I'd say maybe try some duncans, just standard models. Otherwise, if you like the hc's better, there's certainly no harm in that.
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You need leather pants. Every picture I see of you, you look like a rock star.
Corrected!
Hey Bikeplate,
By any chance do you currently have a bid on a Billy Sheehan pedal on ebay?
I would be interested is some more feedback on this. I have had a few folks return basses saying they were too dark sounding, which really surprised me. I would appreciate feeback on our current single coils, which we have been using for at least the last three years.
Roger
+1
FWIW, I've always felt the SCs in my Sadowsky basses were plenty bright on the high end... in fact, seemingly brighter in some ways than the HCs, at least in the 5 string versions, because the HCs I've played in the past didn't seem to have quite as much going on in the 2k range... a bit more modern/scooped... both had the same sizzle up top, but I always felt I had more overall high end in a mix with the SCs, which is one of the reasons I like them a bit better.
Again, FWIW.
BTW, I think I've read that the 4 string versions might be a different story, but I can't comment on that.
Damian Coccio
Supporting Member
Chef
In Memoriam
"feedback on single coils"
1)my first sadowsky was an older RV5 with HC's. I would have given up on the whole Sadowsky thing if Vic hadn't told me to try the SC's. This made the bass very much a winner for me. I believe this is inside that 3 year limit
2) my MV5 is just about my favorite bass ever. I ordered it new with SC's about 2 years ago, based on the above.
3) I have two Valenti's with Sadowsky SC's and preamp; one about a year old, one probably outside the three year period. these are my other two fave basses of all time. Three way tie with the MV5. One Valenti is alder/morado, on is a hollow ash/maple.
I'd say all three of these have plenty of lows, good grindy J mids, and plenty of top for me.
These three basses have a similar thing going on, but, they certainly do not sound the same.
fwiw: I typically run no bass boost, about 30% treble boost, and passive tone cut about 40%. Crisp and clear fingerstyle, and plenty of presence to snap the strings and get slap type high end response.
The HC's felt scooped to me, and ended up sounding like deep lows, and high highs, with not enough mid presence.
I have 2010 Nord ash/maple with their preamp and SC's in it that just isn't as aggressive as the Sadowsky MV5. I have a 2011 ( think) Nord alder/rw with SC's and two band that works well for me.
So: I think the individual bass, woods, assembly etc can also play a role in things, and that two same spec'd basses can end up fairly different from each other as well.
1)my first sadowsky was an older RV5 with HC's. I would have given up on the whole Sadowsky thing if Vic hadn't told me to try the SC's. This made the bass very much a winner for me. I believe this is inside that 3 year limit
2) my MV5 is just about my favorite bass ever. I ordered it new with SC's about 2 years ago, based on the above.
3) I have two Valenti's with Sadowsky SC's and preamp; one about a year old, one probably outside the three year period. these are my other two fave basses of all time. Three way tie with the MV5. One Valenti is alder/morado, on is a hollow ash/maple.
I'd say all three of these have plenty of lows, good grindy J mids, and plenty of top for me.
These three basses have a similar thing going on, but, they certainly do not sound the same.
fwiw: I typically run no bass boost, about 30% treble boost, and passive tone cut about 40%. Crisp and clear fingerstyle, and plenty of presence to snap the strings and get slap type high end response.
The HC's felt scooped to me, and ended up sounding like deep lows, and high highs, with not enough mid presence.
I have 2010 Nord ash/maple with their preamp and SC's in it that just isn't as aggressive as the Sadowsky MV5. I have a 2011 ( think) Nord alder/rw with SC's and two band that works well for me.
So: I think the individual bass, woods, assembly etc can also play a role in things, and that two same spec'd basses can end up fairly different from each other as well.
Not to laugh at your post, because I in no way doubt your keen interest; but, you have to laugh at bass players as fickle customers. First Sadowsky Basses are "too modern," now they are "too dark." LOL at that one.
Wish I could give you some feedback, but my only instrument in the vintage you refer to carries the HC's. They are the cats pajamas, at least in the 4 string embodiment. My only other SC experience was prior to your reference. Like Chef and Vic, I used the SC's in the 5 format; and those were the cats pajamas as well.
The thing that makes me really suspicious about the feedback is that the preamp is so powerful, I can not understand an inability to dial in the highs. Say what? I generally only need to dial in 25% or so of the available treble boost. So, not enough doesn't compute for me. Too much lows? I mean maybe if a player is used to the straight passive basses, which lack the mix mojo the preamp creates. Nope, that one is a puzzle.
Anyhow, probably not helping here. Best of luck with the highly discriminating (nit picking) customers.
Damian Coccio
Supporting Member
The fact that Roger is open to feedback is the most impressive part of this discussion and sets a great example IMO toward continued excellence.
The fact that I gave Roger my feedback on this forum instead of email won't be repeated. If I've leaned anything it is that tone is too subjective to be presented publically.
The fact that I gave Roger my feedback on this forum instead of email won't be repeated. If I've leaned anything it is that tone is too subjective to be presented publically.
I have no problem with doing this in public, as it solicits a wide range of responses and opinions. However, I am happy to have a private conversation with you by email to see if we can address your needs better.
roger
- Mar 29, 2006
- 164
- 9
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Dunlop Strings, Schroeder cabinets
I've tried the SC in my UV70 5 (ash/morado), RV5 5(alder/morado) and NYC vintage 5 (ash/maple). In every bass they had great lows and mid presence but lacked the high end snap that I wanted for slap style playing. I always gravitated back to the HC for their high end clarity, but ideally would love a pickup that had the mids of the SC while retaining the highs of the HC.
Damian Coccio
Supporting Member
I think some people really like those high mids. For me they were too much and theres no way to eq out a big 2k peak. You can do the VTC rolloff with treble boost trick, but its still a super grindy tone. I have some sound clips of a bunch of different pickups in my mv4 that i can post up.
My opinion is just the opposite. I've had big singles in 3 basses and regular looking single coils in others. I have Nordstrands in my present WL. I think they kill. Sound great from top to bottom
This is my natural metro MV4 strung with dunlop nickels about the same age in all clips, through a Maxon CP-9Pro+, into a cafe walter to make it stereo, then strait into my commodity class sound card recorded with windows recorder. So no funny business, just a touch of compression and otherwise just super raw. I've been doing Moby Dick for sound clips for years to create consistency in my own clip library, caution you may get sick of it from listening to these! My bass is an old metro with 250k pots.
Stock Old Style Sadowsky HC
New Style Sadowsky HC
Sadowsky Singles
Hansons
Duncan SJB-2
DiMarzio Model J Series
DiMarzio Model J Parallel
DiMarzio Model J Parallel VTC rolled back
Here are a couple Fender Js recorded with the same setup for reference:
2009 American Standard J Rosewood Dunlop Nickels
73 Jazz Maple Board Steel DR Lo Riders
My $.02 is that both stock and singles are killer sounding pickups but they're both a little polarizing, might be nice to also have a more fender-normal voiced pickup as an option, particularly on 5 strings where I think the HCs don't sound as good as they do on the 4s.
Stock Old Style Sadowsky HC
New Style Sadowsky HC
Sadowsky Singles
Hansons
Duncan SJB-2
DiMarzio Model J Series
DiMarzio Model J Parallel
DiMarzio Model J Parallel VTC rolled back
Here are a couple Fender Js recorded with the same setup for reference:
2009 American Standard J Rosewood Dunlop Nickels
73 Jazz Maple Board Steel DR Lo Riders
My $.02 is that both stock and singles are killer sounding pickups but they're both a little polarizing, might be nice to also have a more fender-normal voiced pickup as an option, particularly on 5 strings where I think the HCs don't sound as good as they do on the 4s.
