• 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.

Club Sadowsky!!!

#28,421
Thanks Rob!
Still not sure if it's a long term keeper, but, unlike the RV5PJ and MV5PJ I had previously, it's sure not an immediate personal fail, sonically.

My amplification has changed a lot since I had those two, but this one might "have it's own voice" too.
 
#28,423
JimS said:
Those soapbars in J positions sound incredible.
I had this....

49901.jpg
Click to expand...

I totally agree Dr. Jim! I plan on having one at some point. :cool: :bassist:
 
#28,424
Modern Growl said:
I've grown to appreciate the P - I have a Fender Ash/Maple P (not P/J) and I see where it has its place. It's a fat, warm/pillowy sound that some tunes just beg for.

I've actaully seen where its changed the way I approach playing - less notes, more space and just pocket groovin. Its actaully great.

I do love my J's though - but I see a place for both. :)
Click to expand...

Love it!
Here's some wisdom posted elsewhere a number of years ago worth considering I think.
B.
Invalid Link Removed
 
#28,425
Blair:
I've now done two more jobs with the MVPJ5, these last two, I took only that bass.
I know even different basses of the same model can sound a little different from each other...I don't know if this one is that different from the other two Sadowsky PJ's I had.
I've changed my amplification from M9/UL410 to MBFusion/2x112; so there's that...

But I think this time, I've bonded with the PJ thing.
 
#28,426
Chef said:
Blair:
I've now done two more jobs with the MVPJ5, these last two, I took only that bass.
I know even different basses of the same model can sound a little different from each other...I don't know if this one is that different from the other two Sadowsky PJ's I had.
I've changed my amplification from M9/UL410 to MBFusion/2x112; so there's that...

But I think this time, I've bonded with the PJ thing.
Click to expand...

That's great to hear. Even if it's just for a change-up when the urge strikes. Maybe your change in what you now expect from it alters your perception somewhat too.
The amp: Sometimes the right sauce makes a grilled burger a different meal. :D
How did you find the 12" cabs worked? What about amp settings? Did you mess w/different amounts of the bass preamp? I wish I coulda bin there to hear history in the making. LOL.
B.
 
#28,427
Quick question from a possible Sadowsky buyer. I need advice on woods. What would you recommend for a fat tight sound that sits well in a mix but doesn't have any of that top end harshness.

I really like the way Will Lee's basses sound. But I also love that fat round P Bass with flats tone. IS it realistically possible to get these sounds from one instrument ?

Thanks.
 
#28,429
bonga_rascal said:
Quick question from a possible Sadowsky buyer. I need advice on woods. What would you recommend for a fat tight sound that sits well in a mix but doesn't have any of that top end harshness.

I really like the way Will Lee's basses sound. But I also love that fat round P Bass with flats tone. IS it realistically possible to get these sounds from one instrument ?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

IMHO getting nice sweet fat tones out of a SADOWSKY is not a problem regardless of wood choice. I have one with an alder body and Madagascar rw board and another with a swamp ash body and Brazilian board and they both sing.
 
#28,431
sps500 said:
IMHO getting nice sweet fat tones out of a SADOWSKY is not a problem regardless of wood choice. I have one with an alder body and Madagascar rw board and another with a swamp ash body and Brazilian board and they both sing.
Click to expand...

Cool. Thanks! I'm concerned about mids. Now a little history, of all the basses I've played I've found out that boosting the mids just a bit at around the 400z mark makes them sound fatter and IMO sit well in the mix.

Now, Roger's basses apart from the Will Lee model have no mid control but I've always been mystified as to how they're always and I mean ALWAYS sitting in the mix so well. They cut through and never have I heard a person say bad things about the way a Sadowsky sounds.

This is my only concern regarding wood choice - MIDS!

I know I'm bound to lose some mids if I go with Swamp Ash + Maple/Maple over Alder + Maple/Rosewood.

So here's basically my question, do you guys feel that getting an Alder rosewood bass will sit better in the mix than a swamp ash maple one primarily because of the amount of mids present in the bass due to wood choice ?

Thanks.
 
#28,432
bonga_rascal said:
Cool. Thanks! I'm concerned about mids. Now a little history, of all the basses I've played I've found out that boosting the mids just a bit at around the 400z mark makes them sound fatter and IMO sit well in the mix.

Now, Roger's basses apart from the Will Lee model have no mid control but I've always been mystified as to how they're always and I mean ALWAYS sitting in the mix so well. They cut through and never have I heard a person say bad things about the way a Sadowsky sounds.

This is my only concern regarding wood choice - MIDS!

I know I'm bound to lose some mids if I go with Swamp Ash + Maple/Maple over Alder + Maple/Rosewood.

So here's basically my question, do you guys feel that getting an Alder rosewood bass will sit better in the mix than a swamp ash maple one primarily because of the amount of mids present in the bass due to wood choice ?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Listen to this MV4 in a mix:


Cuts through extremely well.

Go with single coils for a more mid present sound (Humcancelling have a slight scoop to em').
 
#28,434
bonga_rascal said:
Cool. Thanks! I'm concerned about mids. Now a little history, of all the basses I've played I've found out that boosting the mids just a bit at around the 400z mark makes them sound fatter and IMO sit well in the mix.

Now, Roger's basses apart from the Will Lee model have no mid control but I've always been mystified as to how they're always and I mean ALWAYS sitting in the mix so well. They cut through and never have I heard a person say bad things about the way a Sadowsky sounds.

This is my only concern regarding wood choice - MIDS!

I know I'm bound to lose some mids if I go with Swamp Ash + Maple/Maple over Alder + Maple/Rosewood.

So here's basically my question, do you guys feel that getting an Alder rosewood bass will sit better in the mix than a swamp ash maple one primarily because of the amount of mids present in the bass due to wood choice ?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I have a Metro Will Lee 4 that is swamp ash/maple and a NYC V4PJ that is alder/rw. Certainly the Will Lee is s bit brighter and the PJ is a little darker w a little more in the low mids. However, they are so versatile, you can def get them closer in sound with EQ and the VTC. Plus, the Will Lee has the mid boost switch.

From personal experience, I prefer my PJ in my blues/roots/new orleans style band (range of styles from Steve Earle and Johnny Cash to The Meters). It creates a nice solid tone underneath 2 guitars and the keys. I prefer the WL in my rock and metal band. It cuts through those distorted guitars perfectly.

I used to own an alder/maple NYC with single could which was more in the middle of those two basses.


Maybe an alder Will Lee would best suit you?

However, the amazing thing about Sadowsky is that they all seem to sit so perfectly in the mix.
 
#28,436
#28,438
Well, looks like I'm back in and for awhile this time. Over the years I've gone through a couple of different 5-strings (PJ and JJ) and while there were things I dug about them, I never quite bonded (mostly due to neck width I think, and some internal biases I had about 2-band preamps). Flash forward a year or two and I wanted/needed a more "vintage" looking instrument for some gigs (relative to my Foderas). I decided to pick up an RV4-HPJ (only PJs for me) and it was cool. But I didn't immediately bond with it so I ended up flipping it. As the bass gyrations continued I picked up a Fodera Emperor 5 that I similarly didn't click with (note to self - no more 19mm spaced 5s). As it turns out, the guy who bought my RV4-HPJ was having a Fodera GAS fit, and I had been thinking about the Sadowsky. A deal was done, and the HPJ was back in the house. Messed around with it in the home studio and it was nice, though it is a different beast than the Fodera 4s. Took it to its first gig on Friday and swapped between the Monarch 4 and HPJ4. For whatever reason I was having a tough time getting the Monarch to speak between the two guitars and sound guy giving me little love. Second set I switched to the HPJ and was much better off.

Now after spending the rest of the weeked working with it I think it's a keeper. It is a different beast than the Foderas and it certainly doesn't replace them. But it is a great counterpoint and for some gigs is killer. I've surprised myself as I tend to prefer 3-band eq. But I think I finally figured out the Sadowsky preamp in my hands, and am liking the tones on tap with the PJ setup. The PJ setup in the Foderas sounds very different, though I can eq it somewhat like the Sadowsky. One nice thing about the Sadowsky is that about 30% bass boost gives really nice body without boominess. And the bridge pup has balls, giving a nice bridge tone and a great 50/50 mix sound. The VTC is also interesting in that it seems to affect the two pups differently. I like it pretty wide open on the P, but about 50% on the bridge.

Still plenty to learn, but this has reminded me one of the cardinal rules - if a bass plays well but you aren't crazy about the tone, be sure to gig it. Sometimes the basses that sound kinda harsh or meh in the bedroom/studio can kill on a gig. It still likely won't supplant the Fodera on jazz gigs as those extra frets and the particular bridge pup sound can't be beat. But I've filled a gap for some other gigs. Now just have to convince myself that I don't need a NYC version of the same bass.

running tunes tonight (trying to get off charts for more of the Steely Dan stuff)

sad-11.jpg
 
#28,439
^
Congrats on getting your bass back. Got one just like it that's an NYC. (ash/Mad rw.w/P neck).
Have fun learning some new Dan. Big fan myself & am going to re-do some overdubs from the "Everything Must Go" album as soon as I tweak my system a tad. I just pick it off the CD so I gotta keep on top of it or the fingering & phrasing gets lost w/ that stuff. Sometimes I'll write out my own version of tab as I go until I memorize it.
Would love to hear a sample of your Steely Dan w/your HPJ4 if you can post a clip of some kind at some point. Here's the only overdub I have @ present of the Dan w/the Sad' P4-PJs/flats. Kept it pretty close but put in some comfort level as well. I love their humour. ;)
Pan @detent, VTC full up, treble boost about 30% as I recall, for the flats, & just enough comp to keep the dynamics constant.
B.
Invalid Link Removed
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back