I really don't know how the owner of this sunburst SX VTG Series Strat-Style Solidbody managed to get hold of one, but it's brand new. Word is that SX were forced to redesign their headstock shape after you-know-who threatened them with a lawsuit ages ago. Now, as this guitar sports the old-style headstock; it must be NOS that someone had carefully stashed away for years. Heck, even the "SX Guitar" gig bag looks mint.
Let's explore this guitar further, then. It sure looks like a '60s Strat, right down to the vintage-style tuners. The C-shaped maple neck sports a skunk stripe and "two way truss rod" with access at the headstock end. There's no walnut plug at this end though, just plain maple.
The 12" radius rosewood fretboard sports 21 medium-jumbo frets, side dot markers and pearloid dot fretboard markers. The rosewood board is rather dry, but a good dose of lemon oil should fix that in no time. The frets have been crowned with care, and sliding one's hand up and down the neck is a pleasure. This is proof that someone took the time and trouble to properly dress the fret ends. Good on you, SX!
Neck pocket fit is nice and tight, something I have rarely seen on lower-priced guitars. I'm also pleased that the neck pitch is sufficient for a low-action setup. No need for a shim or anything like that. Saves me a lot of time because now I don't have to remove the neck to make any adjustments.
As for the body, it seems to be two pieces of solid wood, probably topped with an attractive ash-like veneer. The three-tone sunburst finish has been artistically applied, and protected by a thick layer of clear poly. You might find it hard to believe, but there isn't a finish defect to be found anywhere.
The vintage white three-ply pickguard, pickup covers and switch tip complement the body nicely, I must say. The three ceramic single coils have flat polepieces, and the bridge is a generic vintage-style six-screw tremolo with block saddles. The skinny trem block is most probably zinc, and only has three holes for three springs. This means you'll have to break out your portable drill if you ever want/need to add more springs.
The body features HSH pickup cavity routing, and is unshielded. Which is a plus point, strangely enough; as the lack of shielding paint allows one to clearly see that the body is solid wood. It's not a sandwich; and definitely not plywood. Might it be ash? I salivate at the thought.
Electronics consist of the three aforementioned three single coils, mated to a generic PCB five-way switch, mini pots; and sturdy output jack. The switching sequence is as one might expect: neck only, neck+middle, middle only, middle+bridge; and bridge only. The controls are for master volume, neck tone, and middle tone; which is vintage-correct.
I set up this SX with Ernie Ball Regular Slinkys (010-046) and almost no relief, plugged it into my Ross G515 MiniMouth (which I use for testing both guitars and basses) and spent some time noodling away. I tell you, she's a smooth player. And, yes, I turned on my phone recorder and uploaded the audio file to SoundCloud. Do give it a listen if you're curious about what this guitar sounds like.
On the whole, this SX VTG Series Strat-Style Solidbody represents value for money, and performs much better than most lower-priced guitars I've worked on so far. If you can find one, grab it before someone else does!
Acknowledgement
Fender®, Stratocaster®, Strat®, Telecaster®, Tele®, P Bass®, Precision Bass®, and the distinctive headstock designs of these guitars are registered trademarks of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation.
