FWIW, I just posted some lightly used Sadowsky Flats for 5 string in Classifieds. The B is Tapered at bridge.
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Just got this response from Paul at the TB store..it is as I feared...all Sadowsky string prices have now officially nearly doubled, at least for flats...I have not checked out the new pricing on rounds:
“Hi Steve,
Since Warwick took over distribution of Sadowsky accessories, the minimum advertised price for the 40-100 flats is $77, the 45-105 set is $83. I hadn't updated the 45-105 set's pricing as we didn't have any in stock to sell. Sorry about the price increase
Paul“
“Hi Steve,
Since Warwick took over distribution of Sadowsky accessories, the minimum advertised price for the 40-100 flats is $77, the 45-105 set is $83. I hadn't updated the 45-105 set's pricing as we didn't have any in stock to sell. Sorry about the price increase
Paul“
I was able to purchase a set of 45 gauge and 40 gauge 5 string sets at normal prices, On here and Reverb to try out, I guess I’ll be going back to DR when the time comes to change strings, which as little as I’m playing right now will be awhile.
Agreed - terrible website. Can't find anything. Small pictures.
Just got this response from Paul at the TB store..it is as I feared...all Sadowsky string prices have now officially nearly doubled, at least for flats...I have not checked out the new pricing on rounds:
“Hi Steve,
Since Warwick took over distribution of Sadowsky accessories, the minimum advertised price for the 40-100 flats is $77, the 45-105 set is $83. I hadn't updated the 45-105 set's pricing as we didn't have any in stock to sell. Sorry about the price increase
Paul“
I really hope that all Sadowsky strings won't go this way. I really love Sadowsky strings. Hope there are US dealers to buy from.
Wow, Things have really slowed down at Sadowsky site, only 5 basses listed on available instrument page. Is this going to be the new normal?
Not much is normal with that COVID thing still going on. The transition to Warwick may be another factor.
Joeykun
pronounced ジョーイくん
- Jun 22, 2007
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The new normal is they are a team of 2. Custom orders are being worked on. Online instruments will be posted as they complete them.
Roger & Ellis have been working extremely hard. If you are looking for something special, order it. If you want to see what hits the in stock page, be patient.
Roger & Ellis have been working extremely hard. If you are looking for something special, order it. If you want to see what hits the in stock page, be patient.
Question: On my Satin 5-21 Vintage, I have to set the bridge saddles really far forward, for the intonation to be spot on. I’ve been doing my own setups for years, and am very comfortable doing it. I know my personal preferences well. I play with a lighter touch, so I like my neck relief around .010”, and the action set pretty low. In fact, my action is set a little lower than what the Sadowsky Recommended Setup Specifications describe as “low.”
The problem I’m running into with my Sadowsky is, no matter what strings I use, I’m at the very end of the saddles’ intonation adjustment length. In fact, the A & E string saddles are almost to the point of the screw coming out of the saddle, and I still need to adjust them even a little further out. Does anyone have any advice? My initial thought is to try to get longer intonation screws for the A & E strings; maybe the same length as the G, since that one is longer.
I almost need the entire bridge mounted a 1/4” closer to the pickups, to put the saddles closer to the middle. I know I could play with higher action, and not need the saddles that far out, but higher action has never felt good to my hands.
The problem I’m running into with my Sadowsky is, no matter what strings I use, I’m at the very end of the saddles’ intonation adjustment length. In fact, the A & E string saddles are almost to the point of the screw coming out of the saddle, and I still need to adjust them even a little further out. Does anyone have any advice? My initial thought is to try to get longer intonation screws for the A & E strings; maybe the same length as the G, since that one is longer.
I almost need the entire bridge mounted a 1/4” closer to the pickups, to put the saddles closer to the middle. I know I could play with higher action, and not need the saddles that far out, but higher action has never felt good to my hands.
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Nothing against Roger & Ellis, I know they're commitment to quality and attention to detail. It's just takes some getting used to. They were cranking out so many basses there for a while it was insane, it was also amazing how fast they were getting grabbed up. It's like anything else, change (the new normal) takes some getting used to. I would still buy Sadowsky even if it took a year to get, They are really worth the wait.
I’m probably no help and maybe a bit confused...
But, I always thought the saddle location was mainly dependent on the string diameter at the saddle; and that retraction of the saddle towards the tailpiece was a function of the string diameter at the saddle. I always considered saddle height a mainly unrelated adjustment relative to action height prefs.
OTOH, you are showing that apparently the saddle retraction is also related to the saddle height? I’ve never seen that interaction, but confess I’ve never set ultra low action either.
I will say that I prefer my saddles to be set as far away from the tailpiece as possible; because I’ve noticed a relationship between the severity of the break angle and shorter string life. And, I have on various instruments actually moved the bridge to maximize the distance from tailpiece to saddle (a more complex consideration with through body ferrules, which themselves maximize break angle).
FWIW, hope that helps (maybe a little).
I’m getting ready to pull the trigger on a custom music man style five string. Lisa is the one getting back to me. Takes a few days in between each message. Be patient, but I’m getting all the excellent customer service and expertise in the responses that you would expect from such a company. I’m imagining that Roger has multiple arms like Vishnu. A one eyed ratlI’m getting ready to pull the trigger on a custom music man style five string. Lisa is the one getting back to me. Takes a few days in between each message. Be patient, but I’m getting all the excellent customer service and expertise in the responses that you would expect from such a company. I’m imagining that Roger has multiple arms like Vishnu. A one eyed cat watching 17 rat holes.
I’ve found that small action adjustments usually don’t affect the intonation, but larger action adjustments can. That’s just an observation I’ve made through setting up my basses over the years. I believe string diameter variances can be a factor as well. Nevertheless, whatever the cause, my intonation is still slightly flat on the E & A strings, with the saddles as far forward as they’ll go before the screw pops out. Hoping I can find a solution.
That is the Euro one. Apparently there is also supposed to be a US version, once the product makes it's way here.
Mechanically speaking, your bass is offering no resistance when you fret a note set up as it is - normally, a fretted note will be sharpened a little because of finger pressure on the fingerboard, and the distance between the string and the top of the fret that the string has to travel. The intonation adjustment makes the string a tiny bit longer to accommodate this. That's done by bringing the saddle back, moving away from the nut.
If the strings read flat when intonated by comparison of the harmonic and the fretted note at the twelfth fret, you'd normally move the saddles toward the nut to shorten them. This is because string height and and finger pressure aren't doing enough to pull the fretted note into tune. In the case of a very straight neck and exceptionally low action, there may not be enough room to make the saddles get close enough to the nut to get perfect intonation, as seen here.
Intonation is often more of an art than a science, but the TL;DR version brings news that many players simply don't want to hear : your action has to come up. There are limits as to how low your action can go, and there are no profoundly important design flaws in a Sadowsky bass, which is among the finest money can buy. I've been playing a Sadowsky almost exclusively for 30 years, and this is the first claim of a bridge placement issue I've ever encountered. Roger thinks so far ahead in the design stage that these problems are sidestepped, but the instrument has to be in normal operational parameters for this to be so.
Action is a personal subject, and I insisted on the lowest action I could get as a younger player. I've always lived in a major metropolitan area and worked in clubs and studios, so I eventually got to meet a number of players known for ability and technique and got play their basses. I found out that the action that guys like Wooten, Billy Sheehan, and Marcus use is low, but not as low as most think. The action that John Patitucci and Will Lee prefer is very high and will literally scare a lot of players. I followed suit and raised my action quite a bit over time, because those guys sound amazing live and the proof is in the pudding.
Usually, nobody is happy about the "raise your action" advice, even though it is the solution here. If you insist on extra-low action, the longer intonation screws are the answer. In the end, no insult intended, and I come in peace - just relating my hard-won on-the-gig experience, as low-value as that is on boards like this.
So I’ve got this wild hair and I’m thinking about making a few changes to my CAO 5-21. Thinking about converting to all black hardware and a black pearl guard. Opinions?
