Essex Bass Club - Part 14

[Jasdom]

Originally Posted by rocknroll777

Pretty sweet pickup covers on that one! I wish mine came with them.....but I found the bridge one and installed it.

I just took the bridge cover off. Got in the way of those "Jaco" licks. This was a great deal and coudnt pass it up...got both of them for $60 each! The neck on the quilt 4 string feels like a P-Bass though...might be selling that one. The 5 string is HEAVY...but I'm really digging it. Fixing to bring it out on it's first gig in about 2 hours.

[Rip Topaz]

Originally Posted by Jasdom

I just took the bridge cover off. Got in the way of those "Jaco" licks. This was a great deal and coudnt pass it up...got both of them for $60 each! The neck on the quilt 4 string feels like a P-Bass though...might be selling that one. The 5 string is HEAVY...but I'm really digging it. Fixing to bring it out on it's first gig in about 2 hours.

If only the four string had a maple fretboard. I'd be all over that.

[rfslick]

I've read a mention here of the stock tuners on the Ursa 1/2 being a little rough. If you will put a tiny drop of 3in1 oil or sewing machine oil, any light oil on the gear engagement and at each side of the tuning shaft at the seam where it turns in the frame, you find that they work quite well. Before that, they were pretty rough. Now they are quite smooth. I'm talking about small drop, the size of a pin head. You don't want to drown them in it. Just a spot will do!

[CBNJ]

Are the newer SX basses better/worse than old ones? Any difference?

[rfslick]

I have nothing to compare, however, I can't find anything wrong with my new Ursa 2. After minor setup, it plays and sounds great. I had an actual '64 Jazz and after receiving and playing this, I no longer have a Jones for the '64. I love it and I love the fact that I didn't have to dump a thousand dollars to get it. $155.60 in three days to the West Coast.

[Rip Topaz]

Is the 3 tone burst really a 3 tone, or is that weird brown fade burst you see on cheaper basses? Do you see the browns and reds, or just a brown fading into yellow?

[rfslick]

Mine is black to red to clear.

[bassbenj]

Originally Posted by Jasdom

Real Nice Job! I think I'll keep my big paddle. What is the best/easiest way to kill the polly shine on these? Micro mesh, steel wool???

I always use 0000 steel wool although fine sand paper (I think the range is 400-800 grit) works pretty well too, but after trying sand paper I went back to steel wool as my favorite. Mostly I do it to get a better feel on the neck.

[bassbenj]

Originally Posted by rocknroll777

Pretty sweet pickup covers on that one! I wish mine came with them.....but I found the bridge one and installed it.

Easy enough. $17.95 for a set: ashtray and pickup cover.

http://www.rondomusic.com/partsbodies.html

(about the middle of page)

I bought about four to install and to just to have in stock because you never know when I'll buy another SX and I love the ashtray look (I don't use the pickup covers, though I love the look, they get in the way). Also I figured I should stock up because cool parts cheap at Rondo tend to come and go from stock so I figured for $18 bucks I could have a couple here and not have to worry about what Kurt has available.

[Laklandlover]

Originally Posted by heb9_28

I did the super simple magnet-pickup mod and put an Audere Pro-JZ in mine and it is one of the best basses I've ever heard. Period.

By the way who is the "super simple magnet pickup by" ?

[BillyB_from_LZ]

Originally Posted by Laklandlover

By the way who is the "super simple magnet pickup by" ?

I think it involves adding a magnet to the bottom of your bass' existing pickups (but I may have misremembered).

[heb9_28]

Originally Posted by BillyB_from_LZ

I think it involves adding a magnet to the bottom of your bass' existing pickups (but I may have misremembered).

Yeah that's right... here's the link to the original thread:

Ultimate Essex 6er Neo pickup mod...

[BillyB_from_LZ]

Originally Posted by heb9_28

Yeah that's right... here's the link to the original thread:

Ultimate Essex 6er Neo pickup mod...

Thanks!

[Laklandlover]

Originally Posted by heb9_28

Yeah that's right... here's the link to the original thread:

Ultimate Essex 6er Neo pickup mod...

Wow thanks I really appreciate this.

thanks,

James

[heb9_28]

Originally Posted by Laklandlover

Wow thanks I really appreciate this.

thanks,

James

I did it on my bass and it made a huge difference. Then a few months later I put an Audere preamp in it. I get so many compliments on the sound (from soundguys!).

So for a total of about $350 put in to it, I've got 6 string that I'd put up against basses costing 2 - maybe 3 times more.

[Rip Topaz]

Has anyone done this mod on a bass other than the six string?

[DJ Bebop]

Originally Posted by Rip Topaz

Has anyone done this mod on a bass other than the six string?

Actually as I read this thread, I remember doing this same thing 'back in the day' (70's).
There were a few company's that did aftermarket guitar electrical parts and upgrades like Mighty Mite.

The company I used was Star Electronic (I think), that sold a magnet set just for this purpose of putting them on the bottom of existing pickups to 'hot rod' them.
After that time more pickup manufacturer started doing that themselves to beef up their own pickups.

Any other old guys remember this?

Anyway, yes I have done this to other basses but, not so much now because most modern day pickups are pretty good.

I have done it on some import pickups but even then, most import pickup are ceramic and pretty hot like most of the SX pickups
other that the six string pickups we are talking about.

[Rip Topaz]

Well, I finally pulled the trigger last night around midnight. I was sitting with the wife, who was entertaining herself on the Yankee Candle website (my girl likes her candles), and I decided to check the account. Lo and behold, there was the tax refund we've been waiting for.

So I wandered on over to Rondo, and got the Ursa 2 MN Ash, in sunburst. I was gonna get the fully dressed one with the covers and all, but I've got some mods planned that the covers may not work, so I just got the $169 model with the blocks and binding on the neck.

Woah!!! Only $16 shipping?!? I've shipped a bunch of basses, and I've NEVER been able to ship them that cheap!!

Anywhoo, it'll be here in a few days. Pix then.

[CBNJ]

Originally Posted by Rip Topaz

Well, I finally pulled the trigger last night around midnight. I was sitting with the wife, who was entertaining herself on the Yankee Candle website (my girl likes her candles), and I decided to check the account. Lo and behold, there was the tax refund we've been waiting for.

So I wandered on over to Rondo, and got the Ursa 2 MN Ash, in sunburst. I was gonna get the fully dressed one with the covers and all, but I've got some mods planned that the covers may not work, so I just got the $169 model with the blocks and binding on the neck.

Woah!!! Only $16 shipping?!? I've shipped a bunch of basses, and I've NEVER been able to ship them that cheap!!

Anywhoo, it'll be here in a few days. Pix then.

Take pictures, lots of them!

[Rip Topaz]

Of course.