I see these mentioned here pretty often.
I need a P.
Don't have much cash to spare at the moment.
What's the shake on these?
I need a P.
Don't have much cash to spare at the moment.
What's the shake on these?
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Essex/SX quality?
- Thread starter Zuhzuhzombie!!
- Start date
do a search on Essex you will find a TON of info on them
They sound great to me
a little rough at times on the hardware and finishes
but a great base/bass to modify from
They sound great to me
a little rough at times on the hardware and finishes
but a great base/bass to modify from
I've participated in these threads quite a bit, and always said you get what you pay for, but now, I can participate as an actual owner.
I just picked up a used SX fretless jazz 5. It's not a US Fender. It's not a Sadowsky. What it IS, is a great value. The bass sounds good. It's a little heavy, but I wouldn't play it three full sets anyway. It looks pretty darned good. The neck is fine. The tuners and bridge are what you'd expect, but they are fully functional, and they WORK fine.
For the price of these things, you can't beat 'em. If you want a decent P for around $100, I'd say jump right on one.
I just picked up a used SX fretless jazz 5. It's not a US Fender. It's not a Sadowsky. What it IS, is a great value. The bass sounds good. It's a little heavy, but I wouldn't play it three full sets anyway. It looks pretty darned good. The neck is fine. The tuners and bridge are what you'd expect, but they are fully functional, and they WORK fine.
For the price of these things, you can't beat 'em. If you want a decent P for around $100, I'd say jump right on one.
You should do a search, but here's a quick review of a Lake Placid Blue 5 string P [J pups] that I picked up a couple weeks ago:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6965300&postcount=920
If you get a clunker and have to return one, as is the case sometimes, get it shipped to you UPS Ground, as Rondo won't pay for any shipping costs over that service. The UPS guys by me have been fine, so I didn't mind using them.
There are several working pros here that use them. JimmyM did a soundclip A/B and many [most?] could not tell the difference between his stock SX and a Fender.
Some like to use the Fender MIM as a modification platform. I think the Essex makes more sense as it's several hundred dollars cheaper.
If I were you I would move soon, as the old [IMO the good-looking, Lakland/Musicman style] headstocks may be a thing of the past soon. There's a rumor going round that the new basses will have a Carvin/Peavey looking headstock.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6965300&postcount=920
If you get a clunker and have to return one, as is the case sometimes, get it shipped to you UPS Ground, as Rondo won't pay for any shipping costs over that service. The UPS guys by me have been fine, so I didn't mind using them.
There are several working pros here that use them. JimmyM did a soundclip A/B and many [most?] could not tell the difference between his stock SX and a Fender.
Some like to use the Fender MIM as a modification platform. I think the Essex makes more sense as it's several hundred dollars cheaper.
If I were you I would move soon, as the old [IMO the good-looking, Lakland/Musicman style] headstocks may be a thing of the past soon. There's a rumor going round that the new basses will have a Carvin/Peavey looking headstock.
I've gotten an amazing 5 string Jazz bass out of them....
However I've also had two fretless basses that were sub-par.
It's a gamble.
However I've also had two fretless basses that were sub-par.
It's a gamble.
One of mine was a beauty right out of the box. Looked great, played great, great setup. It's a LPB fretted 5-string.
The other was a fretless 5-string in black. The finish was just as nice, but it was a total lemon. I just couldn't get it where I wanted it. Played decent at best and sounded like poo. I considered sending it back, but I found a nice fretted blocked and bound neck on here for sale that I bought for it. I ended using that bass as a mod platform that turned out better than I ever could have imagined for about $600 total costs, including shipping of parts and all.
The other was a fretless 5-string in black. The finish was just as nice, but it was a total lemon. I just couldn't get it where I wanted it. Played decent at best and sounded like poo. I considered sending it back, but I found a nice fretted blocked and bound neck on here for sale that I bought for it. I ended using that bass as a mod platform that turned out better than I ever could have imagined for about $600 total costs, including shipping of parts and all.
Buy one and find out.
I bought my SX P on a whim...have not regretted it. The neck was one of the most comfy P necks I have ever played. And I am generally not a fan of P bass necks....
Is there any way that the mods could install some sort of filter to eliminate these new SX threads?....what an absolute waste of space.....and how totally lazy are the people who keep starting them?
If memory serves, most picked the SX as sounding better! The Fender was a '79 (I think) Jazz.
Do you have any pics/reviews of that bass?
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Alex, why don't you re-post your live gig soundclips of your Essex? It [you] sounded great there.
Miss your coffee this AM?
The term "SX" is too short for the search engine, and using "Essex" filters out too much.
