Sadowsky Necks

MrGotBass · #1 07-27-2010, 11:28 AM

So I've seen lots of guys with Sadowskys, and they look awesome and sound really cool, but one thing I can't help but notice is this: It looks like you can land a freakin' 747 on the neck! Could anyone here who has one measure the nut and the end of the neck? I've seen their 5 stringers that look like boat oars.

Dan Knowlton · #2 07-27-2010, 01:12 PM

Their standard sizes are pretty common - 1 7/8 inches at the nut and 3/4 spacing between the strings at the bridge. Most of my basses have those dimensions and it does not feel wide to me.

Dan K.

Chasarms · #3 07-27-2010, 02:06 PM

I have two Sadowsky fives. I love the neck profile. I don't know that it is significantly wider than anything else, but they are certainly not chunky.

They have very comfortable depth -- probably thinner than many.

Fran Diaz · #4 07-27-2010, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrGotBass

So I've seen lots of guys with Sadowskys, and they look awesome and sound really cool, but one thing I can't help but notice is this: It looks like you can land a freakin' 747 on the neck! Could anyone here who has one measure the nut and the end of the neck? I've seen their 5 stringers that look like boat oars.

They also offer a narrower nut if you order a custom bass.

thudstaff23 · #5 07-27-2010, 02:20 PM

It's because when you look at one, your eyes dilate.

Fuzzbass · #6 07-27-2010, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrGotBass

I've seen their 5 stringers that look like boat oars.

Only when compared to narrow fivers such as the MusicMan SR5. As noted, Sadowsky necks aren't unusually wide. Many fivers have the same string spacing, including most made by Fender, the Ibanez BTB, etc.

MusicMan fivers are significantly narrower at both the nut and the bridge. If that kind of spacing appeals to you, then you probably won't be comfy on a Sadowsky. I'm the opposite... can't get comfy on MusicMan and other narrow fivers.

SteveC · #7 07-30-2010, 07:11 PM

I played a gig on my M5-24 the day I got it. I thought there would never be a neck as comfy as my Yamaha. I would never use the words boat oar or landing strip to describe a Sadowsky neck.

sok monkee · #8 07-31-2010, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveC

I played a gig on my M5-24 the day I got it. I thought there would never be a neck as comfy as my Yamaha. I would never use the words boat oar or landing strip to describe a Sadowsky neck.

+1 on that

Here's some info from their web site

Our 24-fret 5-string model features a two-octave neck to offer greater range on the upper register as well as the lower. The neck width tapers from 1+7/8" at the nut to 3" at the 24th fret. This results in a right hand string spacing that is approximately the same, string to string, as our 4-string bass. Two Sadowsky soapbar pickups are located to provide a tight punchy sound and to allow adequate room for slap style playing.

maconbass · #9 07-31-2010, 08:25 AM

A friend, who owns/plays a Ken Smith 5 and StingRay 5, recently borrowed my Sadowsky 5. Besides being blown away by the tone (and now selling the KS), he really liked the feel of the neck. He didn't expect that after being used to the narrow spacing on his other basses.

chris lykins · #10 07-31-2010, 09:23 AM

1+ to all the above. Ive played alot of basses and I find the NYC Sadowsky's to be almost THE most comfy neck Ive ever played. The only neck Ive ever felt a little too wide for my average size hands was a 20mm spaced Curbow.

Hawkeye · #11 07-31-2010, 09:39 AM

Yes, I think the Sadowsky fivers are a bit wider down by the 12th fret than some other basses. The fact that they have a straight heel instead of a rounded one like Fender tends to emphasize the visual perception of width. The Lakland fivers I have owned (Skyline 55-01, 55-02, JO-5) all were slightly narrower than the Sadowsky working up the neck. Down around 1st to 5th fret it doesn't matter, it's too close to call. My Ibanez BTB's were also very similar. Both the Laklands and BTB's have the same 1/4" bridge spacing as the Sadowsky but are about 1/8 narrower in the meaty part of the neck. My Reverend 5L is even narrower and is very comfy for a five string.

It's actually taken me nearly a year to get used to my Metro RV5 PJ's neck. It does so many other things well, so I tried to stay with it and it feels good to me now but your initial observations are correct, to a degree. The Sadowsky's are nowhere near as wide as the Fender fivers are though. The Fenders tend to feel like more of a "mitt-ful" to me.

vibhas_2310 · #12 07-31-2010, 10:42 AM

hey anyone checked out the necks at USA Custom guitars ?? Here's the link to a theread started by Dan Atkinson . he bulds some really cool basses at some cool prices . I wonder how jmuch is the neck shown in the thread similar to a Sadowsky neck :

FS: 5-String Neck by USA Custom Guitars, NEW

The only difference I could tell was that the truss rod adjustment bit is at the heel to facilitate the bar style string tee .

Anyone know about this ? Is this like a sadowsky neck ?

Cheers !!

Fuzzbass · #13 07-31-2010, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

The fact that they have a straight heel instead of a rounded one like Fender tends to emphasize the visual perception of width.

Excellent point about the squared-off heel. I will add that some Sadowsky basses -- the Modern 24 and Standard J -0 have smaller bodies than their Fender counterparts. These smaller bodies will of course exaggerate the width of the neck -- see here:

Sadowsky Ultra-Vintage models have Fender sized bodies. My favorite is the Ultra-Vintage P5. My next one will only have 20 frets because I wanted that vintage look. See here: on a standard-sized body with rounded heel, the neck doesn't seem quite so wide:

Here's the only J5 I could find with 20 frets:

vibhas_2310 · #14 08-01-2010, 10:07 AM

spade2you · #15 08-01-2010, 10:12 AM

Ken, very good observation on the square vs. rounded edges making it seem bigger. Very odd how they seem different.

As for the width, yes, when you have a 19mm string spacing on a 5, the neck will fan out like that. Had they not gone with 19mm string spacing, people would be complaining about that instead.

ghiadub · #16 08-01-2010, 10:15 AM

I have an M5-24 and it is very comfy, even with my small hands. It's my only 5er for this reason.

I am pretty sure Roger specs the necks to be exactly like a fender 4, but with the addtional string. Thus, you get a familliar spacing of a fender that takes zero time to get used to (if you are used to a fender).

Jerry Ziarko · #17 08-01-2010, 11:52 AM

I wish my MV5 had the same neck that my M5-24 had. (another regrettable sale) That might have been the best neck, (for my hands) I've ever owned. The neck on my MV5 is just a tad wider.

KJung · #18 08-01-2010, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrGotBass

So I've seen lots of guys with Sadowskys, and they look awesome and sound really cool, but one thing I can't help but notice is this: It looks like you can land a freakin' 747 on the neck! Could anyone here who has one measure the nut and the end of the neck? I've seen their 5 stringers that look like boat oars.

Per the above, their necks are quite standard at 1 7/8's at the nut (if you get an NYC, you can get the thinner 1 3/4.

The reason the neck looks quite wide on the 5 strings is (IMO) due to the reduced sized J body, which makes the neck look wide, since your eye is still seeing that body as 'standard size'.

SteveC · #19 08-01-2010, 12:32 PM

As I said earlier, I gigged my M5-24 the day I got it. It is by far the most comfortable neck I've played, and I've played a lot of them. Lakland, Smith, Modulus, Warwick, etc.

I would love to have a 24 fret, 5 string jazz bass. I know there's a new Metro model with that spec, but I'll have to wait until they come up used. Could be a long wait.

cripula · #20 08-01-2010, 01:31 PM

I have a Sadowsky Modern 5/24 and a Vintage 5. The necks feel fantastic IMO... and that's coming from a 4 string guy.