Club Sadowsky!!!

[bucephylus]

Interesting! The "money frets" were shot, but the nitro wasn't worn through... Hmn...

Isn't that interesting?

I suspect some of this result depends on chemistry of sweat; LOL (talk about over thinking stuff). I had my thyroid gland burned out (apologies for TMI) when I was much younger; and now, if anything, have issues with dry skin. But, I have also noticed that I tend to produce almost zero wear on nitro finishes, regardless how much playing I do. My '62 Jazz Bass still has 95% of it's original nitro finish on the back of the neck, even though I have gigged it to death. So, we are all different.

Also, the RV5 is most likely a polyester finish, which is a whole lot more durable.

 

[Ewo]

I could be wrong, but I thought all Sadowsky bass necks wore nitro. Poly on the body, yeah.

 

[bucephylus]

I could be wrong, but I thought all Sadowsky bass necks wore nitro. Poly on the body, yeah.

Yeah, Steve, I could be wrong; but, I thought the Metros were all polyester?

 

[lgrankin]

Yeah, Steve, I could be wrong; but, I thought the Metros were all polyester?

The Metros all come with a thin matte nitro finish.

Cheers

 

[jpeck02]

I purchased a beautiful UV70 5 string. I love everything about it except for an annoying hum/buzz coming from the pickups or preamp. I'm pretty sure these are hum-cancelling pickups. It doesn't matter if the pickups are blended are solo. Still get that hum. I looked in the preamp cavity and it doesn't appear that anything was tampered with. These basses are typically uber quiet. Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Ewo]

The Metros all come with a thin matte nitro finish.

Cheers

Yeah, pretty sure of that.

I've got an older Metro RV-5, and the finish is worn through in a few spots in that real nice way nitro does. And my two WL5s (one a Metro, the other an NYC) appear to have the same finish.

 

[Antman3820]

I purchased a beautiful UV70 5 string. I love everything about it except for an annoying hum/buzz coming from the pickups or preamp. I'm pretty sure these are hum-cancelling pickups. It doesn't matter if the pickups are blended are solo. Still get that hum. I looked in the preamp cavity and it doesn't appear that anything was tampered with. These basses are typically uber quiet. Anyone have any suggestions?

Sounds ridiculous..... Does the bass have coated bass strings ???

 

[jpeck02]

Sounds ridiculous..... Does the bass have coated bass strings ???

Nope. Changed the strings multiple times. Played trough multiple amps. Rehearsal studios, at home or in a club. Either touching the strings or not. Always the same. Really strange. Doesn't seem to be a grounding issue.

 

[bucephylus]

I purchased a beautiful UV70 5 string. I love everything about it except for an annoying hum/buzz coming from the pickups or preamp. I'm pretty sure these are hum-cancelling pickups. It doesn't matter if the pickups are blended are solo. Still get that hum. I looked in the preamp cavity and it doesn't appear that anything was tampered with. These basses are typically uber quiet. Anyone have any suggestions?

For sure sounds like something isn't right with the wiring in the control cavity; even if it looks right. Probably deep breath time and then spend some patient time looking for shorts, opens and grounding issues. Failing that, I might be inclined to send the bass to the shop to have it looked at. Major PITA, but not one to let go. Bummer.

 

[deepestend]

I purchased a beautiful UV70 5 string. I love everything about it except for an annoying hum/buzz coming from the pickups or preamp. I'm pretty sure these are hum-cancelling pickups. It doesn't matter if the pickups are blended are solo. Still get that hum. I looked in the preamp cavity and it doesn't appear that anything was tampered with. These basses are typically uber quiet. Anyone have any suggestions?

Did you buy it new or used? Where are you?

 

[deepestend]

It could be an issue with one of the pickups.

 

[jpeck02]

It could be an issue with one of the pickups.

Thank you for reaching out. I feel like it's probably something really simple. I will get you details.

 

[deepestend]

Let me know what's up. We are back in the shop in Tuesday.

 

[Bass Man 94]

I purchased a beautiful UV70 5 string. I love everything about it except for an annoying hum/buzz coming from the pickups or preamp. I'm pretty sure these are hum-cancelling pickups. It doesn't matter if the pickups are blended are solo. Still get that hum. I looked in the preamp cavity and it doesn't appear that anything was tampered with. These basses are typically uber quiet. Anyone have any suggestions?

Hello,

I think you have the same buzz that I had with my MV5 .

At the time, I sent an email to Roger to understand where the problem was .

He replied in september 2011 :

Hi Pascal,

Sorry for the delay in responding....

Here is my best guess as to the source of the problem
The pickups on the MV5 are humcancelling.....there is one coil for the G&D and another coil for the A,E & B.
On a 4 string pickup of the same design, the coils are identical and the pickup humcancels completely.
On the 5 string, since one coil is larger, the humcancelling is only about 90%. I think that remaining 10% is the noise you are hearing.

There are two solutions to the problem...
1) Install single coil pickups......they are dead quiet when both pickups are full on together. But if you back off one pickup, you will get single coil hum.
2) I have an alternative "stacked" design pickup which is completely humcancelling. I can sell you a replacement set of these pickups for $xxx plus shipping. (sorry, but they are very expensive to make).

Best regards,

Roger Sadowsky

 

[addicted]

That has always been my FAVE Sadowsky combination.. . My first 1994 NYC 24 had that color combo. .Lightweight too..
I just picked up a used sherwood green that is very light too.. But i Love that Swamp ash Trans white and Maple!

I love that color too. Is that what you call swamp ash trans white? The hue of white just catches my eye instantly

 

[Joelc73]

Hello,

I bring you sad news , I had to separate myself from my beautiful Sadowsky MV5 :

My Sadowsky UV60 was very sad to be alone , so I present her is little sister :

The Sadowsky UV60 NYC has an one piece alder body, Brasilian rosewood and singles coils pup 's in 60's position, born in april 2008.
The Sadowsky 5 NYC has an chambered alder body, flamed maple board and humcancelling pup's in 70's position, born in september 2008.

They are both complementary and sound really great.

And now, the family :

Roger and Vinny are the bests !!!

I'm happy

Your new NYC looks amazing!

 

[gustobassman]

Interesting! The "money frets" were shot, but the nitro wasn't worn through... Hmn...

That's pretty much it! You got me thinking about it, as I have never owned a nitro finished neck.... would nitro wear be really obvious? The back of the neck still has a thin gloss appearance to it when you hold it up to the light, no obvious wear spots or bare wood or anything like that. Besides the beaten up money frets, residual human gunk, the well worn PG and a stripped B tuner- the bass was in really good shape for a 2006. I'll try to see if I can get a pic of the funky spot by the neck heel, I would like to know if that is nitro wear from sitting in the case or not.

 

[Ewo]

Well, my experience with nitro finishes on necks is limited to a beatup early 60s Fender J in my closet waiting for restoration (I think that's nitro, anyway), three Sadowsky Metros (all bought used), and one NYC Sadowsky (bought new).

The old Fender was worn through when it came into my hands, back in the 80s. The used Metros are prolly most informative, as I got to see the early stages of wear.

The edges of a worn spot transition smoothly into the bare (well, sealed) wood. You can't feel any ridge at all. The exposed wood turns a light silvery grey; guess that's from skin oil. I love the feel of the Sadowsky necks, as right out of the box they're just the way I've tried to get poly necks to feel with Scotchbrite--but the worn spots feel even better! Not slippery, not tacky, just right, as Goldilocks might put it. Low stiction is the magic to the feel, I figure.

The Metro WL I put all the gig time on is in the process of wearing through. It looks like some places (where the thumb rides in the money area, and on the G-string edge of the fretboard) are gradually turning a little darker in the soft grain. Its predecessor, an RV-5, had some wear when I got it, and got some more from me using it.

That's why I was surprised, g-man, that on yours the frets were shot before the neck finish wore down. My basses are _years_ away from needing frets replaced (heck, they don't even really need a dressing yet), but I'm wearing through the nitro on 'em from all the playing time. My touch is light, yeah---but not crazy light. And I use stainless roundwounds, either the Sadowsky Blue Labels or the Dunlop Super Brights.

As to the spot by the heel, I have no clue. Except that it would be freaky-deaky that it was from being played a lot all the way up there... Bet you're right that the bass was stored with that spot in contact with some material that reacts with nitro.

 

[gustobassman]

I love the feel of the Sadowsky necks, as right out of the box they're just the way I've tried to get poly necks to feel with Scotchbrite--but the worn spots feel even better! Not slippery, not tacky, just right, as Goldilocks might put it. Low stiction is the magic to the feel, I figure

I've done the scotchbrite thing too.. I know that feeling so I understand where you are coming from. The back of my headstock has a satin feel to it, the back of the neck has that feeling of a satin finish that has been played over time- worn to a nice smooth gloss. When I go pick up my Subway 115 from Bass San Diego I'll grab another Metro and see what a new neck finish feels like.

That's why I was surprised, g-man, that on yours the frets were shot before the neck finish wore down

My repair guy thought it was played with a heavy hand- playing the same thing over and over and over again.

 

[bucephylus]

FWIW, if you want a really fast feel to the neck once it is down to bare wood, here's a "trick" Bob Gladstone, who was principle for the DSO, showed me. Get a Brazil Nut from a jar of mixed nuts, remove all of the salt, break the nut in half, and rub the exposed surface on the back of the neck. The oil from Brazil Nuts interacts with the wood very nicely and provides the perfect lube to make the neck feel great.