That "Sadowsky Sound"

[Modern Growl]

Originally Posted by bikeplate

Hi

My Sadowsky NYC 5 jj is under 8lbs and kills. In fact, I've had a few of them in this range and all were awesome.

Rob

Well duh, thats cuz it's a Sadowsky. His bass was some other builders ...lol

No, but all joking a side, I just cant get into the ultra light weights... Regardless of builder. Something about the bottom end bloom... I've played many, but always prefer 8.5-9.0 for a 4-stringer...

No better or worse, just personal preference. Strokes for folks...

[bikeplate]

Hi

You're right, it was another builder. Sorry


I don't have pics of them all. Me and my gf wrote them all down a couple months ago. I think the grand total of owned is 25 and I've got one more in mind. Lol

Anyone interested in a will lee proto?

Lol

Rob

[johndough247]

Originally Posted by bikeplate

Hi

Anyone interested in a will lee proto?

Noting the absence of a price in previous post, SURE I'll take it off your hands for free

[bikeplate]

Hi

Well, you at least have to pay for me to ship it to you. Lol

Rob

[Hounddog]

I just love the way my Sadowsky Basses sound with my band. Im not a solo player so thats what its all about for me. I have owned a lot of very nice basses and havent played anything but Sadowsky for a couple of years now. I cant answer your questions on how or why they sound like they do. I just hear what I hear and like it. I wont go in to detail about playability, Fit, Finish etc because you didnt ask about that. But I can assure you its top notch.

[THORRR]

Originally Posted by B.Anderson

What direction from Boulder are you?

I'm in Parker, Southeast of Denver. I've been to Premier Bass. It's a great store and Dan is very knowledgeable, but
I would never expect him to loan me a hi-line instrument to
"try".

His is the only store I'm aware of that carries this calibre
of bass here.

[B.Anderson]

well if your you're ever headed to SLC we could get together I've got 3 basses for you to try.

Originally Posted by THORRR

I'm in Parker, Southeast of Denver. I've been to Premier Bass. It's a great store and Dan is very knowledgeable, but
I would never expect him to loan me a hi-line instrument to
"try".

His is the only store I'm aware of that carries this calibre
of bass here.

[CamMcIntyre]

Originally Posted by THORRR

Thanks Rob - I appreciate yours and everyone who wrote
sharing your knowledge on Sadowskys.
I wish I could find a Sad anywhere around here. Closest dealer is up near Boulder CO and I doubt he'll lend me one for gigging. I'd love to give the extremely well reputed Sadowskys a break and play one a short while.
If I fell in love with it I'd buy it. Period. I'd love to fall in love with
one. But short of a local miracle, I only hope I live that long.

Don't be afraid to get a Metro for a more affordable Sadowsky experience. There's a link on the Sadowsky site that talks about the differences. For me, it made sense. I didn't want a maple top, wasn't overly concerned about weight, and wanted about as basic as you can get.

I've had many of the same experiences that the others have talked about. I play a Metro 5-24 (maple/ash). It just works.

The first gig I took it on I was subbing in with a pop band at a nice size bar in Chicago (I forget what it is called, it's just off the Green Line near Clinton), and the sound guy said "I love your bass sound. It has actual tone!"

I played it on a 6 month long run of "Cats" with some guys that I had just finished up a 2-3 month long run of a different show with. On the previous show, I played a different bass...they all commented on how much better this one sounds.

I'll admit, the sound of the bass solo is good, but it pales in comparison to how it sits in a mix. I normally leave my amp flat, do a slight bass boost on the onboard, and then use the VTC to fit the room/venue. It varies from being half way on to being mostly off. I also use the stainless steel Sadowsky strings, so the VTC can help take some of the brightness out.

It sits in this awesome place, where it supports yet doesn't get buried. Lots of bottom, but not muddy, present treble without being harsh.

[Calaverasgrande]

Originally Posted by SJan3

Clotted and stuffy?? More pros play Fender than Sadowsky. I won't bother listing them.
Sadowsky=different than Fender. I got rid of my Sadowsky because I found the Fender tone with my other Jazz Bass and outboard Sadowsky pre amp to be the sonic equal of the Sadowsky at a fraction of the cost.

More Pros play through Boss pedals than Malekko pedals. Which has no bearing whatsoever on which company makes a better pedal.
I actually like Fender just dandy. IMHO the best Fenders are the ones that have a slightly nasal kind of resonance. It might sound like a negative adjective or that I am putting down Fenders by saying, "Nasal" or "clotted". But that's just what comes to mind for me. I also think Ampeg SVT's sound nasal in a good way. (And I think Stingrays sound like they have buck teeth too, I happen to own several of those despite that)
As it stands I own neither Fender or Sadowsky. But this year I decided I need a Jazz bass. So I plan on buying one or the other, contingent on how much I need to spend on my car. Stupid right front axle bearing...

[THORRR]

Originally Posted by B.Anderson

well if your you're ever headed to SLC we could get together I've got 3 basses for you to try.

Thanks for the kind offer! That's very generous -

[MAJOR METAL]

I would say a very tight and defined tone. Even notes across the spectrum.

[thisSNsucks]

Originally Posted by MAJOR METAL

I would say a very tight and defined tone. Even notes across the spectrum.

+1

Comparing my '66 Fender Jazz (alder/rosewood) to my Sadowsky (ash/maple) the Sadowsky has more clarity and eveness to the notes, even in passive mode.

[bass12]

Originally Posted by ElMon

I have a disease myself: I keep getting rid of perfectly great Sadowsky basses because I get enticed by the more hi-fi and complex sound of builders like Ken Smith, Roscoe, Mike Tobias.
Those basses have such a more woodier sound IMO and a more complex midrange character..........but they never make me or my bandmates as happy in a mix.

Can't tell you how many times I've had musicians on other instruments tell me that the Sadowsky basses I've played 'is what a bass should sound like', or that 'every note is big and fat but clear'. And these folks know nothing about basses generally, except when you bring a real midrange heavy boutique bass that won't sit with the other instruments and sounds disjointed, or that has such subterranean lows and singing highs that it overpowers the rest of the band.

Roger's basses, whether live or in the studio, sound like a bass that has been put through the best tube preamps and compressors, and have been perfectly mixed by a competent engineer. And all of that is coming straight out of the output jack.

IMO/IME/YMMV/I'll never stop lusting after coffee-table six strings/etc.

You need to hang with my sound guys more. While I've had lots of great feedback regarding my Sadowsky (a bass I actually don't play very often) I've gotten just as much praise for the sound of my MTDs.

[ElMon]

Originally Posted by bass12

You need to hang with my sound guys more. While I've had lots of great feedback regarding my Sadowsky (a bass I actually don't play very often) I've gotten just as much praise for the sound of my MTDs.

Depends on the mix IME. I've had 6 MTD's over the years, and provided I have lot of sonic space to sit in, such as a neo-soul band with only a keyboard player as the chordal instrument, then they just killed. And to this day I find a tulipwood/myrtle topped MTD with an all wenge neck/board to be IMO the ultimate in slap tone.

But....

IME as soon as you add in two guitar players on top of that keyboard player it becomes a sonic mess and I would spend all my time fiddling with the mid control and my amp. Never had that problem with any Sadowsky I've owned. And again, YMMV.
I'll also give some serious props to MTD's in the studio. I did a hard-edged rock session several years back, and that growly and full-range tone was PERFECT. Again, that was with the wenge/tulipwood combo.

[bass12]

Originally Posted by ElMon

Depends on the mix IME. I've had 6 MTD's over the years, and provided I have lot of sonic space to sit in, such as a neo-soul band with only a keyboard player as the chordal instrument, then they just killed. And to this day I find a tulipwood/myrtle topped MTD with an all wenge neck/board to be IMO the ultimate in slap tone.

But....

IME as soon as you add in two guitar players on top of that keyboard player it becomes a sonic mess and I would spend all my time fiddling with the mid control and my amp. Never had that problem with any Sadowsky I've owned. And again, YMMV.

My mileage definitely varies. I play in a fourteen piece band with keys, guitar, four strings and three horns and have never had a problem. Of course, not all MTDs sound the same, but with my alder/maple/rosewood and ash/wenge/wenge 535s I sit very well in the mix with no fiddling necessary.

[ElMon]

Originally Posted by bass12

My mileage definitely varies. I play in a fourteen piece band with keys, guitar, four strings and three horns and have never had a problem. Of course, not all MTDs sound the same, but with my alder/maple/rosewood and ash/wenge/wenge 535s I sit very well in the mix with no fiddling necessary.

It's those pesky guitar players, especially if they are distorted, that get in the way of the MTD goodness I had going on. And I always wanted to try and alder/rw MTD. Bet that kills.

[Roscoe East]

Originally Posted by burk48237

I have gotten more compliments from FOH sound guys with Sadowsky than all the others combined.

Perhaps ironically, I got turned on to Sadowsky basses not by other bass players, but by other sound engineers (both studio & live guys). They were consistently citing the Sadowsky by name as being the best sounding basses they'd come across.

[bass12]

Originally Posted by ElMon

It's those pesky guitar players, especially if they are distorted, that get in the way of the MTD goodness I had going on. And I always wanted to try and alder/rw MTD. Bet that kills.

The alder combo has been my main bass since I got it. It's got all the punch of my ash wenge but is less sharp sounding (I don't mean pitch-wise!) in the high end. It produces a very full-bodied sound but maintains that MTD focus and full-rangedness. Very versatile and is great for slapping. I've also owned six MTDs. Some didn't work as well for me (the ash/ash/maple was one - ash/maple/maple was another) but the alder/rosewood and ash/wenge give me exactly what I look for in a bass. And, of course, it's a privilege to also be a member of the Sadowsky family.

[Rutherford_Fan]

There must be something about precise adjustment of midrange that makes non-bass-players really notice us. I say this because, although not (yet!) a Sadowsky owner, I own a Musicman Bongo 5 HH. My bandmates and people I play around love my other basses, but when I first started using the Bongo around them, I constantly got compliments.

And the reason I know why is simple: The 4 band EQ with 2 bands in the Mid. It allows you to cut through the mix without sacrificing boldness nor inducing mud. I imagine that something similar goes on in Mr. Sadowsky's preamp, even if it isn't a 2 mid band preamp.

Just thought I would add that. And, reading this is making me reconsider what my next bass should be! I was leaning towards Spector, but the Sadowsky sound is something I need to consider for the benefit of my listeners (especially for recording and such). I don't like their body styles much, but honestly, that is secondary or tertiary to the electronics and sound.

[bassclef04]

+1

Originally Posted by bass12

I have hum cancelling Js in my Sadowsky and always keep both on full. I'll also mention that the VTC comes in very handy. I actually use the VTC much more often than I use the high and low frequency boosts.