Club Sadowsky!!!

[Holdsg]

That PG makes that lower horn look out of proportion, like it’s a fake.

 

[HD007]

So I put the new bass through it’s paces this weekend. First on Saturday I had a 4 hour band practice/writing session and then two Sunday morning services. Only weighing in at 8.4lbs this thing put very minimal strain on my back. I love the Labella flats on this thing, both from a sound and feel. The thing that blew my mind about this bass was how consistent it is from string to string and fret to fret. This is the first bass I have ever owned that I didn’t have to work around certain spots on the neck or didn’t have to worry about the tamber of the same notes being so different in different spots on the neck. I am still getting used to this bass for sure but so far it is the best bass I have ever owned, blows the 5 string Lakland I used to own out of the water. I was originally going into the music store to by another 5 string Lakland but I am so glad I walked out with this thing.

Nice, thanks for update. Which gauge did you get?

As a fellow newcomer to the brand, I have also been struck by that string-to-string, fret-to-fret consistency. Pretty amazing.

 

[GRoberts]

I had the good fortune to make a stop to Bass San Diego this weekend. The bad news was they only had two Sadowsky's in stock. A 4 String NYC Alder/RW and Metro UV. I really wanted to try a Sadowsky in person, so even though I am a 5 string player only, I tried the 4 String NYC alder/RW bass. In short, mind blown. Superb, stunning. tuneful, inspiring. The 70's style UV was not of interest to me and when the Alder/RW 4 String sounded as great as it did ...NOW I am on the hunt. I want a 5 string NYC 5-21.

I wish I could have tried a PJ, but the pair of Sadowsky Humcancelling J PU's were fabulous..

Questions:
1. I would have tried an Ash/Maple but the UV70 was not the lane I want to do down. I don't care for the orange light colored Morado / Pau Ferro FB's personally. So what about an Ash/Maple NYC 5-21?
2. How consistent is the voice a 5 string Alder/RW NYC versus the equivalent spec'd 4 string?
3. I have not been able to feel the neck profile or string spacing on a 5 string, so not sure what nut width is most comfy for my medium sized hands. (My main bass is a Nordy J5) Love it, but anything bigger or wider would be too cumbersome.
4. Is that any appreciable difference in the NYC Satin finish basses versus the NYC glossy finished Sadowsky's (If all other things were as equal as possible?)
3. I realize this has been answered a million times, but how close would a Metro or Metro-express 5 string sound versus a NYC 5-21? I am aware the common answer is the NYC offers a lot more custom options. But I'd rather find one that is available instead of waiting a year.

 

[HD007]

I had the good fortune to make a stop to Bass San Diego this weekend. The bad news was they only had two Sadowsky's in stock. A 4 String NYC Alder/RW and Metro UV. I really wanted to try a Sadowsky in person, so even though I am a 5 string player only, I tried the 4 String NYC alder/RW bass. In short, mind blown. Superb, stunning. tuneful, inspiring. The 70's style UV was not of interest to me and when the Alder/RW 4 String sounded as great as it did ...NOW I am on the hunt. I want a 5 string NYC 5-21.

I wish I could have tried a PJ, but the pair of Sadowsky Humcancelling J PU's were fabulous..

Questions:
1. I would have tried an Ash/Maple but the UV70 was not the lane I want to do down. I don't care for the orange light colored Morado / Pau Ferro FB's personally. So what about an Ash/Maple NYC 5-21?
2. How consistent is the voice a 5 string Alder/RW NYC versus the equivalent spec'd 4 string?
3. I have not been able to feel the neck profile or string spacing on a 5 string, so not sure what nut width is most comfy for my medium sized hands. (My main bass is a Nordy J5) Love it, but anything bigger or wider would be too cumbersome.
4. Is that any appreciable difference in the NYC Satin finish basses versus the NYC glossy finished Sadowsky's (If all other things were as equal as possible?)
3. I realize this has been answered a million times, but how close would a Metro or Metro-express 5 string sound versus a NYC 5-21? I am aware the common answer is the NYC offers a lot more custom options. But I'd rather find one that is available instead of waiting a year.

This may be of no help but if you’re still in the So Cal area the Mesa Boogie Hollywood store has some 5ers in stock.

 

[GRoberts]

This may be of no help but if you’re still in the So Cal area the Mesa Boogie Hollywood store has some 5ers in stock.

Thanks! They apparently have a couple nice Satin NYC 5-21's.

 

[bassicsax]

Nice, thanks for update. Which gauge did you get?

As a fellow newcomer to the brand, I have also been struck by that string-to-string, fret-to-fret consistency. Pretty amazing.

Standard gauge, I believe they are .45-.128...

 

[ElMon]

Awesome indeed. Yet surf green is more subdued than that pic. I daresay seafoam green, or even Bel Air green! Whatever you call it, a beauty.

Don't know where you got the 'surf green' thing. I was clearly posting in 'sea-foam solidarity'.

Me thinks you have a 'surf green' Sadowsky in your future.

So the vapors tell me.

 

[ElMon]

Here at ElMon's Home for Wayward Sadowskii


Traded away my Sadowsky pre/Aguilar PUP-loaded MTD 634. He made me an offer I couldn't refuse.

WL-pre
Humcancelling instead of single-coils
Alder/Ebony, which I have never had experience with.

I suspect my mahogany/madagascar RW M5 will win out, but I plan on making clips regardless.
This will make five in the ol' Casa De Elmon.

There's a good crime novel here somewhere.
Mild-mannered (OK, not so mild) purchasing agent 'breaks bad' so that he can afford to keep five Sadowsky.
Sadowsky basses are addictive like Meth, so I'll probably stay away from that angle. I'm thinking something in the A/C, like money-laundering. Seems like a lot of ironing and fabric softener, but I'll manage.

 

[TimothyGroovy]

Questions:
1. I would have tried an Ash/Maple but the UV70 was not the lane I want to do down. I don't care for the orange light colored Morado / Pau Ferro FB's personally. So what about an Ash/Maple NYC 5-21?

2. How consistent is the voice a 5 string Alder/RW NYC versus the equivalent spec'd 4 string?

3. I have not been able to feel the neck profile or string spacing on a 5 string, so not sure what nut width is most comfy for my medium sized hands. (My main bass is a Nordy J5) Love it, but anything bigger or wider would be too cumbersome.

4. Is that any appreciable difference in the NYC Satin finish basses versus the NYC glossy finished Sadowsky's (If all other things were as equal as possible?)

5. I realize this has been answered a million times, but how close would a Metro or Metro-express 5 string sound versus a NYC 5-21? I am aware the common answer is the NYC offers a lot more custom options. But I'd rather find one that is available instead of waiting a year.

1. Ash/Maple combo is always my recommendation on Classic Sadowsky tone while Alder/Rw combo is slightly mellow.
2. Similar I could tell as long as the wood combo are the same.
3. AFAIK, Nordy is 1-7/8" nut width and 19mm bridge spacing spec, a Standard Sadowsky is basically come with the same spec, Nordy got compound radius tho, but I think it won't be a problem to adapt.
4. Not to my ears at all.
5. For the new Metro Express with same spec as a NYC, the "sounding" is really close and I'm only talk about the sound.

Hope this helps

 

[GRoberts]

1. Ash/Maple combo is always my recommendation on Classic Sadowsky tone while Alder/Rw combo is slightly mellow.
2. Similar I could tell as long as the wood combo are the same.
3. AFAIK, Nordy is 1-7/8" nut width and 19mm bridge spacing spec, a Standard Sadowsky is basically come with the same spec, Nordy got compound radius tho, but I think it won't be a problem to adapt.
4. Not to my ears at all.
5. For the new Metro Express with same spec as a NYC, the "sounding" is really close and I'm only talk about the sound.

Hope this helps

Thank you. I wish they would have had an Ash/Maple 5-21 for me to try. I may have preferred it too. I can't' wait to find a great sadowsky J5-21. Might go for a Satin NYC. I'll call the Sadowsky shop and have a conversation. I would spec what I want, but I just don't want to wait a year.

 

[HD007]

Thank you. I wish they would have had an Ash/Maple 5-21 for me to try. I may have preferred it too. I can't' wait to find a great sadowsky J5-21. Might go for a Satin NYC. I'll call the Sadowsky shop and have a conversation. I would spec what I want, but I just don't want to wait a year.

Did you see they have an ash/maple 5 on their site?

 

[gustobassman]

View attachment 3506085


Here at ElMon's Home for Wayward Sadowskii


Traded away my Sadowsky pre/Aguilar PUP-loaded MTD 634. He made me an offer I couldn't refuse.

WL-pre
Humcancelling instead of single-coils
Alder/Ebony, which I have never had experience with.

I suspect my mahogany/madagascar RW M5 will win out, but I plan on making clips regardless.
This will make five in the ol' Casa De Elmon.

There's a good crime novel here somewhere.
Mild-mannered (OK, not so mild) purchasing agent 'breaks bad' so that he can afford to keep five Sadowsky.
Sadowsky basses are addictive like Meth, so I'll probably stay away from that angle. I'm thinking something in the A/C, like money-laundering. Seems like a lot of ironing and fabric softener, but I'll manage.

Wowzers. Thats sexy. So simple in appearance but I'd be willing to bet it's got a few different faces... Looking forward to your opinion of the Alder/Ebony. I have yet to try a WL, but I'm sure that addiction you refer to would pop up and we all know how that ends. Better to stay off the sauce.... today.

My Satin J5 has gotten so darn lonely. The Modern and the Verdine just nail everything tonally I could ever want. I don't look at J-basses with the same "ooooh, I gotta play that" mentality anymore. Pretty weird considering the J bass was "my sound" for so - many - years.

 

[GRoberts]

Did you see they have an ash/maple 5 on their site?

I saw a Black Pearl Satin NYC 5'er that looks pretty darned cool! Is that the one you mean? #8596

 

[Dave Hill]

IIRC, MEs and NYCs have the same neck profile. Metros May be slightly different(?)

 

[HD007]

I saw a Black Pearl Satin NYC 5'er that looks pretty darned cool! Is that the one you mean? #8596

That’s the one.

 

[MAJOR METAL]

Mo betta green?

View attachment 3504275 View attachment 3504276 View attachment 3504277

I love seeing all of these green Sadowskys!

 

[GRoberts]

View attachment 3506085


Here at ElMon's Home for Wayward Sadowskii


Traded away my Sadowsky pre/Aguilar PUP-loaded MTD 634. He made me an offer I couldn't refuse.

WL-pre
Humcancelling instead of single-coils
Alder/Ebony, which I have never had experience with.

I suspect my mahogany/madagascar RW M5 will win out, but I plan on making clips regardless.
This will make five in the ol' Casa De Elmon.

There's a good crime novel here somewhere.
Mild-mannered (OK, not so mild) purchasing agent 'breaks bad' so that he can afford to keep five Sadowsky.
Sadowsky basses are addictive like Meth, so I'll probably stay away from that angle. I'm thinking something in the A/C, like money-laundering. Seems like a lot of ironing and fabric softener, but I'll manage.

That is stunning! Looking forward to hearing your review of the Alder/Ebony variation.

 

[J.Wolf]

Curiosity: I have been playing this nice Limited Edition Metro (ash with pau ferro) and new WL single coils. Originally I thought it would be a good modern jazz bass sound, with edge for slap and Marcus'y vibe, but its proven to sound really thick and meaty and is much better suited for pure fingerstyle. I have a Skyline DJ 5 with Nord HC's that is much better for the "Marcus slice".

I'm wondering about putting some flats on the Sad, since it seems to really excel in the mids and low mids/lows, and can sound a little aggressive in the upper mids and lower treble. I have been using the Sadowsky black nickels which seem like a great match for rounds. Wondering if the Sadowsky flats are the way to go, or if people have found flats they prefer with their sadowsky, based on the feel and tone matching up with the preamp/native sound of the Sadowsky's.

thx

 

[Holdsg]

I’m a flats guy, tried them all, and I prefer the Sadowsky as my fav overall flatwound string.

There are guys who are Gaga over TIs or Chromes, or EB Cobalts. They each have their voice and quirks. The Sadowsky has best balance of tension and tone in my experience.

 

[J.Wolf]

Thanks thats exactly what I was expecting and hoping to hear. I have had good luck with the Labella set thats slightly on the lighter side, and the lighter gauge chromes that have a nice woody snap. I always want to like the TI's, but theyre too soft feeling for me, I think I just have a heavier right hand than I want to admit.

I may have to give the Sad flats a shot.