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I’ve had even a smaller sample size than @bass12 to go by; but...
My (way) oversimplification is that the the solid bodies tend to possess a more solid “hit,” whereas the chambered bodies tend to create more resonance.
BUT, one has to recognize that due to wood’s incredibly complex structure, no two pieces sound or react exactly the same. Roger’s chambering design generally makes the instruments play kind of like an early 60’s VERY light Jazz Bass; if you’ve ever had the privilege to play one. Perhaps, even more so.
Using extremes as examples, if you want that hammer-on-granite tone, which Marcus Miller perfected, then you would probably prefer the solid body. And a heavy one at that. If you want that vibey feel, like Bobby Vega or Will Lee, then you can get there more reliably with a chambered body. Super light solid bodies can do that as well; but, they are harder to find.
Still, as @Joeykun accurately stated, there is considerable variation for either solid or chambered instruments compared to similar builds. Heck, Fender Jazz Bass players may go through dozens of instruments before finding “the one.”
My own $0.019 choice for an NYC build was to go chambered. That is Roger’s signature design. But, I also have Fender parts basses I’ve assembled with solid bodies (of course running the identical electronics). So, if I want the more solid “hit,” I can just grab one of those. May not have Roger’s name on the headstock; but, the sound is 100% Sadowsky. Which is what I care about.
This is why large sample size is important. Wood species can't be pigeonholed into perfectly predictable and narrow tone ranges. Many who have owned "identical" sibling basses (including myself) have been surprised by how different these basses can sound even when freshly strung with identical string sets.
It isn't all or nothing; I'm not saying there's no difference in tone between wood species. My point is that the bell curves are wide and can overlap. You can get snappy sounding alder/rosewood, and warm/phat ash/maple. For one of my "identical twin" sets, one was much snappier, the other much warmer, even though both were alder/morado (everything else was equal as well). From my own experience and what I've heard from others, this kind of variability is not a rare exception. Many who have spec'd out custom orders for a particular tone goal have been surprised by the result. But as Jagger said, you can't always get what you want, but sometimes you
OBTW: when comparing a single chambered bass to a single non-chambered one, all else being equal, it's impossible to know whether a difference in tone between them is due to chambering, or the variable nature of wood. So again: that's why a large sample size is necessary -- the larger the better.
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Having played more than one example of each, I will say that I can't tell the difference! That is, there was nothing distinguishable about them that I could attribute to a solid versus chambered body.
yeah but the nerf provides excellent muting if you stuff it under the strings by the bridge. I loves me some nerf-muting, so fire away.
so do you only mic an amp? no direct signal? otherwise, if you do use a DI, i wonder if the sound guy also has to cut your low eq? if so, maybe too much of a good thing, dare i say?
Interestingly enough, the handful of times I went out DI to the house (usually the venues in OKC allow me to carry the mix with the rig I have) it was for a hip-hop gig, and the DJ/Soundguy both told me that my PJ5 ('Big Daddy P') was 'thick like and 808'.
With both pickups blended, it's not quite as bad. Just a perfect sound 99% of the time. But, when I lean solely on that P Pickup, that's when things get dangerous.
My chambered vs. non-chambered experience became apparent with some of the Modern models I owned.
To me, the pickup placement on that model has a less forceful lowend than my PJ5 or some of the JJ5's I've owned, in all wood combos. But ... it has it's own mid-character that is unmatched by just about any other bass I've tried.
That being said, I had a mahogany-body, ebony board (ziracote top) M5 that was at/around 7.5 lbs.
That was the only Sadowsky I ever owned where I had to boost the bass control more than just a smidge, to get my preferred sound. I damn-near goosed it, and favored the neck pickup. But ... that lightweight sucker had such a singing, responsive sound when played above the 12th fret.
I dumped it.
Conversely, I got ahold of a mahogany/ziracote/rosewood-board Modern that was hands-down one of the best fingerstyle tones I've ever heard out of a Sadowsky. Goldilocks tone as far as mid/high/lowend content.
But ... couldn't compare to my PJ5, so I turned it into an Alleva Coppolo LG5.
Is this all extremely-subjective?
Yeah.
But for me it's hard science. Bring on the neck cramps!!!
To me, the pickup placement on that model has a less forceful lowend than my PJ5 or some of the JJ5's I've owned, in all wood combos. But ... it has it's own mid-character that is unmatched by just about any other bass I've tried.
That being said, I had a mahogany-body, ebony board (ziracote top) M5 that was at/around 7.5 lbs.
That was the only Sadowsky I ever owned where I had to boost the bass control more than just a smidge, to get my preferred sound. I damn-near goosed it, and favored the neck pickup. But ... that lightweight sucker had such a singing, responsive sound when played above the 12th fret.
I dumped it.
Conversely, I got ahold of a mahogany/ziracote/rosewood-board Modern that was hands-down one of the best fingerstyle tones I've ever heard out of a Sadowsky. Goldilocks tone as far as mid/high/lowend content.
But ... couldn't compare to my PJ5, so I turned it into an Alleva Coppolo LG5.
Is this all extremely-subjective?
Yeah.
But for me it's hard science. Bring on the neck cramps!!!
Joeykun
pronounced ジョーイくん
- Jun 22, 2007
- 4,200
- 16,150
- Disclosures
- Endorsing: LAKLAND SADOWSKY GENZLER DARKGLASS NORDSTRAND TEMPLEBOARD KIRLIN DRSTRINGS ACCESS
Santa came early with some Sadowsky swag! 
Tonight's office. Santa hat ready to go.
Last night's Ugly Christmas Sweater party...
Well, let’s see the sweater! Lol
If anyone comes across a pre-owned Original P for sale, I might be interested. I used to have one. And now for the silly details. I'd prefer a 1 1/2" neck width and a rosewood board, but would consider maple. I'm open to most colors. Thanks.
This was the one I owned, should have kept it.
This was the one I owned, should have kept it.
Looks like one I played at Gruhn’s in Nashville. Very cool bass but didn’t get hear it through an amp.
Thanks, is that current? It's a bit heavy for a chambered body. Mine was 7.6 pounds. Nice one, though.
You lot will get old one day and then you'll appreciate chambered bodies a bit more.
Stand for 2 hours with a '77 Stingray 4 and then strap on a 2006 Sadowsky NYC J5 and you'll need lead shoes to stop you floating offstage.
Stand for 2 hours with a '77 Stingray 4 and then strap on a 2006 Sadowsky NYC J5 and you'll need lead shoes to stop you floating offstage.
My 2011 Stingray Classic was a hair over 10 lbs and I couldn't bring myself to take it out of the house more than once every couple of months. I love my 7.8 lb Sadowsky 5
