I am with you. I have a Road Worn P which is 7lbs even. Love the bass; however, on stage I prefer my 8.8lb American Standard or my 10lb 77. It's just preference. I like the solid feel of a heavier bass.
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A stunning experience AKA first time playing a Sadowsky
- Thread starter monkeyland
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Turnaround
Commercial User
It will head in the right direction, but I don't think it will get you there. I have modded 2 Fender Jazz basses to see how close I could come to my NYC Sadowsky. On the first one I used DiMarzio pickups, an Aguilar 2-band boost-only preamp, and though it sounded good it was different from the Sadowsky. On the next one I put in a set of Sadowsky hum-cancelling pickups, a Sadowsky preamp, Sadowsky-style bridge and Hipshot tuners, replaced the nut with bone, rolled the fretboard edges - everything I could think of to make it as close to my NYC as I could. Made a nice bass - still not a substitute for the tone and feel of the Sadowsky.
On the other hand, the Sadowsky pickups and preamp will make your Fender more Sadowsky-like.
I had a MIM jazz with DiMarzzio hum canceling pups and a Sadowsky preamp. While not exactly a NYC Sadowsky, it was a damn nice bass.
If I were playing a passive jazz of some kind and wanted that "Sadowsky-esque" sound, I'd get a Sadowsky DI pedal. Have my passive jazz sound when I want and kick in the preamp what I wanted that "Sadowsky" flavor.
I had a few Sadowsky basses for a while. I tried Roscoe and have been playing those for about 5 years now. I really like Sadowsky, too. If you want that "Fender on steroids" (sorry for the cliche) sound Sadowsky is a great choice. I do think they are a little over priced considering it's a "pas" bass (Roscoe cuts their bodies, makes their necks, etc) but still a great bass. Best 4 string jazz I have owned. I have yet to try a Roscoe Classic.
If I were playing a passive jazz of some kind and wanted that "Sadowsky-esque" sound, I'd get a Sadowsky DI pedal. Have my passive jazz sound when I want and kick in the preamp what I wanted that "Sadowsky" flavor.
I had a few Sadowsky basses for a while. I tried Roscoe and have been playing those for about 5 years now. I really like Sadowsky, too. If you want that "Fender on steroids" (sorry for the cliche) sound Sadowsky is a great choice. I do think they are a little over priced considering it's a "pas" bass (Roscoe cuts their bodies, makes their necks, etc) but still a great bass. Best 4 string jazz I have owned. I have yet to try a Roscoe Classic.
Was your buddy's Jazz an older one? I haven't seen an NYC that heavy since Roger started using chambered bodies. All of my NYCs have been 8 lbs or less. New 24 Fret is 7.4 lbs.
- Sep 11, 2016
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Some of the NYC's aren't chambered. Some customers don't want the chambering so I'm sure it could be possible to have a 9+ NYC model.
For your second bass, is it an ash or alder body? I am also putting in a set of Sadowsky hum-cancelling pickups and a Sadowsky preamp into my alder body Fender Jazz. Hope it works out fingercrossed..
Turnaround
Commercial User
It was an Alder body. My NYC Sadowsky has an Ash body and is a lot more resonant - I would say "lively". Also the neck on the Sadowsky is a much better grade of Maple, and the fingerboard is Morado. All of this contributes to the sound of the bass. But I do think you will find your efforts will make the Fender more Sadowsky-like.
"Lively" is a great description. I listened to the demos of a few NYC Sadowsky bass with specs same as yours. With single coil, it sound very lively.. like how Jazz bass should sound like.
I'm excited about the upgrade.. The set is arriving this month in Thailand. Was you Sadowsky modified fender growly?
I decided with Humcancelling for my upgrade as the single coil can make alder bass sounds rather rough, and I approximate that the humcancelling would smoothen the tone and give the modern sound. I guess I wish for a smooth yet growly enough tone.
To me the sound of a Sadowsky is in the nosieless pups and pre. You have to like it uber smooth. You can make almost any slab of wood sound like that with Sadowsky innards. as they give most of the characteristic sound. Not my cup o tea but there it is.....
I disagree. Sadowsky sound comes form the pickups and the pre, but not only. The choice of woods, knowledge and skill of Roger plays also a huge role in the sound produced by his intruments
Many people tend to think a bass is just pickups and a preamp. That is total nonsense! It's actually way more than simply this.
If it was the case, we would all be luthers thanks the old wooden shelf found in grandma's kitchen.
If it was the case, we would all be luthers thanks the old wooden shelf found in grandma's kitchen.
You mean so when I put the whole Sadowsky thing in my Valenti and it had the same too smooth sound it was my imagination? That's empirical data folks. I know the two basses sounded *slightly* differently acoustically. But not so much with the same electronics. Just a tip to the OP. Maybe I should have qualified "slab of wood" as a decent build. Sadowsky's are more than a "decent" build to be sure. But that modern clean sound....I found 75% ....nonsesnse based on observations of reality. Very easily replicated. but......YMMV.
Let me preface this by saying I have owned 3 Sadowsky basses. I currently own 2 Roscoe basses. I've had Ken Smith, Modulus, Lakland, Warwick, etc. I love my Roscoe basses. My Century 5 is proably the finest bass I've had. Light weight, plays and feels great. Sounds great. Looks amazing.
I also have a Tribute G&L JB-2. I have some TI Flats on it. Cost about 1/3 of what my wife paid for the bass. It plays like any jazz bass I've owned. Really nice neck. My only complaint is it is heavy overall and has a little neck dive, all eased by using my super wide strap. People love how it sounds - especially for jazz trio/quartet gigs. I recorded a couple demos for the new cover band with it the night after I got it. Sounded great.
Makes me wonder a little why I don't just play it. Other than "needing" a 5 string, this bass would cover all my gigs just fine. Under $300 into it. Not the case for my Roscoes. Now, it's not a completely fair comparison, but it does make you think sometimes.
I also have a Tribute G&L JB-2. I have some TI Flats on it. Cost about 1/3 of what my wife paid for the bass. It plays like any jazz bass I've owned. Really nice neck. My only complaint is it is heavy overall and has a little neck dive, all eased by using my super wide strap. People love how it sounds - especially for jazz trio/quartet gigs. I recorded a couple demos for the new cover band with it the night after I got it. Sounded great.
Makes me wonder a little why I don't just play it. Other than "needing" a 5 string, this bass would cover all my gigs just fine. Under $300 into it. Not the case for my Roscoes. Now, it's not a completely fair comparison, but it does make you think sometimes.
Valenti has been working for Sadowsky many years..... That also tends to prove my point. Put some Sadowsky electronic in some low end bass and you will get 10% of Sadowsky famous tone. Put it in any kind of high end bass and you will get closer. It's also a matter of quality of construction not only electronics. Which is what I was saying earlier.
My point simply is, that noiseless modern SAD sound isnt 100% in the wood and stuff, theres ALOT in the wiring. So OP could replicate it at 1/2 the cost, unless club membership was as important as sound. Take a Lakland, Lull, Valenti, Fender, whatever, i.e. equip a well built J bass with SAD electronics and you get that smooth modern thing going on and no one will be able to tell it in a A/B. They are very well built bases, yet the characteristic sound inst as much in the natural build as it is in Roger's interpretation of a good tone and of course, the marketing need for differentiation amongst all those high end jazz bass builders. . IMHO.
Empirical example of what I speak of: For Sale - Lakland 55-63 / Dual J (Sadowsky pre & p/u's)
YET, I'm delighted the OP had a "religious" tone experience.....! and as someone said you cant go "wrong" with a Sadowsky. Unless your ears are tuned to a classic non-hc J tone.
Empirical example of what I speak of: For Sale - Lakland 55-63 / Dual J (Sadowsky pre & p/u's)
YET, I'm delighted the OP had a "religious" tone experience.....! and as someone said you cant go "wrong" with a Sadowsky. Unless your ears are tuned to a classic non-hc J tone.
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I know most of the audience can't tell but I can tell what I'm playing. The overall bass sadowsky makes is what I prefer. I also like having a passive Mexican fender P and a roscoe LG5. Each one unique and special to me. $600 p bass is just as important to me as the $6k bass. Each bass worth every dime to me
it's both. But saying you just have to put Sadowsky electronic into any bass to get Sadowsky tone is nonsense.
I don't play a Sadowsky so that people can guess what bass I'm playing. I play Sadowsky because it's too me the best instruments I've played yet. the only opinion that matters is mine, not the other's.
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I had two Sadowskys built with non-chambered bodies and they both came in at approximately 9 lbs - just as I requested.
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