SX SST 57 P90

2008, China, 21 frets. 3 piece mahogany strat body, maple/maple neck 2 SX P-90 pickups, 1Vol, 1Tone 3-way P/U switch. Tun-o-matic bridge with stop tailpiece. SX tuners, 25.5" scale, jumbo frets. Comes without case, includes adjustment wrenches.

Basic 2 P-90 setup in a mahogany strat body. Everything works well. A simle machine that does what it should.

Once I got this dialed in on my amp, I can't put it down. Snarls and bites like a junkyard dog, holds on to notes for a long time, even unamplified.
Roll the tone off a bit, and it sings like Santana. Don't go too far with the tone though, it kills too much output.

This guitar sounds so good stock that it is awe-inspiring! Depending on amp settings, everything from bright jangle to thick, punishing near-metal thump. Excels at straight-ahead rock tones.

I normally use it for a semi-saturated "clean" tone to raunchy, in your face rawk-n-roll. It gives me the tone I've been after for years.

There is a problem or two, though. Feedback at high gain and high volume, (mainly through the stage monitors, not my amp, and the standard single-coil hum at high gain settings. Both of those can be controlled through getting farther from the amp/speakers.

Needed a set-up as shipped- truss rod nut was loose, action was higher than I like. a few twists of the included wrenches, and it was ready to rock. Had to replace the nut, the original cracked and fell apart. Kurt at Rondo sent one pronto, but I couldn't wait, and bought a Nu-Bone nut at retail. I'm keeping the one Kurt sent, (it's nicer than the stock one), as a back-up.

Nicely matched mahogany body. People have asked if it is a one piece! Finish is gorgeous, but simple. High gloss, ripple-free glass-like clear over medium brown stained mahogany. Sometimes I just look at it for the simple beauty of the woodgrain.

Had one low fret, did a quickie fret level, no more buzz. Had a slightly sharp fret end sticking out, hit it with a file, no more rough spot. Tune-o-matic bridge is pretty cheap, breaks strings, (high E), if you leave them on too long, say over a month or two. By rights, I should change them long before they break, but I'm low budget, and usually have my Ibby Steve Lukather signature guitar as a backup.

Built like a tank, for the most part. Stays in tune well, even in a gig bag. I bang on it hard, and it comes back for more.
No hardware problems, besides the nut and bridge. I considered replacing the bridge and stoptail with a Tone Pros set, but that would run close to the purchase price of the guitar itself.

One word: Amazing.

If this were a $1k plus guitar, I would rate it a 6 or 7. For under $120, it is a miracle. Looks awesome in a NOS vintage kind of way. Stock pickups are outstanding sounding.

Now I'm hooked on the P-90 sound. Goodbye wallet.

2008 SX SST57 P-90 FIRST LET ME SAY I BOUGHT THIS GUITAR WITH THE FULL INTENTION OF DOING SOME MAJOR SWAPPING OF HARDWARE AND PICKUPS. WOW, NOT GOING TO HAVE TO DO THAT. THE P-90 PICKUPS ARE GREAT, THE TREM SYSTEM HAS A STEEL BLOCK, AND THIS AXE HAS SUSTAIN FOR DAYS. THE BEST WAY TO TEST AN ELECTRIC GUITAR IS NOT ALWAYS TO PLUG IT IN; AND IN THIS CASE THE SST57 RINGS AS NICELY AS ANY EXPENSIVE QUALITY WOOD NAME BRAND IN THE $500-$900 RANGE. THE CATCH IS THIS AXE WAS $100!!!! THE FRET BOARD IS NICELY DONE AND FEELS BETTER THAN MY $400 MEXICAN DELUXE STRAT. SX MUST SPEND MORE TIME FINISHING THE FRETS THAN THE BIG GUYS AND YOU CAN TELL. THE TUNERS ARE GOOD THE TREM IS THE STANDARD VINTAGE CONFIGURATION AND THE TWO SHAKE HANDS WELL AND THIS GUITAR STAYS IN TUNE WELL.

I WANTED A STRAT BUT I WANTED A MORE POWERFUL SOUND AND THIS FITS THE BILL IN SPADES. ITS LIKE RICHIE BLACKMORE AND LESLIE WEST GOT TOGETHER AND DESIGNED THE PERFECT SINGLE COIL AXE WITH BALLS!!!! THE TONE IS GREAT! ROLL OFF THE VOLUME AND ITS A STRAT, CRANK IT UP AND ITS A LP JUNIOR. THIS THING IS SO COOL TO PLAY. THE TONE MAKES ME WANT TO WRITE SONGS EVERY DAY. ITS VERY MUSICAL AND INSPIRATIONAL TO ME. THE ONLY DRAW BACK IS THEY USED TWO P-90 PICKUPS WOUND ALIKE SO THE MIDDLE POSITION DOES NOT CANCEL NOISE. THE COLOR IS COOL ON THE BODY, THE NECK LAQUER IS A BIT TOO ORANGE BUT TIME AND SOME EXPOSURE TO LIGHTS MAY MELLOW THAT OUT A BIT. STILL A SUPERB FINISH ON BOTH WITHOUT ANY FLAWS.

ALL AXES NEED ADJUSTMENT FOR THE PLAYER THAT BUYS A GUITAR. MINE WAS CLOSE TO WHAT I LIKE BUT, I NEEDED TO PUT MY BRAND OF STRINGS ON SO I TWEEKED A BIT TO MAKE WHAT WAS GOOD PERFECT. I MAY CHANGE THE NUT SOON TO BRASS AS IT IS THE MATERIAL OF CHOICE FOR ME FOR STRATS. I'M NOT A MALMSTEEN FAN REALLY BUT, I DO LIKE THE BOOST IN SUSTAIN THE BRASS NUT AFFORDS. OVER ALL THIS IS A GREAT GUITAR THAT SHOULD COST MINIMALLY $300. THAT IS NO BULL. FENDER COULDN'T DO THIS AT THIS PRICE. LOOK AT THE NEW STAR CASTERS. YOU'LL NEED TO BE A GOOD LUTHIER TO GET ONE OF THOSE ZEROED IN RIGHT. THIS BEATS MEXICAN QUALITY ON MANY LEVELS.

LIVE PLAY WOULD BE A WALK IN THE PARK FOR THIS AXE. A BACKUP SX WILL BE WITH ME JUST TO ALLOW TUNING BETWEEN SONGS AND A COLOR CHANGE FOR THE SAKE OF VARIETY AT A GIG. EVERYTHING IS SOLID AND WILL GET A CHANCE TO STAY PUT AS LONG AS IT ALL HOLDS UP. I THINK IT WILL, THIS IS A QUALITY INSTRUMENT.

RONDO MUSIC RULES IN THIS AREA. THEY HAVE NO COMPETITION IN THE CUSTOMER SERVICE ARENA. THEY AR THE BENCHMARK!!!!

I EITHER OWN OR IN 30 YEARS HAVE OWNED JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING OUT THERE IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER...I'M GOING WHERE THE QUALITY IS AND IF I SAVE SOME COIN ALONG THE WAY THATS A BONUS. I WILL USE AGILE DOUGLAS AND SX BECAUSE THEY ARE MADE WELL PERIOD. CHEAP DOESN'T APPLY HERE. INEXPENSIVE, WELL...OKAY.

Basically a vintage white '57 Strat copy with 2 P-90 pickups, whammy, vol, tone, 3 way switch, pearloid pick guard, vintage look maple neck & fingerboard. Solid Alder Body. Made in China

Looks like a Frnder, sounds like a Fender on steroids. Great for country, rockabilly, blues, rock, swing, etc. Some hum, but no more than a real strat. WAY MORE BALLS than any strat ever made.

Neededd minor set up when I got it. Tuners are goood, stays in tune. Neck is SWEET. 25.5" scale, twang to love with the whammy which I use regularly and it stays in tune. Beautiful finish on neck & body, frets were good to go. Everything works like it should. Had to re-solder the jack soon after getting it, but everything else has been right on.

I have already played a number of gigs with it and it is sweet. Great axe for chump change. Looks and plays as well as any Mexican made strat, and sounds better than ANY strat when pushed.

the best, nuff sed.

I own a number of these SX guitars, and their P-90's sound incredible. Real balls, stay clean if you want but growl & howl when pushed. This is a great guitar, bottom line. I play it through Peavey Classic 30, Valve King 112 & 212 and a Bravo stack. I play out every week-end. I use this guitar at gigs and practice all the time becauser it delivers tone every time I pick it up. Really loves the VK 112, too.