Club Sadowsky!!!

[kevk]

Sadowsky Blues v1. Is there a v2? Differences?

I have not tried blue flats v2. I believe @kevkrecommended them to me, pinging him.

Definitely there’s an improved (v1–>v2) difference...a little better thump, right out of the package, strong mids, and really even string to string (v1’s could be inconsistent)...

For me, they have the best feel/tension of any flats I’ve tried (Chromes, LaBella, TI)...prefer the (40-125) Lights, and also use 45-130 black rounds. Highly recommend trying them, Fran!

 

[Vic]

This is impressive, even if it's only a living room test.....New GR bass Aerotec 2x10...22lbs!View attachment 3814711

I checked those out at NAMM and they are amazing!

 

[AMJBASS]

I have not tried blue flats v2. I believe @kevk recommended them to me, pinging him.

I played the v.1 Blues for a few months the year they came out. Reminded me of Chromes though they didn't seem to hit hard down low like I would have prefered. Lots of mid range. I have a brand new set of Sadowsky Blues(40-125) here though which I'll put on shortly. They are the v.2

 

[KenMoore05]

Y'all sure love talking strings, specifically flats! Never could get down with flats. Going to get a set of the black nickels for my modern 5. Higher the tension the better for me.

 

[Laklandfan]

Looking at a sadowsky with soap bars, but I don’t have any experience with them. Videos online don’t seem to A/B them. I was wondering where do the soapbars fall in the tone spectrum. Are they more J like or P like? In a normal jazz bass positions. Are they normally parallel or series?

 

[Fran Diaz]

Definitely there’s an improved (v1–>v2) difference...a little better thump, right out of the package, strong mids, and really even string to string (v1’s could be inconsistent)...

For me, they have the best feel/tension of any flats I’ve tried (Chromes, LaBella, TI)...prefer the (40-125) Lights, and also use 45-130 black rounds. Highly recommend trying them, Fran!

Hey, thanks! I'm having a hard time thinking that my last two sets of Black Label flats are getting to the end of their life. My PJ4 sounds and feels so good that I find hard to believe that a different string can match up. What I'm sure of is that when the time comes it'll be the Sadowsky Blues.

 

[KaseOfBass]

Looking at a sadowsky with soap bars, but I don’t have any experience with them. Videos online don’t seem to A/B them. I was wondering where do the soapbars fall in the tone spectrum. Are they more J like or P like? In a normal jazz bass positions. Are they normally parallel or series?

I love the sound of the modern basses and wondered about the soapbars in a jazz. I’ve never had one, but from what I read and could find to listen to, the soaps in 60s position sound fatter and much more round than the jazz pickups. While still sounding like a jazz, they lacked that growl and bite you get from single coils (or even some of the humcancelling designs) in the same position. My thoughts were that I could always warm up a jazz with singles, but I didn’t think I’d be able to get the bite, growl, and aggressiveness I wanted out of the soaps in 60s positions.

 

[ElMon]

I love the sound of the modern basses and wondered about the soapbars in a jazz. I’ve never had one, but from what I read and could find to listen to, the soaps in 60s position sound fatter and much more round than the jazz pickups. While still sounding like a jazz, they lacked that growl and bite you get from single coils (or even some of the humcancelling designs) in the same position. My thoughts were that I could always warm up a jazz with singles, but I didn’t think I’d be able to get the bite, growl, and aggressiveness I wanted out of the soaps in 60s positions.

Snagged a soap-in-J-Position on a trade, and that's exactly what I'm getting out of it. It solves everything that was missing in the typical J-sound for me. Much closer to what I was chasing all those years I dumped Sadowsky preamps into MTD's. Overall a bit darker sound, and despite mine being ash/maple, I really have to run the VTC wide open and goose the treble to get that 'spank' that I like for this type of bass. 'Run for Cover' on a flatwound strung PJ5 can be cool, but when I want 'that' sound.

Been toying with the idea of putting some Aguilar Super Doubles in it just for funsies, but on the fence.

 

[Spidey2112]

Snagged a soap-in-J-Position on a trade, and that's exactly what I'm getting out of it. It solves everything that was missing in the typical J-sound for me. Much closer to what I was chasing all those years I dumped Sadowsky preamps into MTD's. Overall a bit darker sound, and despite mine being ash/maple, I really have to run the VTC wide open and goose the treble to get that 'spank' that I like for this type of bass. 'Run for Cover' on a flatwound strung PJ5 can be cool, but when I want 'that' sound.

Been toying with the idea of putting some Aguilar Super Doubles in it just for funsies, but on the fence.


View attachment 3815972 View attachment 3815973

I don't suppose the entity you traded with had horns and a long spiked tail... hmmm?

Beautiful, btw.

 

[ElMon]

I don't suppose the entity you traded with had horns and a long spiked tail... hmmm?

Beautiful, btw.

Good ol' Latinbass. From New Jersey I believe, so can't completely disprove the horn-and-tail theory. We've swapped so many basses in the last 6 months that there's likely a file on us at a 3-letter agency or two.

 

[Fuzzbass]

Y'all sure love talking strings, specifically flats! Never could get down with flats. Going to get a set of the black nickels for my modern 5. Higher the tension the better for me.

Well, some like flats, and some like flats and rounds. I'm mostly a roundwound guy but keep flats on one of my Sadowsky P-basses because the end result is perfect for oldies, classic rock, & Motown. Sure, I will also play rounds in those situations, but rounds never have the same timbre as flats even with the passive tone rolled back. Nobody else ever cares which strings I use, but I appreciate the differences.

 

[KaseOfBass]

Snagged a soap-in-J-Position on a trade, and that's exactly what I'm getting out of it. It solves everything that was missing in the typical J-sound for me. Much closer to what I was chasing all those years I dumped Sadowsky preamps into MTD's. Overall a bit darker sound, and despite mine being ash/maple, I really have to run the VTC wide open and goose the treble to get that 'spank' that I like for this type of bass. 'Run for Cover' on a flatwound strung PJ5 can be cool, but when I want 'that' sound.

Been toying with the idea of putting some Aguilar Super Doubles in it just for funsies, but on the fence.


View attachment 3815972 View attachment 3815973

Nice! I was wondering where that one ended up.

I think that all Sadowsky PJ5 basses go through Tully first and the rest go through Alfonso (Latinbass) first. I got my current WL-5 from him and keep eyeing that spalted modern he’s got listed right now.

 

[Sadowsky]

Roger Sadowsky, Seeing that Fender is discontinuing offering Ash on their production models, and I know of one boutique builder that is following suit. Will Sadowsky continue to offer Ash bodies in the new Metro ( I know Expresses are Ovankol) and NYC basses?

I am hoping that swamp ash will be easier for me to get, without Fender buying up everything on the market!

Roger

 

[ElMon]

Nice! I was wondering where that one ended up.

I think that all Sadowsky PJ5 basses go through Tully first and the rest go through Alfonso (Latinbass) first. I got my current WL-5 from him and keep eyeing that spalted modern he’s got listed right now.

Ha! That is not Hyperbole!

 

[R&B]

Good ol' Latinbass. From New Jersey I believe, so can't completely disprove the horn-and-tail theory. We've swapped so many basses in the last 6 months that there's likely a file on us at a 3-letter agency or two.

I think there is a TB rule that says all trades and sales must occur at a distance of at least 1,000 miles. Preferably coast to coast.

 

[AngelCrusher]

I love the sound of the modern basses and wondered about the soapbars in a jazz. I’ve never had one, but from what I read and could find to listen to, the soaps in 60s position sound fatter and much more round than the jazz pickups. While still sounding like a jazz, they lacked that growl and bite you get from single coils (or even some of the humcancelling designs) in the same position. My thoughts were that I could always warm up a jazz with singles, but I didn’t think I’d be able to get the bite, growl, and aggressiveness I wanted out of the soaps in 60s positions.

I agree with this. I got a G&L L2500 for this very reason when I needed a 5 string. I just got sick of the jazz bass sound, but I had been playing one pretty exclusively for 10+ years. That's also why I went with the P/J from Roger even though he is best known for his J's. That said, it is one of the best P/Js on the market, easily the best I have owned so I am happy with my choice.

I am quite sure his soap bars are fantastic. The tone in that video is really great.

 

[MattLplaysBass]

Nobody else ever cares which strings I use, but I appreciate the differences.

This could probably be said for all our gear

Also, there's quite a few new Metro Expresses on the Sadowsky site. That CAR 5er is super tempting...

 

[ElMon]

Since this is my first roasted-maple neck ... do these have a bit less hi-end zing than a typical maple neck?

I absolutely love the feel.

 

[Holdsg]

I didn't notice any less or any more zing from a roasted neck EBMM I once owned. But I may not be the best reference. I can barely tell, not by much, the diff between maple, ebony, and rosewood. "rocks for ears"

One thing about roasted necks I do get...they sure purdy

 

[KUETSUM]

Since this is my first roasted-maple neck ... do these have a bit less hi-end zing than a typical maple neck?

View attachment 3816245

I absolutely love the feel.

They have less high mid to my ear