Joeykun
pronounced ジョーイくん
- Jun 22, 2007
- 4,200
- 16,150
- Disclosures
- Endorsing: LAKLAND SADOWSKY GENZLER DARKGLASS NORDSTRAND TEMPLEBOARD KIRLIN DRSTRINGS ACCESS
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Still using my old Berg HT112 cabs. The Aguilar Th500 is my main amp now but I still have the Aguilar AG500sc as a backup
I don't think you can go wrong with a berg, aguilar, & sadowsky combo.
I don't think you can go wrong with a Sadowsky and most amps.
Lots of great set ups in this thread
Amps? Here's what I'm using:
For rehearsals and gigs with the Big Band. It's MUCH more potent than what it looks like. GB Shuttle 9 / Berg HD112
For bigger gigs, I use either a Shuttle 9 / Berg AE212 combo or a GB ShuttleMAX 12 / Berg AE212, Berg HD112 stack. Here's the stack. OK, I know that's NOT a Sadowsky in the picture. But the bass has a Sadowsky onboard preamp. That's one of the mid 90'S J Deluxe's with the single slug Suhr pups in it. I learned a lot with that bass that I am now using on my RV4. More on that in another post.
For even bigger jobs, I've got the venerable Demeter driven rack sitting on 2 - Berg AE212's. If I need more than this I recommend another bass player. This gets pretty much loud enough. I have been thinking about upgrading the power amp; but, this one seems to be doing the job so far.
That's what I've got. My RV4 kills through every single one of them.
For rehearsals and gigs with the Big Band. It's MUCH more potent than what it looks like. GB Shuttle 9 / Berg HD112
For bigger gigs, I use either a Shuttle 9 / Berg AE212 combo or a GB ShuttleMAX 12 / Berg AE212, Berg HD112 stack. Here's the stack. OK, I know that's NOT a Sadowsky in the picture. But the bass has a Sadowsky onboard preamp. That's one of the mid 90'S J Deluxe's with the single slug Suhr pups in it. I learned a lot with that bass that I am now using on my RV4. More on that in another post.
For even bigger jobs, I've got the venerable Demeter driven rack sitting on 2 - Berg AE212's. If I need more than this I recommend another bass player. This gets pretty much loud enough. I have been thinking about upgrading the power amp; but, this one seems to be doing the job so far.
That's what I've got. My RV4 kills through every single one of them.
I had posted this a few weeks back, but got no responses. Most of you probably thought I was a heretic, lunatic, or both. You're probably right.
The reason I went looking in this direction is that I was doing gigs alternately with the RV4 and the '97 J Deluxe in the previous post, which I'd loaded with Roger's preamp. There may be some differences in the two preamps related to the mid pot thing; but, I started noticing that the RV4 humbuckers were sounding "mushy" for slap parts compared to the Suhr single slugs (sorry, Roger, absolutely love your stuff, but it is what it is...).
Getting no responses and failing to find any Suhr single slug pups available, I did find the Delano single slugs and finally bought and installed a pair of them to do the experiment.
First thing is, holy crap, have you ever looked at the work in the electronics cavity of a Sadowsky up close? They look like they are wired up by a master watchmaker. Precision work. Made me take a massive deep breath before touching the soldering. I took a picture:
Clean, clean!! Only issue I had with the pup swap is whatever soldering alloy is being used for that ground ring is a somewhat high melter. My Weller iron was around 800 F before that stuff would even soften. Sheesh.
So, here's the bass after the pup swap:
I waited until I tested the instrument in both Big Band and Modern Country Rock band setting.
The most telling feedback occurred in the 21 pc Big Band rehearsal. I showed the mod to the guitar player who runs the rhythm section (very experienced cat) at the beginning of rehearsal. He looks at me like I've lost my mind and says, "You did WHAT!?!" I explain that there were certain things the single slugs (in the Fender) were doing better and I'm just doing an experiment. So, rehearsal starts, we finish going over the first tune; and the band leader says "wow, the rhythm section sounds great, its got a real good feel to it tonight." We do a couple more tunes, and in the middle of a Route 66 chart, the band leader stops the whole band and says to me (way in the back), "what did you do to that bass? It sounds freakin' incredible tonight!" At that point the experiment turned into a mod for me. At the end of rehearsal, the guitar player says, "yeah, that sounds amazing." These cats know the bass cause I've been using it with them the last year and a half.
So, here's my take, if anyone else gets interested. These are NOT a substitute for traditional single coils. If that's your thing, don't bother thinking about it. Compared to the Suhr single slugs, the Delano's are darker with more clarity in the lower notes (outstanding in drop tuning), and have significantly more output. In fact, this bass now has output that is comparable to my Alembic Series I, which is saying a whole lot. The Sadowsky preamp handles it just fine. Where the Delano's really shine is in several areas: 1) the slap tone is like hitting a big sledgehammer on a piece of granite. Total clarity. They have a huge bell like tone that works really well for slapping. 2) They have a bell like tone; but, it is still kind of clanky in the Fender sense; and this works really well in the band mix. 3) The low notes, especially in drop tuning, speak with more authority than any J bass I have ever had.
Still not going to get rid of my trusty '62 J; but, this is now my working bass, and I don't see that changing any time soon. It just does everything well. If I'm a heretic, so be it.
Here is my main rig, I really like this setup. Blues, rock and metal bands I am in.
- Nov 4, 2003
- 11,943
- 3,138
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist- Suhr basses, PedalTrain, GHS, Ultimate Ears
The obligatory wood floor pic....NBD for me!!!!
Chef
In Memoriam
- Nov 4, 2003
- 11,943
- 3,138
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist- Suhr basses, PedalTrain, GHS, Ultimate Ears
It's black pearl. It just doesn't translate to the pictures how much color actually comes off it.
It's black for sure. But different.
It's black for sure. But different.
- Nov 4, 2003
- 11,943
- 3,138
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist- Suhr basses, PedalTrain, GHS, Ultimate Ears
What do you guys think about the tall and narrow fret wire that Sadowsky uses? Do you like it, or would you prefer lower and wider wire?
