greg Bennett's involvement and I can only see further improvements down the road.

I hope to see improvements such as threaded brass inserts on the control cavity and/or a separate battery compartment (preferably an easy access one, or if not, one with threaded brass inserts since the battery compartment is opened more often than the control cavity) and the other stuff I've mentioned above.

I give the overall rating a 9 mainly because of the killer price I got this bass for. It was in mint condition, practically new. The bass retails for $800, usually sells for $500, and I got it for $300. For $300 I couldn't ask for a better bass for me. My first couple of basses in that price range were starter Ibanezes (a 4 and a 5) back in 1994 & 1995, and the Samick has them both beat.

The Fairlane 6 is an underrated bass. It does have its flaws like most any bass in its price range, but for those of us who want the versatility of a 6-string but have smaller hands, this bass is a must-try.