GLory be to the god of low sound, knock at the door not 30seconds from posting this
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SX Ursa 6-string Jazz bass
- Thread starter Figbassist75
- Start date
This is going to be an abbreviated review, if you will; as I have no amp to plug it into because it's 30 miles away at my band's rehearsal spot... but first impressions are promising.
First thing I noticed when I unboxed it was the finish... holy crap it's gorgeous. I'll take more photos when my dad's ex sends us our camera back (don't hold your breath). IT HAS FLAME ON THE TOP. Let me repeat that. IT. HAS. FLAME. My actual Fender J doesn't have flame on it for chrissake! Okay, with that out of the way, the tuners on mine actually work really smoothly, none of the 'stickyness' alluded to in previous posts. After tuning it up (I play in Eb tuning), I played for like a half hour and it does have some fret buzz (though less than my CV '50s P). The neck is great, I actually really like the finish. Neck dive isn't too bad, not nearly like any of my Epiphones for comparison. The control knobs all feel very solid. Nothing on this bass looks or feels 'cheap' to be honest with you (except the strings). The thing actually got here in less than 2 days and that's with the cheapest shipping... overall, I'm very satisfied. I'll definitely change those strings before I plug it into anything though.
I'd probably look at throwing one of those on the DGB strings, leaving EA---E unsupported. Distance from the nut to the high E tuner isn't exceptionally longer than that on the A.
I've got one of the two string hipshot retainers on an SX short scale jazz and it works great.
http://bestbassgear.com/hipshot-string-retainer.htm
If a single 3 didn't work, a pair of the 2s would probably work better than the mushrooms.
Of course, at $8 a piece, a pair of the 2s would be... more than 10% of what you paid for the bass.
The mind boggles. I'm struggling to not click "Buy"
Really struggling with not buying one. Though part of that is because I'm crazy enough to want to turn it into a 12 string, Hamer style.
Can anyone who already has one verify that the jazz control plate on this is standard size, i.e. can be replaced with an Audere plate? The plate on their short scale pre-Ursa jazz is not standard size.
And for that matter, what's the routing look like under the pickguard?
Can anyone who already has one verify that the jazz control plate on this is standard size, i.e. can be replaced with an Audere plate? The plate on their short scale pre-Ursa jazz is not standard size.
And for that matter, what's the routing look like under the pickguard?
I'd probably look at throwing one of those on the DGB strings, leaving EA---E unsupported. Distance from the nut to the high E tuner isn't exceptionally longer than that on the A.
I've got one of the two string hipshot retainers on an SX short scale jazz and it works great.
http://bestbassgear.com/hipshot-string-retainer.htm
If a single 3 didn't work, a pair of the 2s would probably work better than the mushrooms.
Of course, at $8 a piece, a pair of the 2s would be... more than 10% of what you paid for the bass.
The mind boggles. I'm struggling to not click "Buy"
I use hipshot trees too... on my SX 4s. But the string spacing on the Ursa2 6 is probably a little too tight for them to work like they are supposed to. I'm still thinking about what I'm going to do about trees on my Urs2a 6.
Yikes I leapt before I lookt (sic) and bought a pair of retainers. A 3 and a 2. The break angle of the B string is fine, but I want to wrangle that E string down a bit. I hope they fit OK
Now I'm looking up at my 5-string which I mounted a Hipshot retainer on...
:gets measuring implement:
The SJB-62 measures about 9mm from string to string. The URSA-2 also measures about 8.5 to 10mm from string to string!
:gets camera:
I think they might just work! I bought a 3-string and 2-string retainer. I'll probably put the 2-string retainer on the E&A strings and the 3-string retainer on D-G-C. Those mushroom retainers on the 6-string were clearly meant for wider string spacings, like on the 4-string models!
Headstock color comparison (and string tree comparison)
Something of a comparison between "nuclear orange" colors, though the lighting is slightly different on the 5-string and 6-string.
After citristrip, I added a Hipshot retainer. Big difference between the original and the aftermarket retainer!
Something of a comparison between "nuclear orange" colors, though the lighting is slightly different on the 5-string and 6-string.
After citristrip, I added a Hipshot retainer. Big difference between the original and the aftermarket retainer!
Two Tweeds! (for two SX-6ers, natch)
Those are SO gorgeous I'm very much thinking of putting my G&Ls in there and moving these SX bar basses to the Sam Ash plastic and aluminum "Guitar Research" cases (cost $25 on sale a long time ago) where the G&L L-2500s now reside...
Of course one thing I LOVE about the SX cases is the satin sheet in there so you can tuck your bass in when you put it to bed!
The Douglas cases don't have that feature. One comment to anyone who got these cases. Like my SX case they have a nice heavy binding around the ends that looks great and seems like it would wear like iron. It's not bad, but my experience dragging around my SX case was that after a while the corners get all frayed and chewed no matter how careful you try to be.
The answer was pretty simple. Lowes (or one of those places) sells these brass corner pieces that screw on to the corners and have a sort of raised rounded bump to protect the corners. Eight of them doesn't cost that much and they really stop the problem.
Yikes I leapt before I lookt (sic) and bought a pair of retainers. A 3 and a 2. The break angle of the B string is fine, but I want to wrangle that E string down a bit. I hope they fit OK
Now I'm looking up at my 5-string which I mounted a Hipshot retainer on...
:gets measuring implement:
The SJB-62 measures about 9mm from string to string. The URSA-2 also measures about 8.5 to 10mm from string to string!
:gets camera:
I think they might just work! I bought a 3-string and 2-string retainer. I'll probably put the 2-string retainer on the E&A strings and the 3-string retainer on D-G-C. Those mushroom retainers on the 6-string were clearly meant for wider string spacings, like on the 4-string models!
I hope you are right. I will be following your progress before I make my move. If it works out for you I will try a 3 string tree on the A, D and G strings. I wish they had put the C string tuner in the same place as the G string tuner is on the 5 string headstock.
anyone else catch this
really hoping that's just a mistake
I'm assuming you mean the tuning. Can you tell I've played too much guitar recently? I didn't notice until you replied.
BEADGC (though I do know a guy who plays BEADGB).
Mea Culpa.
hehe, figured it was an honest mistake.
Ya, I've known some ex-guitar players that do B E A D G B also.
Oh, bass has been delivered....WORK DAY TOO LONG, MUST GO HOME.
Figured I'm just going to have things delivered to work from now on.
Must go home must change lead core strings and setup...
I noticed the sticker on the back saying "two way truss rod" and then began to think whether or not they are standard or reversed threading.
Any tips?
Mine's on the truck for delivery, but I have everything delivered to my job. It's part of the perks in work in shipping.
