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It’s not bad (prefer Berg, Vanderkley...or my Jule Monique tube pre)...doesn’t feel like a 1k watt amp to me though. I keep it primarily for the two channel feature, as I can plug in my Moog synth keys, and quickly match the output levels.
Today, I went to Corner Music in Nashville to get a Sadowsky onboard preamp installed into my Fender Elite 5 jazz.
While there I ran into JD who is in charge of the bass department and he pulled this beauty off the wall and said I had to try it out...
Now I have to say with a little bit of embarrassment, I intentionally try to avoid playing NYC Sadowsky basses.
This is for the same reason that I avoid buying $200 bottles of wine - because it may actually taste way better than my normal wine and I'll go bankrupt from booze.
Well, I was right (at least about the Sadowsky).
The best bass neck I've ever played was a 1962 Fender Precision that was on sale at a small shop downtown for about $10K. The neck on this Sadowsky might be my new favorite.
When he handed me the bass the first thing I noticed, aside from the amazing finish work, was how light it was. I'd be really surprised if it was more than 7 lbs.
The preamp of course was the normal amazing Sadowsky warmth and goodness, and the pickups were so crisp and punchy you'd be hard pressed to need a tone that this bass couldn't conjure up.
But it really was all about the neck for me. You will never find anything that comes off of a production line that feels like this. I absolutely love my Metro Modern 5, but this neck was a truly a piece of art. It had such a buttery, broken in feel to it like the best old-school basses. Super high quality wood and meticulous shaping and fretwork, I could even tell a big difference in the way the fingerboard felt compared to other basses in the shop.
I've heard people say that they felt Sadowsky's cost too much (and I was admittedly one of those several years ago), but when you get your hands on something like this - even after playing loads of high quality basses - you then realize what it's all about.
Because of this experience, I'm gonna be putting my pennies aside and saving for my first Sadowsky NYC. I seriously doubt this one will still be around when I come up with the dough, but if it is I'm gonna grab it.
Today, I went to Corner Music in Nashville to get a Sadowsky onboard preamp installed into my Fender Elite 5 jazz.
While there I ran into JD who is in charge of the bass department and he pulled this beauty off the wall and said I had to try it out...
Now I have to say with a little bit of embarrassment, I intentionally try to avoid playing NYC Sadowsky basses.
This is for the same reason that I avoid buying $200 bottles of wine - because it may actually taste way better than my normal wine and I'll go bankrupt from booze.
Well, I was right (at least about the Sadowsky).
The best bass neck I've ever played was a 1962 Fender Precision that was on sale at a small shop downtown for about $10K. The neck on this Sadowsky might be my new favorite.
When he handed me the bass the first thing I noticed, aside from the amazing finish work, was how light it was. I'd be really surprised if it was more than 7 lbs.
The preamp of course was the normal amazing Sadowsky warmth and goodness, and the pickups were so crisp and punchy you'd be hard pressed to need a tone that this bass couldn't conjure up.
But it really was all about the neck for me. You will never find anything that comes off of a production line that feels like this. I absolutely love my Metro Modern 5, but this neck was a truly a piece of art. It had such a buttery, broken in feel to it like the best old-school basses. Super high quality wood and meticulous shaping and fretwork, I could even tell a big difference in the way the fingerboard felt compared to other basses in the shop.
I've heard people say that they felt Sadowsky's cost too much (and I was admittedly one of those several years ago), but when you get your hands on something like this - even after playing loads of high quality basses - you then realize what it's all about.
Because of this experience, I'm gonna be putting my pennies aside and saving for my first Sadowsky NYC. I seriously doubt this one will still be around when I come up with the dough, but if it is I'm gonna grab it.
Maybe try one of the Metro Expresses... I felt exactly the same way when I played mine for the first time, though I wouldn't say "unexpected" with a Sadowsky... for me, more like just "pleasant".
Maybe try one of the Metro Expresses... I felt exactly the same way when I played mine for the first time, though I wouldn't say "unexpected" with a Sadowsky... for me, more like just "pleasant".
I agree. Great tip that I’ve been using all week. Any others?
Not if they're a different color.
