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Club Sadowsky!!!

#38,881
I rarely if ever use the preamp on the bass. I think it sounds better OFF.. IMO... Ive done the same on all my NYCs. I have had 4 PJ5s. modern 24, and 2 JJ4...
The only time i turn it on is if i have a long cable run on a certain gig. 25feet.. I engage the pre to act as a buffer . but turn down the BnT knobs all the way
 
#38,883
adivin said:
I don't understand taking the preamp out. Isn't that the secret sauce? My NY P arrives tomorrow!
Click to expand...

I love the Sadowsky electronics, but (as noted previously) to me, the secret sauce is the build quality. Fretwork is at the top of my list, but there are dozens of other details I could rave about.

P.S. Pre-gratz on your new NYC P. :) Please post pics after it arrives!
 
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#38,884
I keep the pre on all the time on my Metro and NYC Will Lees, but I use a light touch on the bass and treble EQs, if I run any boost at all. I've A/Bd the tone with the pre on and off, and if the EQ is flat I don't perceive much difference. Maybe just a touch more presence (upper mids), and it sounds good to me. That very well could just be from the buffering of having the pre on.

OTOH, I'm always fiddling with the VTC, depending on the needs of the tune.
 
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#38,885
Still gushing over a metro Will Lee that I picked up in January. Since then, I've also dropped a Sadowsky pre into a 2007 Fender Deluxe P (I hope that's not sacrilege to post here). Killer 1/2 combo for my 4 string needs. I REALLY like that pre-amp.

Sadowsky body.JPG
Sadowsky Pre1b.jpg
 
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#38,886
I love the pre-amp a lot and usually have it on with maybe a tiny bit of bass boost. I have to say though that with the pre-amp off the bass still sounds incredible, and in some cases I do like having it off. It's just part of the Sadowsky tool box that each bass comes with.

To Fuzzbass: yeah, the fretwork is what keeps me playing this bass. So perfect. No other bass I've owned has been as impeccable. My US Laklands were great, but the Sadowsky requires no effort to play. Like buttah.
 
#38,888
I use my Sadowskys active... even my rosewood P strung with flats. On that one I usually keep EQ flat (maybe a bass bump), and usually roll back the VTC for warmth. Depends on the song, though. With the R&B band I slap on a couple of songs, and don't switch basses... even with flats, the Sadowsky can sound snappy enough (think 70's P-bass funk).

It's been mentioned many times but bears repeating: it can sound great to boost treble AND roll back the VTC. That way you can add brightness without too much upper treble sizzle. Of course it's all a matter of taste. Sometimes sizzle is appropriate, and I can also understand why someone would want completely passive tones.
 
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#38,892
Has anyone thought about swapping out the Sadowsky (Humcancelling) pickups for the Aguilar AG 5J-70 pickups? It looks like they are slightly larger. But, I also looked at the DiMarzio Ultras which are the Sadowsky pickups (unless that has changed) and they are slightly larger to. Very confused. I love the sound of the Aggie pickups and I think they would be very nice in my MV5 but, I want to know how much routing work would need to be done or if it would end up causing the holes to be too large. Thanks in advance.
 
#38,893
You are #478. Welcome to the club.
I really love how the roasted maple looks. Very unique P.

Regarding strings, I'm partial to Sadowsky flats.

adivin said:
NBD!! You may have seen her here before, but now she's mine! Such a classic, and unique with the roasted maple neck and fretboard. It currently has Nordies, but I may try the Sadowsky pick ups. 1.5 nut. 8.8lbs Time to settle on the best strings now. I guess I need a number...
Sadowsky%20P%203.jpg
Click to expand...
 
#38,894
adivin said:
NBD!! You may have seen her here before, but now she's mine! Such a classic, and unique with the roasted maple neck and fretboard. It currently has Nordies, but I may try the Sadowsky pick ups. 1.5 nut. 8.8lbs Time to settle on the best strings now. I guess I need a number...
Sadowsky%20P%203.jpg
Click to expand...

I have used Thomastik flats on my P for the last 14yrs. The same pair. The only way I would change them is if my new string company Kalium started producing flats.
 
#38,895
I have a JJ NYC.. I swapped out the Hum Canceled with a set of Alleva coppolo single coils.... Personally I prefer these single coils;. The bass just sonically opened up . Its not everybodys thing.. But i really like it
Duncan makes a wide variety of single coil JJ as well as Norstrand.. I like the Nord NJ4 a lot

Thom Walker said:
Has anyone thought about swapping out the Sadowsky (Humcancelling) pickups for the Aguilar AG 5J-70 pickups? It looks like they are slightly larger. But, I also looked at the DiMarzio Ultras which are the Sadowsky pickups (unless that has changed) and they are slightly larger to. Very confused. I love the sound of the Aggie pickups and I think they would be very nice in my MV5 but, I want to know how much routing work would need to be done or if it would end up causing the holes to be too large. Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
 
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#38,897
I always run my J5 active. I also pretty much always have treble boosted a bit, and passive tone shut about 40% or so.

This isn't just a Sadowsky thing, for me.
All my active basses have passive tone, and I do this on pretty much all of them.
 
#38,898
swapped out the HC pickups on my Sadowsky MV5-24 to the Sadowsky single Coils and have never looked back. Not as polite as the HC and I like it.
Thom Walker said:
Has anyone thought about swapping out the Sadowsky (Humcancelling) pickups for the Aguilar AG 5J-70 pickups? It looks like they are slightly larger. But, I also looked at the DiMarzio Ultras which are the Sadowsky pickups (unless that has changed) and they are slightly larger to. Very confused. I love the sound of the Aggie pickups and I think they would be very nice in my MV5 but, I want to know how much routing work would need to be done or if it would end up causing the holes to be too large. Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
 
#38,899
adivin said:
NBD!! You may have seen her here before, but now she's mine! Such a classic, and unique with the roasted maple neck and fretboard. It currently has Nordies, but I may try the Sadowsky pick ups. 1.5 nut. 8.8lbs Time to settle on the best strings now. I guess I need a number...
Sadowsky%20P%201.jpg
Click to expand...

You can never go wrong with a white P with black pg!!!!
 
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#38,900
adivin said:
NBD!! You may have seen her here before, but now she's mine! Such a classic, and unique with the roasted maple neck and fretboard. It currently has Nordies, but I may try the Sadowsky pick ups. 1.5 nut. 8.8lbs Time to settle on the best strings now. I guess I need a number...
Sadowsky%20P%201.jpg
Sadowsky%20P%202.jpg
Sadowsky%20P%203.jpg
Click to expand...

I've gotta ask: what does the roasted maple board sound and feel like? Any distinguishing difference from a non-roasted neck or board?
 

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