- Feb 3, 2005
- 7,331
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- Endorsing artist: Bergantino Audio Systems and GHS Strings
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Does anyone have any clips comparing the 5 string Hum Cancelling Seymour Duncan Stacks with the older Dimarzio side by sides?
Also would love to hear the Seymour's with in the single coil/ Hum cancelling mode. I know Roger installs a switch to toggle between the two. Thanks in advance.
Also would love to hear the Seymour's with in the single coil/ Hum cancelling mode. I know Roger installs a switch to toggle between the two. Thanks in advance.
Man, the weight/chambered thing vs NYC vs Metro thing has come up so many times...
FWIW, I don't think it's reasonable to put the the Metroline/ME vs NYC on common ground simply based on weight and chambering/solid alone. IMHO, that's not fair to Roger OR the Metro stuff. They're different products for different markets.
The reason Roger has to charge more for the NYC vs the non-NYC is because of all the extra time/effort put into material selection/matching, and so much more of the hands-on artisan TLC that goes into the NYC basses vs the more traditional production level non-NYC stuff (and I do NOT disrespect the non-NYC stuff with that comment).
To some, the difference is subtle, and not worth the price uplift of an NYC. Honestly, that's fair. Good for those people. They get a KILLER bass and save thousands of dollars over the NYC stuff. That's a legit WIN on every level. Period.
For others, it IS worth it, because they notice/feel the difference significantly enough, can afford it, and that makes it worth it to them. That's ALSO completely fair, and ANOTHER legit WIN on every level for them.
My point is, I don't think it's fair to either Roger/NYC or the Metro/Warwick stuff to boil everything down to an oversimplified matter of just weight, or even a figured top or not. To do that, is to ignore a lot of important things about the different products and their target markets.
IMHO!!!
FWIW, I don't think it's reasonable to put the the Metroline/ME vs NYC on common ground simply based on weight and chambering/solid alone. IMHO, that's not fair to Roger OR the Metro stuff. They're different products for different markets.
The reason Roger has to charge more for the NYC vs the non-NYC is because of all the extra time/effort put into material selection/matching, and so much more of the hands-on artisan TLC that goes into the NYC basses vs the more traditional production level non-NYC stuff (and I do NOT disrespect the non-NYC stuff with that comment).
To some, the difference is subtle, and not worth the price uplift of an NYC. Honestly, that's fair. Good for those people. They get a KILLER bass and save thousands of dollars over the NYC stuff. That's a legit WIN on every level. Period.
For others, it IS worth it, because they notice/feel the difference significantly enough, can afford it, and that makes it worth it to them. That's ALSO completely fair, and ANOTHER legit WIN on every level for them.
My point is, I don't think it's fair to either Roger/NYC or the Metro/Warwick stuff to boil everything down to an oversimplified matter of just weight, or even a figured top or not. To do that, is to ignore a lot of important things about the different products and their target markets.
IMHO!!!
Key differences are the WL has a slightly narrower nut width,switchable mid boost, genuine single coil pickups and a Hipshot D tuner. I think also a nitrocellulose finish on the neck if not the body. This is the case with the Japan models, not sure if it is the same with the Warwicks which also have the adjustable nut (if that is your thing, it is not mine).
Ahh okay I see, thanks for breaking down the specs. One of the main reasons I want a Sadowsky is for its hum cancelling pickups so I think i'll stay clear of the WL models.
You should be aware that the warwick metros may well come with the sadowsky hum cancelling single coils fitted. It certainly is a quick and simple job to swap them. Ironically one of the key reasons for me buying the Will Lee model was that I definitely wanted genuine single coil pups.
Yeah I'm looking for a bass to primarily use for recording purposes. I debated between going for a p bass with flatwounds setup and just sticking with that one sound for everything, or going with an active jazz that has a super wide range of tones. I landed on going with a jazz, but people talk about single coil hum and I feel like that is a huge drawback to having such a wide array of tones. That's what led me to Sadowsky and it's hum cancelling pickups but maybe a G&L is a better option for what I need but I love Sadowsky's aesthetics infinitely more lol.
Honestly I have never had a single hum issue with the single coils on my Japan Will Lee either recording in a studio or live gigs. The shielding must be perfect.
IMHOP...I have owned several MIJ Metros and one NYC that I bought from Tully.
The NYC was lighter, but I preferred the tone of the solid body MIJ Metro's.
JMHO.
The NYC was lighter, but I preferred the tone of the solid body MIJ Metro's.
JMHO.
Huh, talk about different markets. In Germany a NYC Sadowsky goes for around 6000€ including taxes, whereas the german Metros sit around 2800€. Fender Ultra basses are around 2200€ and custom shop models start at about 4000€ (no 5 strings though). Looks like the Metros are a better buy for me than they are for you.
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I should have said a used Custom Shop Fender can had for less. Many Kikuchi Metrolines available now are also used because they are no longer in production.
Keep in mind, single coil hum and shielding/grounding issues are two separate things. Yes, I'm sure the shielding is done right, so when you're using both pickups it's silent, but there's no way to eliminate single-coil hum, so when you favor or solo one of the pickups, you're always going to get some hum.
Seeing comments about the signature Warwick control snap-cover made me want to post this.
Not sure if this is specifically a Warwick thing (my satin NYC basses do not have them), but my lefty German MetroLine doesn’t have a snap cover. It has a threaded screw-on cover and there are these really neat little spring-loaded rubber rivet thingies that create reverse tension against the cover plate so it won’t come loose easily.
I’ve never seen these on a basses with threaded screw inserts before and thought it was a nice touch.
Not sure if this is specifically a Warwick thing (my satin NYC basses do not have them), but my lefty German MetroLine doesn’t have a snap cover. It has a threaded screw-on cover and there are these really neat little spring-loaded rubber rivet thingies that create reverse tension against the cover plate so it won’t come loose easily.
I’ve never seen these on a basses with threaded screw inserts before and thought it was a nice touch.
+1
OTOH, there are ample examples of the singles being used by Will Lee in the studio with no issues. My experience with singles has been that they are awesome in the studios. My main issues with singles has been in live gig settings, and mainly due to lighting - neon lighting typical on bar stages is brutal, and house lights on big stages can be killers. I won’t take my singles out on gigs for the most part anymore. Too risky.
FWIW, in the general pickup selection discussion above: the Sadowsky humcancelling 4 string pickups are outstanding. Not quite as much upper end detail as the singles, but plenty of booty. Excellent pickups. My NYC was constructed with the Delano JMVC’s, which I prefer; but the standard humcancellers are excellent.
IMO, the 5 string J pickups are a separate discussion. Roger & Co have continued to improve the 5 string humcancellers; and I have yet to play the newest version. But, I am usually unimpressed by J format 5 string pickups of any kind whenever I fire up the 4 string versions. As a group, the 5 string versions tend to have less of everything. A good amp can make up a lot of the difference; but, I just tend to be unimpressed. Probably my problem.
I ordered my NYC Satin Jazz with single coils and it’s the most quiet bass with singles I’ve ever owned, in passive or active. One of the last out of the NY shop.
On the Metro/NYC question - any opinions re variation in neck carve? Many years ago my entry drug was a Metro 5/24. I later had an NYC 45/24 that kicked it to the curb (both non-chambered), and that I never should have sold. I recall the NYC neck as being noticeably more shallow. I now have an NYC fretless 5 on hand with a 1/7.5" nut (and a 24-position neck - must have been a custom thing?) along with a Metro WL5, and now a basic Satin 5/24. The NYC necks definitely feel slimmer. I don't have calipers available right now, but when I do, I might do some measuring.
As for chambered vs. solid - I'm leaning toward the solid camp, but not by much. The Metro WL5 sounds great (but please don't tell me that's because it has a big neck!).
As for chambered vs. solid - I'm leaning toward the solid camp, but not by much. The Metro WL5 sounds great (but please don't tell me that's because it has a big neck!).
True. In a very controlled electrical environment, which studios have to be, it's a game changer. But that's not where we live most of the time, so it's still a concern for most of us most of the time, as you say. That said, outside of the especially bad venues, I've done ok with them by just favoring instead of solo'ing a pickup for that tone. Once you add the mix of the rest of the band, the relatively small amount of noise is buried, and you still have that glorious cut/clarity/focus of the SC's.
It depends on the design, which I think is what you're alluding to. The tone of split coils is usually better than dual coils, but then you have the asymmetrical hum cancelling problem on 5'ers. I DO have the latest HC 5's in my MetroExpress J5. While I do feel they sound better and are quieter than the previous HC 5's, I still prefer SC's overall. I have singles in my current custom NYC J5 and have no plans to switch to HC's, though I usually bring a HC loaded bass as a backup if I find the venue particularly brutal.
As it relates to the 5 string NYC and the MIJ Metros, the NYC definitely had a thinner profile. It is my understanding that the German Metros have the NYC carve which I greatly prefer. I didn't like the Metro 5 neck at all.
