Club Sadowsky (Part 31)

[michricker]

I'm in the kohls parking lot waiting for my wife Christmas shopping. So thank god for Internet iPhones to puruse tb.

I'll receive this sadowsky monday and give a report out. Neck dimension seems similar from spec to fbass vf5 which I love.

Now I need to go sell my MTD USA. First I'll wait to a/b them.

[Ivan M]

Originally Posted by Vic

Any particular reason why this has to be private? I'd sure like to hear your thoughts (and eventually his) on it.

Vic NO REASON at all, it's just that i had to explain the differences between my NYC 5 and my NYC Vintage 5 with Braz ROSEWOOD and typing would be to long, lolololol! Its easier for me to explain via phone. Happy Holiday's to you and your family Vic, and to all the SADOWSKY players.

[Vic]

Originally Posted by Ivan M

Vic NO REASON at all, it's just that i had to explain the differences between my NYC 5 and my NYC Vintage 5 with Braz ROSEWOOD and typing would be to long, lolololol! Its easier for me to explain via phone. Happy Holiday's to you and your family Vic, and to all the SADOWSKY players.

Ok, well if the issue is you don't wanna' do a ton of typing, I can understand that, but I'd still like to hear/read whatever you would be interested to share here.

[BluesyCat]

Originally Posted by Vic

Ok, well if the issue is you don't wanna' do a ton of typing, I can understand that, but I'd still like to hear/read whatever you would be interested to share here.

I agree! You don't wanna type Ivan.... well you get in the mood and start typin'!

[michricker]

Ivan provided all the secrets of great tone. The brazilian ash club is pretty exclusive you know. Lol.

I promise full report Monday when i get a chance to plug it in. I'm hoping this is close in feel and tone to my 64 jazz but in a five! I have flats on the fender and want to put some rounds on this sadowsky for grind and pop.

[bass12]

Originally Posted by michricker

I'm in the kohls parking lot waiting for my wife Christmas shopping. So thank god for Internet iPhones to puruse tb.

I'll receive this sadowsky monday and give a report out. Neck dimension seems similar from spec to fbass vf5 which I love.

Now I need to go sell my MTD USA. First I'll wait to a/b them.

If you like your MTD and don't absolutely need the money why not hold onto both? They really are completely different basses tone and feel-wise.

[michricker]

The MTD I have is a great one. 8.3lbs alder Birdseye maple 24 535. Unfortunately I will have to sell either the mtd or this new sadowsky. My main gigging bass at the moment is an early 64Fender CS relic that is hands down one of the best 4 strings. Will not sell that one took me 10 years of playing various high end jazz basses to find it! 8.3 lbs, perfect fret work no dead spots and perfect 60's tone! Worn neck like butter.

[Ivan M]

Originally Posted by michricker

Ivan provided all the secrets of great tone. The brazilian ash club is pretty exclusive you know. Lol.

I promise full report Monday when i get a chance to plug it in. I'm hoping this is close in feel and tone to my 64 jazz but in a five! I have flats on the fender and want to put some rounds on this sadowsky for grind and pop.

It wont be the same in TONE or feel, your talking 5 VS 4. And the HC SADOWSKY pups are still more livelier than most other PUPS. You want POP and GRIND go with some SADOWSKY Blue steels. Or you can go with the DR Marcus Miller FAT BEAMS, i use those sometimes when i have not had a chance to put an order in for BLUE STEELS. Actually i request SADOWSKY strings as christmas gifts from all my friends...lololol. So that works out great.

[KPO2000]

Originally Posted by michricker

The MTD I have is a great one. 8.3lbs alder Birdseye maple 24 535. Unfortunately I will have to sell either the mtd or this new sadowsky. My main gigging bass at the moment is an early 64Fender CS relic that is hands down one of the best 4 strings. Will not sell that one took me 10 years of playing various high end jazz basses to find it! 8.3 lbs, perfect fret work no dead spots and perfect 60's tone! Worn neck like butter.

I think we've shared a similar journey...through many Rics, CS Jazz basses, and others. If you were me, you'd sell the Ric, play your new Sadowsky 5 for a while and then sell that + the CS Jazz and get a Sadowsky VJ 4.

[pablo basso]

Originally Posted by Dinosaur Punk

I've got a M24-5 with Soaps in JJ positions:



I've had it about 6 weeks. My impressions are that it has great tonal variety. I also have a stock (i.e. all Fender) franken-Jazz with singles. My sense is that if the snappy bright single-coil sound is your ideal, then soap-bars in JJ positions might not be your exact cup of tea. Since I already had the single-coil sound in my tonal palette, I was shooting for something different but not completely estranged from the best Fender-esque bass sounds.

I also have an 1977 Alembic Series I. This might be a strange way to put it, but if my Jazz and my Alembic had a baby, it would come out something like this Sadowsky. There's great transparency of tone, and great variation in timbre depending on where & how I attack the strings. (which is a characteristic somewhat more of the Alembic than the Jazz). But the overall timbre doesn't scream ACTIVE BASS.

What's really nice is that just the passive circuit quite sonically interesting. Then you add in the option of the Treble & Bass boost and you've really got useful variety.

I've mostly been running passive and using pickup panning for tonal variation. I also dial in about 10% bass and about 5% treble and back off the VTC about 10% - this is a great sound.

I still feel like there's much to learn about what the tone circuitry of this bass can do.

One qualification: I had a question about this bass and Roger determined that the bridge pickup wasn't performing quite to specifications. Roger quickly shipped me a replacement which has only been in the bass for 2 days and which I have yet to gig with. So I've really only had a short time to form impressions with the pickups running at full proper specs.

Finally, the official word from the man himself, when I asked about soapbars in JJ positions: "It sounds like a J but bigger and fatter."

I generally agree with that statement, although in my case the woods were chosen not to be your classic Maple/Ash or Rosewood/Alder combination. To my ears, with this wood combination (Ebony board/Mahogony body/Walnut top), I hear more similarities to a PJ configuration than the classic JJ snap.

Final two qualifications:

• I'm definitely more of a meat and potatoes player - I don't slap much. So I haven't thoroughly explored that sonic territory
• Your mileage may vary

I hard to write lucidly about sound. I will try to post some recordings.

Many thanks for your input.

The "bigger and fatter" is what I am looking for.

I had soaps in a M5-24 which I replaced with Big Singles and those blew me away. (Still do in my NYC5-24).

What I really like is that growl that you get on an ash/maple combo, but would like a little more meat to the sound than the normal SCs.

The mid circuit on the Will lee probably adds another flavour... (and the blocks probably add their mojo to the sound)

I might see with the man himself after his well-earned holiday break...

...Life's choices are never easy....

Meanwhile, MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY FELLOW SADOWSKY FREAKS!!!

[pickles]

Originally Posted by michricker

Hey all. I'm about to have my first vintage NYC 5 sadowsky coming in mail Monday.

Here is the bass

http://www.sadowsky.com/stock/view/4688.html

Really looking forward to give this one a shot. My understanding this bass was bought new by the US military and used by one of their touring elite bands. It would be cool to learn a little more on its adventures around the world. Bass looks near mint from seller pics. This spec doesn't seem to common for some reason so I'm hoping its a good one for me.

I'm dying for an ash/braz sadowsky, and if I get another 5 I want the 1 3/4 nut. So I'm very jealous right now!

[michricker]

Thanks I'm really looking forward to trying it tomorrow. Bought it quick once it went up for sale with limited pictures so hoping its in great shape. Said it comes with a case, not sure what kind.

[Musicfreak1988]

All my Sadowsky basses were ash / braz and I'm very happy about the tone! My WL5 is ash / amazon. Can't get braz anymore since I live in Europe.

My upcoming 24F5 will be mahogany / ebony... In the future, I'd like an ash / maple... Ah, one can dream .

[michricker]

Since its about 30degrees cold here in Michigan and the bass is scheduled to arrive tomorrow via ups are there any concerns with the bass being in the cold? Any special precautions I should do? I'm assuming its on some truck right now or maybe a warehouse exposed to the cold temps?

[NOLA Bass]

Originally Posted by michricker

Since its about 30degrees cold here in Michigan and the bass is scheduled to arrive tomorrow via ups are there any concerns with the bass being in the cold? Any special precautions I should do? I'm assuming its on some truck right now or maybe a warehouse exposed to the cold temps?

Leave it in the box and case to acclimate to inside temp for a few hours at the most and you'll be fine.

[Joelc73]

Originally Posted by NOLA Bass

Leave it in the box and case to acclimate to inside temp for a few hours at the most and you'll be fine.

This

[Dinosaur Punk]

Originally Posted by NOLA Bass

Leave it in the box and case to acclimate to inside temp for a few hours at the most and you'll be fine.

My first Sadowsky came to Chicago in December. I let it warm to inside air in the case. Not only was it fine when I finally pulled it out, it was still in _tune_. Hard to wait, though...

[MikeBass]

The "Club" stats....
Founded 12/23/2007 at 9:41PM EST
So this year is celebrating FIVE YEARS of the Sadowsky Club!!!!
CONGRTAS EVERYONE!!!!!

So, numbers:
1,771,000 views!
30,800 posts!!!!!

When I started the "Club" I didn't imagine it would run this long with this much traffic.
Roger & Company....from "the club":
Thank you for making some of the finest musical instruments available.
Thank you for the flat out best customer service that some of us have ever known.
Thank you for treating myself, and pretty much every one here as if they are high profile players even though some of us are working pros, semi-pros, just weekend warriors or bedroom rock stars- you don't care- you treat us all with the same level of service and respect as any other player who contacts you.
Thank you for taking the time to come here on Talkbass and interact with us as "just one of us" and poke fun and have a general good time here (and putting up with the likes of Vic... ).
So, from all of 414 (or more can't find last count!) of us here in "the Club" may you and the whole crew have a wonderful and relaxing Christmas holiday.

MikeBass, founder and Club Member #2

[Holdsg]

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Awesome club stats.

[bikeplate]

Hi

Except for Vic, this club is the greatest. Lol

Rob