# Six-string bass bonded Bruce and Jimmy Fallon's bassist

> Owen Biddle's custom six-string bass sparked an unexpected connection with Bruce Springsteen over a shared guitar mishap.
- Title: Six-string bass bonded Bruce and Jimmy Fallon's bassist
- Summary: Owen Biddle's custom six-string bass sparked an unexpected connection with Bruce Springsteen over a shared guitar mishap. A six-string bass can unlock…
- Keywords: owen biddle, bruce springsteen, the roots, late night with jimmy fallon, six-string bass, gibson eb-6, custom bass, callowhill basses, leonard hub hubbard, backing band, Six-string, bass
- Source: Guitar World — https://guitarworld.com/artists/bassists/how-owen-biddle-and-bruce-springsteen-bonded-over-their-love-of-6-string-bass
- Published: 2026-09-27T00:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: owen biddle, bruce springsteen, the roots, late night with jimmy fallon, six-string bass, gibson eb-6, custom bass, callowhill basses, leonard hub hubbard, backing band
## Owen Biddle joins The Roots
When bassist Hub Hubbard left The Roots in August 2007 after 15 years, Owen Biddle stepped in to play on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, becoming part of one of the most formidable backing bands around.
## A whirlwind of high-profile gigs
The Roots backed everyone from Sting to Bootsy Collins, playing Haiti Relief Telethons, Jon Stewart's Rally to Restore Sanity, and Carnegie Hall's Tibet House benefit.
## Bruce Springsteen's accidental bass
When Springsteen saw Biddle's six-string bass, he shared a story about buying a Gibson EB-6 as a young guitarist seeking Jeff Beck's lush tone, only to have people tell him it sounded like a bass.

> It turns out he had bought an EB-6!
## Two musicians bond over six-strings
Springsteen and Steven Van Zandt lit up when they saw Biddle's instrument, and the two musicians connected over their shared experience with six-string basses and the unique tones they produce.

> You have a six-string bass!
## Building the perfect custom bass
Biddle worked with Philadelphia luthiers CallowHill Basses to create a six-string bass with a compact 30-inch scale, mahogany fretboard, and an overdrive circuit that runs directly from the pickups.
## The low B string matters most
Despite having a high C string, Biddle uses the low B string far more, appreciating how the short 30-inch scale keeps notes punchy and prevents them from dying out.
## A classic, understated tone
Biddle uses flatwound strings, Nordstrand Fat Stack pickups in single-coil mode, and a mahogany body to create a warm, all-purpose tone that works for almost everything he plays.
## Key takeaway

A six-string bass can unlock creative possibilities and unexpected friendships, even when it started as someone else's mistake.