Sadowsky pre-amp and pickup swap advice

jmiyairi · #1 11-29-2011, 03:35 AM

Hi, I have just bought a beautiful Sadowsky TYO (Japan's answer to the NYC range) 4-String!

For those who are interested it has a an Alder body and an Ebony fretboard. The previous owner swapped the original pickups to EMG-X's and the pre-amp to a Aguilar OBP-3. While I like the sound as it is, I want to swap the pickups and the preamp back to Sadowsky's original products.

My question is what difference this would make and which of these changes would make the biggest difference (I want to take it in steps because the guitar sent me broke!).

Thanks!

Ronen · #2 11-29-2011, 06:03 AM

Nice Sadowsky!
I think changing the pickups will have more effect; I suppose the EMG's are active.
You might want to post on the Sadowsky club thread, I'm sure you'll get a lot of comments.

jmiyairi · #3 11-29-2011, 08:33 AM

Thank you for the advice!
I thought about posting on the Sadowsky page but didn't want to 'highjack' the thread. Maybe I should . . .
I think the EMG's in the bass are active pickups. Do you think it would be a difficult task to swap them for passive pickups?

Ronen · #4 11-29-2011, 08:46 AM

I know little about active pickups but I'm sure the OBP-3 can work with passive pickups like the Sadowsky's. BTW, Roger Sadowsky used EMG's on early basses so the sound you have now IS the Sadowsky sound, in a way.
I love the bass, did you get it shipped from Japan?

WJGreer · #5 11-29-2011, 08:47 AM

I agree that swapping the pickups will have more effect than swapping the preamp. The OBP is a great preamp and so is the Sadowsky. The OBP is a little more flexible, as it offers three EQ points and cut/boost ability, while the Sadowsky is 2-band boost only. There's nothing wrong with the OBP at all - if it were me I might ride that horse a while longer.

Honestly, I've never heard EMG J style pickups but have wondered about them because the quintessential J tone seems anathema to the normal EMG tone approach. My very uneducated guess is that switching to Sadowsky J pickups would provide you with a substantially growlier, warmer tone.

I had Sadowsky HC5 humcancelling pickups in my Valenti J5 at first. Those are great pickups but are themselves a little on the hi-fi side for J pickups. Combined with the ash body/maple board construction of that bass, they were a little too bright for the tone I was after with that instrument. I switched to the Nordstrand NJ5 single coil pickups, which are a drop-in replacement, and found a tone about 30% darker than the HC5s that works much better with the bass.

Your bass is beautiful, and the alder body and ebony board will provide a slightly warmer, or maybe more midrange-focused, tone than mine - so the HC5s might be a perfect choice for you. I bet they would sound great with the OBP-3 as well. You can find HC5s in the classifieds here from time to time.

Nice bass!

jmiyairi · #6 11-29-2011, 09:06 AM

I bought this bass while I was in Japan

I think the Aguilar preamp came with the bass (something that I suspect Roger wouldn't allow) but the EMG's were installed afterwards. I know Roger used EMG's for a while (I think Jason Newsted used EMG's in his Sadowsky's as well). I was actually looking for a slightly brighter sound for this bass as I also have a 62 reissue Jazz which covers the fuller more mid-rangey tone so it sounds as though the Sadowsky split J's might be perfect! My only concern with the preamp was that the Sadowsky preamp is considered by some to be the "soul" of Rogers basses and I wouldn't mind having a passive setting and VTC on the bass which the current preamp lacks.

jmiyairi · #7 11-29-2011, 09:12 AM

BTW here are some more pictures in case anyone is interested!

WJGreer · #8 11-29-2011, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmiyairi

I bought this bass while I was in Japan

I think the Aguilar preamp came with the bass (something that I suspect Roger wouldn't allow) but the EMG's were installed afterwards. I know Roger used EMG's for a while (I think Jason Newsted used EMG's in his Sadowsky's as well). I was actually looking for a slightly brighter sound for this bass as I also have a 62 reissue Jazz which covers the fuller more mid-rangey tone so it sounds as though the Sadowsky split J's might be perfect! My only concern with the preamp was that the Sadowsky preamp is considered by some to be the "soul" of Rogers basses and I wouldn't mind having a passive setting and VTC on the bass which the current preamp lacks.

Good point. I hadn't thought about the VTC, which I agree is an indispensable option. Maybe less so when the preamp has cut capability, but I sure use it on my bass all the time. Aside from my right hand, it's the single largest factor contributing to tone differences.

I would probably avoid the Sadowsky single coil Js in favor of the HC5s, considering your tone goal and the construction of that bass.

jmiyairi · #9 11-29-2011, 09:21 AM

Oh by split Js I mean the Humcancelling pickups not the single-coils (or PJs). I think that is what Sadowsky calls them

WJGreer · #10 11-29-2011, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmiyairi

Oh by split Js I mean the Humcancelling pickups not the single-coils (or PJs). I think that is what Sadowsky calls them

Agree.

jeffwo · #11 11-29-2011, 09:27 AM

Beautiful bass, but I hate the pickguard!

**smperry** · #12 11-29-2011, 09:46 AM

Wow, nice bass.

Just out of curiosity, could you describe a bit more how the EMGs sound?

Nino Valenti · #13 11-29-2011, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmiyairi

...I wouldn't mind having a passive setting and VTC on the bass which the current preamp lacks.

Wire a Volume/Volume stack in the 1st hole and a VTC w/a preamp bypass in the 2nd hole. (Assuming the Preamp bypass isn't on the Mid Control.)

bassgod0dmw · #14 11-29-2011, 02:24 PM

Is that a BAII bridge on there as well?

bikeplate · #15 11-29-2011, 02:53 PM

HI

My opinion is the preamp is much more of a difference than pickups. Ive owned Sadowskys with EMG's, Nordstrands, Dimarzios, etc. The preamp is the key. Id go Sadowsky pre with Sadowsky single coils

Rob

jmiyairi · #16 11-29-2011, 05:46 PM

In my opinion the EMG's sound very clean and a bit glassy, no discernible hum at all, but it is hard to know what sound is attributable to what! The sound doesn't break up like on some hot pickups, I guess they sound a bit clinical - which is good and bad.

The preamp has a push pull toggle on the midrange knob which I suspect alters the Q of the midrange adjustment. I'm fairly sure this the knob on the Sadowsky preamp that switches from active to passive and acts as the VTC. I'm afraid of messing with the bass two much and doing a lot of wiring, and the aim of the modifications was really to return the bass to standard spec, not no make it even more different

Yes the bridge is as Badass BAII, I don't know if it was standard. It is has a gloss black finish while the other hardware is matte black, and given that the previous owner wasn't afraid modding I wouldn't be surprised if it was added later. However, I won't be replacing that because I don't have any problem with it.

I quite like the pickguard aesthetically, and it will hopefully prevent the bass from looking like Wooten's No.1 Fodera Monarch

bikeplate · #17 11-29-2011, 06:00 PM

HI

Bass looks great. They did a lot of half clear guards years ago. I had a few different basses with the same looking pickguard. Its not that difficult changing back to an onboard Sadowsky preamp. Ive done it and im not by any means a guitar tech.

As far as pickups go, it all depends how you want the bass to sound. If you want to go passive at times and cop a vintage tone, get single coils.

Rob

SlingBass4 · #18 11-29-2011, 06:28 PM

Gorgeous bass! Do what you need to do to make it your own (and more of a true Sadowsky) - I respect that. I'm confident a call to the shop for suggestions would be well worth the dime. Good fortune on the project, and let those of us (even if I'm not a member) who frequent the site follow in the transformation. I've had the pleasure of talking with Roger, and he plus any of the staff would assist as allowed and/or needed

jmiyairi · #19 01-04-2012, 03:47 AM

Thank you for all your help so far!

A problem has arisen where when I play an open E-string there is a bit of distortion/electronic buzzing that accompanies the normal sound. I have tried replacing the battery to no avail, and this problem does not occur with my other bass (62' Jazz reissue - nor did it occur before and I have not changed a thing!.

I have ordered some Sadowsky single coils but I suspect this is a problem with the pre-amp. I have looked inside the control cavity and it looks pretty neat and tidy but there is only one 9V battery - I have heard that the OBP-3 can be powered by two and I thought the pickups (which I believe are EMG JX's) were powered, but I can't understand how they could be powered off the same battery?! Any help would be greatly appreciated.

MG Bass · #20 01-04-2012, 05:22 PM

I'd get in touch with Bass Gear Direct in Sydney who is the Sadowsky dealer for Australia and should be able to sort it out for you. They also sell Sadowsky accessories if you need to replace anything.