anyone mod an SX Essex neck? make it thinner

BassMan99 · #1 02-16-2008, 09:01 AM

apologize if this has been discussed. I just received an SX SJB-62. Played it a little at a gig last night. NOt bad! But the neck is pretty fat compared to my fender jazz. I dont mind the width its the depth front to back I dont care for. Is there any way to make it thinner - doing it yourself? I dont want to spend big money on an inexpensive instrument. Another side question. anyone ever remove that yellowish finish off the neck?
Thanks in advance

EagleMoon · #2 02-17-2008, 04:12 PM

I've sanded the finish off of my SX jazz neck and also sanded the back of the neck to make it thinner. Not sure how much I actually got off but I sanded for quite a long time with 60 grit sandpaper then went to 150 and applied Tru-oil. Worked fine.

BassMan99 · #3 02-18-2008, 03:00 PM

Eaglemoon, I am interested in doing this. Mind telling me how you did the sanding? How did you not mess up the rosewood where they meet? How far did you take the sanding? I am a little worried I could mess up the skunk stripe or the rose wood.

Thanks!

EagleMoon · #4 02-18-2008, 03:53 PM

I just folded the sandpaper (so that a rough side was next to my hand as well as the neck), held it in my hand and ran it up and down the neck, making full neck swipes each time. I cut the sandpaper so that it was just wide enough to wrap around the maple neck, and not hit the rosewood board on either side. Does that make sense? I didn't have any trouble and I took quite a bit off. You could always try putting painters tape along the edges of the rosewood. I didn't do that but it wouldn't hurt. That way you would know if you were hitting the rosewood. It didn't affect the skunk stripe at all. Hard to say exactly how much I took off. I just did it until it felt that the neck was quite a bit thinner. Just getting the poly off makes quite a difference. After you do it, you can leave it bare but I used some Tru-oil on it. Just one coat will help protect it and give it a nice satin finish.

Thangfish · #5 02-18-2008, 04:26 PM

Me too.

Don't care for the fat P neck on my SX, so I already have acquired a Jazz neck, and have leveled and crowned the frets and installed threaded inserts for machine screws instead of wood screws. Haven't installed it yet because I don't have tuners (I need some black Hipshot Ultralights, if anyone... never mind).

Anyway, that means I will have an orange maple SX neck to play with.

I saw a show on TV where the craftsmen at Fender or Gibson or somewhere had a pile of necks in a cart and was freehanding them on a big-ass belt sander.

Now I've never done a neck, but I have alot of experience free sanding contours... I'm gonna try it. Nothing much to loose!

Right?

BassMan99 · #6 02-18-2008, 05:31 PM

Eaglemoon. Thanks. I am psyched to try this. Did you oil the headstock as well? Wondering how light the wood is and what to do with the bare wood on the headstock

BassMan99 · #7 02-18-2008, 05:33 PM

Thang. so will a standard fender neck fit an SX? I thought not

Thangfish · #8 02-18-2008, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassMan99

Thang. so will a standard fender neck fit an SX? I thought not

Sure...
well mine's a just a licensed Mighty Might, but sure.
My test fit was nice and snug.

BassMan99 · #9 02-18-2008, 05:43 PM

good to know. Thanks. I hate to spend $$ on a 100 dollar bass but.... I guess if I mess up the neck I can get a new one

BassMan99 · #10 02-18-2008, 05:44 PM

I need a big ass belt sander :-)

Thangfish · #11 02-18-2008, 05:52 PM

Rondo has those cheap SX replacement necks too.
I grabbed one of the black blocked maple necks with the messed up clear coat for (I think) $29. They're normally only $59 anyway.

I just did the frets on it and cut that big SX headstock down to a Fender shape. Doesn't look half bad actually... maybe only a quarter bad.

BassMan99 · #12 02-18-2008, 05:54 PM

hey where is cameron? we have family in charlotte and wilmington

EagleMoon · #13 02-18-2008, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassMan99

Eaglemoon. Thanks. I am psyched to try this. Did you oil the headstock as well? Wondering how light the wood is and what to do with the bare wood on the headstock

Yes, I did the whole headstock and neck and kind of reshaped the headstock a little towards the Fenderish side.

EagleMoon · #14 02-18-2008, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thangfish

Rondo has those cheap SX replacement necks too.
I grabbed one of the black blocked maple necks with the messed up clear coat for (I think) $29. They're normally only $59 anyway.

I just did the frets on it and cut that big SX headstock down to a Fender shape. Doesn't look half bad actually... maybe only a quarter bad.

That's why they're so much fun to experiment on. With something that cheap, you don't feel so bad if you mess something up.

Thangfish · #15 02-18-2008, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassMan99

hey where is cameron? we have family in charlotte and wilmington

South central NC, near Pinehurst, if you're a golfer.

About halfway between Charlotte and Wilmington, 30 min from Fayettville (Ft Bragg) or 1 hr south of Raleigh.

BassMan99 · #16 02-18-2008, 06:31 PM

yup. know where pinehurst is. cant golf for SH^%
Thats where the yanks like me go isnt it
lol