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Club Sadowsky!!!

#34,525
Do any of you guys have flats on a 5 string Sadowsky? I recently bought a Fender P5 and hated the B string on it. It was dull and the tone seemed to warble on it. So I sold it and bought a Mike Lull P5 thinking the 35" scale and higher build quality would help with the B string. It sounds great with rounds on it, but when I put flats on it the B string again sounded lifeless and warbled. The B string sounds different from the other strings all together. I like the way it sounds with rounds, but I was after a 5 string P-bass with flats. So I am wondering how the PJ 5's of the Sadowsky variety sound with some good ole flats on board.
 
#34,527
Vic said:
WOW, you'd actually like to boost mids even more on such a mid-forward instrument? DANG! :)
Click to expand...

I thought the same thing too. It's not as mid-forward as you would think. The Mahogany body and rosewood fretboard combo make for an unbelievable punch and warm sound.

Think of Eddie Jackson - Operation Mindcrime sound. Did I just date myself there? :)

Its by far the best sounding 5 string I have. But, I would love to get access to some mids on the fly when playing out.

Regards,
Eddie
 
#34,528
FunkyMcNasty said:
Do any of you guys have flats on a 5 string Sadowsky? I recently bought a Fender P5 and hated the B string on it. It was dull and the tone seemed to warble on it. So I sold it and bought a Mike Lull P5 thinking the 35" scale and higher build quality would help with the B string. It sounds great with rounds on it, but when I put flats on it the B string again sounded lifeless and warbled. The B string sounds different from the other strings all together. I like the way it sounds with rounds, but I was after a 5 string P-bass with flats. So I am wondering how the PJ 5's of the Sadowsky variety sound with some good ole flats on board.
Click to expand...

In my experience, when we're not talking about the 34/35 inch aspect, string choice can be the most important factor in your situation. My Fender P5 sounds flabby with some strings, and utterly amazing with others.

Never tried flats on it, so I can't help there.
 
#34,531
roadkill2309 said:
In my experience, when we're not talking about the 34/35 inch aspect, string choice can be the most important factor in your situation. My Fender P5 sounds flabby with some strings, and utterly amazing with others.

Never tried flats on it, so I can't help there.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the input. I have only tried the Sadowsky flats on both basses. The Lull sounds great with rounds on it, but I am mostly looking for experience with flats on a 5 string. I am thinking that I should have looked for a Sadowsky PJ5 in the first place instead of wasting my time. My main player is a MV5 metro.
 
#34,532
FunkyMcNasty said:
Do any of you guys have flats on a 5 string Sadowsky? I recently bought a Fender P5 and hated the B string on it. It was dull and the tone seemed to warble on it. So I sold it and bought a Mike Lull P5 thinking the 35" scale and higher build quality would help with the B string. It sounds great with rounds on it, but when I put flats on it the B string again sounded lifeless and warbled. The B string sounds different from the other strings all together. I like the way it sounds with rounds, but I was after a 5 string P-bass with flats. So I am wondering how the PJ 5's of the Sadowsky variety sound with some good ole flats on board.
Click to expand...

I've used flats and rounds with various Sadowsky 5s.

For a while I had an NYC 5/24 P/J, alder/morado, 1.75" nut - great instrument. Tried TJ jazz flats, but the axe's own voice was better expressed by sadowsky flats. I was looking for a bit more of an old-school sound, and the heavier gauge worked better.

I've bounced between Sadowsky flats and TJ flats on several different 5/24 moderns. On this axe, I strongly prefer the TJ's - the modern is a great platform for the articulate mid-range of these strings, which frankly don't sound like flats when played with some attitude down by the bridge, getting that staccato Jaco bark, but then can sound a lot like an upright when played lightly, up over the fretboard. The Sadowskys also sound good on this axe, but the TJ/5-24 Modern combo is truly special.

BTW, IME, the 5/24 modern delivers the best 34" B string, consistently, regardless of strings - even more consistent than on Sadowsky JJ's and PJ's I've played. I'm concluding the pickups must have something to do with this - I even found it to be so on the 5/24 P/J.
 
#34,534
Joebone said:
BTW, IME, the 5/24 modern delivers the best 34" B string, consistently, regardless of strings - even more consistent than on Sadowsky JJ's and PJ's I've played. I'm concluding the pickups must have something to do with this - I even found it to be so on the 5/24 P/J.
Click to expand...

I had the same impression that the B on the Moderns just has a little bit extra compared to the JJ and PJ configurations I played (which had great sounding B strings too!). Do you think its the pickup type or rather the pickup placement closer to the Bridge that leads to this impression?

Is anybody having experience with the Soapbars in 60's J location and could describe how that affects the sound of the B string and the tone in general e.g. compared to the Modern or JJ?
 

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