Essex 5-string question

[Siegy]

OK, so I've decided I want to make the transition from 4-5 strings, and I've also decided that I like what I'm hearing about SX.

I specifically liked this one (yeah, it's the cheap one):
http://www.rondomusic.net/spb6241.html

I figure for $100, if it doesn't work out, then oh well. Here are my questions:

1. What's the B string like?
2. (This may seem like a stupid question) It's a p-type body with j-type pickups, so should I expect a j-type sound out of it or some sort of compromise?
3. If i wanted to replace the pickups, what would you recommend?
4. If I wanted to replace the pickguard, where on earth could I find one that would be a close fit?

Feel free to chime in with whatever you thought of about this bass, or the similar SX 5-ers.

Oh, and if you've got pictures, I'd love to see them. You get more of a feel for the overall look if the pictures aren't on a spotless white background.

Thanks in advance, guys.

 

[brian v2.0]

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here's my heavily modded SX Jazz 5. The pickguard was originally white. i got this one from WD Music and it took a significant amout of modification to make it work, and you can kind of see that it is not tight around the neck pocket.

I don't think the pickups actually soound that bad and still have the originals in it. Unfortunately after changing out the bridge and widening the spacing a bit the G string isn't directly over the pole pieces anymore so i'll eventually replace them. I believe you mayh have to have the body routed out to fit standard 5 string jazz pickups though (as i will have to do). Take the pickup info with a grain of salt though because i put an Audere preamp in the bass too and i'm sure that it helped the pickups sound pretty good.


The B string isn't bad on mine but with a mass produced budget bass you can never be sure until it's in your hands.

 

[LzeroKI]

I really love my 5 string SX Jazz

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and here's a pic of it with the rest of my gear
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I also have a fretless 4 string sx jazz, and the head stock on the 5'er is actually smaller than the 4 string, but I personally like it that way. The B on mine is preety good, its not amazing, but hey, its a $120ish 5 string. That being said, I really dig the tone I get from this bass, I hardwired the pickups into series and get a really smooth thick sound out of it, while still being able to work in a little growl with some EQing. I would assume you would get a j bass tone from the bass you are looking at, since it appears to be j-bass pickups and electronics in a p-bass body. Ive given some thought to switching out pickups, but I like the stock pickups enough to make the near $100 for new ones seem kinda not-worth-it (wow, I have terrible grammar.) I have been told by a fellow TB'er named TwangCheif that 5 string bartolini jazz pickups were a drop in replace for the sx 5 string jazz, so Id assume they would fit in the one you are looking at, however there are the only pickups Ive heard of that are a drop in replacement. And as far as the pickguard goes, I think your only option would be to go to one of those websites who will let you send in a tracing of your pickguard and make a custom one for you.

Hope this all helped.