SX STL50 Review

[starbuck26]

Dear friends,

For about a year I've been playing on a G&L Invader and I love her so very much, but I'd been using an old Mexicaster as a backup. Methinks it sounds like shit, and it never, ever, ever, ever stays in tune for longer than 90 seconds. So, needless to say, I've been in the market.

I was intrigued by the reviews I read on harmony central and frugalguitarist.com, though the frugal review was a review of the SX strat copy, which interested me a bit as I did not realize that the strat copy had a fixed bridge, but in the end i opted to drop $109 on a sx tele copy.

You can see the pictures here ---> http://www.rondomusic.com/stl50car.html

Now, I approached buying this guitar differently. It was more like buying a pair of shoes. I wanted a red guitar. I love red and black. So it fit. I don't really care too much how it sounds, I just want to look cool. And it looks pretty cool. There are a few minor scratches to the pickguard, but, in the end, I don't give a shit. One cosmetic thing I did notice, though, is the yellow neck. It doesn't look so yellow in the pictures. But god damn--that shit is yellow in person. But I kinda like it.

Now on to the nuts and bolts:

The tuners range from real tight to kinda flabby. I noticed this when changing the shit stock strings that came on it. The factory setup--which I haven't modified yet, but definitely will, is good up until about fret 15 when the guitar suddenly starts lacking sustain. There are a few mod options out there, and likely I'll replace the saddles with something more reliable. They definitely seem kind of shitty. Believe it or not, when I was restringing her I noticed the nut--of all things--and although it hasn't had any problems as yet, I looked at it and I said to myself: "Man, what a shitty nut." I'm not sure I ever noticed a nut before, so that's probably a bad thing.

Now onto the shit I worry about but have no real understanding of. Take a look at this fine, expensive example of an american telecaster... looks just like mine... but if you note the tuners... that shit looks normal, right? now... if you will, take a look at the sx tuners... whoa... what is with that shit? I wish I could explain it in words... but I don't know the word for the thingamajig that
holds the high e and b strings down on your traditional fender strat... but anyway, they gots one on the d and g strings here... makes me wonder if it'll ever stay in tune... and what the problem was in the first place... like i said, no idea what i'm talking about... but i worry... not really... it was only 109 dollars.

Now on to the sound. I just got it yesterday. I plugged it into my old Hot Rod Deville and yanked it... I played it for about a half hour... it sounded like a guitar. That was really all I was interested in. The bridge pickup has a bit of that tele twang to it. Next winter to keep from hanging myself i'll probably experiment and put some seymour dunks on there. maybe redo the wiring. ho ho ho.

In the end, a shitty chinese guitar is a shitty chinese guitar, and no amount of review tomfoolery is going to change that. I'm not sure it was worth much more than 109 dollars, but I wouldn't say it was worth any less... and the result is a useable red and black guitar-shaped instrument that in some way sounds like a guitar.

Love,
Tom

 

[wbcsound]

Sorry to hear that your not happy with yours. Rondo has an excellent return policy, no questions asked. If you're not happy, I'd send it back. I've not played their Tele, but a review of the new Nashville model may be in store. The "the thingamajig that holds the high e and b strings down on your traditional fender strat" is called a string tree, and it's not uncommon to put a pair one on the highest strings and another on the d and g stings. The purpose is to create an harder angle at the nut to try and focus more string vibration from the head to the neck and body.

Your experience does bring into question whether the quality of their guitars is consistent across the board.

 

[Lt. Bob]

2 words ..........guitar fetish
I got one of their thinline teles just to have a cheapo for beach gigs and places where I wouldn't want to sweat or get sand/salt on my good instruments.

It's my favorite git out of all my gits!
Plays great ........... sounds great .. stays in tune as well as anything I've ever had and I've had dozens and dozens of gits.
A little more money than yours ... ($165) .... but apparently a much better instrument.

 

[starbuck26]

I actually am happy with it. I've played on it for a couple of hours over the past few days and it seems to be staying in tune very well. If this continues to be the case I will be extremely pleased with it.

And yes, guitar fetish will be my next stop. Over the winter I plan on refitting the electronics, changing the pickups, saddles etc.

If it proves that it won't stay in tune, I'm going to turn it into my mayhem machine, which will be tuned to e-minor and played with a kick drum pedal.

 

[starbuck26]

The "the thingamajig that holds the high e and b strings down on your traditional fender strat" is called a string tree, and it's not uncommon to put a pair one on the highest strings and another on the d and g stings. The purpose is to create an harder angle at the nut to try and focus more string vibration from the head to the neck and body.

Thanks for the clarification. I never knew that.

 

[wbcsound]

I actually am happy with it. I've played on it for a couple of hours over the past few days and it seems to be staying in tune very well. If this continues to be the case I will be extremely pleased with it.

And yes, guitar fetish will be my next stop. Over the winter I plan on refitting the electronics, changing the pickups, saddles etc.

If it proves that it won't stay in tune, I'm going to turn it into my mayhem machine, which will be tuned to e-minor and played with a kick drum pedal.

That was one of the things that surprised me the most. A $100 guitar that stays in tune!!!!! I let a friend play one who wasn't aware of the company and asked him to guess the price. After about 10 minutes of playing he guess $400. When I told him how much it really costs, he logged on and bought one on the spot.

 

[Gear_Junky]

a guitar that won't stay in tune? isn't that usually a function of the tuner keys and how the strings are installed. that and the bridge, of course. none of which has anything to do with the piece of wood and pickups that determine its tone.

why not fix yours? i mean, i'll recommend an SX over a MIM any day, but you already have it. FIX IT!

 

[Lt. Bob]

a guitar that won't stay in tune? isn't that usually a function of the tuner keys and how the strings are installed.

How the strings are installed, yes. But not the tuners. Good tuners make it easier to get in tune in the first place. But they don't have anything to do with staying in tune.
Tuners use worm gears which can not slip despite the many times you've seen people talk about gears slipping. The absolute only way is if the gear is so worn it can jump teeth.

 

[starbuck26]

I played a 2 hour practice with it last night and it stayed in tune very well. I have to play on it a while without using earplugs but I have a feeling I will replace the neck pickup fairly soon. But, for a backup, I couldn't be happier. Like I said, all I want is something that will stay in tune, and that can take a beating.

My other backup was a fender mexicaster. I play with extremely thin pics, but when I play I bang on her pretty hard. That thing would be out of tune in about 30 seconds.

I know, I know. I don't have to play it that hard. But that's what I do.

 

[ermghoti]

I'd throw a set of GFS pickups of your choice in there, the Widemouth are pretty versatile, while still very Teleish, but you could go with Killers/Punchers for more distortion capability, or 50's for authentic twang. Keep that baby cheap!