Rondo music basses: how are they?

[KATMAN]

Best known for their Agile brand for guitars,what do they bring to basses? I was checking out prices,and a 6 string fretless got my attention. Not bad looking,pretty nice actually.And at $299,it almost seems like a dream come true.Any of you all have one?

[Craig Vecchione]

You get what you pay for always applies.

[rpsands]

I don't know if I would say "you get what you pay for" is a good saying to apply here; there aren't a lot of companies selling 100 dollar basses, and at least in the 5-string market the Rondo (SX) basses offer a lot of bang for the buck.

 

I had a shop put all new 250k pots and a switchcraft jack in mine for a net out the door of like 175 bucks, did a setup on it myself, and my SX 5-string J (has a P neck profile, but J pickups) is a really nice little bass. The neck is a little chunky but it's fast enough and the fret work is not bad. It's also really light.

 

Not sure you could get a new 5-string that sounds this nice for this price, and I'd put it on par with the Squiers I've played.

[Craig Vecchione]

The Squiers are about $175, and you state they are on par. So...get what you paid for.

 

Rogue, and Dean sell 4-string basses for about $130. They're all about the same level of quality. If you need a throwaway for a gig on the rough side of town, or you want a project bass and for some reason don't want to seek a better quality used bass as the platform, these are all the way to go.

[Craig Vecchione]

MF has 6-string Rogue and Ibanez basses, the Ibanez GSR206 is $299, and the Rogue LX406 is $249. Free shipping.

[DevilRaysFan]

I have three SX basses in my arsenal.

 

I wouldnt doubt if some of Fender's overseas lines all come out of the same factory producing these basses (much in the same way Samick was making many company's lower-end market in the 80s). Id almost wager money that the bodies and necks of Fender's Squier Vintage Modified Series comes from the factory that produces SX's standard lines (Especially after noticing that the SX brand has changed its headstock shape since the VM Series came out. Like Samick of the 80s, the die is set for Fender but any overrun that Fender doesn't buy, the headstock gets whacked a bit and the SX name goes on. I dont know this for sure but it makes sense). Ive looked at Fender Vintage Modified bodies and necks and Im not seeing the quality any different than my SX Jazz

 

They are a great bang-for-the buck. For example, I have a Jazz bass with a solid ash body, maple neck, and pearl blocks. You usually cant buy a solid ash body by itself for the price you get an entire SX bass for.

 

People that know guitar manufacturing will tell you that painted guitars, especially dark colors, get painted because the wood quality is a little less desirable. With that said, Id buy a natural ash SX over a black Squier any day of the week.

 

The two major downfalls I have found are crappy electronics - including pickups - and some shoddy fretwork....but for $150 or less, what would I expect?

 

In truth, pickup mods and slight alterations and you have a bass that can compete with a lot of others for four times the price

[t3ch]

Rondotastic.

[bassman1956]

For a cheap bass, $100, to maybe $200, or even $300 if you get their top-of-the-line-whatever, well, you aren't throwing your money away. But, you are not getting an $800 or $1k bass, either. What DRF said about the electronics is spot on.

[cearleywine]

I love the neck on my fretless sx. Though it's unfortunately inactive due to {censored}ty wiring or pickups.

[Kindness]

 

You get what you pay for always applies.

 

 

This.

 

It's a matter of personal preference, but necks are important to me and I think SX necks are the worst you can buy.

[DevilRaysFan]

 

This. It's a matter of personal preference, but necks are important to me and I think SX necks are the worst you can buy.

 

 

this doesnt make me less pretty, does it?

[mfergel]

I had a a Brice 5 string fretless I just sold. Played and sounded great. I'm just not much of a bass player and an even worse fretless player. I'd recommend it though. I've had an SX P bass before and have an SX J bass now.

[Kindness]

 

this doesnt make me less pretty, does it?

 

 

Not one bit! Sexy beast.

[Craig Vecchione]

 

this doesnt make me less pretty, does it?

 

 

Not at all. But the fact that you never hatted my Stewie avatar is very, very ugly.

[Glyder]

Ive got a Fender Geddy and an SX P that I put a Badass and a 1/4 pounder in. I play the SX 10 times as often as I play the Geddy.

[One Bad Monkey]

I had two SXs and modded the ever-loving beejesus out of them. I also had a Squier Vintage Modified Fretless.

 

Knowing what I know now, if I wanted a bass on a budget that was great to play out of the box, I'd go the Squier route. If I wanted to tinker with a good bass to learn stuff on (in terms of electronics, soldering, set ups, etc..), I'd go SX.

[rpsands]

 

The Squiers are about $175, and you state they are on par. So...get what you paid for.

 

 

Please show me where to get a new 5-string Squier for 175 bucks.

 

The SX 5-er neck seems pretty decent to me once you rub it down with steel wool to get the gloss stickiness out. It's thick but that's a P-bass neck for you.

 

Also, not sure if the Squiers have switchcraft quality jacks and 250k pots or not.

[randombassist]

 

Also, not sure if the Squiers have switchcraft quality jacks and 250k pots or not.

 

 

they do not

[Craig Vecchione]

 

Please show me where to get a new 5-string Squier for 175 bucks. The SX 5-er neck seems pretty decent to me once you rub it down with steel wool to get the gloss stickiness out. It's thick but that's a P-bass neck for you. Also, not sure if the Squiers have switchcraft quality jacks and 250k pots or not.

 

 

My mistake, the 4-string Squiers are $175, the Squier J 5-er's are $229, shipped from MF.

 

But I don't see an SX 5-er for under $185 shipped ($169.95 + shipping on Rondo's site). What did your mods cost? The mods void your warranty, which is kindof a shame, because it appears that it's an unlimited time warranty, as long as you retain your receipt, and get approval for return. FWIW, the Fender/Squier warranty is one year, but mods don't void the warranty unless they caused the defect/failure.

 

Again, it all evens out when all factors are considered.

[rpsands]

Mine was 125 + 50 in mods including having a local shop fix my screwed up soldering attempt, but the one I got no longer exists sadly. I got it mostly because I wanted to try my hand at modding and it was the right price - and I could guarantee it wouldn't have any problems out of the gate and I wouldn't have to shop around.

 

Turns out I suck at soldering but I've got a nice little bass for 175 bucks. It may have been 15 in shipping too.

 

Also, mine is a lot nicer than the 229 Squiers if you like a P neck (which I don't, but hey some people do .

 

Anyway, since it doesn't exist anymore, it's kind of irrelevant. At 170 I don't think they are a good value.

[frunobulax]

 

This. It's a matter of personal preference, but necks are important to me and I think SX necks are the worst you can buy.

 

 

Kindness is right. Kindness is always right.

[Marko]

Seems, at least for a while there, on every one of the maaaany SX threads I

[Crisco]

Mine was 125 + 50 in mods including having a local shop fix my screwed up soldering attempt, but the one I got no longer exists sadly. I got it mostly because I wanted to try my hand at modding and it was the right price - and I could guarantee it wouldn't have any problems out of the gate and I wouldn't have to shop around. Turns out I suck at soldering but I've got a nice little bass for 175 bucks. It may have been 15 in shipping too. Also, mine is a lot nicer than the 229 Squiers if you like a P neck (which I don't, but hey some people do . Anyway, since it doesn't exist anymore, it's kind of irrelevant. At 170 I don't think they are a good value.

Could you tell us how it met its demise?

[dabbler]

 

This. It's a matter of personal preference, but necks are important to me and I think SX necks are the worst you can buy.

 

 

Necks, like everything else, are a preference thing, but I am curious as to what about the SX necks makes you rate them as the worst (e.g., size/profile is all wrong, headstock is too uglt, too much finish, weight, too tall frets, don't like double action truss rods)

[Kindness]

 

Necks, like everything else, are a preference thing, but I am curious as to what about the SX necks makes you rate them as the worst (e.g., size/profile is all wrong, headstock is too uglt, too much finish, weight, too tall frets, don't like double action truss rods)

 

 

I don't like the profile, but I adapt well to most profiles, so it's not a big deal. The headstock is ugly, but who cares. I can't stand the heavy gloss finish or the enormous frets they use. I'm a satin finish kind of guy and I prefer smaller frets.