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Club Sadowsky!!!

#35,641
Hello,

Lately I've been on a quest to determine what bass would help me towards a certain tone goal. The goal is deep, wide, smooth yet defined, like Pino Palladino's tone in some of his nu-soul/R&B recordings. For instance, Can't Explain by Jill Scott, or 2000 A.D. by Erykah Badu.

Now I'm pretty sure he used a Moon Larry Graham signature with heavy gauge flatwounds tuned down 1.5 steps for those recordings. That's why I think a modern J-type bass would get me in the same area. The tone just is smoother and deeper than a P-bass, wich is to me a little grittier (also very nice, but I have that covered).

Would you guys think a Sadowsky Standard 4 will suit my needs? Or are Sadowsky too bright by nature for this?
I have no idea what wood or pickups are used by Moon. But the chances of getting a Moon in Europe might be pretty slim, so I'm looking for alternatives.

I know, I know, Pino's tone is in his hands. But I'm sure even he must sound different on a P or a J!

Thanks!
 
#35,642
BobaMosfett said:
...Or are Sadowsky too bright by nature for this?
Click to expand...

Sadowskys are NOT bright by nature: IMO this is a misconception that has developed from guys having a Sadowsky in their hands without really understanding how the preamp worked and boosting the treble to 10 as if it were a passive control wide open.

Can you get the tone your after from A Sadowsky? IMO and IME yes. You might even like how deep and smooth a Sadowsky PJ is (edit: I should say "can be" because this combo is also capable of many other tones).
 
#35,643
Fran Diaz said:
Sadowskys are NOT bright by nature: IMO this is a misconception that has developed from guys having a Sadowsky in their hands without really understanding how the preamp worked and boosting the treble to 10 as if it were a passive control wide open.

Can you get the tone your after from A Sadowsky? IMO and IME yes. You might even like how deep and smooth a Sadowsky PJ is (edit: I should say "can be" because this combo is also capable of many other tones).
Click to expand...

really? haha... you think there is a general consensus that Sadowskys are naturally bright because you don't think people understand that the treble is an active boost only EQ. i don't really buy that, sorry... I think it's developed that reputation for a good reason. I certainly agree that they're bright. With that said, it's a very musical brightness that I love and with the VTC it's super easy to dial it down.

but i really don't think it's just that everybody's stupid and misinformed when it comes to operating the controls.
 
#35,644
GroovinOnFunk said:
really? haha... you think there is a general consensus that Sadowskys are naturally bright because you don't think people understand that the treble is an active boost only EQ. i don't really buy that, sorry... I think it's developed that reputation for a good reason. I certainly agree that they're bright. With that said, it's a very musical brightness that I love and with the VTC it's super easy to dial it down.

but i really don't think it's just that everybody's stupid and misinformed when it comes to operating the controls.
Click to expand...

I'm not talking about Sadowsky owners (We obviously understand how they work ;))I'm talking about players that have tried a Sadowsky for a few minutes. I can even count a few guys that have tried mine and the first thing they did was to have all the controls wide open with the exception of the balance.
 
#35,645
Fran Diaz said:
I'm not talking about Sadowsky owners (We obviously understand how they work ;))I'm talking about players that have tried a Sadowsky for a few minutes. I can even count a few guys that have tried mine and the first thing they did was to have all the controls wide open with the exception of the balance.
Click to expand...

+1 - I've had a lot of otherwise knowledgeable bass players open every control up (i.e. all the way clock-wise) first thing when checking out my Sadowsky. That's too much of a good thing.

They still look at me funny when I explain the balance is oriented that way by design, though...:eyebrow:
 
#35,647
Dinosaur Punk said:
+1 - I've had a lot of otherwise knowledgeable bass players open every control up (i.e. all the way clock-wise) first thing when checking out my Sadowsky. That's too much of a good thing.
Click to expand...

The first time I played a Sadowsky I set treble and bass to 50% because I didn't know the controls were boost-only. I was not a n00b, just uninformed.
 
#35,648
barks said:
My RV4 is ash with a brazilian rosewood board. Works great. :bassist:
Click to expand...

Ivan M said:
Same for me man, my ASH/BRAZ rosewood NYC 5 was just the ticket.:D
Click to expand...

Very cool to know. Thanks!

Chasarms said:
If the two fingerboards are the same wood, i would expect the difference between ash and alder bodies to be very, very subtle. Not that it wouldn't be a great bass, I just would expect it to be in the same ballpark as what you have.
Click to expand...

Yes, I agree. I am aiming for "in the same ballpark" but not "identical" to my parcel of other Alder/Rosewood basses.

Chasarms said:
Brazilian RW is a very different animal than the various woods mostly offered as rosewood. It doesn't have that "mushy" vibe like the other "rosewoods."

I had a NYC with BRW. It was really more "ebony-ish" than one might think. In terms of feel, it actually felt more like the maple board basses I had than the morado basses.
Click to expand...

Interesting. I had heard the same thing about Morado, that although it's visually similar to Rosewood, it's sonically similar to Ebony.

Joebone said:
Had only one experience with Brazilian RW, but it was on a 5-24 that I believe used to belong to Chasarms (mahogany body, amboyna top), and was very surprised by the liveliness of the fretboard and neck. Ironically, my current NYC 5-24 is ebony/mahaogony/koa, and it has a much deeper and centered voice, which I truly and deeply dig. I'm hoping that whoever now has that Brazilian RW board is a slapper, 'cuz that axe was excellent in that mode...but I'm a fingerstyle guy.
Click to expand...

Interesting. I'll have to research further. I have other ebony-fingerboarded basses. I have had a Sadowsky with ebony and while it was an incredible instrument, my aggressive right hand did not work well with the immediacy of the attack that the ebony provided.

I'm a fingerstyle guy too...

Thanks, everyone, for the comments and info!
 
#35,649
Dinosaur Punk said:
Interesting. I had heard the same thing about Morado, that although it's visually similar to Rosewood, it's sonically similar to Ebony.
Click to expand...

I often read comments that morado is closer to maple. Regardless, folks believe that it's snappier than the usual rosewoods. That seemed to be true on my Fender RB5's.
 
#35,653
BobaMosfett said:
Hello,

Lately I've been on a quest to determine what bass would help me towards a certain tone goal. The goal is deep, wide, smooth yet defined, like Pino Palladino's tone in some of his nu-soul/R&B recordings. For instance, Can't Explain by Jill Scott, or 2000 A.D. by Erykah Badu.

Now I'm pretty sure he used a Moon Larry Graham signature with heavy gauge flatwounds tuned down 1.5 steps for those recordings. That's why I think a modern J-type bass would get me in the same area. The tone just is smoother and deeper than a P-bass, wich is to me a little grittier (also very nice, but I have that covered).

Would you guys think a Sadowsky Standard 4 will suit my needs? Or are Sadowsky too bright by nature for this?
I have no idea what wood or pickups are used by Moon. But the chances of getting a Moon in Europe might be pretty slim, so I'm looking for alternatives.

I know, I know, Pino's tone is in his hands. But I'm sure even he must sound different on a P or a J!

Thanks!
Click to expand...

A sadowsky with VTC is a great choice for that tone. Its a lot like that super popular modern country sadowsky tone.
 

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