NBD SX Jazz

[stewblack]

Been wondering about these for a little while. There's a beauty on sale here in a natural finish, but I've always hankered after a green one tricked out with ashtrays. One came up suspiciously cheap on the 'bay so I nabbed it.

It's actually very nice. I swapped the plate because a white plate just looks like a place holder while they wait for the tort to come back into stock! An old Harley Benton one I had lying around fitted after a little judicious shaving with a Stanley knife.

 

Not too heavy, plays well, lovely neck...but...an annoying audible vibration noise which took me a while to diagnose. In the end it was a machine head very slightly loose. Sorted that and reassembled it. Beautiful now, sounds like a dream. It's easily as good as folks say.

 

Even the headstock which I know puts some of you off (it did me) looks so much nicer in the flesh - although you'll have to take my word for that!

 

 

[Doctor J]

I like that headstock, it's definitely one of the better Fenderish efforts out there.

[neepheid]

Headstock chat detected

 

 

End of thread

 

[stewblack]

6 hours ago, neepheid said:

Headstock chat detected

 

 

End of thread

 

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[stewblack]

I used to assume the G&L headstock was a mistake, like they accidentally used some experimental melty wood. But then I saw one in the flesh and it's actually a beautiful instrument.

A similar thing happened here.

[Pea Turgh]

On 08/06/2022 at 21:09, stewblack said:

 

 

 

That is a lovely piece of wood.  I love how grain figuring can look holographic.

[stewblack]

Nice innit?

 

[Geek99]

Need a screen wipe please 

 

 

 

 

 

and I don’t even like green. Does look awesome with the tort 

Edited June 11, 2022 by Geek99

[stewblack]

1 hour ago, Geek99 said:

Need a screen wipe please 

 

 

 

 

 

and I don’t even like green. Does look awesome with the tort 

I prefer it than the original white for sure!

 

[meterman]

On 08/06/2022 at 22:09, stewblack said:

Been wondering about these for a little while. There's a beauty on sale here in a natural finish, but I've always hankered after a green one tricked out with ashtrays. One came up suspiciously cheap on the 'bay so I nabbed it.

It's actually very nice. I swapped the plate because a white plate just looks like a place holder while they wait for the tort to come back into stock! An old Harley Benton one I had lying around fitted after a little judicious shaving with a Stanley knife.

 

Not too heavy, plays well, lovely neck...but...an annoying audible vibration noise which took me a while to diagnose. In the end it was a machine head very slightly loose. Sorted that and reassembled it. Beautiful now, sounds like a dream. It's easily as good as folks say.

 

Even the headstock which I know puts some of you off (it did me) looks so much nicer in the flesh - although you'll have to take my word for that!

 

 

That is handsome! Wouldn’t say no to one myself, that colour is ace 👍

[such]

Nice! I bought one exactly like it (with the original sterile white pg that it currently doesn't wear) brand new a few years ago while on a massive Khruangbin kick. 

One thing I especially love about it is the neck - made of super dense, even, straight quartersawn maple. One would pay a multiple of this bass' price to request this as a premium from a custom shop. Topped with an equally dense, even-grained, dark rosewood fretboard. Also, it sounds absolutely fantastic. I never looked inside, and may replace pots, socket etc one day, but the pickups are going nowhere. 

Thing I hate is this had the worst fretwork I've ever seen, by far. I consider myself good with these things, and managed to get it playable, with only one note in one fret of one string still creating a buzz sometimes. Will need a full refret at some point. Someone (sloppily) put three distinctly different sizes of fret wire into too shallow slots. That also means I can't get the fret ends super smooth either, as they're sitting somewhat proud. I know this is an exception and SX guitars generally have a reputation of being put together rather nicely. Still, it is a great sounding, good looking jazz bass and is here to stay. 

Edited June 12, 2022 by such

[stewblack]

Gigged mine for the first time on Sunday and it plays really well. Funnily enough I had to tap a couple of frets home too, and noticed a couple of buzzy moments at the gig.

I have to agree with you about the neck @such - it is sublime. Looks and feels real quality.