Is SX a good guitar brand? Where are SX guitars manufactured? Who owns the company that manufactures the SX guitars? How are the SX guitars’ build quality? How is SX guitars’ sound quality? SX is a famous brand for affordable electric, bass, and acoustic guitars; however, there are some that are still not familiar with this brand. So, if you are one of the curious ones about the SX guitar brand, then now is the right time for you to check how good these guitars are.
So, what is the history of the SX guitar brand? The history of SX started in the 1960s as its manufacturer transferred to Asia from the United States. From Japan to Korea to Taiwan, it became one of the biggest guitar brands in the country, and its manufacturer has also helped plenty of Taiwanese guitar luthiers; most of them have learned how to make guitars since they started to work in the company.
When guitars became too expensive in Taiwan in the 1990s, Team International Music Co., LTD. was established as a way to be still able to manufacture guitars at an affordable price. The company started as an exclusive distributor for famous guitar brands like Gibson, Martin, and many more; however, in 1994, the company saw the potential for expanding its musical instrument business in China, resulting in a joint venture with its friends in the Chinese music market.
First, it started as a trading company in China, as it offered services from Western guitar companies like sourcing, quality control, and shipping services. It became successful instantly as more top brands in the west tapped the company’s services. In 1998, one of the shareholders in China came up with a brand name for the company’s own guitar as the company’s name was not suitable for being a guitar brand.
The name SX was an abbreviation of the word Essex. The brand became popular in East Asia as it is one of the most affordable guitars in the market, with great sound and build quality. In 2009, the company decided to focus on the brand as it immediately stopped taking OEM orders from other brands. It also closed its operation in Taiwan, leaving its main operation in facilities located in China.
SX guitars are now manufactured at Starsun Music Factory, located in Guangzhou, China. The facility has four drying rooms in its warehouse, which can dry up to 6,000 guitars at the same time. Since the company started to hire a master luthier in 2003, the quality of its guitars has greatly improved.
Are SX-Vintage Guitars any good?
The Vintage Series from the SX guitar brand is one of its entry-level replications of the renowned Fender Stratocaster and Telecaster guitars. The body of the guitar is made of basswood, and its neck is made of selected Canadian maple, while its neck reinforcement is made of rosewood. It has 21 frets and is all made of nickel.
Its position marks are available in either white or black-dotted inlays. Its bridge has a chrome finish, and its nut is made of synthetic bone. The Strat-like guitars all come with three single-coil pickups and a five-way switch, while the Tele-like guitars come with two single-coil pickups and a three-way switch.
SX-EE Guitars
The EE model is one of the most affordable and entry-level electric guitars for SX’s guitar brand. Its body shape is similar to Gibson Les Paul, although it is way cheaper than an original Les Paul. Its body is made of basswood, and its scale is 625 mm. Its neck is made of selected Canadian maple, while its fingerboard is made of rosewood.
Its neck joint is available in two options: bolt-on or set neck. The guitars have 22 frets and are all made of nickel, while its machine heads are made from die-cast and are available in either chrome or black finish. It comes with two humbucker pickups and a 3-way switch, which is typical for a Les Paul-like guitar.
How good are SX-EF Guitars
The SX-EF model is also an entry-level guitar model from the SX guitar brand. It still looks like a Gibson Les Paul but has better quality than the EE model. Its body is either made of mahogany with flame maple veneer or mahogany with a maple top. Its neck is also made of mahogany, and all of these come with a two-way truss rod.
Its fingerboard is made of rosewood and has 22 frets. All of these guitars come with a pearl inlay with a trapezoid shape. The guitars are equipped with two humbuckers and have a 3-way switch for their voicing. The guitar’s nut is made of a synthetic bone, while its bridge has a chrome finish.
SX-EH Guitars
The SX-EH is another entry-level entry for the SX guitar brand but is also the most expensive in the brand’s category. Its body is either made of mahogany with a maple top or mahogany with quilted maple veneer. Similar to the EF model, these guitars also have a mahogany neck and 2-way truss rod. The guitars have 22 frets and are all made from nickel, while their fingerboard is made of rosewood.
It comes with a pearl inlay with block shapes. Its machine heads and bridge are all gold-plated, while its nut is all of the synthetic bone. It is equipped with two humbucker pickups and a three-way switch for you to choose your preferred tone. Its stock strings are also made from D’Addario.
Are SX-Jazz Guitars worth it
SX also has some jazz guitar options in its arsenal. Its body is made of maple and has F-holes, as jazz guitars are known to have a semi-hollow body. Its neck is made of mahogany, while its fingerboard is made of rosewood. These jazz guitars have 22 frets and are all made of brass.
These guitars are equipped with two humbuckers and a three-way switch. It comes with pearl dots as its position marks, while its machine heads are all made from die-cast metal. Its bridge has an ABR style, while its tailpiece has a Stop Bar Style. The guitar nut is made of synthetic bone and has a width of 42mm.
SX-Pirate Guitars
The Pirate Series is a mid-level guitar series under the SX guitar brand. It comes with different variations in terms of body shape as it is available in either Gibson SG, Fender Strat, and a Gibson Les Paul-like body shape. Its body is made of light ash, while its neck is made of rosewood.
The Strat-like guitar is equipped with two single-coil pickups and a humbucker, while the rest comes with two humbucker pickups. Its machine heads are made of die-cast metal and come with a black finish. The position marks are all printed on the fingerboard.
Are SX-Alder Series Guitars good
The Alder Series guitar is one of the guitar models under the SX guitar brand. The guitar’s body is made of USA alder, while its neck is made of selected Canadian maple, and its neck reinforcement is made of rosewood. It is either available in Strat or Tele-style bodies. All the guitars under this series have a one-piece neck feature.
SX-Ash Series Guitars
Lastly, the Ash Series is one of the guitar models under the SX guitar brand that its body is made of swamp ash from the USA. It is available in Strat and Tele-like designs. The guitar neck is made of selected Canadian maple, while its reinforcement is made of rosewood.
The fingerboard is made of Canadian maple, and its binding is made of ABS and ivory. Its pickguard is pearlized, and its position marks are available in black dot inlays. The Strat-like version is equipped with three single-coil pickups, while the Tele-like version comes with two single-coil pickups.
Is SX a good guitar brand? Yes, SX guitars are among the best guitar brands you can find in the market with their very affordable price. With all the materials used in making these guitars, their sound and build quality are really impressive for the price you are paying.
