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Club Sadowsky!!!

#5,441
testing1two said:
Ok, I'm late to the party as usual, but here is my "prototype" #4224

PBass3.gif
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you win for the sickest '59 burst finish...
 
#5,446
smeet said:
...

I bought a set of Sadowsky single coils, and a set of Nordstrand NJ5's. Here's my thoughts on the three sets:

I Swapped in the Sad SC's. Better than the HC's, treble is voiced a bit lower, more low mids, but still not warm. The lows are still too extended for me, which means the neck pickup soloed is not a useful sound, as it gets totally lost in the mix. Overall, the sound is very similar to the hum-canceling.

The Nordstrands sounded quite different. Tonally, they were much more Fender-like. Less extreme highs and extreme lows, much thicker in the mids, bit of an aggressive grind in the lower treble/hi mids. The neck pickup was much more usable in the mix. Overall, I felt like I could be heard better without having to turn up as loud. Even though it is a darker-sounding pickup, in the mix I can hear more highs, just less "air" which I'm not that into anyway. I can add that in with the Sadowsky pre if I need to anyway.

...
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I tried the same thing: put Nordstrand NJ5 SCs into my MV5.

I really like the neck PU sound now!
The whole bass sounds thicker !
:bassist::bassist::bassist::bassist::bassist:
 
#5,447
Hey guys. The 'pre-owned' Olympic White Alder/RW bass on the latest update is mine (I'm in serious 'thin the herd' mode at the moment). Just FYI, it's a good one IMO, and has single coils installed and HC's in the case. It's priced to sell and is in excellent, almost new shape!
 
#5,448
KJung said:
Hey guys. The 'pre-owned' Olympic White Alder/RW bass on the latest update is mine (I'm in serious 'thin the herd' mode at the moment). Just FYI, it's a good one IMO, and has single coils installed and HC's in the case. It's priced to sell and is in excellent, almost new shape!
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I thought that was yours. Although the listed weight seemed high. It feels more like 4 pounds. :D

It is a really resonant RV, and super light for us old guys with bad backs.
 
#5,450
burk48237 said:
I thought that was yours. Although the listed weight seemed high. It feels more like 4 pounds. :D

It is a really resonant RV, and super light for us old guys with bad backs.
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+1 It's definitely lighter than my ash/maple, which was listed at 8.6 pounds on the site. Who knows. I think the Sadowsky posted weights are just estimates based on the weight of the body, and then adding a constant for the neck and hardware for all the basses (from a conversation I had with Kevin or somebody).

Anyway, nice bass... just thinning the herd at this point.

K
 
#5,452
Wadge said:
I see that the perloid pickguard is highly approved of here in talkbass, but for some reason, whenever I put it on everyone keeps telling me that the black looks better. And I think I agree. It does look good photographed and matching the blocks.
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Ya, that bass absolutely slays. I have been thinking about a 70's style 5 string for a while, and that one just kills me!
 
#5,453
KJung said:
+1 It's definitely lighter than my ash/maple, which was listed at 8.6 pounds on the site. Who knows. I think the Sadowsky posted weights are just estimates based on the weight of the body, and then adding a constant for the neck and hardware for all the basses (from a conversation I had with Kevin or somebody).

Anyway, nice bass... just thinning the herd at this point.

K
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I've actually found their posted weights to be pretty accurate. Thing is, an 8.6 pound 5 string bass is gonna' feel pretty darn light anyway. :)
 
#5,456
Mark Latimour said:
What made you put that bass on the chopping board versus the (many) others you have?
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Actually, I don't have many others any more. I have an ash/maple Sadowsky and Alleva, and an alder/RW Sadowsky and Alleva.

I've always been an ash/maple guy, and play my Alleva LM and Sadowsky NYC Vintage maple/ash with singles as my two primary basses (they stay in different locations so that I don't have to fly with a bass for the most part).

I do like to have a more mellow sounding alder/RW bass in my arsenal, and for that vibe, to be quite honest, the Alleva LG is much more 'early Fender legit' to my ear than the NYC Vintage alder/RW I have for sale currently. So, that was the one that I decided to let go.

So, the three basses I own now (plus the Rob Allen Mouse, which is a totally different thing), cover the entire spectrum of tones I'm interested in:

Sadowsky ash/maple with singles... very aggressive, modern, grindy J tone

Alleva LM5.... very passive sounding 'legit' late 70's J bass

Alleva LG5... very passive sounding 'legit' late 60's J bass

(and the Mouse being as close to a DB as a non-DB player is going to get).


The NYC Vintage Alder/RW kind of sat right between my other Sadowsky and the LG5, which was a space that didn't really speak to me any more.

K
 
#5,457
KJung said:
Actually, I don't have many others any more. I have an ash/maple Sadowsky and Alleva, and an alder/RW Sadowsky and Alleva.

I've always been an ash/maple guy, and play my Alleva LM and Sadowsky NYC Vintage maple/ash with singles as my two primary basses (they stay in different locations so that I don't have to fly with a bass for the most part).

I do like to have a more mellow sounding alder/RW bass in my arsenal, and for that vibe, to be quite honest, the Alleva LG is much more 'early Fender legit' to my ear than the NYC Vintage alder/RW I have for sale currently. So, that was the one that I decided to let go.

So, the three basses I own now (plus the Rob Allen Mouse, which is a totally different thing), cover the entire spectrum of tones I'm interested in:

Sadowsky ash/maple with singles... very aggressive, modern, grindy J tone

Alleva LM5.... very passive sounding 'legit' late 70's J bass

Alleva LG5... very passive sounding 'legit' late 60's J bass

(and the Mouse being as close to a DB as a non-DB player is going to get).


The NYC Vintage Alder/RW kind of sat right between my other Sadowsky and the LG5, which was a space that didn't really speak to me any more.

K
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That makes sense. I agree that trying to seek the vintage vide with the Sadowsky isn't always going to end up exaclty how you want it. They have such a modern sound to the preamp. My alder/rosewood PJ4 has flats and a nordy NP4/NJ4SE set in it and it does a pretty good approximation of vintage with the preamp disengaged, but its not the same thing. That said, I don't think I could comit to an Avella because the headstock is prety much a deal breaker for me. Maybe one day I will get over it and get one of his 4 string vintage style models, but man, I just don't know if I could ever love that headstock.

I am 100% with you on the alder/rosewood Sadowsky's being a bit of a strange beast in the Sadowsky mix though. I almost think that a maple topped ash bass with a pau ferro board in a "vintage" colour is a better bet in terms of getting the "Sadowsky sound" with the vintage look. That said, my PJ4 isn't going anywhere. It gets equal playing time with my ash/maple 4 and MTD.
 
#5,458
Mark Latimour said:
That makes sense. I agree that trying to seek the vintage vide with the Sadowsky isn't always going to end up exaclty how you want it. They have such a modern sound to the preamp. My alder/rosewood PJ4 has flats and a nordy NP4/NJ4SE set in it and it does a pretty good approximation of vintage with the preamp disengaged, but its not the same thing. That said, I don't think I could comit to an Avella because the headstock is prety much a deal breaker for me. Maybe one day I will get over it and get one of his 4 string vintage style models, but man, I just don't know if I could ever love that headstock.

I am 100% with you on the alder/rosewood Sadowsky's being a bit of a strange beast in the Sadowsky mix though. I almost think that a maple topped ash bass with a pau ferro board in a "vintage" colour is a better bet in terms of getting the "Sadowsky sound" with the vintage look. That said, my PJ4 isn't going anywhere. It gets equal playing time with my ash/maple 4 and MTD.
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+1 to all of the above (especially your comment on ash/pau ferro to get the 'classic' Sadowsky tone in a more vintage look).

I personally love the Alleva headstock, but I TOTALLY understand those who see it as a bit over the top:) It took me a bit of time also, but seeing them in person is quite different from the pictures. That being said, I just totally, completely love the Sadowsky Vintage look... literally everything about it (the uber quality finishes, the reduced body, the J/P legit headstock, the bridge...everything!).

I feel my trans orange ash/maple vintage is the most beautiful bass (to me) that I've ever owned!
 
#5,459
Mark Latimour said:
That said, I don't think I could comit to an Avella because the headstock is prety much a deal breaker for me. Maybe one day I will get over it and get one of his 4 string vintage style models, but man, I just don't know if I could ever love that headstock.
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I felt the same way when I first saw one of the A-Cs. Once I played one it's funny how much the look grew on me...

Sorry to go OT.....
 

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