• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

A Non-Sadowsky Owner's Informed Opinion

#101
HI

Ive had a few that had subtle flame in them. Alot of luthiers stay away from birdseye for neck wood. Many have told me that it can weaken because of the birdseye areas being not as strong. Not my opinion, just what Ive heard

Rob
 
#102
Dr. Cheese said:
I don't give a damn if you are sorry or not. I was there and I heard my bass, and more to the point, a room full of TB'ers heard my bass. My Cort did not sound like a Sadowsky, it is a 55-94 style bass, not a dual soapbar bass, but it sounded great compared to the Sadowsky modern. If you can't believe that, don't. It doesn't change what I experienced, and it doesn't change the fact that some fine players, including some serious pros, were genuinely inpressed with my Cort.

Frankly, you are exhibiting the kind of highend snobbishness that some posters were refering to. I won't insult Sadowsky owners by singling them out because any brand fanatic can be a snob, but you certainly came off as the kind of person who hears the name on the headstock instead of the sound coming out of the speakers.:hmm:
Click to expand...

Cheese, Cheese, Cheese.... You KNOW I love you to and I was tying to respond to another poster in my last post. However, I have to say that while I don't necessarily agree with some of the above, I do have to fall on his side and say that his OPINION is just as valid and he has just as much right to state it as you do to post the original topic. I can't see why there is so much of a problem with that. While the 2 of you have every right to disagree, you both also have every right to state your opinions, no matter how opposed they may be. I definitely fall into the category of Sadowsky fan but I am really making an effort over the last few months not to get sucked into so many threads about them that wind up getting shut down. Your above post will certainly not help keep it open. Instead of going on the defensive try to step back and be above it. Just let the other guy post his opinion. Unfortunately, it is difficult to see through a computer screen and know what the other guy is really saying but just take it at face value and don't read anything else into it. I don't think he was insulting you, I think he was a little taken back by your comment. Just my opinion and my $.02....

Peace,

T
 
#103
My take is a little different than most.While I have long admired the sadowsky tone,over the years other considerations such as with at the nut,pickup options ect lead me toward the custom rout for my main gigging bass's.Last year I had what i call my Willnordowsky put together (body and neck by usa custom guitars,nordstand pick ups and a sadowsky pre amp)I wanted some thing's sadowsky currently didn't offer ('35 in scale for one) so i went the custom rout.Is my bass better than a sadowsky? I don't know, it's very subjective to what better is to you.I have had recording engineers ask me" is that a sadowsky?" because they were familiar with the tone and they liked it but i have heard similar comments about some fender jazz with active electronics too so maybe it has to do with a active jazz bass as much as the name on the headstock
 

Attachments

  • bass edit2.jpg
    bass edit2.jpg
    33.6 KB · Views: 54
#105
tommixx said:
Cheese, Cheese, Cheese.... You KNOW I love you to and I was tying to respond to another poster in my last post. However, I have to say that while I don't necessarily agree with some of the above, I do have to fall on his side and say that his OPINION is just as valid and he has just as much right to state it as you do to post the original topic. I can't see why there is so much of a problem with that. While the 2 of you have every right to disagree, you both also have every right to state your opinions, no matter how opposed they may be. I definitely fall into the category of Sadowsky fan but I am really making an effort over the last few months not to get sucked into so many threads about them that wind up getting shut down. Your above post will certainly not help keep it open. Instead of going on the defensive try to step back and be above it. Just let the other guy post his opinion. Unfortunately, it is difficult to see through a computer screen and know what the other guy is really saying but just take it at face value and don't read anything else into it. I don't think he was insulting you, I think he was a little taken back by your comment. Just my opinion and my $.02....

Peace,

T
Click to expand...

Tommix, I got annoyed with T-Most, not because he disagreed with me, but because I felt he was rather disagreeable in the way he disagreed.

Vic, I believe my points can apply beyond me, but I see no point about making a big deal about a simple difference of opinion. Bikeplate, I love your attitude. I feel you always make a serious effort to be positive.:)

Peace to everyone who has posted.:D
 
#106
Dr. Cheese said:
Vic, I believe my points can apply beyond me...
Click to expand...
I totally agree, but when it sounds like you're applying your opinion as fact, that's when you get into these situations.

but I see no point about making a big deal about a simple difference of opinion.
Click to expand...
Agreed, but it clearly bloomed into more than that because of how things were said, which was the problem.

Peace, and I hope you understand my goal here was to try explain how things went wrong. I don't know you real well, having only met you briefly, but what I do know of you is all good. I have nothing but respect for a man that knows what he likes and doesn't care if it jibes with the opinions of others. Believe that.
 
#108
Wow, all of this because I had a difference of opinion about a bass? I thought this was a open forum welcoming different points of view and experiences. My bad. I'll keep my opinions to myself from now on. :( Cheese, I'm not mad at ya... play on brother!
 
#109
T-MOST said:
Wow, all of this because I had a difference of opinion about a bass? I thought this was a open forum welcoming different points of view and experiences. My bad. I'll keep my opinions to myself from now on. :( Cheese, I'm not mad at ya... play on brother!
Click to expand...

T-Most, I have no reason not to think you are a decent guy. I know you are passionate about boutique basses which is cool. For what it is worth, back when I didn't have a wife and kids, I owned Alembics, Roscoes, Ken Smith, USA Spector, among other basses, so I actually have first hand experience with high end basses.

I also have extensive experience with high end and mid level factory basses. I happen to think that the best of the factory basses compare favorably with boutique basses. For instance, I think current Peavey Cirruses and the old TL-5 and TL-6 compare nicely with neck through boutiques, so it's not like I am just down on Sadowsky.

That said, when I can afford one again, I'll likely get another boutique or two. They have that little something that makes them worth it if you have the money.

Once again, I had no problem with you disagreeing with me. I didn't like your tone, but you are grown man, who am I to tell you how to write your posts?:)
 
#110
I think that Doc is on target here. After spending a couple of years playing a Fender American Deluxe J, going through a number of amp rigs and amp modeling devices, I decided to get rid of my bass and start over. The objective was to buy the 5-string that felt and sounded the best to me with a preliminary budget number of $3000 or less. I spent time in local music retailers playing the following:

1. Fender
2. Lakland
3. Sadowsky Metro
4. Mike Lull
5. EBMM
6. G&L
7. Warwick

There were things that I liked about all of the above. In reality, I could be happy playing a gig with any of them. In the end, the G&L was the one that most spoke to me and that is the one I bought. I liked it well enough that I bought a second one(fretless) and am now a loyal and vocal member of the G&L cult.

In terms of the construction and playability of these makes, I agree with Dr. Cheese that the G&L, EBMM, Lakland, and others of similar ilk compare very favorably with the Sadowsky. Where the difference lies (IMO) is that if you pick up 10 Sadowsky basses, you will find the quality level to be very consistent across all 10. With the lower price "mass produced, but near custom" builds, there will be more variation, with 3 of the 10 being excellent, 3 being "not-so-good" and the rest in the middle. I would say that you need to be more careful with the EBMM, G&L, Lakland, etc than you would with a Sadowsky in order to find a "good one", but a top 10% instrument from one of the "mass-production" houses is of comparable build quality to a Sadowsky.

For more tips on evaluating build quality, try:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=410186
 
#111
Jimtoonz said:
I think that Doc is on target here. After spending a couple of years playing a Fender American Deluxe J, going through a number of amp rigs and amp modeling devices, I decided to get rid of my bass and start over. The objective was to buy the 5-string that felt and sounded the best to me with a preliminary budget number of $3000 or less. I spent time in local music retailers playing the following:

1. Fender
2. Lakland
3. Sadowsky Metro
4. Mike Lull
5. EBMM
6. G&L
7. Warwick

There were things that I liked about all of the above. In reality, I could be happy playing a gig with any of them. In the end, the G&L was the one that most spoke to me and that is the one I bought. I liked it well enough that I bought a second one(fretless) and am now a loyal and vocal member of the G&L cult.

In terms of the construction and playability of these makes, I agree with Dr. Cheese that the G&L, EBMM, Lakland, and others of similar ilk compare very favorably with the Sadowsky. Where the difference lies (IMO) is that if you pick up 10 Sadowsky basses, you will find the quality level to be very consistent across all 10. With the lower price "mass produced, but near custom" builds, there will be more variation, with 3 of the 10 being excellent, 3 being "not-so-good" and the rest in the middle. I would say that you need to be more careful with the EBMM, G&L, Lakland, etc than you would with a Sadowsky in order to find a "good one", but a top 10% instrument from one of the "mass-production" houses is of comparable build quality to a Sadowsky.

For more tips on evaluating build quality, try:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=410186
Click to expand...

+1, I think you and I definitely have a similar view on this subject. More to the point, part of what I originally was saying was that it is possible to like a high end bass like a Sadowsky enough to want one, but at the same time not be blown away by it either.

And to respond to Vic a bit, the fact that I cannot afford a $2,000+ bass at the moment doesn't mean that I'm not open to admitting that such a bass would be a huge improvement over what I own already if I felt that to be the case. Instead, I feel that such a bass would be an improvement, but not a massive improvement. That still doesn't mean that it wouldn't be worth the money to me or someone else.
 
#112
I'm impressed! This particular non-worship Sad thread has the longest fuse of any non-worship Sad thread I've seen. It's come pretty close to the combustion point once or twice but somehow avoided breaking out into the usual pyrotechnics.

But, it's only a matter of time until someone comes over here with an open flame and then, well you know the rest...

:D
 
#113
Dr. Cheese said:
T-Most, I have no reason not to think you are a decent guy. I know you are passionate about boutique basses which is cool. For what it is worth, back when I didn't have a wife and kids, I owned Alembics, Roscoes, Ken Smith, USA Spector, among other basses, so I actually have first hand experience with high end basses.

I also have extensive experience with high end and mid level factory basses. I happen to think that the best of the factory basses compare favorably with boutique basses. For instance, I think current Peavey Cirruses and the old TL-5 and TL-6 compare nicely with neck through boutiques, so it's not like I am just down on Sadowsky.

That said, when I can afford one again, I'll likely get another boutique or two. They have that little something that makes them worth it if you have the money.

Once again, I had no problem with you disagreeing with me. I didn't like your tone, but you are grown man, who am I to tell you how to write your posts?:)
Click to expand...

Cheese, you are not the only guy here with a wife , kids, a house and a dog. I am in that boat too. I simply disagreed with you and all of a sudden I have to hear your life story and have you question whether or not I'm "a decent guy". None of that was neccessary. It seems you are taking this way too seriously almost to the point of gear envy. I mean you take every opportunity to explain why you don't own high end basses, but who care? You like what you like and buy what you can afford. I get that 100% but you don't have to sell it so hard because you're not unique in that regard. I get my gear from gig money. I am lucky enough to have a steady Gospel gig that pays very nicely.. ok good for me but to everyone else .. who cares, right? That being said feel free to flame on... and on but I'm done. :scowl:
 
#115
T-MOST said:
Cheese, you are not the only guy here with a wife , kids, a house and a dog. I am in that boat too. I simply disagreed with you and all of a sudden I have to hear your life story and have you question whether or not I'm "a decent guy". None of that was neccessary. It seems you are taking this way too seriously almost to the point of gear envy. I mean you take every opportunity to explain why you don't own high end basses, but who care? You like what you like and buy what you can afford. I get that 100% but you don't have to sell it so hard because your not unique in that regard. I get my gear from gig money. I am lucky enough to have a steady Gospel gig that pays very nicely.. ok good for me but to everyone else .. who cares, right? That being said feel free to flame on... and on but I'm done. :scowl:
Click to expand...

It looks like I irritated you, and I do regret that. If you think I am just jealous, you can always put me on your ignore list. I honestly tried to just have a discussion here.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back