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SX Ursa 6-string Jazz bass

#101
dabbler said:
Forgot to respond to this, I use Webstrings on all of my roundwound 34" basses Actually, I use them on everythingI can except flatwound basses (Labella).

One more thing, I had assumed that you did compare the pups soloed also, 'cause if you were always playing them together then I would agree that one being wired backwards could be the problem. Since you didn't really say, let me ask now Did you play them separately?
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One problem with online strings is the time to get them. I have used Carvin for inexpensive rounds in the past from time to time. These seem similarly priced and they do have a great selection.

As to soloing pickups see #8 in my review when I talk about single coil hum. Obviously to test single coil hum you have to solo pickups! I don't think they are wired backwards. However the problem easily could be that the inductance/resistance etc. of the coils is such that the response does not peak in the right places and the tone is thin and output weak. So the one wiring thing I DO plan to try soon is to bypass all the pots etc. (eliminates any loading effects of them) and wire the pickups in series (should increase inductance, double output level, and emphasize bass) directly to jack. That should at least show if the pickups at least have any decent tone in there. Especially if I put some other strings one too. That's the plan for the next operation.
 
#102
bassbenj said:
One problem with online strings is the time to get them. I have used Carvin for inexpensive rounds in the past from time to time. These seem similarly priced and they do have a great selection.

As to soloing pickups see #8 in my review when I talk about single coil hum. Obviously to test single coil hum you have to solo pickups! I don't think they are wired backwards. However the problem easily could be that the inductance/resistance etc. of the coils is such that the response does not peak in the right places and the tone is thin and output weak. So the one wiring thing I DO plan to try soon is to bypass all the pots etc. (eliminates any loading effects of them) and wire the pickups in series (should increase inductance, double output level, and emphasize bass) directly to jack. That should at least show if the pickups at least have any decent tone in there. Especially if I put some other strings one too. That's the plan for the next operation.
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I saw #8, but you don't have to PLAY the pup to evaluate the hum. I figured you probably had, but just wanted to make sure that you did (hoping that MAYbe it WAS just a wiring error).

I think that your assessment that the impedance of this larger pickup is affecting the tone is probably on the money, which means that I will probably be putting an Audere JZ3 in mine, though I may wait and see how yours works out first. :hiding:

I see that people seem to be buying them more quickly, only 9 left now.

The only think I don't understand is why they didn't use block inlays. Oh well, still can't wait to get mine!
 
#103
bassbenj said:
Until this tone/pickup thing gets sorted out, the second fretless version will have to wait. It seems that instead of going with the tone that made SX famous they decided to try to come up with a "modern" kind of 6 string sound out of a fender clone 6 string bass. I really don't think that was such a good idea.
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I'm wondering if they're winding the pickups based on coil resistance rather than # of turns. Wire length wrapped around the pickup bobbin establishes the coil resistance, so a wider pickup will have higher resistance per-turn of wire. If they based the design on resistance (hence total wire length) alone (to save money on AWG42/43 wire) then the number of turns of wire will be lower than in the case of a 4-string pickup for the same resistance. This leads to lower inductance->lower output->less high-frequency attenuation.

Have any of you pulled the pups out to see if the pickup shell can be easily removed from the bobbin? I'd be curious to see what the pup resistance is too.
 
#104
something they used to do on the series 10 basses... i had a 5 string one.... and they used a normal 4 string pickup with a fat cover over it to make it look wider.... and they also put a bar of metal on top of the pickup to "spread the pickup wider" ... might be the case with the sx

also i was serious about the converting this bass to a 5 string with very wide spacing for a slap pop monster... im a noob a bit on converting.... could a person put that khaler fixed bridge on it and spread the 5 string spacing to 3.5 inch at the bridge... would this cause any problems... just change out the nut and pull one of the tuners off...

here is the link to the bridge again... Link Removed its super adjustable as far as 3.5inch and they also have a 6 string version that goes out to 4.25inch or so.... any problem with doing something like that.. i hate trying to slap a 5 or 6 string with my big dumb fingers.... or does anyone know of a cheaper bridge that would do the same?? ;) oh one more thing.... if i did the math right the spacing would be something like 23mm at the bridge ... ;)
 
#105
I got me one of these. For 150 bucks plus shipping i cant pass up the chance. I always lust after the LEJ 6 string basses, im hoping i can get this and mod it into being an awesome cheap alternative. Should have it in a few days, will post pics and a review.
 
#106
frankz said:
also i was serious about the converting this bass to a 5 string with very wide spacing for a slap pop monster... im a noob a bit on converting.... could a person put that khaler fixed bridge on it and spread the 5 string spacing to 3.5 inch at the bridge... would this cause any problems... just change out the nut and pull one of the tuners off...

here is the link to the bridge again... Link Removed its super adjustable as far as 3.5inch and they also have a 6 string version that goes out to 4.25inch or so.... any problem with doing something like that.. i hate trying to slap a 5 or 6 string with my big dumb fingers.... or does anyone know of a cheaper bridge that would do the same?? ;) oh one more thing.... if i did the math right the spacing would be something like 23mm at the bridge ... ;)
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I don't quite get how that bridge works from the photo. I used to have one, I think it was Wilkinson, that had sliding saddles that you could slide sideways to set your own spacing. It was not very expensive back then, but I don't think they make them anymore.

I don't see a problem creating a slap monster 5 string. Of course if you want the bass to look prime, you'd need to dowel the extra hole and probably go with a painted (black?) headstock to cover the plug. Of course that is some money!

And the pickups may need changed. Did you see the video I posted of the guy who put Carvin pups in his SX and added an Audere preamp? That tone really seemed to me perfect for a slap-monster bass!

That is the cool thing about these SX basses. For little cash you can put together things that you either can't afford (LEJ 6) or can't even get at almost any price (wide-space slap monster 5)

PS. Actually spacing for 5 string (keeping same bridge width as used on 6 string (3.15")) is 20mm.
 
#107
My god these things ship quick.

Just got it today.

I cant seem to find ANY of my cameras. And my phone camera is too crappy to even bother posting.

Ill just give a quick review.

String spacing is very similar to spector and ibanez 6 string spacing. I dont have calipers or a good way of measuring, but i would agree with the previous poster who said they were around 16 or so mm's, definitley not the numbers posted on the rondo website, no way its 12mm or anything near that.

Bass has a little bit of a neck-dive. To be expected as the headstock is huge and neck is thick and fat, with a pretty flat shape. I really enjoy it, but i tend to like thick chunky necks.

Pickups are actually not too bad IMO. The output is a little weak, but i haven't tried raising them a bit, though this also might be fixed by changing out the pots. They don't sound too bad though, pretty decent pair of J single coils.

Bridge is pretty solid piece, tuners are adequate, but i am going to try and change them out for some lighter ones to balance out the neck-dive a bit. Though i'm not sure it will work all that great.

OTher than that i really am impressed with this bass. The neck has some beautiful grain to it, that i cant wait to show off after i citistrip the horrid orange finish off. Headstock is fugly, but hidden by being a 6 string.

If you are on the fence about getting one i would say go for it. Its a pretty darn nice playable bass for only 150 + shipping. Changing pickups and stuff might require slight routing to be done but its definitley a good instrument base if you are someone like me and planning to mod and get creative with.
 
#113
letsrumble said:
There is a disturbing lack of pics on this thread. :hmm:
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Mine is apart right now as the neck is sitting covered in citristrip. Pictures will be up as soon as i get the thing back together!

Here is a tiny pic from my cellphone camera.

20100803171023.jpg
 
#117
JZQuantum said:
Dumb question for you. What are you going to use to refinish the neck after you strip it?
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Stingray69 has some great posts about this process. With the older necks at least (and hopefully this neck!), the nuclear orange coating sits on top of a hard clearcoat which does not get stripped away during the process. The SX logo is even underneath this undercoat and remains in place. I stripped the neck on my FL 5-string and what remained was a nice satin-gloss finish.
 
#119
Allen_VA said:
Stingray69 has some great posts about this process. With the older necks at least (and hopefully this neck!), the nuclear orange coating sits on top of a hard clearcoat which does not get stripped away during the process. The SX logo is even underneath this undercoat and remains in place. I stripped the neck on my FL 5-string and what remained was a nice satin-gloss finish.
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Not all of the logos are beneath the clearcoat, when I citrus stripped my 4 string PJ, the logos came right off. There is still that satin finish clearcoat, so its no big deal, just something to be aware of. :)
 

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