Just Pulled The Trigger!

[Mikey]

On a new bass for myself!

I got an SX as appears in the link below.
I also got a case for it.
What do you think?

http://www.rondomusic.net/sjb6241qmd.html

I had one of the SX basses for a while last year and liked it but then gave in and sold it to a buddy who needed one for what I had in it. This time I took a step up hoping for a similar experience.
I went out shopping yesterday for basses and nothing caught my eye or felt good in my hands for less that $600 without a case. This'll do me fine I think for what little i play them.
Looking towards the future when I'll want to do something other than drum and find myself craving some bottom. I still have the guitars to play too so I'm a happy camper I guess.

[chuckocaster]

you better get them to fix it before you take it home, there's an "extra" string on it...:ahem

nice score man. that looks purty!

[FrankJohnson]

Mikey -
I belive you may have been the first purchase of that one........it couldnt have been on the website more than an hour or two when I first saw your post here.

If the neck is like mine, it will have a slight V to the back - very comfortable. I think to do over again, I could have gotten used to the 5 string spacing I had....and I think you will be impressed if you even remotel liked your other SX.

[Mikey]

Oh Frank! I did like it.
You know there the same thing in a 4-string version WITH a hardcase for advertised price of $xxx. Good deal in my book.
It called the limited edition or something like that.

they're going to be moving next week so it'll take an extra three weeks to get onr unless you order before the 10th.
Just sayin'........

[FrankJohnson]

Mikey -
I would do it, but I bought Marcos Bass a little while back added it to the two SX's I already have and a friend is letting me use his70's Kramer Stryker until ......whenever. I fixed the electronics in it and he is grateful to see it being used again. I would love to try the one you got. I somehow think the string spacing looks ......different than the Five I had....not sure, but it looks a shade wider.....which is good.


It looks great!

[Mikey]

OK,
Here's the review! Got it right here with me in the office.
The case.....
Paid 50 for it. It has a vinyl covering that looks like black cowhide. Has 3 latches and two keys. Also sports webbing as a top holder-upper on the right side. Inside is sparsely populated fake fur (short) cloth with some padding in strategic spots and an accessory pocket. The outside has a nice white piping on each end to set off the fake leather trim on each emd. Classy looking really. Pretty much what I expected.
The guitar.....
It's pretty! Kind of a burgundy burst job over quilted maple look. Gold hardware with an old, vintage looking bridge. It has threaded barrel saddles with a groove in the barrel for the string to sit in. There are eight screws holding the bridge to the body. Strap buttons are sturdy and installed with a disc of felt underneath like all good strap buttons should.
Two jazz type pickups with 10 pole pieces in each They almost perfectly align with the string being between each pole piece pair. Three top-hat knobs. A volume control for each pickup and a master tone control.
White pearloid pickguard. The rosewood board has white pearloid block fret markers with small dot fretmarkers located on the upper side of the neck. Fret job was done well. Not a "nicker" anywhere. Obviously a plastic nut that looks OK but will be the first thing changed out. The neck itself is tinted to a nice vintage maple look that is stunning with the gold tuners which are open gear type and just look cool as hell. The neck pocket is nice and tight (no off-size gaps). Everything is attached with gold screws, everything, including the neck plate. Truss rod access from the headstock. Labelling accomplished using black-outlined, gold lettering decals.
Playability....
I didn't get a chance to measure things, but this one has a better (wider)spacing of the strings which makes it easier for me to get my fingers where they're supposed to be. It doesn't have a buzz anywhere on the board, and sounds really good. However, I have an old peavey combo I use for practice, so it's hard for me to give you audio specifics. I know Greg will want to run it through his rig and then I'll have a better idea how it really sounds. For now though, let's just say it's full, thumpy, and loud! I had to turn the amp down from where it was set from the last practice session. So I guess the pickups must be overwound a bit. The guitar tuned up nicely and plays like I expect a bass to play.

All in all, I think I saved myself $500. This bass cost me $150 and I went to HOG last night to check on some other things and tried out a couple MIM jazz basses. They felt pretty much the same, the SX looked better and the workmanship was about the same. I'm sure there are some differences somewhere, there has to be to justify the price differences. Right?

Hmmmmm. I'm happy with my purchase and Think it'll be with me for a long time, or at least until some kid needs a decent bass for cheap. Then I'll sell it and go buy another one.

I have pictures at Kodak Gallery dot com but I don't know how to post them here from there.

[FrankJohnson]

While mikey was getting coffee....I snuck into the office and got these pics......















Be afraid.....be very afraid!

[tuberattler]

I have the same bass in the "regular" 4 string flavor and I love it. I'm not a real bass player but when my bass player buddies come over to jam they always seem to pick this one up and jam it..then at the end they say "I played this one the whole time"

I like it better than the MIM Fenders.