Club Sadowsky!!!

[Damian Coccio]

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!



Stock

Sadowsky Singles

Hansons

Duncan SJB-2

DiMarzio Model J Series

DiMarzio Model J Parallel

DiMarzio Model J Parallel VTC rolled back



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.

Very helpful, thanks for posting. You may be saving me a lot of trial and error. Can you describe what you mean by vtc rolled back? I'm digging the tone of the dimarzios it's all there and no high end lost to my ears.

 

[Chef]

VTC= vintage tone control= your plain old normal passive tone control

 

[Damian Coccio]

VTC= vintage tone control= your plain old normal passive tone control

Sorry, I'll clarify, how rolled back? it's not critical, just wondering. And no addl treble boost right? I wish you had a clip for the nJ5s on their way here.

 

[Fliptrique]

I`ve used and recorded with nordstrand J`s (sc), their MM humbucker and DCs - all of those were plenty bright for me.

 

[Sadowsky]

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!

Stock
Sadowsky Singles
Hansons
Duncan SJB-2
DiMarzio Model J Series
DiMarzio Model J Parallel
DiMarzio Model J Parallel VTC rolled back

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.

By STOCK do you mean Sadowsky humcanceling J pickups?

Roger

 

[pickles]

The model js in parallel are super bright, so i rolled off the highs with the VTC for that clip. If you go too far back on the VTC with those some crazy filter sound comes out. And i personally didn't think they sat well in a live mix. I wound not recommend them.

I have more J pickup clips from other basses i can send if you want to go down the OCD rabbit hole. 5 string limits your options since there are two different poplar sizes and most vendors only make one or the other.

 

[pickles]

By STOCK do you mean Sadowsky humcanceling J pickups?

Roger

Yes. Its a really early metro.

 

[Sadowsky]

Yes. Its a really early metro.

I feel we made a major improvement in that pickup about 3 years ago.

Roger

 

[pickles]

Did both 4 and 5 string change?

The bass in these clips is a 4 string.

 

[Sadowsky]

Did both 4 and 5 string change?

The bass in these clips is a 4 string.

Yes

 

[pickles]

Ill order a set and check them out. Ive tried all these other pickups and the stock hcs are still the best overall in the 4 string. I also like duncan antiquity 2s.

In the 5 i liked the duncan Js and dimarzio area Js the best.

 

[Sadowsky]

For anyone feeling they are not getting enough highs out of their bass, check if the volume is a 250K or a 500K. 500K will give you more highs.

Roger

 

[pickles]

I didn't think of that with the singles. Oops. That would probably really help. I use 250k and I like them a lot better than 500 with the HCs, since the HCs have loads of shine already. I edited my post to clarify ...

I hope none of this sounds negative I'm just a relentless tinkerer. That MS4 is the best bass I've ever had.

 

[Sadowsky]

I didn't think of that with the singles. Oops. That would probably really help. I use 250k and I like them a lot better than 500 with the HCs, since the HCs have loads of shine already. I edited my post to clarify ...

I hope none of this sounds negative I'm just a relentless tinkerer. That MS4 is the best bass I've ever had.

When we "improved" the humcanceling pickups a few years ago, we did listening tests and thought they sounded much closer to single coils with the 500K pot.

Roger

 

[kingsx925]

I had the Nordstrand pups in my Metro MV5 P/J bass, but switched them out for the Seymour Duncan wound Sadowsky pups. The bass sounds way better IMHO.

 

[Chef]

Huh. I guess I didn't know there were Sadowsky/Duncan PJ5 sets.

Can you quantify the diff you hear?

 

[Damian Coccio]

When we "improved" the humcanceling pickups a few years ago, we did listening tests and thought they sounded much closer to single coils with the 500K pot.



Roger

I have the 250k pot. Are you saying that the hc pups had more mids like the sc with the 500k? Or maybe you mean the SCs had more highs...

 

[pickles]

The 500k pot just adds extended highs IME. So it might help the NJ5/sadsingles sound more balanced up top.

 

[Vic]

Huh. I guess I didn't know there were Sadowsky/Duncan PJ5 sets.

Yep, I had a bass with them in it, and Tom's ebony boarded PJ5 has them.

 

[Vic]

The 500k pot just adds extended highs IME. So it might help the NJ5/sadsingles sound more balanced up top.

+1