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SX's with drop tunings

X

Xanthyon

Feb 23, 2009
101
0
Pembroke Pines, FL
#1
I need to get my bass setup for CGCF for my current band. The thing is I only have a fretless Ibanez GSR 200. I love the fretless tone and i dont wanna screw with it. SO, i was thinking of getting a new bass for CGCF but i dont wanna buy a high end bass if i dont have too. I was thinking about getting an SX and then then getting a new pre amp and pickups for it and set it up for CGCF.

Does anyoen have any experience with SX's used for drop tuning? Also, my band is gonna start gigging soon, so should I even use an SX? or just save up for something better?

thanks in advance, any help would be great!
 
#2
I think most people here will tell you that, yes, SXs can be gigged with. You will probably have to do some work on them to get them giggable.

As far as drop tuning, some heavier strings will probably be all you need.
 
#4
Ahh yes, the beautiful, yet obscure and misunderstood tuning of CGCF. My favorite of tunings, and one I have spent many years grappling with. I'll save you some time and get straight to the end results.

Use DR Lo-Riders in Stainless Steel. 2 reasons. First, they sound great. Second, they have a great stiffness to them that really helps with the drop tuning.

Part 2. Ditch that low .105 E string and custom order yourself some .115 gauge strings. Many months of trial and error went into picking .115, .110 is too floppy, and .120 sounds like an overtightened B string. Yuck. Also, a .115 rarely needs nut or saddle modification to fit. I order my .115s from my local mom-n-pop store for $8 a piece, much cheaper than online string places.

The .045 .065 and .085 strings (A,D and G) can handle being dropped a whole step just fine, they still have plenty of tension thanks to the hex-core SS goodness.

I've tested just about string out there, using BEAD from a 5 string set sounded really bad and tortured my necks. Using standard gauges and raising the action sucked, it felt like I was playing rubber bands. Using the strings I described above, my action is super low, my neck isn't over-exerted, and my saddles are at a normal height.

Hope this helps.

PS: SX basses are fantastic.
 
#6
As long as you get a good one, an SX bass is easily a gig-worthy instrument - you might consider a better harness, and the j pickups aren't very good IMO. The p is just fine. I drag mine to bars when I'd rather not beat up my G&L.

It's not detuned, but I have heavier-gauge Chromes flats on an sx 30"er, and it's had no neck problems at all. The necks are pretty chunky and solid. I'd feel safer doing heavy strings with these than I would with a Squier neck.
 

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