SX Quality Concerns

[Scott in Dallas]

Not many basses come by with a whammy bar installed, and I haven't heard of anyone making their money back on one.

Edit: I just mean to point out that he's gonna kill re-sale value the minute a router is taken to the bridge area, so it might as well be a SX, a good one that is. I can see a point where the bridge costs more than the bass, but why spend more when he's gonna be doing some big mod's anyway.

I agree with you completely, however it is reasonable for someone to point out potential resale value as a factor when considering an SX, just in case it hadn't been considered. That was the point I'd intended.

 

[Darkstrike]

I agree with you completely, however it is reasonable for someone to point out potential resale value as a factor when considering an SX, just in case it hadn't been considered. That was the point I'd intended.

Fair enough. That is true indeed.

 

[RSJ4STRING]

Now consider a blind test, so forgetting price (I know it's not a real world test, but humor me!) honestly what's the better bass?

As I said before, I haven't found a SX that is the better bass, but, I know there are a lot of folk out there who, having had the personal satisfaction of having customized a SX to make it their own, would prefer that over a stock MIM Fender or even a stock MIA in some cases.

Now bring the money side in the equations and yes an SX is an amazing bass and it makes financial sense for most folks to mod to achieve your 'own' bass.

Good point about the whammy by DARKSTRIKE. Although, why you would put a whammy on a SX, or a Fender to that matter, unless you're planning to be a soloist is beyond me! No answer needed to what is my rhetorical question!

Right, but Im saying from a $ stand point. Good point, good point.

 

[theory028]

You guys have posted some interesting points and opinions. The discussion about the whammy has gotten me second guessing my plans of getting the Hipshot bass tremolo.

The bass trem would cost about $180. For that price, I could go with this configuration:

- Gotoh 201 Black - $35 plus shipping
- Delano JC 4 AL (Bridge) - $108 plus shipping
- Basslines SJB-2 (Neck) - $58 plus shipping

I haven't done a lot of looking at Jazz pickups, but the descriptions on BestBassGear make those seem like something I'd like to try. Perhaps there would be better pickups (and positions) for my application. I'm in a band that has a few styles, mostly related to rock, alternative, and emo (not my choice, but I don't mind it). I like a deep and warm sound. I play all sorts of things on my own, so I'd like a versatile pickup config.

I agree that resale value should be considered, but I don't plan on selling my basses. While certain circumstances may require that I sell some instruments, I'm prepared to take a loss on it, if I have to sell it. I'd rather have fun with it while I have it than worry about selling it for an extra bill later down the road.

 

[ishouldbeking]

Didn't read the entire post, but I'll comment based on my experience with my SX. For the most part, they're playable out of the box. It'll need a setup for sure, possibly some new strings. If the frets are bad you'll know it because it just won't play very well... buzzing that a setup won't cure, "fretting out", things of that nature. Also you could look at the frets and notice if one is higher than the others. I'd be more concerned with how well they're dressed on the ends... are they sharp? Is it bad enough that it will bother you and/or cut your fingers? Mine are fine. Not as smooth as, say, a Lakland, but no worse than my MIM Jazz... completely playable.

I modded my bass because I was using it as my main gigging bass and I felt like there was room for improvement, but the mods weren't strictly necessary. I put in a Gotoh bridge (which was an improvement IMO over the stock, due to an odd metallic-sounding overtone that the stock bridge was causing on the G string... something was vibrating in the saddle, swapped it and voila, fixed.), dropped in a Nordstrand pup (mine's a precision copy, not a jazz, but all the rest applies), swapped in a wiring harness from Bayou Cables (new wiring, new pots, and tone capacitor... in my opinion it made a world of difference, my original pots were a tad scratchy at one point, and the upgraded tone control is far, far more usable now), and a few cosmetic changes that were just for fun.

All in all I have a solid bass that sounds as good as any P bass i've heard... but the mods weren't stricly necessary. I'd buy one and see how you like it, mod it if you feel like it, and have fun! If you get an SX that just doesn't sit well with you, Rondo is pretty cool about returns.

 

[Ammioz77]

I've had 3 basses from Rondo - a basic SX Jazz, a Douglas 6-string and (most recently) a SX LTD short scale Jazz. Oddly enough, the basic Jazz is better in quality (in my opinion) than the LTD. To be honest, the cheap Douglas 6'er is better than nearly any other bass I've owned...

Here are my specific issues that I've experienced with the LTD:

1. Bridge - the bridge looks great, but the position is a bit off (scale length). With 2 different sets of short-scale strings, I've *really* had to crank the saddles back on the E and A string to get the intonation close.
2. A-string rattle - the 3rd string (A) rattles a bit - even with the strings wound tightly at the bottom of the tuning peg (to maximize the A string angle). I've checked the truss rod, nut, saddles, etc., with no luck.
3. Pickups - the plastic cover on the bridge pickup keeps separating from the pickup itself. The pole pieces suddenly vanish as the pickup and cover fall away from one another.
4. Pickguard - the pickguard was cut *rough* - there are a few uneven spots that look like they were cut with a dull blade, leaving some ragged bits.

Keep in mind that I've had great luck with Rondo and the SX/Douglas basses as a whole. This is certainly not intended to tell you not to buy SX, just to point out that (even with the LTD), you'll probably need to fix a few things, fine tune it, etc. The tweaking that you'll do is the same that you would do with any other inexpensive bass (Squire, Dean, etc.)

I just got the douglas 6'er with the quilted top last week and I'm digging it. Fret work is clean, neck is as comfy as an old shoe and the body balances verrry nicely. Although this is the first time I've played/owned anything with a J style pup and they seem a little noisy when I'm anywhere near middle position on the pups... in fact they are very noisy. I was considering modding the pups with some and or slapping in another pre amp. I want to have fun and try some different configs which is one reason I got that bass... also I need something I can travel with (lots of work travel coming up) and I don't want to be afraid of it taking a beating slung into an overhead. First thing is, how do I kill that noise?

 

[heinpete]

... Oddly enough, the basic Jazz is better in quality (in my opinion) than the LTD. To be honest, the cheap Douglas 6'er is better than nearly any other bass I've owned...

Here are my specific issues that I've experienced with the LTD:

1. Bridge - the bridge looks great, but the position is a bit off (scale length). With 2 different sets of short-scale strings, I've *really* had to crank the saddles back on the E and A string to get the intonation close.
2. A-string rattle - the 3rd string (A) rattles a bit - even with the strings wound tightly at the bottom of the tuning peg (to maximize the A string angle). I've checked the truss rod, nut, saddles, etc., with no luck.

1. 
   
   I've got the same experience: The bridge is delocated and needs repositioning further backwards about 1cm. I had cranc the saddles all the way down
   
   The rattle of strings I experienced also at the bridge (or maybe that's where you hear it and it is originated somwhere else)
   
   Overall the basic Jazz plus a BadAssII might be more costeffective.
   
   Still I somehow like my SX SJB75 LTD customized.