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SX neck dive: Help!

J

Jazzbassman23

Apr 20, 2000
379
6
Maryland
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#1
I've got one of the 5-string jazz models, and while I've been openly critical of SX in general, I must admit that I'm coming around. It's never going to replace my EBMM's, but it does sound pretty good stock (new strings, of course). HOWEVER, the neck dive on this sucker is at the point where it's less fun to even play anymore. Aside from strap fixes (piece of suede, etc . . .), what are you guys doing to help this problem? Is it an issue on the four strings?

Thanks

Dave
 
#3
Don't have one but in my experience the best way to fix this is with Ultralight tuners from Hipshot. But they cost more than your bass.
But what sort of strap do you have? Nylon ones, for example, are horrible because they are slippery. The slightest imbalance becomes intolerable with those.
 
#6
None of my straps are nylon, and they're all 3" wide. I'd rather not move the strap button, but I have considered it. Is it the weight of the tuners? The lightness of the body? Combination of all?

Anyone know if it's an issue on the short scales? I've thought about picking up one of those, but one neckdiver is enough.
 
#8
Jazzbassman23 said:
Eric,

Like you, I'm too anal to leave a hole, even on an SX. You have SX 5'ers that don't exhibit neck dive?

Dave
Click to expand...
Hey Dave,

Mine don't. But, it seems there are pretty wide variations between body weight of these basses. I may have just gotten lucky? Also, one of mine I modded out pretty much as soon as I got it. Among other things, a higher mass bridge (Schaller Roller) and Ultralite tuners may have curbed any neck dive that may have been present. On the other side of the coin though, I routed some of the body away to better fit an Audere pre and a battery box, so I'm not sure if there was any dive to begin with.
 
#10
#11
Mine has a bit of dive to it.

I found that a GHS padded strap has enough "grab" to it where it's no longer noticeable to me.

There's also a Levy's cliplock which is a little stiffer than the typical straps that have good grab to it.

Other than that I would say talk to Kurt and send it back. That sort of thing is going to effect the performance if you can't play it for any real span of time.
 
#15
allexcosta said:
You guys wouldn't put an extra tiny hole on a SX to fix a neck dive? Ya'll have OCD, or what?
Click to expand...
I swear I do. I'm a perfectionist. The SX I modded, I used a maple neck with black bindings and blocks. I put a new bone nut on... But ended up replacing it with a black Trans Trem nut because I wanted the black to match the bindings / blocks.

I also went through pains to fill and clean up the old holes from the stock tuners when I put on the ultralites. I also didn't use the string tree I wanted, because there would be exposed holes, and even when cleaned up as good as humanly possible, the holes might be noticed. It was acceptable to me on the back of the neck, but not a chance on the front! Luckily my second choice Hisphot tree used the exact same holes.


Again... Anal!
 

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