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what makes essex so cheap?

#61
Eublet said:
Let me rephrase. Poorly chosen flatsawn woods are likely to warp. No doubt about it. Quartersawn definitely increases longevity and sturdiness, especially in one piece necks.
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I'm going to reply on this wood selection thing for a second time. No argument that quartersawn is the best option, but....

Please name for me some basses in the sub $1000 market that use quartersawn necks.

O.k. How about sub $2000?


That said, Both of the SX basses I've owned have had very stable necks. Well with in the expectations of any new mass produced bass. Both rarely need adjustment, and I live in New England with 4 distinct seasons, and keep the action set at 5/64" at the 12th fret. It'll go lower, but that's where I like it. :)
 
#62
Muddslide said:
While this might sometimes be true, it isn't a truism.

For example, is there anything about a $1200-$1400 MIA Fender P bass that makes it "worth" 12-14 times as much as my SX P bass?

No. Not at all.

I am not knocking Fenders (I love 'em.)...
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To me, a company paying a living wage to workers, American or elsewhere, and that abides by international labor and environmental standards/treaties is worth having around. 12-14 is possibly the factor needed to support those things.

The cheapest goods may have a hidden cost. All IMHO. :cool:
 
#63
Jim Carr said:
To me, a company paying a living wage to workers, American or elsewhere, and that abides by international labor and environmental standards/treaties is worth having around. 12-14 is possibly the factor needed to support those things.

The cheapest goods may have a hidden cost. All IMHO. :cool:
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Then again, they may also be providing Mr. Kwan and his family with the best living they ever had. Sweatshops are a fact of life in burgeoning economies. Usually, the first sign of an emerging economic power is sweatshops. Doesn't make it right, but in the long run it's a healthy sign. And we've seen in the past that it does no good for anyone to keep these poor countries poor and undeveloped, because they can't buy OUR overpriced American goods if they're poor. It's a complicated scene that I barely understand, but when the sweatshops start, that's usually a sign that a country's about to emerge onto the world market. Then once that happens, the isolation ends and they become more dependent on everyone else in the world. Then we can start to make human rights demands just like WalMart did when they found out some of their goods came from sweatshops. So I feel like I'm actually helping our country and helping to end human rights violations in China by buying a couple cheapo SX's. It's a long process, but it has to start somewhere. Can't just hide from it.
 
#66
You know what?
Look at the attachment.
 

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#68
Yeah, I know. I actually looked through the thread and was surprised that there was no fighting. I wasn't trying to start one.
TB,I'm sorry.I actually thought it was funny that there were not many conflicts.Almost every other SX thread has a flame war going on.
 
#72
One thing that should be mentioned... I read somewhere that SX instruments are manufactured in Guangzhou. That is one of China's SEZs (Special Economic Zones) and is supposed to be one of the more affluent places in a very, very large country.

To make a statement that sweatshops are indicative of emerging economic power... yikes. :rollno:
 
#74
Marcus said:
One thing that should be mentioned... I read somewhere that SX instruments are manufactured in Guangzhou. That is one of China's SEZs (Special Economic Zones) and is supposed to be one of the more affluent places in a very, very large country.

To make a statement that sweatshops are indicative of emerging economic power... yikes. :rollno:
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Does anyone have any proof that SX [Rondo] products are made in "sweat shops"?

Anyway, JimmyM is correct. A population isn't going to go from "third world" to "modern" overnight. Economic activity has been a good thing for the people in countries like China, as millions are entering their middle class every year. Things we take for granted, like 24/7 electricity and indoor plumbing, are now becoming commonplace because of the evils of globalism and companies like Rondo.
 
#75
bassrique said:
Does anyone have any proof that SX [Rondo] products are made in "sweat shops"?

Anyway, JimmyM is correct. A population isn't going to go from "third world" to "modern" overnight. Economic activity has been a good thing for the people in countries like China, as millions are entering their middle class every year. Things we take for granted, like 24/7 electricity and indoor plumbing, are now becoming commonplace because of the evils of globalism and companies like Rondo.
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SX instruments come from an affluent place that caters to large-scale manufacturing and exporting. How that trickles down and reflects the working class, I do not know. I do not think it is a fair assumption to make that "millions enter [the] middle class" without any information to substantiate that claim.

I am not trying to slander Rondo or SX in any way either. I just think that it is important to point out that the instruments come from a place that is grossly different from the rest of the massive country.
 
#76
I do not think it is a fair assumption to make that "millions enter [the] middle class" without any information to substantiate that claim.
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You'd have to not be paying attention not to notice the upwards mobility of millions of people in China. Yes, millions every year are enjoying new creature comforts that we don't even think about twice here in the US. And I did say their middle class, which shouldn't be confused with ours, but is still a step up nonetheless.

SX instruments come from an affluent place that caters to large-scale manufacturing and exporting.
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I don't understand the point there. The manufacturing and exporting areas of China have provided millions of new blue and white collar jobs to China's population, much of which has had a lower standard of living than we have enjoyed in the West for generations.

I just think that it is important to point out that the instruments come from a place that is grossly different from the rest of the massive country.
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Perhaps we are on the same page? Yeah, much of China could be called "third world" for lack of a better term, but standards of living there are rising at a scale that is unprecedented in sheer numbers [along with India of course].
 
#78
StarscreamG1 said:
Mmmmm I can't give any opinion about SXs cause I have never touched one. I thought about a fiver briefly but then I heard SX necks in general tend to be rather fat and I don't care for fat necks so I dropped that idea.
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bassbrock said:
What 5 string SX had the smallest, thinnest and fastest neck? If no fives, how about fours?
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SX 5 strings are basically wide four strings(1.75 nut, IIRC) with an extra string added.




And people, please don't buy SX's, I bought one, it tried to burn my house down, gave my dog rabies and called me names!:bawl::bawl:

But for that trauma I have a fantastic bass, lightly flameed maple neck(100% not on purpose), three piece alder body, rosewood fretboard with good grain, jumbo frets(my prefrence), bound fretboard(strange, rosewood and black binding), good fretwork, working hardware and a great pickup, yup it sounded like a P bass, felt like one, looked like one and played like one, till I modded the bejesus out of it.
 
#79
Do we really need to single out Rondo in this discussion? Just curious why people are singling out that one middle man.

While I don't know economics, or how to change a country from being poor to being one of American stature, I do know a couple of things:

1) Essex does something, and they do it well. They make easily affordable gear that pratically anyone can go out and purchase.

2) Essex is no worse than any other Made in China product. It can probably be argued if they are any better.

3) Avoiding the situation by not buying essex basses will not help the situation.

Would you really feel any better if these instruments cost 2x of what they do? What would that do? Line th pockets of the factory owner, more than likely, and doubfully much else.

Disclosure: I have owned three SXes, two fretted fivers, and a fretless fiver. I recently sold the two fretted, but am holding on to the fretless. I enjoyed all three during their tenure, but have moved on to greener pastures.
 
#80
Well I think I'm going to get me a left handed PJ bass. I play about once a month with a SRV close player, who of course detunes. I've done the gig with my 5 string and i've done it and just transposed down a half step, but he likes the open string sound, so i'm going to pick up one and make it a dedicated E flat bass.
PS, before anyone suggests just detune, I don't want to have to keep redajusting the neck.

Andy
 

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