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SX Ursa 6-string Jazz bass

#822
3506string said:
The only thing that would keep me from ordering this is 12.7mm string spacing at the bridge. That is more narrow than any bass i've ever played. My kz6 is at 18mm. Everything else is just right. The maple fretboard, the body style, the overall apperance. Might be cool for tenor tuning though.
Click to expand...

Dang, the spacing is only 12.7mm? Geez, that's too narrow for most anyone regardless of the size of their hands. Too narrow string to string spacing can cause as much muscle fatigue as a six string with really wide spacing. I'll have to let this bass pass. Thanks for sharing the specs on the Ursa; you saved me from wasting money.
 
#824
ghostly said:
@FunkMetalBass: As mentioned above, the string spacing is already 16mm. The Rondo site info was off. There was a post a ways back in this very thread where one of the forum members replaced the stock bridge with a (17mm string spacing) Hipshot-A style bridge from Allparts. They neck is defiinitely wide enough for that spacing. If you search back, his post had pics too. Thing is, the pickups are basically standard 5 String pickups, already having their field extended to their limit. Basically, they do not produce a wide enough field to accurately pick up the Low B, and High C due to the wider spacing.

The specific measurements we came up with are:
-(80mm||3.14961")/5 = 16mm or 0.629922" (when measured using the total bridge width, then dividing by the number of string spaces)

- and again 16mm or 0.629922" when measuring from string peak to string peak at the bridge.

Try the forum search.
Click to expand...


Previous post indicated that string spacing is 16mm and I would tend to agree. I recently purchased an Ursa 6 fretless and the string spacing seems to be close to the Ken Smith burner 6 that I use to own. I don't have a problem going between the SX and my MTD KZ6

I tried the magnet mod and when I put them on the bottom I did get a boost in volume and the tone seemed fine but my "A" string was dead silent. I switched the magnets around to the top and I experienced an even greater boost in volume comparable to an active bass but... it totally distorted the tone of the bass. I switched form top to bottom a couple of times to verify my results and ended up taking the magnets out. I was using NEO magnets not ceramic and my pickups are the ones with he black ceramic magnet on the bottom.

I was also using new flatwound strings at the time. All in all sweet bass for the price.

E5A960E4-3968-4ABD-9C68-4FD3F3C85635.jpg


B934EAD3-20ED-49E3-A704-BB6520C746D4.jpg
 
#828
bassbenj said:
What could cause that? Pole pieces defective or missing at the A string?
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not sure. i got the pickup in the mail just have to install it.
____________

While I'm happy w the Ursa 6, it does require some mandatory adjustments:

soft/problematic signal neck pup--new pickup provided by rondo

neck shim--I used two pieces of tin can cut out to the neck pocket shape. Not enough. I have to add more & also tilt the neck back. Neck's straight now but action is high above 15th fret.

bridge replacement--couldn't get my .125 B to intonate w the stock bridge. It's better w the aftermarket bridge, shifted back .5"

GHS P flats--stock strings = basura
 
#829
chuck norriss said:
not sure. i got the pickup in the mail just have to install it.
____________

While I'm happy w the Ursa 6, it does require some mandatory adjustments:

soft/problematic signal neck pup--new pickup provided by rondo

neck shim--I used two pieces of tin can cut out to the neck pocket shape. Not enough. I have to add more & also tilt the neck back. Neck's straight now but action is high above 15th fret.
Click to expand...

The most efficient way to shim is to shim in such a way as to tilt the neck. IOW, decide how much lower the string needs to be at the bridge to give you good action. Divide that length by 3 and put it only at the body end of the pocket (I punch holes in mine so that it is held on by the screws closest to the neck pup, in the example).

If you want the saddles to be lower than they are now, also add one third of that distance to your shim.
 
#832
The saddles aren't low enough. I've got them nailed to the bridge lowest setting possible.

The neck is tilted maybe 2mm up/concave, leaving my action high at the higher frets. So if I turn the truss to lower the action, my actions very low at frets 1:12.
 
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#834
Lo end PUNCH said:
Was the brige a direct fit? I just ordered one of these.
Click to expand...

TB being the bad influence that it is, I bought three of those quick change bridges for my three SX 6ers.

Two questions:

1. I noticed the screw holes were not in the same places as the factory though apparenly in the same line. So I"m wondering if Robear22 filled the old screw holes with wood and redrilled or if there was enough wood between the holes to just drill?

2. I noticed that the factory bridge has much more intonation adjustment range than the new bridges. This means that to optimize you need to set that bridge in exactly the right spot because adjustment is limited especially for the B string which will tend to have the saddle back too far making the string have a sharp bend at the mount (which the factory bridge did with flats on my fretless. Point is I"m not worried about the fretless as it always has flats so once it's set, it's going to be set for life. But just how much will intonnation settings change with string type and gauge with the fretted basses. Is this going to be a problem?

Oh wait! Let's make it three things:

3. I notice the new bridges don't have long screws to slide the saddles back and forth during adjustment. I presume you just have to take a hammer and tap them forward and back, right? Loosening the string for each adjustment each time seems like a rather big pain, right?

I DO like the idea of a quick-change bridge especially as feeding the strings in the holes on the factory bridge (of which the B string hole must be drilled out) tend to scratch the end of the bass after the bridge. And of course that $20 bridge looks like a million!
 
#835
bassbenj said:
TB being the bad influence that it is, I bought three of those quick change bridges for my three SX 6ers.

Two questions:

1. I noticed the screw holes were not in the same places as the factory though apparenly in the same line. So I"m wondering if Robear22 filled the old screw holes with wood and redrilled or if there was enough wood between the holes to just drill?

2. I noticed that the factory bridge has much more intonation adjustment range than the new bridges. This means that to optimize you need to set that bridge in exactly the right spot because adjustment is limited especially for the B string which will tend to have the saddle back too far making the string have a sharp bend at the mount (which the factory bridge did with flats on my fretless. Point is I"m not worried about the fretless as it always has flats so once it's set, it's going to be set for life. But just how much will intonnation settings change with string type and gauge with the fretted basses. Is this going to be a problem?

Oh wait! Let's make it three things:

3. I notice the new bridges don't have long screws to slide the saddles back and forth during adjustment. I presume you just have to take a hammer and tap them forward and back, right? Loosening the string for each adjustment each time seems like a rather big pain, right?

I DO like the idea of a quick-change bridge especially as feeding the strings in the holes on the factory bridge (of which the B string hole must be drilled out) tend to scratch the end of the bass after the bridge. And of course that $20 bridge looks like a million!
Click to expand...

benj,

I doweled the holes. Easy to do and allowed me to drill new holes; no forced screws.

The bridge on mine is exactly 34" from the nut to the breakpoint over the C saddle. Intonation is spot on with D'Addario XLs across all strings. I have plenty of movement back on the B string (see attached photo). The B is a tapered .145.

Because I don't change strings often, in my case it's a set-it-and-forget-it event. I detuned each string by a few turns on the peg and moved the saddle by hand, locked it, retuned and checked. I only repeated this cycle like 2-3 times per string. It's been spot on since.

I hope this helps.
 

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