NBD jackpot! SX 6-string

[Omega Monkey]

That's why my new SX is the 31st bass I've owned.

It doesn't sound like you know what you want yet. It's one thing to like the variety of having different basses to play on, but it's another to just always be searching and never be settled into something. The keyboardist in my band, at least until recently, was literally just cycling through gear, seemingly every few weeks/months. Nothing ever satisfied him, even though literally everything was perfectly adequate and sounded great and worked great. Although he just got 2 new keyboards (to go with one he's had for a while), he finally seems to be happy with what he has. But if he had gotten the one I suggested a couple years ago, he could have had basically everything he has now back then. But he had some arbitrary objection to it, and ended up getting 2 keyboards that literally each do a subset of what the one I suggested does (by the same company even), plus a ton of other stuff, and be all integrated. It would also cut down on a set of stereo inputs on the keyboard mixer (which also means less setup). On the other hand, I have keyboards that I've had for 5+, 15+, and even 25+ years. Now, my keyboard budget is way lower than his overall since it's not really my main instrument or something that I gig with very often. So while I don't necessarily the most amazing stuff, what I do have is stuff that sounds great for what it is, and that I pretty much know inside and out at this point. And I still have a small portion of stuff that I kind of rotate through, without reinventing my whole setup ever 3-6 months for years at a time.

So by all means have standards and a wish list, but also keep your expectations realistic, and don't just change for the sake of changing unless that's truly what you want.

 

[dabbler]

It doesn't sound like you know what you want yet. It's one thing to like the variety of having different basses to play on, but it's another to just always be searching and never be settled into something. The keyboardist in my band, at least until recently, was literally just cycling through gear, seemingly every few weeks/months. Nothing ever satisfied him, even though literally everything was perfectly adequate and sounded great and worked great. Although he just got 2 new keyboards (to go with one he's had for a while), he finally seems to be happy with what he has. But if he had gotten the one I suggested a couple years ago, he could have had basically everything he has now back then. But he had some arbitrary objection to it, and ended up getting 2 keyboards that literally each do a subset of what the one I suggested does (by the same company even), plus a ton of other stuff, and be all integrated. It would also cut down on a set of stereo inputs on the keyboard mixer (which also means less setup). On the other hand, I have keyboards that I've had for 5+, 15+, and even 25+ years. Now, my keyboard budget is way lower than his overall since it's not really my main instrument or something that I gig with very often. So while I don't necessarily the most amazing stuff, what I do have is stuff that sounds great for what it is, and that I pretty much know inside and out at this point. And I still have a small portion of stuff that I kind of rotate through, without reinventing my whole setup ever 3-6 months for years at a time.

So by all means have standards and a wish list, but also keep your expectations realistic, and don't just change for the sake of changing unless that's truly what you want.

On the other hand, I do think there's something to be said for simply trying new things... or different things. Musical expression is a journey and, IMO, there's nothing wrong at all with constantly checking out equipment.

I have nothing against those who don't, but I truly feel that playing a different model/configuration bass expands my experience... and I find it educational!

Different strokes for different folks.

 

[A-Step-Towards]

I think people are seeing its as dropping $1000 on a SX bass, I see it as building a parts bass with a SX body, the 6 string ash body is worth $200. Even if only the body was used and a custom neck built it would still be cheaper then having a luthier also build a body. Parts bass builds like warmoth routinely cost $1500 or so and the often if sold rarely net half that. Thats just how it is if you build anything to strictly your liking or mod something for your use.

 

[Omega Monkey]

Clearly the ash body is not worth $200 if they can sell you the whole bass for that much.

 

[AngelCrusher]

Clearly the ash body is not worth $200 if they can sell you the whole bass for that much.

That's the thing. It is just simple logic. Just because something is Swamp Ash does not mean it is high quality sourced wood.

 

[StuartV]

That's the thing. It is just simple logic. Just because something is Swamp Ash does not mean it is high quality sourced wood.

Right. There is swamp ash that looks good, has nice grain, and is well-made into a bass body that is not worth $200 because it came with other stuff attached that sold for a collective $200. And then there is swamp ash that looks the same, works the same, and sounds the same, but it is worth more because the place that sells it charges more. Your simple logic is excellent!

A Warmoth swap ash body is worth $400 because they charge that much for it. An SX swamp ash body is worth less than $200 because they sell a whole bass with that body for $200.

Or maybe you're saying that the SX body is not worth $200, because the whole bass was only $200, AND every other J bass body made from swamp ash, like Fender, Warmoth, etc., is also not even worth $200 - because you can buy a J bass body from SX for $200.

 

[StuartV]

Really, the SX body is only worth $100. And the SX neck is worth another $100. Because I paid $200 for them and I'm throwing the rest away, so the rest is obviously worth 0.

But that doesn't mean the SX body and neck aren't just as GOOD as whatever other neck and body you want to compare them to.

 

[StuartV]

BTW, this is my thread about my new bass and what I'm doing with it.

If you don't like what I'm doing or you think I'm stupid or you are offended that I would want to build a bass for $1000 that people won't be able to tell by looking at it that it cost $1000 and might think it's an off-the-rack Squier from GC, well, I invite you to start your own thread to talk about those things.

 

[AngelCrusher]

Right. There is swamp ash that looks good, has nice grain, and is well-made into a bass body that is not worth $200 because it came with other stuff attached that sold for a collective $200. And then there is swamp ash that looks the same, works the same, and sounds the same, but it is worth more because the place that sells it charges more. Your simple logic is excellent!

A Warmoth swap ash body is worth $400 because they charge that much for it. An SX swamp ash body is worth less than $200 because they sell a whole bass with that body for $200.

Or maybe you're saying that the SX body is not worth $200, because the whole bass was only $200, AND every other J bass body made from swamp ash, like Fender, Warmoth, etc., is also not even worth $200 - because you can buy a J bass body from SX for $200.

No need to get riled up. It's cool you are excited about the bass, but there are different sources for woods. Really all I'm saying. The quality of woods sourced from China is not the same as say - Warmoth.

I think it's awesome you got a 6er for such a deal so no hate from me.

 

[StuartV]

No need to get riled up. It's cool you are excited about the bass, but there are different sources for woods. Really all I'm saying. The quality of woods sourced from China is not the same as say - Warmoth.

I think it's awesome you got a 6er for such a deal so no hate from me.

You do know that the SX swamp ash is from the U.S., right? And even if it wasn't, when it has a natural finish and you can see the really nice grain, what would make the quality less than if it came from Warmoth? I'm not asking about fit or finish now. I'm just asking what makes the wood itself of lower quality?

 

[Flaked Beans]

You do know that the SX swamp ash is from the U.S., right? And even if it wasn't, when it has a natural finish and you can see the really nice grain, what would make the quality less than if it came from Warmoth? I'm not asking about fit or finish now. I'm just asking what makes the wood itself of lower quality?

That looks like a real american ash to me and I bet it is a fine piece of wood! That wood grain is beautiful!

 

[StuartV]

That looks like a real american ash to me and I bet it is a fine piece of wood! That wood grain is beautiful!

Thanks! The sticker says "American Swamp Ash". The Rondo website specifically says it's American swamp ash. I suppose it could all be a big lie and scam. But, even if it is, I don't really care. I don't need the headstock to say Fender American on it for me to tell that it's a good quality piece of wood.

 

[Flaked Beans]

Thanks! The sticker says "American Swamp Ash". The Rondo website specifically says it's American swamp ash. I suppose it could all be a big lie and scam. But, even if it is, I don't really care. I don't need the headstock to say Fender American on it for me to tell that it's a good quality piece of wood.

If the sticker and the website say US swamp ash (you already confirmed that) then american swamp ash it is, no doubt! As I already mentioned above, according to the wood grain of your body, I am %100 sure that you got a 2 piece american swamp ash jazz bass body indeed.

 

[rufus.K]

I love what you're doing with this bass. Keep going.

 

[selowitch]

It seems to me like the neck plate could be a bit larger and the neck bolts further apart. Perhaps among your mods would be to make it a six-bolt joint and maybe add some threaded inserts.

 

[bassbenj]

No need to get riled up. It's cool you are excited about the bass, but there are different sources for woods. Really all I'm saying. The quality of woods sourced from China is not the same as say - Warmoth.

I think it's awesome you got a 6er for such a deal so no hate from me.

You are tying to make a rule where there isn't one. China wood = cheap + bad. "Other" wood = expensive + good. Truth is that is American Swamp ash from either place. Truth is you can go to Fodera and ask them to pick out a totally nice chunk of wood from their collection and they will. And it will only cost you a few grand to have them build a bass out of it for you. On the other hand those of us with SX "experience" such as Dabbler and I know that basically the Chinese basses are made of the same wood unpicked. As anyone can see looking at Stuartv's bass (or mine or Dabblers) they do not just get scraps left over as Fodera rejects. Basically there is a pile of wood and they take it as it comes. So sometimes you get the bear and you get an amazing boutique piece of grain and style that just kills. And sometimes the bear gets you and you get some mismatched grain with different shades giving a funny striped look. It's really the luck of the pile. However, even though I do have a nice stripey Ash SX bass it sounds and plays great and everyone else who has one that isn't a looker seems to say so too. Add to that that Stuartv wanted to paint his bass black so striped doesn't matter and throw in the great return policy of RondoMusic in case you really do get a nasty piece of wood and you've got the makings of a great bass project. I know I've got them lined up here!

Quite frankly I love doing bass projects to learn about what makes a bass the way I like it. And I did consider things like Warmouth parts and kits and other frankenbass constructions. But eventually I came to the conclusion that you do much better by just going to SX or Squier and buying an entire bass with all parts for about the price of just some of the basic things. You don't have to keep the bridge or tuners if you don't like them, or the finish for that matter, but the cool thing is that your "parts" comes ready to play! Therefore as you swap things out and mod them you get to see first hand what each thing does to your bass. To me that is very educational and important.

But of course any instrument is the sum total of ALL it's parts and not just it's wood. I built a kit Les Paul guitar and it came out rather nice. But if you expect me to say it sounds and plays as good as my Gibson, I'd be lying. It doesn't. Of course I modded nothing on the kit. Just built the kit as it came. On the other hand I've got a couple SX strats that I've spent some time tweaking in and I think I got much more bang for my buck that way than the kit way even though I had to change a few things out. So no I never did build a Carvin bass kit though I thought long and hard about it. Even there I decided I'd do better to just order a full bass from Carvin than get the kit. I think I trust their fit and finish better than mine. Eventually I did neither going the SX "raw materials" route. And I think it's worked out FAR better than I ever expected.

 

[bassbenj]

It seems to me like the neck plate could be a bit larger and the neck bolts further apart. Perhaps among your mods would be to make it a six-bolt joint and maybe add some threaded inserts.

My experience with SX (including the 6ers) is that threaded inserts and Allen cap screws on the neck joint make a big difference in the "feel" of the bass. And this is not just me saying this. TB labs did tests (there is an old thread on this somewhere) on threaded neck inserts on SX and had the ocillograms etc. to prove that the effect was real and not imaginary. On the other hand, becoming a fan of treaded inserts for neck joints I found that if the bass already has a quality neck joint (like say 6 screws) adding inserts does virtually nothing to the tone and feel. It's already as good as it's going to get. In that case the only advantage you gain is being able to take the neck on and off a lot without stripping out the screw holes.

 

[dabbler]

No need to get riled up. It's cool you are excited about the bass, but there are different sources for woods. Really all I'm saying. The quality of woods sourced from China is not the same as say - Warmoth.

I think it's awesome you got a 6er for such a deal so no hate from me.

So that I understand EXACTLY what you are saying, please elaborate on what you mean by "quality" as it relates to the wood.

 

[Flaked Beans]

That looks like a real american ash to me and I bet it is a fine piece of wood! That wood grain is beautiful!

Thanks! The sticker says "American Swamp Ash". The Rondo website specifically says it's American swamp ash. I suppose it could all be a big lie and scam. But, even if it is, I don't really care. I don't need the headstock to say Fender American on it for me to tell that it's a good quality piece of wood.

Just checked their web site and it says this:

This new 6 string bass from SX guitars features classic jazz styling at a great, low price! The body on this bass is worth the price alone!

• Body of the bass is crafted with beautiful solid American swamp ash, sealed with a poly-urethane finish to let the natural wood show through

• Light weight, yet produces a full range of colorful tones

• Dual cutaways allow access to the highest frets

• Bound bolt-on maple neck with adjustable truss rod

• Maple fretboard with 20 jumbo frets and contrasting black block inlays create a stunning look

• Passive pickups offer superior output

• Two volume controls and one tone control let you tailor your individual sound

• Bold chrome vintage saddle and a 2-ply BLACK pickguard create a powerful look

• Headstock compliments saddle with chrome hardware

• Headstock features 4+2 tuner separation (4 one one side, two on the other)

Link Removed

IMO, Rondo Music is a decent company and they definitely don't lie anything about this bass. By the way, your body has much nicer wood grain than that body on their website!

(RondoM.'s bass):

 

[AngelCrusher]

So that I understand EXACTLY what you are saying, please elaborate on what you mean by "quality" as it relates to the wood.

It's real simple. Swamp Ash can be inconsistent in tone. Some pieces can really suck the mids out in my experience. So what a lot of builders do is source the wood from the same supply, which costs them more to do, but raises the level of consistency. This is why so many people say that not all Fenders play the same for example.

There is no need to get defensive about it. I don't really disagree with anything BassBenj said about building a custom bass. Never was my point. The wood is the wood, but Swamp Ash can be very inconsistent. Why is this? Because real swamp ash has already been deforested and is about impossible to find. Again, I am talking the real swamp ash. So essentially what that wood is, is Ash. I am sure you guys already know this if you researched these woods. Swamp ash is basically a marketing term now. Many bass makers call it Ash. If you talk to a good builder most will tell you that Alder is much more consistent in tone, for example.

Again, one reason that Fodera's stash is more expensive is they own rarer woods. There are guys that still have a stash of brazilian rosewood. That stuff is expensive and because it pretty much does not exist anymore. So if you guys value wood, like it appears you do since you also researched this, I am sure you can appreciate the differences there.