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Club Sadowsky!!!

#42,721
I own a Metro RV5 and I've played 5 other Metro's and an NYC.

They ranged from hated it through to good. Fortunately my Metro is the best of the lot, by a long way.

I take from this that I'm not a good candidate for a custom bass. I wouldn't risk waiting a year and then hating the bass when it arrived.
 
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#42,723
Joeykun said:
@Musicfreak1988 you still have the Purple Sparkle I hope!!!
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Alas, that one's gone too. I admit that was quite a looker. At the moment I have a candy apple red WL5 (with single coils) and a gold sparkle J5. I plan on owning a Modern 5-24 again somewhere in the future, but as I said, as for now, I'm really liking the 'The Dark Horse' bass' color.
 
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#42,724
chris_b said:
I own a Metro RV5 and I've played 5 other Metro's and an NYC.

They ranged from hated it through to good. Fortunately my Metro is the best of the lot, by a long way.

I take from this that I'm not a good candidate for a custom bass. I wouldn't risk waiting a year and then hating the bass when it arrived.
Click to expand...
Only you will know when you are ready for a custom bass. I played Metros and modified Fenders for about 12 years before I was certain enough to specify that instrument in which I had the confidence in the outcome. The shop will always produce a stellar instrument. That's not the problem. It's a matter of really understanding how you play and what works best for you. And, there are so many elements that it's easy to get it wrong and then not feel good about it. Roger most graciously has his return policy to help protect the player. But, ultimately, its on the player to be comfortable in the skin you ask them to create for you.
 
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#42,725
bucephylus said:
Only you will know when you are ready for a custom bass. I played Metros and modified Fenders for about 12 years before I was certain enough to specify that instrument in which I had the confidence in the outcome. The shop will always produce a stellar instrument. That's not the problem. It's a matter of really understanding how you play and what works best for you. And, there are so many elements that it's easy to get it wrong and then not feel good about it. Roger most graciously has his return policy to help protect the player. But, ultimately, its on the player to be comfortable in the skin you ask them to create for you.
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You might be sure of what you want specs-wise but the final outcome is always based partly on chance. Out of ten basses with identical specs there might only be one that really speaks to you. Custom ordering a bass can be lots of fun, but it's always a gamble. I suspect there are a lot of people who have convinced themselves that they like their custom builds more than they actually do. They'll hold onto them for a while and then will ultimately sell them. At least with Sadowsky you have the benefit of a great return policy should you end up not happy with a build.
 
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#42,726
bass12 said:
You might be sure of what you want specs-wise but the final outcome is always based partly on chance. Out of ten basses with identical specs there might only be one that really speaks to you. Custom ordering a bass can be lots of fun, but it's always a gamble. I suspect there are a lot of people who have convinced themselves that they like their custom builds more than they actually do. They'll hold onto them for a while and then will ultimately sell them. At least with Sadowsky you have the benefit of a great return policy should you end up not happy with a build.
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That's absolutely correct. There are definite design element trade offs, which can make predicting the outcome difficult.

A big one I wrestle with is the effect of body weight and density on tone and feel. That's a situation where you just can get some dramatically different results in feel and response from bass to bass, which are better for some techniques than others. The shop vastly prefers to build with their chambered design, which reliably produces that lightweight pre-CBS J vibe. Thing is that I prefer that vibe for some things, but not so much for others. In short, there is no "perfect bass," from a player perspective. The thing that came together for me was finding the electronics package, which more or less rendered that to be less important. Kind of like figuring out that a thicker headstock more reliably makes "dead spots" a non-factor. That kind of thing gives one more confidence in predicting the outcome. But, you do need to really know what you are specifying, what the trade offs are, and what you are going to get as a result. FWIW, the build I just received is perfect, just exactly what I thought I would get, and is going no where while I live and don't have to sell all belongings to help out family.

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And, as you say, for the instrument which just doesn't come together for whatever reason; Roger has you covered. And, they are REALLY nice about it.

Finally, it should be noted that the Metros ain't too shabby neither!:thumbsup:
 
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#42,727
Joeykun said:
Most of us here have gone thru the new build anticipation....it's part of the excitement. But, once you get your custom instrument in your hands, the wait will seem like nothing at all. Enjoy the experience!!! I still love mine and it's been 5 years!
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That is so true! I ordered a custom build from Rob Allen, which I received earlier this year and I can't recall the waiting period!
 
#42,728
Well, I recall the build time very well. It was TOO long; and not because the shop was taking too long. Part of my build was that my wife and I have an agreement that no instrument gets purchased before one already in hand gets sold. First. So, I had to give up a stellar RV4, which sold much faster than the build time, weeks vs months, leaving me with NO Sadowsky for a while.:mad:

Fortunately, I did have a very nice Fender J Deluxe with Sadowsky preamp and pickups of choice to tide me over. Which bass ultimately was horse traded for the Cherry Bomb I've been posting.:thumbsup:
 
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#42,729
bucephylus said:
Well, I recall the build time very well. It was TOO long; and not because the shop was taking too long. Part of my build was that my wife and I have an agreement that no instrument gets purchased before one already in hand gets sold. First. So, I had to give up a stellar RV4, which sold much faster than the build time, weeks vs months, leaving me with NO Sadowsky for a while.:mad:

Fortunately, I did have a very nice Fender J Deluxe with Sadowsky preamp and pickups of choice to tide me over. Which bass ultimately was horse traded for the Cherry Bomb I've been posting.:thumbsup:
Click to expand...

I sorta have that policy in my bass gear buying rules. I try to sell a bass to fund a bass, and the same for other gear, but only if the timing is right. But I'm also lucky to have a wife who is not involved in my instrument buying business. I think she trusts me enough to have self control in that area, and I make sure I'm not skipping a household bill to buy gear.
 
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#42,730
Nightman said:
I sorta have that policy in my bass gear buying rules. I try to sell a bass to fund a bass, and the same for other gear, but only if the timing is right. But I'm also lucky to have a wife who is not involved in my instrument buying business. I think she trusts me enough to have self control in that area, and I make sure I'm not skipping a household bill to buy gear.
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My girlfriend gets super-excited by the idea of my getting a new bass. I've taken her to both the Sadowsky shop and to Mike Tobias' shop and she almost gets more excited than I do. I'll be trying out a bass and she'll be giving me this look as if to say, "You should get it, you should get it!". I only wish I could indulge her enthusiasm more than I can. :D
 
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#42,731
bass12 said:
My girlfriend gets super-excited by the idea of my getting a new bass. I've taken her to both the Sadowsky shop and to Mike Tobias' shop and she almost gets more excited than I do. I'll be trying out a bass and she'll be giving me this look as if to say, "You should get it, you should get it!". I only wish I could indulge her enthusiasm more than I can. :D
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My lady appreciates my instruments as well. She thinks the Sadowsky stuff is killer (she has a good ear obviously, lol). I recently joked about starting a build (metro most likely, because of price and finish) - she didn't flinch.

:jawdrop: :thumbsup:

I think that was my sign.... :D

Heck she's a videographer and her last camera was $$$.... I think a new Sadowsky might just even us out, lol.
 
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#42,732
bass12 said:
My girlfriend gets super-excited by the idea of my getting a new bass. I've taken her to both the Sadowsky shop and to Mike Tobias' shop and she almost gets more excited than I do. I'll be trying out a bass and she'll be giving me this look as if to say, "You should get it, you should get it!". I only wish I could indulge her enthusiasm more than I can. :D
Click to expand...
Props to your rather oustanding choices in bass builders!
 
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