I can't say who made those strings that came on the bass, but one thing I CAN say is they sure don't sound like a new set of D'addario nickel XLs! No way! For one thing the XLs are about twice as loud! Same with the GHS flats. I mean what kind of string set can you put on a $150 bass and still make a profit?
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SX Ursa 6-string Jazz bass
- Thread starter Figbassist75
- Start date
I can't say who made those strings that came on the bass, but one thing I CAN say is they sure don't sound like a new set of D'addario nickel XLs! No way! For one thing the XLs are about twice as loud! Same with the GHS flats. I mean what kind of string set can you put on a $150 bass and still make a profit?
cool thanks
my brother (a guitar player) gives bass lessons, and is looking to buy a bass, thought i would suggest this. seeing that i would be able to play it on gigs!
my brother (a guitar player) gives bass lessons, and is looking to buy a bass, thought i would suggest this. seeing that i would be able to play it on gigs!
I wonder too! I keep rolling the idea of those "Hippo" pickups around my mind. But cripes! The tone on my SX 6er is SO awesome, I'm really reluctant to spend the cash and then find out I made it worse!
Note too: The tone is awesome with rounds [D'addario XLs from GC] and is equally awesome, although quite different with flats [GHS flatwounds] With my Volume/blend/tone with series/parallel on push/pull switch mod, the tonal range you can pull from the bass is astounding. And even more interesting, I'm simply amazed at the level of sustain it has! WAY more than ANY of my other SX basses!
I LOVE this bass!
Yep. It's really a pretty nice looking and solid piece of metal, it's just that the saddles sort of get pulled all crooked by the strings. So when I set them up I pried and pushed on things until a got a decent setup and it seems to have sort of stabilized that way. I did drill out the B and E holes to make inserting strings easier. But it's still the same old factory bridge.
DJ Bebop said:
ESP/LTD uses the same exact bridge on one of their sixers, albeit in smoked chrome. That bass sells for about double what we paid, though. I had to widen the holes for the D and E strings as well. I didn't want to scratch the finish on my DR Black Beauties.
I've also noticed the abundant sustain this thing has. It may hve to do with the mass of the neck, and the added rigidity that having two truss rods provides. I have a feeling that you could play a round of cricket with that neck, bolt it back on and play a gig with no problems!
My Ursa 2 6 needs a fret level. it has a bit of a bump around the 9th fret area (seems like 3 frets are high). I took it to a local shop who didn't really help (long story, but I'll never take another instrument there for a fret level). 
Generally, I do my own fret levels, but I really, really like this one and I want it done right. PLUS while 4 stringers and guitars are pretty easy, the wide neck and dual truss rods give me pause. There is a shop with a PLEK machine in Baltimore, which isn't too far away, I just don't know if I want to spend $160 for a PLEK job.
What think ye?
Generally, I do my own fret levels, but I really, really like this one and I want it done right. PLUS while 4 stringers and guitars are pretty easy, the wide neck and dual truss rods give me pause. There is a shop with a PLEK machine in Baltimore, which isn't too far away, I just don't know if I want to spend $160 for a PLEK job.
What think ye?
My Ursa 2 6 needs a fret level. it has a bit of a bump around the 9th fret area (seems like 3 frets are high). I took it to a local shop who didn't really help (long story, but I'll never take another instrument there for a fret level).
Generally, I do my own fret levels, but I really, really like this one and I want it done right. PLUS while 4 stringers and guitars are pretty easy, the wide neck and dual truss rods give me pause. There is a shop with a PLEK machine in Baltimore, which isn't too far away, I just don't know if I want to spend $160 for a PLEK job.
What think ye?
The value of a PLEK job is in the end user. Yes, they are great. If thie is your main gigging axe I say go for it. If this is just something u play on occasion, I say no. The cost of the PLEK job takes away from the value of paying so little for the instrument!
So far I have added Hippo pickups changed the bridge to a Wilkinson USA with adjustable saddles added an Audere preamp and changed the tuners to Wilkenson black and put modern black string retainers. Still need to shield it and maybe a tort guard and new nut. This has turned into my main axe so anything I do to upgrade it is worth it to me. It also doesn't mean the bass was sub par because it was pretty nice as it was butits such a great bass and so user friendly. I have 6'ers around that cost 10 x's as much and I still prefer this one. Something about this run of basses.
Tell me more about the Hippos. How do they sound compared to Factory SX. I'm going round and round over ordering hippos because I REALLY like the sound of SX pickups. I keep wondering if I'm going to be spending money to make this bass sound worse?
So far I haven't changed the bridge (although the saddles do tend to scoot around and you have to pry on it a lot to get it where it all belongs...but then it's stable.) Still factory pickups. Did do complete shielding. Threaded inserts on neck and all screws (control cover, pickguard etc.) except for bridge screws. (there were so many that I figured I didn't need to make it stronger). Main change was the electronics. changed one vol/vol to vol with selector switch with series. And other to vol/ blend with series on push/pull knob. LOVE EM BOTH! OH and did I mention new Tort pickguards and "dixiecup" mod to Ursa headstocks... Simply gorgeous!
Original idea was for one fretted and one fretless. Can you believe this? Just as a trial (both are still fretted) I strung one with GHS flats and the other with my usual D'addario XLs. I can't believe how much I"m in LOVE with the unique sound of Each of these basses! One is just so bright and the other so powerful! Wash my mouth out with soap, but now I'm wishing I bought THREE of them so I could keep these and add a fretless!
Like you I've got a ton of high end sixers but the Fender clone SX is really special. No audere for me since I've got gobs of active 6ers. I love the old school passive 6 idea especially since I can't afford a Low End 6 let alone three of them! I sure hope Rondo gets a few back in stock! I'm getting GAS for the fretless already!
The Hippos sound much clearer and louder. They are really an upgrade to the original which to me sound kind of muffled and cheap. The Audere was just cause I had one around and it fit without any mods and just to experiment. I prefer the passive setup and will probably get one of those passive getups frow rawsound with the varitone control this week. I also bought a second sixer from somebody here on TB [ and on this thread] to see if mine was a fluke. The second one is actually lighter and has a slightly better action with an initial setup than the first but I have already bonded with my first one so that one lies around totally stock. When I do A/B them the Hippos has about twice the volume and clarity as the originals.
It would be cool if the second run had some color choices [ and blocks]. I would really like one of these in white for sure. So Kurt if you are reading this.
It would be cool if the second run had some color choices [ and blocks]. I would really like one of these in white for sure. So Kurt if you are reading this.
I emailed Kurt about the release day of the next batch. Here's what he had to say.
"I don't expect them back now until mid summer or fall
Kurt"
"I don't expect them back now until mid summer or fall
Kurt"
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