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Seems to me that lately nickels are coming with royal blue, and stainless are coming with navy blue…at least that’s what I’ve been seeing. YMMV
These are steels…I tried the nickels a while back but prefer the steels on my bass. I guess the silks are just a different color…maybe it’s a supply chain issue?
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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
How far away from Sadowsky do you guys stray? I recently bought a slightly used USA Lakland 55-14, and I like it, but the fret work is not great at all, super rough on the edges, and the B string from the factory was absolute crap. Maybe that happened in shipping or something? Either way I’m not nearly as impressed with it as I thought I would be.
I’ve had a couple stingrays, bongos, and even a Fodera, but none of them seem to compare to the Sadowsky stuff. Even the Japanese Metros (I haven’t had a German or Chinese one yet, so I can’t give my two cents on those) have been better than other US made basses.
I’ve had a couple stingrays, bongos, and even a Fodera, but none of them seem to compare to the Sadowsky stuff. Even the Japanese Metros (I haven’t had a German or Chinese one yet, so I can’t give my two cents on those) have been better than other US made basses.
I own 10 basses, 3 of which are Sadowskys. The remaining 7 include 3 boutiques, and I've owned other boutiques in the past. In short, none of the other boutiques have surpassed Sadowsky in build quality; in fact they often fall short in one or more ways.
I own the others mainly because they have tones and/or features that Sadowsky does not. Best example is a custom headless with composite neck. Tone is definitely outside the Fender/Sadowsky ballpark.
Also, I could not afford 10 Sadowskys.
I’ve never had a 55-14, but the 3 Lakland 55-94’s I’ve had (still have 1) have had great B strings, and i don’t remember any issues with fretwork (but 2 I got used so…). They have very responsive customer service as well, even with used stuff.
I was seekin for Lakland before Sadowsky, (mainly used ones), and I've tried some 55-01s, one of them a new Indonesian made. I like their tone versatility, you can almost have a P, JB, and MM in one, but I realized the 35' scale not for me. (Have sold my TRB also.)
The other thing, the fretwork, the original factory was so terrible on it, couldn't believe it how it could left the factory half-finished. Have bought earlier a cheaper Cort stuff, also Indonesian new, first thing was to take it to luthier to finish the fretwork also
... and to upgrade the neck PU for balancing the level with the MM PU. So the fretworks are usually not 'perfect' at cheaper Far-East models, but it's surprising at a pricier US made bass...
I had a Lakland JO 4. Really annoyed with them and did not like their customer service so I sold it. Had Custom Shop Fender 5, didn’t like the B string so I sold that. I recently had a custom MTD 6 string but it was too heavy so I sold it. I liked the Modulus basses - I had a 4 & 5 but got tired of the tone…sold them. I have a custom Don Grosh PJ 4 string, custom Marleaux Consat 4 string, and the remaining 3 are Sadowsky’s.
If given the choice, I'll always reach for one of the two NYC Sadowsky basses I have, but I keep a Fender P5, a 2006 EBMM USA SUB StingRay 5 (not to be confused with the foreign made SUB line, these were a budget USA line that is essentially a cheaper Classic before the Classic line existed - they're fantastic basses), and a Lakland Skyline DJ5 for some different flavors if ever needed.
With the two Sadowsky basses, a WL-5 and a 5-string Ultra Vintage with soapbars in 60s locations, you'd think the DJ5 is redundant but that bass, which is completely passive, has a very old-school, growly, and raw J tone that the Sadowsky basses just can't get. The P5 and the Music Man, which sports the EBMM 2-band pre and not the modern 3-band, are kept for the gigs/sessions that require or those tones or are requested. I had a session awhile back where a Music Man was requested, but after hearing the Sadowsky WL-5, they scrapped that idea and went with the Sadowsky.
Regarding Lakland fretwork, I don't remember the exact date, but for about the last 10ish or more years, Lakland has been sending everything through the PLEK, foreign or USA made. That doesn't ensure perfection, but their fretwork is normally top notch, at least on the bass I have and the basses I have played. Great feeling necks and I like that the 5-strings have a slimmer, 1.81" nut width. The B strings are normally great on 'em, too.
Years back, when I was playing more rock and jam band type stuff, I was much more into modern tones. I've had several Modulus basses that were all top notch. Same with Roscoe - probably among the top of the greatest feeling necks I've played and depending on pickups (I'm not a fan of the Roscoe-spec Barts - too compressed and dark for me), can sound very similar to a Sadowsky Modern. EBMM basses, especially the new Specials, probably go down as my favorite neck on a bass ever. It was on those basses where I learned that, for me, a 1.75" nut is where it's at (regardless of bridge string spacing). Never owned a Fodera - never really wanted one. Played MTDs and it just wasn't my thing, though superbly built basses.
Back in the 00's when I transitioned to 5 string I owned a few 35" basses because so many were saying "better low B". Then I got a Sadowsky, which confirmed that a 34" B could be every bit as good as 35".
I had no trouble playing 35", but decided I preferred the traditional timbre of 34", so now that's all I own (well, aside from one 34.5").
I have a few Laklands, and the 44-64 P with EMG GZR's is dynamite, neck, sound, everything. Leo Lopez is an exceptionally strong CS rep for them; incredibly responsive and fast, like always within 48hrs responsive. I had a 55-94, and didn't get on with 35" scale, so I sold it. I have never played a non-US Lakland, so can't speak to that.
I do find that the Sadowsky's have a slightly better finish, however I've had some fret sprout on any bass I've ever owned, whether US Lakland or NYC Sadowsky. I don't see that as a flaw, just a weather/environment thing. I do expect that for $3-6k, any bass is perfect in every other way.
I do find that the Sadowsky's have a slightly better finish, however I've had some fret sprout on any bass I've ever owned, whether US Lakland or NYC Sadowsky. I don't see that as a flaw, just a weather/environment thing. I do expect that for $3-6k, any bass is perfect in every other way.
Exactly. All of my 35" basses had weaker lowB than my M5-24, and my Blade JB. Both 34"... this just means that lowB clearness absolutely not depends on the scale.
Thanks for all the responses! I should clarify that the b-string issue on the Lakland was the string itself. It was incredibly buzzy without even pressing down a fret, so it wasn’t the action. I changed the string and it went away. It was just the factory Lakland string that came on the bass.
The fretwork on the edges are very sharp and need to be filed down. I didn’t even notice it at first, but now it’s all I feel. The action and set up on it are fine and no buzzing, I’m just surprised that a $3100 US made instrument was able to leave the factory with out checking that.
The 55-14 is just as good as the 55-94’s, just don’t have as many of the wood or color options.
The fretwork on the edges are very sharp and need to be filed down. I didn’t even notice it at first, but now it’s all I feel. The action and set up on it are fine and no buzzing, I’m just surprised that a $3100 US made instrument was able to leave the factory with out checking that.
The 55-14 is just as good as the 55-94’s, just don’t have as many of the wood or color options.
For many years, a used NYC 5-24 was my main axe, and when needing a a more vintage sound for a particular band I simply should have subbed in some Big Split pickups instead of selling it - live and learn. Anyhow, backed into the 55-94 and ended up slipping through 6 of them, with four of them being fretted from US, Korea, and Indonesia - over the years. The USAs were from late '90s and circa 2017, and fretwork was excellent - and also for the Indonesian axe (55-01 that came modded with Nordstrand soaps and Aguilar pre), which I've still kept so to have a bass available out of town when playing with friends/family. The Korean one was a little rough, but who knows if it could have been envrionmentally-induced fret sprout. But I've now returned to Sadowsky and sold the Laklands - I can't resist the Sadowsky electronics, whereas the 55-94 electronics - both Bartolini and Hanson - never satisfied me...except for the old 55-94 fretless, which presents my second case of seller's remorse, as that was a phenomenal bass. Oh, well...better to have 34" scale on both fretted and fretless...I hope! I'd be curious if anyone ever tried to graft Sadowsky electronics into a USA Lakland.
One thing about 34/35" - everyone talks about the B string, but what about the effect of 35" on the G-string? On many 35" basses, I've found the G-strings to be twangy - somehow less so on the Lakland, but with a stout 34" B-string and a 34" G string, the Sadowskys (presently an MIJ WL5, and an NYC JJ fretless with 1.75 bridge, singles, and 24 "frets"), feature very satisfying sonics, although I will confess that the body size and shape of the Lakland 44-94/55-94 basses remain my favorite, with the WL 5 not far behind.
One thing about 34/35" - everyone talks about the B string, but what about the effect of 35" on the G-string? On many 35" basses, I've found the G-strings to be twangy - somehow less so on the Lakland, but with a stout 34" B-string and a 34" G string, the Sadowskys (presently an MIJ WL5, and an NYC JJ fretless with 1.75 bridge, singles, and 24 "frets"), feature very satisfying sonics, although I will confess that the body size and shape of the Lakland 44-94/55-94 basses remain my favorite, with the WL 5 not far behind.
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I currently have ten electric basses and one of them is a Sadowsky. Most of those basses get very little play time, not because they aren't great instruments but because I am a creature of habit and, well, I do have my favourites. I'd say my Sadowsky Modern is in my top five and fluctuates within that top five depending on application. None of my other basses are better built than the Sadowsky, that's for sure, but the Modern does get edged out for overall feel/response/sound by my MTD 535s and my Lull M5V (though my M5V does have a Sadowsky preamp which helped me go from really liking the bass to loving it). My Modern is great at doing what it does, but I'd be unsatisfied with only the Modern at my disposal and I never found a Sadowsky Jazz that quite did it for me in the long run.
