Club Sadowsky!!!

[barginkov]

I have a German metroline and it is dead quiet at very loud volume
Either bridge or neck pickup soloed

 

[scubaduba]

I’ve got two German Sadowsky’s and the electronics on both are very quiet.

 

[barginkov]

The one in the middle us german metro ,one on the right is Japan metro, one on left is the USA one

All of them are dead quiet

 

[sifi76]

Yeah it’s not so noticeable at practice through my Magellan if I’m in balanced mode, but it’s def still there if I turn up the vtc or roll to the bridge. And it’s immediately apparent when I run though my irig or scarlet interfaces. I figured it was just because they are single coils, but all the info states noiseless. Looks like I’m taking a visit to the music store

 

[Dave Hill]

The one in the middle us german metro ,one on the right is Japan metro, one on left is the USA oneView attachment 4344591
All of them are dead quiet

Interesting, the slightly different headstock shapes.

 

[barginkov]

Yes , I ve never realized till I had the metros and the USA model ,that the metros have a more rounded lower half

 

[Mark Hughes]

Yeah it’s not so noticeable at practice through my Magellan if I’m in balanced mode, but it’s def still there if I turn up the vtc or roll to the bridge. And it’s immediately apparent when I run though my irig or scarlet interfaces. I figured it was just because they are single coils, but all the info states noiseless. Looks like I’m taking a visit to the music store

Does the noise happen in passive mode? In active mode, HC and the preamp can pick up some noise from close by computers or mobile phones, or noisy electrical lines. You can see if the pickups are singles or noise canceling by popping the back control cover, and looking for the wires coming from the pickups. Single coils will have two wires and HC will have three wires running out of the holes from the pickup cavitys.

 

[sifi76]

Does the noise happen in passive mode? In active mode, HC and the preamp can pick up some noise from close by computers or mobile phones, or noisy electrical lines. You can see if the pickups are singles or noise canceling by popping the back control cover, and looking for the wires coming from the pickups. Single coils will have two wires and HC will have three wires running out of the holes from the pickup cavitys.

It doesn’t have a passive mode, pretty sure all the Warwick made ones don’t, but it’s supposed to have noiseless pickups like the guys have said, it’s even advertised on the website/user manual as such. And the fact buzzing occurs even if I walk past any electronic equipment, even with vtc down and pickups balanced is making me thinking something isn’t quite right. Might even be an issue in the compartment at the back, hence why I thought shielding might be an option. Tbh though it’s a minor dent in what I consider to be a fantastic instrument, the neck is glorious.. and I wasn’t even looking for a fiver

Heading to the RockShop today for them to have a look after the issue. Thanks for the help so far everyone

Now if I could only get that extra pickguard issue sorted

 

[rowsi]

It doesn’t have a passive mode, pretty sure all the Warwick made ones don’t,

My Wardowsky Modern 5-string does have a passive mode. Either the volume or vtc knob (can't remember correctly right know) is a push/pull pot for engaging/disengaging the preamp.

 

[loSbabbaro]

Agreed! The humcancelling pickups aren’t even close. I’m trying to be respectful here, but I wonder why the humcancelling pickups are stock and not the single coils..?

I believe that it’s because the target for Roger Sadowsky has always been the professional gigging musician. I think a pro musician can trade a bit of the ‘tone’ to have a 100% reliable quiet instrument. A lot of the tone you lose is practically irrelevant to the audience and in a mix and/or can be achieved through using the onboard preamp.
I am a bedroom/hobby player though, no stage lights or reliability issues and I will also be putting SCs in. My NYC satin plays like a dream, light and all that but it sounds a bit dull and flat. The preamp helps a lot, this is the reason I am still unsure about the swap, but the passive mode is a pain compared to basses with SC pickups. All IMHO

 

[DJDanny]

My setup yesterday.

 

[barginkov]

I also have single coil Japanese
Metro ,the one on the left I play out in small clubs,and never had a problem with hum ,I keep pickup panned slightly to the bridge

 

[monkeyland]

I believe that it’s because the target for Roger Sadowsky has always been the professional gigging musician. I think a pro musician can trade a bit of the ‘tone’ to have a 100% reliable quiet instrument. A lot of the tone you lose is practically irrelevant to the audience and in a mix and/or can be achieved through using the onboard preamp.
I am a bedroom/hobby player though, no stage lights or reliability issues and I will also be putting SCs in. My NYC satin plays like a dream, light and all that but it sounds a bit dull and flat. The preamp helps a lot, this is the reason I am still unsure about the swap, but the passive mode is a pain compared to basses with SC pickups. All IMHO

I agree. The current model HC pickups do sound very good, sure there is a little bit of spring lost that comes easy with singles but it's worth it if you need that reliably hum free operation. This is a video from a room that I currently play in three nights a week. It's not a super glamorous gig but it's been a constant for me for about a decade with various lineups and schedules. Directly above the stage is a neon sign and directly to my right are some dimmers for the lights in the restaurant. It's not my place to be trying to make changes to the building. My single coils sound great but in this space they essentially limit me to one sound. The HCs do a great job of rejecting all of that noise and allow me to favor the neck or bridge pickup when I want to. The Sadowsky single coils are very well made and are quiet in comparison to others but there's only so much you can expect in a harsh environment.

 

[Chris Breese]

That looks like a really fun gig!!!

 

[Vic]

It doesn’t have a passive mode, pretty sure all the Warwick made ones don’t...

Just to be clear, this is ONLY true for the Warwick made MetroExpress basses, where it may be added later. All others do.

 

[monkeyland]

That looks like a really fun gig!!!

The drummer and keyboard were filling in for a couple of guys that were out of town but I know them well and they are some of my favorite guys to play with. The Harmonica player is a really great guy and friend and obviously not your typical harmonica player. He's on the gig every Monday night. We had a lot of fun that night

 

[Fuzzbass]

I believe that it’s because the target for Roger Sadowsky has always been the professional gigging musician. I think a pro musician can trade a bit of the ‘tone’ to have a 100% reliable quiet instrument. A lot of the tone you lose is practically irrelevant to the audience and in a mix and/or can be achieved through using the onboard preamp.

Nicely put, but it should also be noted that some prefer the tone of the HCs. It's all subjective.

 

[number six]

Nicely put, but it should also be noted that some prefer the tone of the HCs. It's all subjective.

Quite right.
I wouldn't change the HC's on my J5 as they're cleaner and more modern to my ears but my J4 has SC's which I prefer for a throatier old-school sound. Subjective.

 

[SzunaP]

Today's open air video shoot with E.K. Avenue... and some craptrams surrounded...

 

[Chris Breese]

Quite right.
I wouldn't change the HC's on my J5 as they're cleaner and more modern to my ears but my J4 has SC's which I prefer for a throatier old-school sound. Subjective.

Absolutely.

The single coils in that bass are giving me the tone I've been chasing for quite some time.
Viva la difference!