Hey all.
I resurrected an SX Fretless Jazz that I have tried to like for years. I can't put my finger on exactly why I hate this bass so much. It's not because it's a cheap-o...if it wasn't for cheap-o basses, I wouldn't have a collection. I'd have 1. I am also the least picky person I know of in terms of what's playable and what isn't.
Over the past 2+ years, I've done everything to this bass trying to get it to feel good to me.
I changed the neck (fretless to fretted), strings, bridge, (it was mounted incorrectly anyway), pots, tuners, hell I even swapped the straploks.
I have tried 5 different sets of strings (from GHS to TI), but I just can't get myself to like it...until:
I borrowed some parts off it to make a shoestring project and I reassembled the SX pretty close to stock, except I replaced the pots with an Audere JZ3 Preamp. I put the fretted neck back on and it started to feel better to me. I had a set of Fender 7120 Nylon Roundwounds on there, and they started to unravel (probably due to the inordinate amount of times I've had them on & off). Today I replaced them with a set of EB Super Slinky rounds (web site says they're Nickel).
Well, not sure what happened to this bass, but it has sprung to life. It is super responsive and actually fun to play. I've had the Audere on this bass on few times before, and it was a yawner until today.
Here's my string question: One thing I've noticed about this set of strings is that the E & A strings sound really nice, but the D & G strings sound good, but real zingy. Way more-so than any other string set I've ever tried. Is that typical for EB Slinkys? I've read threads about strings that require a break-in period to lose their zinginess...not sure if these EB fit that category or not.
I guess some break-in time will ultimately tell, but I thought I'd ask here first before I start lowering pickup heights and other counter-measures.
As always, thanks.
Ack
