• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Club Sadowsky!!!

#40,842
I've been playing my new Sadowsky Metro MV4 for 5 months now. One of the things I've noticed about it (and this is 100% personal perception, no science or data to back it up) is the bass seems much more "hi-fi" than any other bass I've ever owned. I notice the change in tone more clearly as my strings age and get funky, I notice more "detail" in the notes, it feels kinda like going from a clock radio sound to a home stereo sound. Maybe not that dramatic, but you get my point. I hear everything better.

Still LOVING the Sadowsky, it's a lifetime bass for sure. For some reason, I haven't gotten any real good photos at gigs lately, even though we've been gigging every weekend. Here is a somewhat blurry shot from a festival tent gig last Sunday. The backup bass is my old Fender Jaguar, strung BEAD for one song that requires hammering the low B in the chorus:

2016-09-05.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: BluesyCat, Fred312b, kjones and 7 others
#40,846
I got my NYC ash maple bass on new years eve. Just finally got around to changing the strings. The bass came with the stainless strings which have never been my favourite. I put the sadowsky nickels on it tonight and just love the results. I guess I am just used to nickel rounds in general so it felt more like home :).
 
  • Like
Reactions: Odia
#40,853
ale29 said:
BUT.
Yeah, there it is, the "but".
It has a minor-to-moderate dead spot on the 5th fret of the A STRING which is really deterring my enjoyment. Dead spots on the G string, I don't care that much unless they are very noticeable. The D note on the A string, however, is another story...
I'm sure that Sadowsky flats, being somewhat vintage in tone and vibe, are amplifying the issue. But, I really like these strings. I'm quite sure they are mounted correctly, also.
Anyway, adding some mass to the headstock seems to help with it, so I'm going to order a Fat Finger and give some feedback about it later, I don't want to give up on a bass I bought new for a special occasion. It's perfect, otherwise.
Can't really blame Sadowsky as well, since dead spots are a fact of life. Just got unlucky I guess.
Click to expand...
Well....
Yup, dead spots can be a problem.

FWIW, on instruments with such wolf tones, the most effective mod I have found is to move the bridge 1/4" either further back or if you are out of travel on the saddles, then back towards the neck. The extra screw holes are usually obscured by the bridge. Of course, you do have to completely reset intonation.

Changing that string length between the tailpiece and the saddle can have a big effect on the destructive resonance modes, and hence dead notes. Of course, every instrument is a little different; so there is more art/ guesswork than predictability involved. GL
 
#40,857
ale29 said:
I did my best to record the issue.
1st, you can hear a normal sounding note played on the A string (F# in this case).
2nd, the D note on the A string while also pressing the higher octave note. It sounds as it should
3rd, the D note on the A string alone.

Click to expand...

No doubt about it, that's a regular old dead spot and I would think there's nothing you can do about it, short of switching out the neck. I find that dead spots on strings other than the G are comparatively rare on Fender-style instruments but they still occur. I've played Sadowskys that had notes on the E and A strings that were, while not necessarily "dead", significantly less punchy and shorter in sustain time as surrounding notes. If the dead spot on the admittedly high-traffic area of the the fifth fret of your A string is really bothering you then I would be looking into the possibility of a replacement neck.
 
#40,858
M Sterling said:
I think I want to try some single coils in my NYC 25/5 JJ. Unfortunately, it looks like they are sold out of the shop. Does anyone have any leads on another source or have a set you want to part with? Thanks!
Click to expand...

Email [email protected] just to confirm that we are out and to get a timeline for new ones.
 
#40,859
bass12 said:
No doubt about it, that's a regular old dead spot and I would think there's nothing you can do about it, short of switching out the neck. I find that dead spots on strings other than the G are comparatively rare on Fender-style instruments but they still occur. I've played Sadowskys that had notes on the E and A strings that were, while not necessarily "dead", significantly less punchy and shorter in sustain time as surrounding notes. If the dead spot on the admittedly high-traffic area of the the fifth fret of your A string is really bothering you then I would be looking into the possibility of a replacement neck.
Click to expand...

Not sure this needs a whole new neck. Most likely some fretwork. He's checking with his EU distributor and after that I'll give him contact info for our production manager to figure it out with her.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Fred312b

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back