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SX Jazz Surgery

Eric Perry

Eric Perry

Jun 16, 2002
12,630
691
the depths of fiery hell, I mean Phoenix
www.facebook.com
#1
I got a black 5-string SX Jazz fretless on clearance through Rondo a few months ago. I was somewhat disappointed with it as a fretless (especially compared to my fretted SX Jazz in LPB), so I decided to use it as a mod bass...

I recently grabbed a Maple block neck from fellow TB'er Azoore (SWEET neck!), and I decided to go balls-out on this. So far, I have, or have ordered:

* the neck (which had the heavy poly finish removed),
* an Audere Z-mode J Deluxe 3-band preamp
* a chrome Schaller roller bridge
* Hipshot chrome Ultralites
* Hipshot chrome string tree
* a custom-cut white pearloid pickguard from Pickguardian.com
* Dunlop chrome flush-mount strap locks
* a Graph Tech Trem-Nut
* a flush mount battery box
* shielding tape/paint to fully shield the cavity and wiring routes.

The only thing I'm leaving stock (for now) is the pups. As I've said, and many others on here have said, the stock ones are very good pickups. I doubt very highly I'll swap them.

Pics to follow.... :bassist:
 
#3
schillzilla said:
Don't forget to shield under the pickup and (if possible) along the route the wire will lay in en route to the control cavity. I forgot once on my first mod and man it irritated me.

zilla
Click to expand...
Yeah, I'll shield as best I can. I have a little bit of shielding paint left that I can use to get up in the wiring routes. I'm usually pretty anal with stuff like that, so it should be good.

Thanks for the tip!!!
 
#4
I did the same thing you are doing to yours.I just put the Audere in last week and it turned into a tone monster,I got the one with the mid control.I don't have a picture with the pre in yet but here it is beforehand.You should love it.

Basses006.jpg
 
#7
Dan Molina said:
I wished they payed more attention at the factory when it comes to pickup placement. I don't like how the strings don't align properly between the poles.
Click to expand...

Yeah, they don't seem to be terribly careful cutting pickguards. I cut a black one for my SX with the route in the correct place.
 
#9
Some early pics... Please don't mind the MASSIVE fingerprints. There's not a scratch on the body, but I obviously gots some oily skin. Blech!!!!

Here's the original with the fretless board, sans strings...
stock.jpg


Here's the neck I scored from fellow TB'er Azoore. SEXY!!!
neck.jpg


Here's one with the neck, sans strings/neck hardware...
w_neck.jpg


And lastly, here's a closer-upper of the body/neck...
close.jpg





The next pics will not include fingerprints. Sorry guys! :p
 
#19
I just got a quote of 56 beans shipped to make a white pearloid pickguard using the original white one as a template. I'm going to wait until the Audere arrives so I see what kind of changes will need to be made so everything lines up perfectly, and then send the white one off for duplication. ;)




EDIT: The preamp came today, and I'm thrilled to report the differences in control cavity plate is negligible at most. No one other than myself will notice. With that being said, the white pearloid will be ordered very, very soon...
 

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