Yes it does but I actually don’t need it. Rear cavity on this bass but I had it made with conventional J control spacing anyway so I’d take it off the plate
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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.
Yes it does but I actually don’t need it. Rear cavity on this bass but I had it made with conventional J control spacing anyway so I’d take it off the plate
I see now... the extra knob for a 4 could be placed where the jack hole is for the 3, hence the jack side placement for the 4. Occupies the same space, but you have to accommodate the extra knob and jack placement, so it would require some skills... I have a few, but would still not drill into that bass...
... if your bass isn't a Sadowsky, well... dilly, dilly! Drill away!
@RNG1 : I don't have much to add but know that I am following the discussion closely as I am grappling with the same decisions. I have several bases and the most recent is a Sadowsky 5/21. It is (finally) the sound I am looking for and I would also like to have a 4 string version. I am really really tempted to buy one of the new Metro Express models but do I want to drop $1875 on a new bass right after paying for my custom NYC 5/21? ... ouch.
I am also tempted to just move up to the Satin series because I feel like I would get a better weight by doing so. I could sell some of my current bases to offset the cost - that includes a Squier VM Jazz 5, SBMM Ray 34, Sire V7 4, G&L JB2 Tribute, and I am even considering parting with a Fender Elite P that I love the passive sound of but am on-again/off-again with the active sound.
Ah, but then there is just buying the onboard preamp... I looked into putting it into the G&L JB2 tribute... could probably do the 3 knob version but would have to route a place for the battery, but then the preamp would be worth as much as the entire bass alone. I have also thought about replacing the preamp in the fender Elite-P, but then what does that do the resale value, and do I care?
Then of course there is the outboard preamp SBP-2 option, which would potentially allow me to get the Sadowsky sound with all of the basses I own (maybe, but does it really?)
I have been going back and forth with all these options for the past 2 weeks. Not sure which way I will end up going but if it were a decision I had to make today it would be to sell off some of the basses mentioned above (which I likely will not play much in the future) and buy a satin series Sadowsky 4.
Let me know which route you end up taking.
Sounds like we could benefit from sharing the same therapist if they allow a joint session...
I decided (for the moment) to pick up the lessser expensive SBP-2 which is pretty reasonable and I’ve even seen on TB. Reasoning is it will at least give me an idea of what this particular bass would sound like and the easiest way to get there. Then I’ll likely add that to the $10,000 pile of stuff I have around here that could have been the most amazing Sadowsky bass had I not monkeyed around with all this crap for the past several years.
There will ultimately be a metro express in my future to hopefully cure this disease
I’ll let you know how the pedal turns out.
This particular bass that I’m referring to I do think warrants some Sadowsky love however.
FWIW, the VTC may appear to be somewhat trivial; but, IME, that control is worth it’s weight in gold. Here’s why: in the larger spectrum of tones available with the Sadowsky preamp, you get a lot of higher freqs, which though useful for certain tones, can create the impression of being too “modern.” Since so many important bass tones are “old school,” having the VTC lets you get those as well. Extremely important and effective, if apparently trivial. Which it isn’t. I think quite a few Sadowsky players would agree with this as being consensus.
So, that abbreviated preamp is really aimed at basses that have some kind of collector value; and where the player may want a reversibly swapable preamp on a collectible passive bass. If your instrument is not a collector piece and you gig it, I would strongly recommend the regular onboard, bite the bullet, and drill and route as needed. Great luthiers, like Pat Wilkins, can do this for very reasonable cost, and it will be done right. Here are my two “Fendowsky’s:”
So, that abbreviated preamp is really aimed at basses that have some kind of collector value; and where the player may want a reversibly swapable preamp on a collectible passive bass. If your instrument is not a collector piece and you gig it, I would strongly recommend the regular onboard, bite the bullet, and drill and route as needed. Great luthiers, like Pat Wilkins, can do this for very reasonable cost, and it will be done right. Here are my two “Fendowsky’s:”
GREAT looking bass! I have no doubt Pat Wilkins can fix you right up with the standard preamp in that puppy.
Oh, and just for the heck of it, here is my awesome NYC. Can’t just post the Fenders.
+1, really the secret sauce in the preamp. Cranking up some treble and rolling in some VTC is wonderful.
Yeah thanks! Actually the guy who finished this body for me is local so I can definitely have him do the side jack. I did the layout for these controls thinking ahead that I may want to put in a four knob control. I’ve seen Pat’s work, he does top notch work for sure.
I am aware of the uses of the VTC and I do believe that is something I will find effective for enhancing what I’m looking for in my head.
I can only imagine what those Delanos paired with the Sadowsky preamp sounds like. I can see why you would want two.
The Delano’s and the Sadowsky preamp are sauce for my needs. I don’t even think about any other Jazz Bass configuration these days.
Curious what musical context you play mostly that you found this to be your sauce. Thanks
I agree, gotta have the VTC. Here's my Fender Jazz with Sad pups and 4 knob preamp setup.
I did the side jack myself. Also added Sadowsky bridge.
I did the side jack myself. Also added Sadowsky bridge.
Mainly cover gigs, playing everything from Muddy Waters/Elvis to Bruno Mars/Timberlake. We do Motown, Journey, whatever people want to hear. I try to cop the vibe of the reference recording: pizzicato, plectrum, slap/thump; P, J etc. I just find this combination to offer the widest choices available. Old school, new school. Pretty much does it all for me. Back in my more Jazz Bass centric days, I was settled on the Seymour Duncan SJB-2 as the best single coil I ever found; and I still have those in my '62. Great passive characteristic Jazz bass pickups. the Delano's just do a whole lot more for me; and coupled with the Sadowsky preamp, I'm pretty much done looking around.
Yeah, duplication, right?
Well, I certainly have more bass guitars than I need. And I never intend to become any kind of collector. So, that kind of bugs me sometimes. I just have a hard time letting go of instruments and rigs that work well. I'm pretty agnostic on the 4 and 5 string thing; but, there are times when I prefer one over the other for technical reasons.
Also, there remain some distinct differences. For one thing, the 4 string J pickups just seem to have a little more heft to them than the 5 string versions of the same pickup. I went through the 5 string versions of the Sadowsky Seymour Duncans, Sadowsky Nordstrands, and Delanos on a WL5 I just sold; and thinking there was something wrong with the preamp, I sent the bass to Lisa, who rewired the entire preamp and checked it all out. I should mention that Roger, Lisa and the rest of the shop staff are some of the BEST people on Planet Bass. But, even after addressing the preamp Q, my 4 string basses just clobber the 5, in terms of hefty output. Now, you can just turn the input gain up a little more with the 5 strings; but, the difference is there. Stuff like that.
Hello, do you know why Sadowsky specifically uses hum cancelling pups instead of single coil pups in the Metroline Series, is there any special think that I missed ? And is there any chance to swap from hum cancelling to single coil pups when ordering Metroline, thank you !
I know I've said it before... love the white one, @bucephylus!
Ahhh, the Albatross. Every now and then, even the blind pig finds the trough.
