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Can somebody explain SX basses?

#41
dabbler said:
Please define "much better". I have a Squier Deluxe V along with a handful of SX basses (see sig). I like the SX necks better because they are chunky and I like the finish better. Different strokes for different folks.

So why do I keep the Squier you ask? Simple, it is a wide-spaced fiver so if I ever learn how to slap, I can do it on a fiver. My SX fivers are close-spaced (the 4stringers are spaced nice for slap), nice for normal playing but not for slapping.
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"Much" better for the exact opposite reasons! The SX necks are too chunky to my taste (not the shorties though). I also find the finish and fretwork better on the newer squires.

Granted I would still upgrade the pickups and possibly electronics on the Squire but I am mucho picky. I'd assume that the tuners on the Squire are better as well, since the SX tuners are mediocre.

I've owned six SX basses and still have a shortie P, shortie J and a shortie Jag. I've owned a 34" J and a 5 string J as well. I find the string spacing on the 5 too tight for my taste.
 
#43
I've played a number of basses on stage and in jams. When I play my SX I seem to always get comments on the tone, punch, AND the vintage look of the bass. When I tell them I gave a c-note for it they can't believe it.

Yeah it's no boutique bass but in my view only a snob would blow this off as something that wouldn't work for a beginner, intermediate, and even some advanced players. They are GOOD BASSES man.

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#44
I bought one, very happy with it.

About 1/3 the price of others I played before buying it (Yamaha, Ibanez, Squire, Epiphone, low end Fender) and played and sounded much better without any tweaking.

Don't get me wrong, if I had an endless supply of cash I'd grab myself a Fender Custom Shop job or a Sadowsky, but for what I paid I am quite amazed at the product.
 
#46
they're simply imitation basses. they take the design of a really good bass, but build it with ****** wood, crappy pikups, less frets and awful machine heads. they weigh a tonne as well. you need some seriously strong shoulders to carry one of those basses for an entire gig.
 
#47
They're the very definition of "budget bass". They're cheap as chips but sound surprisingly well. As others have mentioned, they can sound equal to and even better than some Epiphone and Squier basses.

I think the main selling point for these basses is that they're excellent for modding. Its a cheap instrument that you can gut and fill with your own electronics, pups, bridge etc and not feel so bad about it.
 
#48
moyles said:
they're simply imitation basses. they take the design of a really good bass, but build it with ****** wood, crappy pikups, less frets and awful machine heads. they weigh a tonne as well. you need some seriously strong shoulders to carry one of those basses for an entire gig.
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Wrong. :rollno:

  • They use alder and ash, just like a 'crappy' Fender does.
  • I have an alder body, maple neck SX P, it weighs in at 7.7 lbs, (more than a pound lighter than my Fender).
  • The ash weighs a little more, just like anybody elses' ash body.
  • There was a blind P-pickup test a while back over on the SX megathread, with a Fender P, most couldn't tell the difference.
 
#49
One cool thing about SX is the variety of their lefty offerings. If you're a lefty and want to, say, dabble with fretless or more than four strings, they will allow you to do so without breaking the bank. If you like 'em, keep 'em and if you want, mod 'em. It's a huge shame that "big" company offer nowhere as many lefty options as they do.

Also, let's not kid ourselves, Fender's bass designs really aren't the most complex thing in the world (I still like 'em for what they are, though) so it's not all that surprising that they can be replicated for very little coin.
 
#50
boomtisk said:
One cool thing about SX is the variety of their lefty offerings. If you're a lefty and want to, say, dabble with fretless or more than four strings, they will allow you to do so without breaking the bank. If you like 'em, keep 'em and if you want, mod 'em. It's a huge shame that "big" company offer nowhere as many lefty options as they do.
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+ about 10,000 on that one, boomtisk.:D
Being a fellow lefty, that just gravy for me.
 
#51
moyles said:
they're simply imitation basses. they take the design of a really good bass, but build it with ****** wood, crappy pikups, less frets and awful machine heads. they weigh a tonne as well. you need some seriously strong shoulders to carry one of those basses for an entire gig.
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They are imitation basses just like any other non-Fender Precisions and Jazz's. The wood on my SX isn't as bad as you might think...only if a quilted maple top is awfully ugly for you. The pickups (I spelled it right :D) aren't as bad as you might think as well and just as how it turned out on the blind Pickup test megathreads involving a couple of MIA Fender against a "crappy" CCB SX...guess what? The "crappy" pickups on the SX fooled a lot of bass player ears. For the frets...as far as I know an original vintage Fender Jazz or Precision only has 20 frets on them...or are you talking about the fretless SX...I'd have to agree that they don't even have any fret...so don't fret on that. The machine heads aren't as bad if it is installed on a less than $200 bass. My shoulders ache when I play 4 sets with my Bongo 5 but who's complaining if it's a good bass?!?:D
 
#52
Based on the 'rep' on TB, I recently bought one (SX Ursa 3 RN BK) for my (mostly guitar playing) son. Better than have him grabbing any of mine :eek: :D

It arrived today at my office - tight neck pocket, very good intonation, nice action... WOW! :bassist: :bassist: I have Moody straps that cost more ;) even a couple of power cords (no flames please)

I've got enough parts in my workshop to upgrade anything on this any time needed... and I expected to have to do that out-of-the-box. Bottom line - no additional setup needed, sounds good (even the strings) HUGE WIN!

Ya know... one of these could be fun at the office for those times 'when on hold' :D
 
#53
I have had one. I just had to check it out. They run about $125.00 or so new.... but after getting mine and checking it out I figured it worth about $50.00 and I gave it to a church group. Man, I hope they didn't have any problems with it. God, please forgive me.
 
#54
SamTheButcher said:
Wrong. :rollno:

  • They use alder and ash, just like a 'crappy' Fender does.
  • I have an alder body, maple neck SX P, it weighs in at 7.7 lbs, (more than a pound lighter than my Fender).
  • The ash weighs a little more, just like anybody elses' ash body.
  • There was a blind P-pickup test a while back over on the SX megathread, with a Fender P, most couldn't tell the difference.
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Wellll.... my SX actually weighs a good bit more than my Ash body ATK did. But I think I just got one made out of a really heavy piece of alder. So it probably varies on the weight.

I agree with you on the rest though;)
 
#55
moyles said:
they're simply imitation basses. they take the design of a really good bass, but build it with ****** wood, crappy pikups, less frets and awful machine heads. they weigh a tonne as well. you need some seriously strong shoulders to carry one of those basses for an entire gig.
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Had the chance to play four of them Monday, including my new fretless J.
IMG00556.jpg

I was very impressed with all of these. This is my first time playing one of these (the other three are from a customer: I put EMG's in his LPB Jazz). All were great playing and sounding basses. Only the Natural ash body one was heavy (just like a 70's Fender), all others were alder. Now I'm looking for an old headstock, maple board/black blocks & binding Jazz for myself now. Cool basses.

Moonshine :bassist:
 
#56
moyles said:
they're simply imitation basses. they take the design of a really good bass, but build it with ****** wood, crappy pikups, less frets and awful machine heads. they weigh a tonne as well. you need some seriously strong shoulders to carry one of those basses for an entire gig.
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Haven't owned one, or at least not for a while, I'd guess.

I've owned two SX and one Brice...none of which fit anything in your description except the design part.
 
#57
LotusCarsLtd52 said:
I see the name SX thrown around a lot and I'm intrigued by the basses.

First, where is the company based? What's their deal? They seem, to me, to be this amazing company from outer space...why haven't I heard more about them?

Second, where are the instruments made? They seem like amazing deals but at the same time I get suspicious about quality if I see prices below $300. Is the craftsmanship any good?
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You have to modify some stuff on your own, the tuners, bridges, pickups and electronics are no good.
 
#60
Got my SX Ursa Fretless on Monday. Played it for about 10 minutes and decided to replace the strings with some D'Addario Chromes (the original "A" string was dead). Now I'm VERY happy with my new bass. I also own a couple of other really nice basses but I was very impressed with this SX. It is a little heavier than my other basses and has a tiny bit of noise (buzz) but, overall, I can't complain. I will do a couple of mods such as shielding, maybe upgrade the pots, may even decide to put in active electronics, but I think it is a great bass for the price. Even after I get my Dingwall (on order) I'm sure I will still use this SX fairly often.
 

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