animalfarm Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 Had this 'un for a couple of weeks, been waiting for some real play time. So, over the last few days I've had an EPI LP with gibson HBs in one hand, and the SX Hawk in the other, played thru my original "Bedroom Amp", a Marshall 15 watter, as I KNOW the sounds I can get from it. Did a side-by-side, song-by-song, lead-by-lead comparison. I'm d@ng freeeeekin' happy with the SX. I can only ask myself - "WHY didn't I buy one of these YEARS AGO"????? GIT: SX Hawk MN MH Strat Copy with P-90s and Stop Tail PRICE PAID: $119.95 FROM: Rondomusic FEATURES: Easy to play electric guitar - YEP. FEELS just like a strat. A great backup guitar for the professional... Yeah, I'll agree. Solid Mahogany body High quality P90 pickups offer vintage sound - Yep. One volume and one tone control plus a 3-way pickup selector switch Beautiful Maple neck with adjustable truss rod and Rosewood reinforcement for added stability Ultra-fast Maple fretboard with 21 jumbo frets Stop Tail Bridge for inproved sustain and tuning stability Tortoise Shell Pickguard Width of the neck at the nut: 1 5/8" FIT/FINISH: Overall, a nice looking guitar! Neck and Fretboard are MAPLE, neck is a "Fat D" shape, similar to an EPI LP Studio. Neck plays fast, nice and smooth, and the fretboard actually "feels" different than the rosewood fretboards, especially on bends - perhaps a bit smoother. Does it feel like a STRAT? YES, it does! Stock tuners are actually decent, I see no need to change out at this time. I raised the stopbar Tailpiece about 1/8" to reduce the break angle on the strings, and noted a slight wobble on the posts, so, I inserted a 1/4" tall M-8 METRIC set screw into the bushings until it made contact with the wood, THEN re-inserted the posts until THEY made contact with the set screws. I now have SOLID, no wobble posts, which I hope will help with the sustain! Only found 2 things I didn't like - there were microscopic "bubbles" in the finish on a section of the back, can't see them unless you hold it just right. And, the 3-way switch felt a bit "loose", so I opened up git and looked. Contact Tabs are a bit thin, like they were made from aluminum. Not an issue, as I already have replacement parts, Alpha pots, switch, jack, and a Sprague Orange-Drop Tone cap. Cost me 15.00, with spare pots and cap - whoopee! Stock electronics are acceptable, just LOVE to upgrade - it's addictive! SOUND QUALITY: Git obviously has P-90s. Bridge pup is 9Kohms, Neck pup is 7.5Kohms. I played my EPI Classic with Gibby pups first, running thru a few fave rock tunes, then plugged in the SX Hawk, played a few power chords with the Bridge pup, then stopped dead in my tracks. I had just heard the EXACT sound for "Mississippi Queen" by Mountain!!! Soooooo, had too play the tune, lead and all. I'll be D*nged - a bit of fast research showed me Leslie West plays a Gibby with P-90s. So does George Thorogood. I have just found the "missing Link" in my quest for tone. The P-90s produce a sound that is absolutely suited for Classic Rock tunes. Not as "Thin-sounding" as a Single coil, and not as "Meaty/Heavy sounding" as a Humbucker. Think of "Single-coils" on Steroids. The P-90s are VERY responsive to "pick attack" - played softly they produce a warm sound, go heavy and you get a bit of crunch. I can knock off Pinch Harmonics as easily as with Humbuckers. This guitar will produce sounds ranging from the SRV Blues/Pink Floyd tones, to the heavier Rock and Roll - tweak yer tone knob, tweak yer amp gain. IMPRESSIONS: For $119.00 (and changing out electroncs for fun - cheap) I have just scored myself a WINNER!!! I'm blown away. This guitar WILL get a lot of play time. The Stock pickups do NOT need replacement. Why didn't I do this years ago? Been a Humbucker Man all my life. OBLIGATORY PICS: (will borrow ONE from website - better lighting) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaSTuS Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 P90s are the bomb eh Greg, looks to be an excellent guitar, especially for that money, congrats mate, HNGD. PS: that animalfarm fella' might even consider this for his new Review sticky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
animalfarm Posted June 25, 2011 Author Share Posted June 25, 2011 PS: that animalfarm fella' might even consider this for his new Review sticky. Already a "Done-Deal"!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 Sounds like a winner, Greg. For $119, I would expect the shortcomings that you mentioned. The good part is that they are all easy and cheap fixes, and dont necessarily have to be done immediatley after purchase, say, for a new player or someone less inclined to do their own repairs or mods. The areas that really count (neck, frets, finish, body mat. & pickups) seem to be right on par. Good score! I still cant believe how inexpensive those SX guitars are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcwillow777 Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 Congrats, and nice review. That is a sharp looking guitar. I looked at Rondo guitars for over a year before I took the plunge. I was a little nervous buying a guitar I had never played before, so my first purchase was an SX. When I was satisfied I started buying Agile ALs. I have 6 and they are great guitars. I also have a Douglas bass and an Agile Tribal Green Hawker with Wilkinson Trem. SXs can be hit and miss. Glad you got a good one. I had 2 and sold them both, by not for quality issues. I had a Tele and a Strat. The Tele needed some fret work done, sharp fret ends, but that was easily fixed with a Stewmac file. Both needed new saddles, which shouldn't be an issue with the stop tailpiece and bridge you have, and new electronics. I had the Tele set up real nice, GFS pups, and decided I am not a Tele guy and I sold it. I sold the Strat simply because I didn't like the feel of the neck. A little too chunky for me. I have played Starts for years and like a Start neck to feel more like what I am used to. Glad you are happy with your purchase. I've though about getting one of their P90 guitars and throwing some GFS minis in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrw1960 Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 Nice score! I've checked out the Rondo guitars, I really like this one with the Trapeze Tailpiece. Funky body style. Seen some demos on Youtube. They sound really nice. HNGD to you! http://www.rondomusic.com/sjm57trapeze.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
animalfarm Posted June 25, 2011 Author Share Posted June 25, 2011 Nice score! I've checked out the Rondo guitars, I really like this one with the Trapeze Tailpiece. Funky body style. Seen some demos on Youtube. They sound really nice. HNGD to you! http://www.rondomusic.com/sjm57trapeze.html I took a look at your link, and thought - "Isn't that the 'Liquid' Body style"? Sho 'nuff! All I can say, is if the P-90s in IT sound like MINE... You are GOLDEN! I don't know WHO makes Rondo's P-90s, but... . Bottom line after checking it out on the Rondo Site, it's going to feel like a strat, Tone will be totally classic rock or SRV blues depending on AMP setting, and it AIN'T gonna drain yer pocketbook. Actually, the "Liquid" body style does look "RETRO"! IF you decide to get one, you've GOTTA write a REVIEW for the "New" and yet to catch on GIT and GEAR review STICKY in the lounge. Go read it, take liberties, just tell us what ya GOT, and how you FEEL about it!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrw1960 Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 I took a look at your link, and thought - "Isn't that the 'Liquid' Body style"? Sho 'nuff! All I can say, is if the P-90s in IT sound like MINE... You are GOLDEN! I don't know WHO makes Rondo's P-90s, but... . Bottom line after checking it out on the Rondo Site, it's going to feel like a strat, Tone will be totally classic rock or SRV blues depending on AMP setting, and it AIN'T gonna drain yer pocketbook. Actually, the "Liquid" body style does look "RETRO"! IF you decide to get one, you've GOTTA write a REVIEW for the "New" and yet to catch on GIT and GEAR review STICKY in the lounge. Go read it, take liberties, just tell us what ya GOT, and how you FEEL about it!!!!!!! Agreed! Excellent!! For the price you cannot go wrong. However, My little lady would have a Sh#t fit if I got another guitar. Its in my GAS list. I could swap the innards, and see if the P90s are up to my par. Like the saying goes- "What the Fu#k isn't to like"? Glad it works for you....Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
animalfarm Posted June 26, 2011 Author Share Posted June 26, 2011 Just installed my Alpha Full-Sized pots, Spraugue Orange-Drop tone cap, DECENT 3-way, and new jack. Had to enlarge jack hole a bit, and the tone pot was larger than the space provided. SOOOO, a bit of patient wood removal with my dremmel sanding "tube/barrel", several test-fits, and "Viola'"!!! all is good. I SWEAR, even unplugged, this git sounds and feels just like a strat. Awesome deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender 4 Life Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 Very cool geet there AF....SX makes some exellent stuff considering their price !! the neck on my SJM '57 (now called Liquid) is light years better than the neck on my Xaviere Strat, but I couldn't live w/its P-90s because we use all flourescent lighting here which made it buzz unbearably. every time Kurt (Rondo) sends an e-mail with the Agile Strat in it, I think VERY seriously about getting it. I'm wondering now about the SX Teles.....man what a modders platform those must be !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicmaker99 Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 That is one amazing looking strat for the $$. It reminds me of a Squire I saw at GC about a month ago, it had a satin like finish-and looked like no squire I'd ever seen before. It's gone now, wish I would have jumped on it. I have two Agiles--an AL2000 and Al3100, bought them used off CL and cannot believe the quality and playability. When I play either one of them I think I'm playing a high end Epi or even a.........I won't say it but y'all know where I was goin'. The pups are decent, very different from Epi's with a very distinct tonal difference between all three positions. The weight is around 10 lbs. I love my Epi's and my Agiles/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueEpiphone Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 HNGD animalfarm!! Do you play with a pick or use your claws? And yes we do believe it is your real hair (and color). Question: do the Agiles have a carved top or are they flat like the Specials and Juniors? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
animalfarm Posted June 27, 2011 Author Share Posted June 27, 2011 HNGD animalfarm!! Do you play with a pick or use your claws? And yes we do believe it is your real hair (and color). Question: do the Agiles have a carved top or are they flat like the Specials and Juniors? 1. Pick with Velcro Strap - not having thumbs is a bayyyy-otch. 2. If memory serves correct, Agiles at that level have carved tops, but Musicmaker can verify, OR just go to Rondomusic and see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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