Essex; Still Good?

[Xaezel]

Hey guys, so I've been searching TB for a while on these things, and general consensus is(or was) that they are quite amazing. However, they all seem to be talking about the "ash" or "alder" bodies. Rondo now states that they are basswood and the headstock's have changed significantly. Are they still as amazing as they were? Has any other things gone down in quality?

 

[Batmensch]

So (some of) the bodies are Basswood so what? Basswood isn't "bad" wood.

 

[JimmyM]

Isn't the greatest, either I don't know if I could do basswood on a P or J. I've not been much of a fan of it in the past. SX basses were never "amazing," but for $100 or so they weren't bad at all. But basswood is a turn-off for me for sure.

 

[Trayster2]

Hey guys, so I've been searching TB for a while on these things, and general consensus is(or was) that they are quite amazing. However, they all seem to be talking about the "ash" or "alder" bodies. Rondo now states that they are basswood and the headstock's have changed significantly. Are they still as amazing as they were? Has any other things gone down in quality?

I've got an SX short scale P on order (tax refund $). I checked You Tube & loved the sound demo a guy did after changing his strings to GHS flats. I'll keep you posted.

 

[OilcanRacer]

i got one 5 years ago. not so into it when i first got it. but now the sustain is forever. as good as my musicman. solid low rumble and very playable, fun....

i did replace the pickups with fender jazz ones. don't know if they use the same wood as then.

 

[Trayster2]

Nice. If I fall in love with mine I could see upgrades in the future.

 

[Selta]

Nothing really wrong with Basswood in my opinion. My Bongos are made out of it, and are sonic chameleons.
As for Essex, they're decent. I don't know that I'd call them "good" - at least not without "for the money" appended.

 

[scourgeofgod]

i got one 5 years ago. not so into it when i first got it. but now the sustain is forever. as good as my musicman. solid low rumble and very playable, fun....

i did replace the pickups with fender jazz ones. don't know if they use the same wood as then. View attachment 588112

Nice thumb rest, is that an ex-drumstick?

 

[bassbenj]

Isn't the greatest, either I don't know if I could do basswood on a P or J. I've not been much of a fan of it in the past. SX basses were never "amazing," but for $100 or so they weren't bad at all. But basswood is a turn-off for me for sure.

I've got 9 SX and I love them all (some more than others). My 6 string alder J's are by far my favorite. As Jazz base clones made out of real tonewood (swamp ash or alder) means you can make them as good as the parts you can afford to swap. But while there are basswood basses out there that sound great (eg. Bongo) I'm with Boomie on basswood bodies. To me they roll off the tone more than alder does and that to me is too much. So I don't think I'll be doing a basswood P or J.

People say tonewood doesn't matter, but I had a chance to play a basswood G&L Tribute L2500 just like my swamp ash one, and I was NOT impressed with it. Tone was just too "foofy" in my opinion. But tone is subjective so there may be people looking for that kind of sound. Just not me.

 

[JimmyM]

Bongo, I don't buy into the tonewoods thing so much except that I think density matters when the densities are drastically different. Ash and alder, maybe not so much. Ash and basswood, definitely.

 

[OilcanRacer]

Nice thumb rest, is that an ex-drumstick?

naw just a piece of ash i wittled down. good for moving up or down on the strings.

 

[Ken J]

Still a family owned business with pride in what they provide.
I can still email Kurt and he will gladly talk with you. That’s worth following in its self.

 

[hrodbert696]

Still a family owned business with pride in what they provide.
I can still email Kurt and he will gladly talk with you. That’s worth following in its self.

Understanding that that's the distributor, not the manufacturer. Kurt gets his instruments from various Asian companies.