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SX Stingray
- Thread starter Sippy
- Start date
And as I stated I am a fan of EBMM. Most of those were my opinions on companies as a whole. EBMM just got tied up in that.-
I don't know...I think SnakeAnthony made a good point somewhere in there. People are quick to judge products that come out of Mexico, Korea, China, etc. as lower quality. A long time ago people felt the same way about products that came out of Japan, it certainly isn't that way today.
The way I see it, it's not the location but the QC that monitors the product. People in Korea (or wherever) are just as capable as those in the US. It is a shame that things made in the US cost so much due in part to higher labor costs. Typically when a company sends manufacturing overseas it is to cut down on labor cost...not quality. Quality could be a corner that gets cut but not necesarily all the time. I think that people are prejudice about things made overseas in some instances.
I have a '93 Ken Smith Burner that I was told was made in Korea. I'ld be willing to put up against any other Smith.
MHO!
The way I see it, it's not the location but the QC that monitors the product. People in Korea (or wherever) are just as capable as those in the US. It is a shame that things made in the US cost so much due in part to higher labor costs. Typically when a company sends manufacturing overseas it is to cut down on labor cost...not quality. Quality could be a corner that gets cut but not necesarily all the time. I think that people are prejudice about things made overseas in some instances.
I have a '93 Ken Smith Burner that I was told was made in Korea. I'ld be willing to put up against any other Smith.
MHO!
Heck it wasn't that way 20 years agorumblinbass said:
I have a friend with a manufacturing company, his opinion is that Chinese product has already passed the quality of American product in his area (crimping tools). I recently was involved with bringing a toy to market and the Chinese did perfect work and always met their deadlines as promised, when I used to build basses no American supplier ever delivered on the promised date and it was common to lie and say things were shipped when they weren't. Bartolini took 16 months to fill one order and called me a liar and a forger for showing them one invoice unfilled at NAMM a year later. In my experience American built means overpriced, inferior and a bad attitude. Of course that's a stereotype with exceptions but if we judge just by the singular issue of nationality we don't look so good.
Moo said:Heck it wasn't that way 20 years ago
No, back when Japan first started becoming an industrial nation on a world-wide level. When the US helped rebuild Japan. Most of the products coming out of there were viewed as inferior quality...not look at them.
rumblinbass said:I don't know...I think SnakeAnthony made a good point somewhere in there. People are quick to judge products that come out of Mexico, Korea, China, etc. as lower quality. A long time ago people felt the same way about products that came out of Japan, it certainly isn't that way today.
The way I see it, it's not the location but the QC that monitors the product. People in Korea (or wherever) are just as capable as those in the US. It is a shame that things made in the US cost so much due in part to higher labor costs. Typically when a company sends manufacturing overseas it is to cut down on labor cost...not quality. Quality could be a corner that gets cut but not necesarily all the time. I think that people are prejudice about things made overseas in some instances.
I have a '93 Ken Smith Burner that I was told was made in Korea. I'ld be willing to put up against any other Smith.
MHO!
Thanks for the support
I still stand by what I said about foreign products. I consider many of them of equal quality as American products. What I do take back were some of the more harsh things about EBMM, and some things that were actually incorrect.
Moo said:20 years ago was 1986 not 1946.
I'm not really sure what your post meant.
Then I guess I didn't understand what your post meant.
Oh well...not important.
Just got my http://www.rondomusic.net/sbg2.html 
I like it. I've been look for a MM style bass on the cheap. I've played the OLP (did'nt like) and the SUB and a Stingray, I just did'nt like the necks on any of them (stubby hands). I did pickup a used Dean Sedgehammer 4 Invalid Link Removed (thin neck) in good shape for $200.00 at the local GC, because I thought the SX MM were not going to happen...Two weeks later Rondo has 'em in stock 
I went ahead and put my money down (wife hates me...MORE now 
). Is it as good as a Stringray, no. OLP, now this is just me, I think yes, better. FOR ME I like the feel of the neck better than the Stringray, SUB and OLP I played. TO ME it sounds way better than the OLP. Thats my $0.02 so far.....
I like it. I've been look for a MM style bass on the cheap. I've played the OLP (did'nt like) and the SUB and a Stingray, I just did'nt like the necks on any of them (stubby hands). I did pickup a used Dean Sedgehammer 4 Invalid Link Removed (thin neck) in good shape for $200.00 at the local GC, because I thought the SX MM were not going to happen...Two weeks later Rondo has 'em in stock I went ahead and put my money down (wife hates me...MORE now ). Is it as good as a Stringray, no. OLP, now this is just me, I think yes, better. FOR ME I like the feel of the neck better than the Stringray, SUB and OLP I played. TO ME it sounds way better than the OLP. Thats my $0.02 so far.....
There's a reason they call it a "deadline" in China...Moo said:Heck it wasn't that way 20 years ago
I have a friend with a manufacturing company, his opinion is that Chinese product has already passed the quality of American product in his area (crimping tools). I recently was involved with bringing a toy to market and the Chinese did perfect work and always met their deadlines as promised, when I used to build basses no American supplier ever delivered on the promised date and it was common to lie and say things were shipped when they weren't. Bartolini took 16 months to fill one order and called me a liar and a forger for showing them one invoice unfilled at NAMM a year later. In my experience American built means overpriced, inferior and a bad attitude. Of course that's a stereotype with exceptions but if we judge just by the singular issue of nationality we don't look so good.
Mine arrived today. I'll post a full review later but right now I'm very happy. $195 shipped isn't quite "cheap" for me, but I'm glad I pulled the trigger. I started setting it up but still need to do a few tweakes.
Pros - excellent pieces of ash and maple, tight B, decent (quiet) 3 band preamp
Cons - 1 pup = single sound, rough binding sanding at body joint (cosmetic only)
Is there a way to wire this MM pup w/ a coil switch so you could do parallel/phase reverse or something to get more tones?
Pros - excellent pieces of ash and maple, tight B, decent (quiet) 3 band preamp
Cons - 1 pup = single sound, rough binding sanding at body joint (cosmetic only)
Is there a way to wire this MM pup w/ a coil switch so you could do parallel/phase reverse or something to get more tones?
My SX SBG2 was delivered on Tuesday and I got to open it Yesterday. It was a Father's Day present and I had to wait. I'll be out of town on the actual day so we celebrated early. All I can say is I have a great son! He's only 8, but knows exactly what dad wanted. Actually, I ordered it, my wife stuck a bow on the box and then they let me open it.
Disclaimer...I'm no bass expert, I'm a beginner bassist and this is only my second bass. My first was a Peavey Axcellerator V I got last December and I've only been taking lessons for a couple months. So any expressed opinions may be taken with the appropriate amount of salt. That said, I like this bass. The only fit and finish issues I noticed were that the pickup needed to be adjusted for height on one side and that the volume nob is a little crooked. The first was easily adjusted, even for me, and the second was no big deal. I wanted a 4 stringer and found it interesting that even though the neck is much narrower than my Peavey 5er, the string spacing is larger. Not a bad thing, just an observation. Also, I like the neck MUCH more than a similar OLP (natural finish with maple fretboard) I tried out last fall. The finish on the fret board is very nice, the frets are smooth, no rough edges and the back of the neck is nice as well. I haven't done any other setup other than tuning and pickup height adjustment, but I had no fret buzzing or dead spots that I could tell. All positions seemed relatively equal. The body finish is quite nice as well. No blemishes on initial inspection. Nice weight, not too heavy, not too light, but definitely lighter than the Peavey. I like the battery cover and compartment. Not tools necessary, just snap off the cover and pop the battery in. No wires at all. Very easy to install or change the battery. I tuned it up and played a bit. Tone and sound are subjective, so I really can't say if it's good or bad, but I though it was fine. I did notice a very faint hum where my Peavey is totally quiet. Different pickups definitely, so comparison isn't necessarily fair. I'm going to check the intonation when I get some time. Action was good out of the box for me, but I'll probably mess with it a bit.
All in all, I'm glad I have this bass. I'm not a pro. I play just for my own amusement as a hobby. I wanted a 4 string to go along with my 5er and this fitted the bill. I don't plan on collecting bass, joining a band or playing live. I just like to play music and love the bass. This bass was the right one for me at what I feel was a good price. Is it perfect. No, but I didn't expect it to be. Do I like it? Yes.
Just some thoughts, for what they're worth.
Andy
PS...My other Father's Day gift was a Korg PX4B with wireless headphones and AC adapter. We found it online at Same Day Music. So if you're looking for a Korg PX4 and don't want the combo guitar/bass PX4D, the bass specific one can still be found new. The whole package was $130 with free shipping.
Actually, I ordered it, my wife stuck a bow on the box and then they let me open it. Disclaimer...I'm no bass expert, I'm a beginner bassist and this is only my second bass. My first was a Peavey Axcellerator V I got last December and I've only been taking lessons for a couple months. So any expressed opinions may be taken with the appropriate amount of salt. That said, I like this bass. The only fit and finish issues I noticed were that the pickup needed to be adjusted for height on one side and that the volume nob is a little crooked. The first was easily adjusted, even for me, and the second was no big deal. I wanted a 4 stringer and found it interesting that even though the neck is much narrower than my Peavey 5er, the string spacing is larger. Not a bad thing, just an observation. Also, I like the neck MUCH more than a similar OLP (natural finish with maple fretboard) I tried out last fall. The finish on the fret board is very nice, the frets are smooth, no rough edges and the back of the neck is nice as well. I haven't done any other setup other than tuning and pickup height adjustment, but I had no fret buzzing or dead spots that I could tell. All positions seemed relatively equal. The body finish is quite nice as well. No blemishes on initial inspection. Nice weight, not too heavy, not too light, but definitely lighter than the Peavey. I like the battery cover and compartment. Not tools necessary, just snap off the cover and pop the battery in. No wires at all. Very easy to install or change the battery. I tuned it up and played a bit. Tone and sound are subjective, so I really can't say if it's good or bad, but I though it was fine. I did notice a very faint hum where my Peavey is totally quiet. Different pickups definitely, so comparison isn't necessarily fair. I'm going to check the intonation when I get some time. Action was good out of the box for me, but I'll probably mess with it a bit.
All in all, I'm glad I have this bass. I'm not a pro. I play just for my own amusement as a hobby. I wanted a 4 string to go along with my 5er and this fitted the bill. I don't plan on collecting bass, joining a band or playing live. I just like to play music and love the bass. This bass was the right one for me at what I feel was a good price. Is it perfect. No, but I didn't expect it to be. Do I like it? Yes.
Just some thoughts, for what they're worth.
Andy
PS...My other Father's Day gift was a Korg PX4B with wireless headphones and AC adapter. We found it online at Same Day Music. So if you're looking for a Korg PX4 and don't want the combo guitar/bass PX4D, the bass specific one can still be found new. The whole package was $130 with free shipping.
Nah, I'm just busy playing mine. Full review later -- I'll gig it tonight and compare it side by side w/ my roommates MM next week.
I was ready to order the SX SBG2 after reading the SX threads. Some people love them, some hate them. Anyway, I went to rondo music's site and found out that the SX SBG2 was sold out. I was bummed out. I sent Kurt an email to see if he was getting anymore in soon. He sent the email back saying he got some new ones. So, I ordered mine about 10 minutes ago.
When I get it, I'll let you guys know what I think of it. I figure for an 3 band active MM copy for under $180.00 shipped, it would make a great project. I will probably end up first just cleaning up the frets, shield the cavity, change out the pots, clean up the electronics, adjust the truss rod, oil the fret board, put on a set of DR low riders and set intonation for starters. Ill try to record the bass before and after the setup and post it.
When I get it, I'll let you guys know what I think of it. I figure for an 3 band active MM copy for under $180.00 shipped, it would make a great project. I will probably end up first just cleaning up the frets, shield the cavity, change out the pots, clean up the electronics, adjust the truss rod, oil the fret board, put on a set of DR low riders and set intonation for starters. Ill try to record the bass before and after the setup and post it.
I posted my review in the megathread http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?p=3100661&posted=1#post3100661
This is a fun bass!
This is a fun bass!
