My setup for yesterday. Really enjoyed it!
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LOL!
yeah, i also prefer the sound of a solid body, but i also hesitate to mention it because i definitely don't want to come off as implying it's inherently better, because it's not... it's just better for me.
I suspect the new open pore finish available on German Sadowsky's won't be for everyone but I really like it. Here's a close up of my PJ in Almond Burst to see the crazy grain on the Ash bodies showing the quality of Warwick's stash of Ash. Definitely different and has an organic feel.
i definitely like it, but only in cases where the top is not a figured/premium top. i've seen this kind of finish with figuring, and it's not bad, but in those cases i definitely prefer gloss.
A little Public Service Announcement™ …
I switched the terrible (in my opinion) Warwick Schaller style straplock system in my Metroline for the Dunlop dual design system.
I used the same screws that came with it since they fit inside the Dunlop dual design buttons - they were also longer and had different threading, so I thought it was smarter to stay with them. I also thought the rubber washer was a nice idea, since they snugged up really well and felt tight and solid.
Turns out it was a mistake.
I noticed something wasn’t right as I was putting my bass away after a gig on Saturday. When I did my usual “Sunday Maintenance” ritual yesterday, it was clear what the problem was.
Not sure how easy it is to see in that pic, but both strap button screws were bent AF. Upper horn bent worse than the rear … both buttons were barely hanging on and I’m really lucky I didn’t have a complete hardware failure.
I’ve played maybe a dozen gigs with this bass and I am admittedly a very active player - we play 80’s-00’s rock and definitely keep the energy up with a lot of physical activity on stage. But, I have never had this problem with Dunlop screws before.
Anyway - I switched them out with Dunlop screws … I’ll give the Warwick screws the benefit of the doubt and plea ignorance that I should not have used them with the Dunlop buttons, but I’ve never had anything like this happen to me before. Wanted to warn other pogoing, head banging Metroline owners who may have decided to use the same screws like I did.
Cheers!
EDIT: Here's a clip of the gig that brought down the screws... lol
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I switched the terrible (in my opinion) Warwick Schaller style straplock system in my Metroline for the Dunlop dual design system.
I used the same screws that came with it since they fit inside the Dunlop dual design buttons - they were also longer and had different threading, so I thought it was smarter to stay with them. I also thought the rubber washer was a nice idea, since they snugged up really well and felt tight and solid.
Turns out it was a mistake.
I noticed something wasn’t right as I was putting my bass away after a gig on Saturday. When I did my usual “Sunday Maintenance” ritual yesterday, it was clear what the problem was.
Not sure how easy it is to see in that pic, but both strap button screws were bent AF. Upper horn bent worse than the rear … both buttons were barely hanging on and I’m really lucky I didn’t have a complete hardware failure.
I’ve played maybe a dozen gigs with this bass and I am admittedly a very active player - we play 80’s-00’s rock and definitely keep the energy up with a lot of physical activity on stage. But, I have never had this problem with Dunlop screws before.
Anyway - I switched them out with Dunlop screws … I’ll give the Warwick screws the benefit of the doubt and plea ignorance that I should not have used them with the Dunlop buttons, but I’ve never had anything like this happen to me before. Wanted to warn other pogoing, head banging Metroline owners who may have decided to use the same screws like I did.
Cheers!
EDIT: Here's a clip of the gig that brought down the screws... lol
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i don't think the main problem was the screws. instead, maybe the rubber washers, and their allowing a little to much flex to happen... even if they feel "tight".
a lot of people don't realize how much bending force is imposed on those screws when playing... even without moving around and adding to that force. i found the very best solution is to always use felt, and screw it down as tight as you can without stripping. yes, the felt then gets super thin, but it's really only there to protect the finish a little bit anyway. the other thing I do is use a little bit of wood glue on at least the top horn strap button/lock screw... often just both.
that said, i do believe the dunlop screws are not only longer/bigger, but probably a harder material too. i have used "other" screws before, but i always save the dunlop screws because they're the strongest thing you'll find to fit inside the locks without modifying something from a store.
hope this helps.
Dunlop screws are shorter in length, similar diameter (maybe a tish thicker) and have a tighter, maybe more shallow thread.
Anyway, yeah - I normally use the Dunlop screws and the felt, but wanted to use the same screws and rubber washers so I had the Dunlop set as backup. Never considered this as being an issue.
They were backed in as tight as they'd go - in fact, one of the rubber washers actually sheared in half from the screw bending.
Felt and Dunlop screws are now in place - with a drop of Tight Bond, for good measure.
ima take another look. my recollection is they're a bit longer (tho this totally depends on the "other" screw i guess, and it's been a LONG time since schaller, so i'm sure you're right about those), but regardless of that, yah the thread is shallower, and i think that's because they are generally the same diameter but the rod/shaft/core (whatever it's called) is thicker as you say, making it much stronger against bending, which is why i think they're better.
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Warwick screw is considerably longer. 34.63 mm versus 26.40.
Thread diameters:
Warwick: 3.54 mm
Dunlop: 3.84
I’m unable to measure the shaft of the Dunlop screw since the threads go all the way to the head, but the Warwick is 2.75 mm and visibly thinner than the Dunlop, but not by a ton.
And just to be clear - I stayed with the Warwick screws because they were longer, I wanted to keep the threads the same (as to not further chew up the wood inside the screw hole) and assumed they’d be strong enough since they’re already part of an external strap lock system. The head was also small enough to fit inside the button, where standard strap button screws usually do not.
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right, but refresh my memory, when compared in the respective locks, does the schaller have as much penetration as the dunlop, or maybe even the dunlop with the schaller screw? i just always felt when switching the screw was going in farther on the switch. not a big deal, just curious.
An inch of toothpick should tighten and stabilize the screws.
First, I don’t think these are actually Schaller straplocks … I think they’re inspired by the design, in the same way the Streamer body was inspired by the Spector.
The packaging on them in the gig bag said “Sadowsky Security Locks” and they said “Warwick Security Locks” in a Warwick bass I had last summer, but I don’t believe they’re made by Schaller. I’m assuming they’re maybe licensed by Schaller since the design is identical, but I have no idea.
I do know that the Schiller locks feel a lot more substantial than the Warwick version … heavier and more substantial.
With that said, when inserted completely into the Dunlop dual design, the Warwick screw is still substantially longer and, again, this is why I used it.
I can’t speak if the same is true with the Warwick Security Lock buttons, but I’m not sure how that difference (if there is any) would’ve changed my outcome.
Not when the screws are bent. Familiar with that trick, but this wasn’t just a case of stripped-out holes.
Just ran across a set of Schaller buttons when tossing some other stuff in the junk drawer - not sure if these are identical to the Sadowsky/Warwick version, but I’m assuming they’re close and the results are still the same.
One thing that is clear is that this button style protrudes from the body of the bass a lot less, so chances that you’d bend the Warwick screw with this style of button is likely a lot less.
Scub, I have the same bass in 4 string, which I picked up during a 4th of July sale. It weighs 7.51 lbs., and the workmanship is perfection. I owned a NYC in the past but didn't connect with the JJ pickups, the PJ setup is just so magical to my ears. My other 5 basses haven't seen the light of day since it arrived.
Dang, that's really cool, congrats on that beautiful bass there!! I've played other instruments that had similar finishes on them and really enjoyed how it made the instrument feel more "open" for want of a better word. Not sure if it really affected the sound but it did seem to let the instrument vibrate noticeably more.
I'll have to take a closer look at those Warwick Custom Shop Sadowsky soon, I'd happily pay extra for that kind of finish on an NYC...then again, Lukasz has been cooking up something pretty cool and unique for me on my current NYC build so an open-pore finish or a Warwick Custom Shop Sadowsky will have to wait for quite a while.
bajocallao
Supporting Member
- Jul 13, 2006
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- Endorsing Artist: D'addario Strings, Aguilar Amplifiers
