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A stunning experience AKA first time playing a Sadowsky

#101
I just got back from a country gig in England and the bass player for the opening act on Friday came up and wanted to look at my pedalboard. He had never heard his amp sound that good. It was a GK amp and cab. What he didn't probably realize is that it was my Sadowsky MS5 that was changing his amp. He had a nice looking Cort 5. Since I never know what the backline will be (sometimes no backline) my pedalboard has a tuner, an AB box, a BBE Sonic Stomp and a Demeter Compulator. What ever amp I get, I just run it flat and defeat the shape controls and built in compressor. I get a lot of complements on the sound of that bass. The MS (standard) series is a bit less expensive I believe.
 
#102
swrbass5 said:
Does anyone know if Roger does 18mm string spacing?
I just recently made an Atelier Z m265 my main bass (after almost 20 yrs of Stingray5's ) - Anyway, after getting used to 18mm, I'm loving it!
But after playing a few Sadowsky 5's, 19mm just seems too much of a stretch for me to get comfy with.
NYC's are my goal - just hope I can get that 18mm spacimg.
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Yes, you can. IIRC, if you go NYC, you can choose between:

4-string:

20-24 frets
1.5 or 1.75" nut width
9 or 12" fretboard radius
19 or 20mm string spacing

5-string:

20-24 frets
1.75 or 1.875" nut width
18 or 19mm string spacing
 
#103
monkeyland said:
I run the A/V at a local church and the bass player for the contemporary band walked in today with a brand new, natural finish, Sadowsky Metro MV5. After the service was over we played it a bit, and since I had my Mesa Subway rig in the car thats what we used(the bass runs direct only for the service). That might eventually prove to have been an expensive decision on my part.

I own some pretty decent instruments, American J, American P, MM Stingray, but wow was this a whole other world. And rightfully so with the price difference, but I'm kind of still in awe of what I heard. Obviously the bass played super smooth and was super light and balanced, but the E string on this thing was like nothing I've ever heard. Super deep, vet defined. At first I questioned whether it was tuned to pitch because it kind of sounded like an E thats been dropped a step, but it was definitely tuned. It just had so much fundamental and weight to all of the notes.

I really like my current jazz bass a lot. I installed an Aguilar OBP-1 in it a couple of years ago and it's been my number one for a while now, but after hearing THAT coming out of MY amp, I might have to start saving for an MV4.
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I know ill get slammed for this but the best asses are the ones you build yourself. Cutbthe body to fit you and no one else, eo everything carefully, buy the best parts and you cant miss. I have a wood bass and a non wood bass i built myself the facyltory ones are all gone. Just didnt have anything in them i liked.
 
#104
hombass said:
I know ill get slammed for this but the best asses are the ones you build yourself. Cutbthe body to fit you and no one else, eo everything carefully, buy the best parts and you cant miss. I have a wood bass and a non wood bass i built myself the facyltory ones are all gone. Just didnt have anything in them i liked.
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Yep. Not sure what to do with any of that.:bag:
 
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#107
hombass said:
I know ill get slammed for this but the best asses are the ones you build yourself. Cutbthe body to fit you and no one else, eo everything carefully, buy the best parts and you cant miss. I have a wood bass and a non wood bass i built myself the facyltory ones are all gone. Just didnt have anything in them i liked.
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I can simply not believe without any knowledge in building instrument, you can make better basses that those Sadowsky, Lull or any high end instruments. Building an instrument is not simply assembling parts, it requires also a bigger knowedge.
 
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#108
I've loved mine and will add more to the collection soon!

IMG_1886.JPG
 
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#113
I never touched nor played a Sadowsy, and don't want to because I don't want what happened to the OP, to happen to me. And it probably would.

Just wanna say though if it's any help... I am EXTREMELY cautious of my first impressions with any bass. The room, the stage, the acoustics, etc. can shape the sound of a bass as much as the bass and amp can. I remember playing 2 separate gigs in one day a many years back, with the same setup. First gig I wondered what happened. Thought my bass just died. The sustain was out the window, I had to work really hard to get it to do what I wanted, I wasn't having any fun at all - then evening rolled around. We played a much smaller club with a wooden stage where the acoustics were optimal, and it felt like there was a $10,000 difference in my instrument. Had it been the first time I was playing that bass at the first gig, you couldn't have given that bass away to me, 2nd gig it was worth thousands.

Not saying this to steer you away from a Sadowsky (as I said, I never played one), but saying it, well... for myself to hear :).

Good luck with whatever you choose to do.
 
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#114
I have had EBMM, Warwicks, Fenders (US), and even Dingwall. While my Sadowsky NYC is not my favorite bass to play at home, it just kills live. I dont know why but the tone just works in a band setting. It is clear, defined, and cut through. Again, my Thumb and Fender Jazz sounds better at home, the Dingwall neck is superior, but he Sad is my gigging bass. Not even close.
 
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#115
foudufafa said:
I have had EBMM, Warwicks, Fenders (US), and even Dingwall. While my Sadowsky NYC is not my favorite bass to play at home, it just kills live. I dont know why but the tone just works in a band setting. It is clear, defined, and cut through. Again, my Thumb and Fender Jazz sounds better at home, the Dingwall neck is superior, but he Sad is my gigging bass. Not even close.
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Exactly my experience too! I almost never play my Sadowsky at home and mostly play my Lalkand 55-02. But when I hit the stage..... the Sadowsky is just the only bass I trust that and play. The way it sits in the mix is just incredible
 
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#120
I have three American Fenders that I love dearly...

I was picking out the woods for my almost-done Sadowsky (see avatar) less than 10 minutes after playing one for the first time. Better in literally every aspect and component.
 

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