Club Sadowsky!!!

[KJung]

Ok, regarding "for such a basic config", that's really mainly just about the newer chambered design. Roger did them mainly for weight, but reports that they did affect tone, which should come as no surprise, but that also the vast majority of the feedback was that the change was an improvement. The blonde bomber is "basic" by comparison... just a straight up solid body J. I don't mean to imply I expected it to perform poorly because of that. You just read too much into my post. No biggie.

On the chambers, I DO like their effects too... shades of cool... just different, and really, pretty subtle IME.

I would guess if you weight match a chambered and non chambered Sadowsky with the other spec's constant, you would not be able to hear a difference. Steve B's and mine sound almost identical.

 

[Fran Diaz]

I would guess is you weight match a chambered and non chambered Sadowsky with the other spec's constant, you would not be able to hear a difference.

I've had Sadowskys with same specs and very close in weight and the only difference being the chambered vs. solid body and I couldn't tell the difference.

My two Sadowskys are solid body because they have a transparent finish and I don't like to see the seam where the body meets the top. If I ever buy an exotic topped bass, I'll order it with an accent line or a dark finish on the sides.
It's a minor aesthetic issue but why have it there when I can have a P and a full body J that are only 8.35 and 8.2 lbs.?

 

[KJung]

I've had Sadowskys with same specs and very close in weight and the only difference being the chambered vs. solid body and I couldn't tell the difference.

My two Sadowskys are solid body because they have a transparent finish and I don't like to see the seam where the body meets the top. If I ever buy an exotic topped bass, I'll order it with an accent line or a dark finish on the sides.
It's a minor aesthetic issue but why have it there when I can have a P and a full body J that are only 8.35 and 8.2 lbs.?

+1 My guess is the reason my Sadowsky is not routed is that it met Roger's weight spec without needed to have any wood removed (and also the fact that the clearcoat finishes without a fancy top can probably be a bit difficult to route and reseal. I do like that 8.5-8.7 weight spec on the 5 string, and mine hits that nicely at 8.6.

 

[lomo]

I would guess if you weight match a chambered and non chambered Sadowsky with the other spec's constant, you would not be able to hear a difference. Steve B's and mine sound almost identical.

As I don my flame retardant suit, I cannot help but ask: If you feel that routing of chambers into the body will not make an audible difference, then why should body wood type? Not a troll, just an honest question that begs asking in light of your comment. Surely chambering will affect resonance and other physical properties of the body as a whole at least as much as intrinsic characteristics of the wood.

 

[KJung]

As I don my flame retardant suit, I cannot help but ask: If you feel that routing of chambers into the body will not make an audible difference, then why should body wood type? Not a troll, just an honest question that begs asking in light of your comment. Surely chambering will affect resonance and other physical properties of the body as a whole at least as much as intrinsic characteristics of the wood.

I agree with Roger that body wood type is probably the least impactful component of an electric bass guitar, all other things being equal. Much debated topic here, and would not want to see this thread devolve into that.

If you have seen the routing that Roger does, it is more of a honeycomb type thing versus big sound chambers. Again, primarily done as a way to keep the body weight constant and within Rogers very nice weight range spec. So, it is not surprising to me that when I've played routed and nonrouted Sadowsky basses that are roughly the same weight and spec other than routed or not, the tonal differences seem, at most, trivial.

 

[Vic]

I would guess if you weight match a chambered and non chambered Sadowsky with the other spec's constant, you would not be able to hear a difference. Steve B's and mine sound almost identical.

Actually, my chambered and non-chambered basses do virtually weigh the same and also sound a little different, but with that said, I'm not really interested in speculating about what may or may not be attributed to the chambers vs just being "a wood thing"... even though they're the same woods. I just don't think we could draw any useful conclusions from just one pair of basses. IMHO, Roger is the only one with enough comparative information to make a statement on what they do or don't do tonally.

I also forgot to point out one other perspective about "basic config"... that was also comparing it to other completely different types of basses, including modern designs with longer scales. I know it's easy for me to say as the owner, but it really is something kinda' special on the blonde bomber from my experiences with lots of sytles and brands of basses including other Sadowsky basses I've played.

Anyway, no biggie, FWIW.

 

[KJung]

Actually, my chambered and non-chambered basses do virtually weigh the same and also sound a little different, but with that said, I'm not really interested in speculating about what may be attributed to the chambers vs what may be attributed to just being "a wood thing"... even though they're the same woods.

I also forgot to point out one other perspective about "basic config"... that was also comparing it to other completely different types of basses, including modern designs with longer scales. I know it's easy for me to say as the owner, but it really is something kinda' special on the blonde bomber from my experiences with lots of sytles and brands of basses including other Sadowsky basses I've played.

Anyway, no biggie, FWIW.

Your basses are all different enough that it would be impossible to attribute differences in tone to any one component, like chambering.

+1 though, for what I consider the 'classic' Sadowsky tone, the ash/maple, mid 8 pound vintage/standard with single coils is 'the thing' IMO.

 

[jonno1707]

Ricky used an Aggie DB750(1) as long as I can remember. But here he is using an SVT rig. Hmmm

I wouldnt be surprised if the Ampeg rig had more to do with Alice's endorsement's than anything else...
Gotta admit that P through that rig is rockaliciouse...

 

[Vic]

Your basses are all different enough that it would be impossible to attribute differences in tone to any one component, like chambering.

Well, just to make sure we're on the same page, I wouldn't try to directly compare my blonde bomber with any of my other non-Sadowsky (and especially "modern") stuff regarding specific tonal attributes and their causes. Way too many variables to try to make sense of something like that (which I think is what you're also saying). My comment about other basses was more general and overall, and really, kind of mostly about the dynamic behavior of the B string. Just FYI on that.

 

[Fuzzbass]

Ricky used an Aggie DB750(1) as long as I can remember. But here he is using an SVT rig. Hmmm

Is Rickey using the SVT regularly on the show? Given that there are two stacks, I figured it was only there as backline bling for Alice's performance.

 

[Eskimo Spy]

Okay, here we go...

I can buy one of three basses.

1. 1994 Sadowsky NYC with VTC (needs to be installed). Drop D tuner, humcanceling Sadowsky pick-ups. Body is swamp ash, Morado fretboard. -- $2200 delivered.

2. New Metro UV70 RW '59 Burst. $2595 delivered.

3. New Metro RV4 Black on Black. $2250 delivered.

I really wish I could find a used metro, but one simply hasn't popped up for sale on TB, and I need to move on one quickly.

So, unless one of you wants to sell me your UV70, RS4 or RV4, which one would you go with? Does one stand out so far above the others that you would simply have to go with it, or is it simply personal preference at this point?

 

[p0k]

Get the NYC

 

[Eskimo Spy]

So a 17 year old NYC is vastly superior to a brand new Metro in your opinion?

 

[EagleMoon]

Is there a particular reason you want a UV70? If it's the bigger body, I'd say go with the new Metro UV70. Otherwise get the NYC.

 

[JeanBG]

+1 (get the NYC)

 

[roogbass]

Okay, here we go...

I can buy one of three basses.

1. 1994 Sadowsky NYC with VTC (needs to be installed). Drop D tuner, humcanceling Sadowsky pick-ups. Body is swamp ash, Morado fretboard. -- $2200 delivered.

2. New Metro UV70 RW '59 Burst. $2595 delivered.

3. New Metro RV4 Black on Black. $2250 delivered.

I really wish I could find a used metro, but one simply hasn't popped up for sale on TB, and I need to move on one quickly.

So, unless one of you wants to sell me your UV70, RS4 or RV4, which one would you go with? Does one stand out so far above the others that you would simply have to go with it, or is it simply personal preference at this point?

Oké, imho an NYC sounds thicker than a Metro.
Don't ask me why, i don't know, but the ones i heard/played brought me to that opinion.

 

[P. Bass]

Is Rickey using the SVT regularly on the show? Given that there are two stacks, I figured it was only there as backline bling for Alice's performance.

I suspect you may be right Ken. Given that the 2 stacks are not the same, it may be that they were the only 2 available to rent for the event. Alice may have requested them (2 stacks), for "bling" as you put it. I think Ricky still has the 750 for regular use.
B.

 

[Russell Bergum]

So a 17 year old NYC is vastly superior to a brand new Metro in your opinion?

The new Metro will have a thicker headstock and less likely to have a dead spot on the G string as a result. That's been my experience when comparing a new Metro to an older NYC.

 

[Vic]

The new Metro will have a thicker headstock and less likely to have a dead spot on the G string as a result. That's been my experience when comparing a new Metro to an older NYC.

Just keep in mind that dead spots can also often be addressed through careful wood selection as well as neck components (such as steel or graphite bars)... basically anything that changes the resonant behavior of the neck.

Back in those days, the dead spot case was so well known from folks' experiences with Fenders over the years, I wouldn't be surprised to find out Roger and the crew took some extra measures in wood selection to minimize the likelihood of a dead spot on his instruments.

But, only Roger can confirm that.

Just food for thought at this point.

 

[Infidelity]

The new Metro will have a thicker headstock and less likely to have a dead spot on the G string as a result. That's been my experience when comparing a new Metro to an older NYC.

I'm the owner of the NYC.. Absolutely no deadspots or no noticeable deadspot(I just don't wanna debate about the bass that doesn't have a deadspot). For a non-chambered body and weighs 7.8lbs that bass was pretty much a bargain! Btw, the reason I'm still unsure of selling it is because my GF doesn't wanna let go of this bass which is a rare and weird situation for most of TB'er.