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Modding an SX. Why?

DeanT

DeanT

Send lawyers, guns and money...
Jul 16, 2006
4,014
32
NY, Just Like I Pictured It.
#1
Forgive my newbie stupidity, but can you explain to me why someone would go out and spend $100-$150 on an SX bass, then spend another $200 or so on modifications like new pups, filing the frets, new pots, etc. Why not just go out and buy a $500 bass to begin with, like a nice Ibanez or a Yamaha? If the SX is so bad that it needs all this work why does anyone buy one? And if so, why do so many people rave about them?
 
#4
I agree with Vindy500. I personally love working with basses and modding them. I recently added a push/pull pot on my jazz for parallel/series and now I'm really into modding basses. The best way to start is with a cheap bass just in case you screw up. That's why alot of people like the SX basses, they're a nice bang for the buck.
 
#5
#1. They usually sound great when played acoustic.

#2. They have the standard woods (Ash, Alder, Maple, Rosewood).

#3. They have the standard looks (P bass, Jazz bass).

#4. They have all of the typical dimensions (excepting the neck pocket)

#5. They're cheap (most important point!)

#6. Modding basses is a heck of a lot of fun.
 
#7
I modded my SX just to get some better quality parts on it. It doesn't raise it's worth or anything.. but it's nice to have.. I'm selling mine for $100... even though I paid $200 and I put in about another $150. They're great basses for what they are.
 
#10
How many people buy an MIM Fender and then change the pickup, pickguard, pots etc? I see tons of Fenders with Duncans or Barts floating around. It is nothing new, if it was just SX than Duncan and Leo Quan etc would not be in business for decades.

Some people are just looking for a certain combination of sound and/or feel while others are influenced by the huge amount of marketing in the industry WRT certain brands of instruments or parts. Usually it is a combination of both.

Some folks play bass, some people play with basses and some people do both ;)

Peace,
S
 
#11
Tristan said:
I've never played an SX myself but they're made by Samick. Samick basses are ok for the price from what I've seen.

I think people just see a decent bass for cheap and have fun! If i had the money, I would too.
Click to expand...

Don't know where you got the idea these are made by Samick. Samick is a Korean company and SX's are made in China - just ask the importer. We have.

And DeanT - the answer to your question is contained right in your post. If it takes $500 to buy a bass that's the equal of a $350 modded SX, why spend the extra $150? :confused:
 
#12
I got a MIM Fender and started modding right away. I have to admit, the name on the headstock is comforting to me, which is why I didn't get an SX. However, if you're going to mod something, the idea is not to buy what you want, but to make what you want. So, starting as cheap as possible makes a lot of sense.
 
#14
TheSuzie said:
How many people buy an MIM Fender and then change the pickup, pickguard, pots etc? I see tons of Fenders with Duncans or Barts floating around. It is nothing new, if it was just SX than Duncan and Leo Quan etc would not be in business for decades.
Click to expand...

dingdingdingding- Weeeee haaaave aaaa winnah!!

Some people are just looking for a certain combination of sound and/or feel while others are influenced by the huge amount of marketing in the industry WRT certain brands of instruments or parts. Usually it is a combination of both.

Some folks play bass, some people play with basses and some people do both ;)

Peace,
S
Click to expand...

+1

I've modded every bass I've ever owned. Every last one of 'em. Either a better bridge, pups, a refin, something. Even upgraded the tuners on my upright.

If I had all the money I'd spent on those basses, I could own a Sadowsky or Lull, and I'd prolly still change the pickguard, just so I could feel I'd done something.
 
#15
well, you get what you want for cheap. plus, as has been mentioned before (in another thread, i believe), it's less stressful for some to start hacking away on a $100 bass than a higher priced bass.


my SX is unmodded, and it sounds great as is.
 
#17
When modding, you're stuck with the woods, construction, and playability of the original bass (unless you're doing something really major). Since these things won't change, regardless of what electronics and hardware you throw on it, it comes down to whether the SX (or Mexican Fender or whatever) is good enough for you to begin with.

If you don't start with a good bass, you won't end with a good bass. Whether SX is or not is a personal opinion.

And the spoilers on Civics... need to stop. It looks ********. :hiding:
 
#19
I think its a great way to learn how to start building your own basses from scratch. By dismanteling an old one, and studying its different aspects of construction, and then changing adding, removing bits to suit you. plus its cheap, and you have abass that no one else will have. :)
 
#20
Hambone said:
And DeanT - the answer to your question is contained right in your post. If it takes $500 to buy a bass that's the equal of a $350 modded SX, why spend the extra $150? :confused:
Click to expand...

Well, that's one way of looking at it I guess. But my questions was more along the lines of if you have to spend $300 to get a $200 bass up the the standards of a known capable $500 bass, why not just spend the $500 on the known capable bass in the first place? But I guess the whole fun is in tearing it apart and replacing the parts.
 

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