Club Sadowsky!!!

[DavidJamesNHBass]

Plenty of 5 strings around too including a rare 1983 Steinberger L25 (the one in the profile pic).
Just not one of Roger’s. Yet.
I take donations if that helps.

For the curious…
Not an easy player if your mind strays. Five string nut and bridge on a four string body. The only way they came back then. Tight, but one of the most consistent ‘generic’ or sterile sounds in my arsenal.
Perfect for studio, sweetener work or backing tracks where the bass had to be present but not identifiable.

 

[rowsi]

View attachment 4744795 View attachment 4744796 View attachment 4744797 Present to self for my 60th back in 2019. Now my number one. Treated myself to a MIJ Metro Express the following year. Now planning for a NYC build as a retirement (from day job) gift at 65…

Damn this is nice! I'm highly intrigued by the jazz setup with 'dowsky soaps. Is it more akin to a Sadowsky Modern or a jazz bass in terms of sound?

 

[Todd Larson]

Damn this is nice! I'm highly intrigued by the jazz setup with 'dowsky soaps. Is it more akin to a Sadowsky Modern or a jazz bass in terms of sound?

Thanks! Soaps in 60s positions. Definitely more of a modern sound, which is what I was aiming for. I already have ‘63 and ‘64 J basses, so covered there. I had the shop set up the controls with the pan pot in first position, reverse wired. Rotating counter-clockwise favors the bridge pickup, similar to how one would roll back the neck PU volume control for a little more “squonk”. It’s a more hi-fi version of the iconic J-bass sound, very versatile for stage and studio. The upper register is amazingly articulate and present, lows solid and focused. It’s easy to go more old school with the VVT when necessary.

 

[ragetoca]

Can the Sadowsky soapbars be wired to split the coils? It is a 3 wire so probably not right?

 

[Dave Hill]

Dibbs

Prophetic

 

[5StringPocket]

Can the Sadowsky soapbars be wired to split the coils? It is a 3 wire so probably not right?

IME, pickups wound to sound their best in series sound a bit anemic when the coils are split and run in parallel.

 

[2thAche]

For sure

 

[ragetoca]

For sure

I have never owned a P/J bass or P bass....can someone quickly explain to me the difference on the standard and reverse P pickup configs....advantages, tone difference etc?

 

[Fuzzbass]

I have never owned a P/J bass or P bass....can someone quickly explain to me the difference on the standard and reverse P pickup configs....advantages, tone difference etc?

Standard P gives the classic P-bass tone. Reverse P has more growl (less depth) on the BEA strings, more depth (less presence) on the DG.

I'm a classic P-guy, but have a reverse in my collection for variety. I mainly use it for modern rock (not classic/oldies). That said, my ears are not fussy: I can make any bass work for any genre, and that includes slap funk on a P-only bass. I've never had a BL complain about my bass choices (thank goddess).

 

[ragetoca]

Standard P gives the classic P-bass tone. Reverse P has more growl (less depth) on the BEA strings, more depth (less presence) on the DG.

I'm a classic P-guy, but have a reverse in my collection for variety. I mainly use it for modern rock (not classic/oldies). That said, my ears are not fussy: I can make any bass work for any genre, and that includes slap funk on a P-only bass. I've never had a BL complain about my bass choices (thank goddess).

Awesome, I want more growly/modern P sound so I will go with the Reverse P! Thx!

 

[KenMoore05]

Have you guys flown southwest with your Sadowsky? My order might be ready in time for my very short trip to NYC at the end of the month and I was planning on picking it up from the shop. I looked up southwests policy for instruments and it has to fit in an overhead bin, if there is space. If there isn’t they check it. I don’t know if it’s worth the risk.

 

[DavidJamesNHBass]

Have you guys flown southwest with your Sadowsky? My order might be ready in time for my very short trip to NYC at the end of the month and I was planning on picking it up from the shop. I looked up southwests policy for instruments and it has to fit in an overhead bin, if there is space. If there isn’t they check it. I don’t know if it’s worth the risk.

If it were me, I'd stop in and see the bass then ask them to ship it for you.
Mine came secured inside a heavy gig bag that was inside a cocoon of padding and heavy-duty bubble head/feet protection, inside heavy cardboard boxes. Fretboard protection too. Best packaging I've seen, comparable to Dingwall and Tobias.
I had mine shipped to my mailing service (an auth receiver), the place called the packaging "a coffin" because there was no way the bass could have shifted. Here's the Ding ABII, all snug as a bug. Roger's shipping is just as secure.

 

[5StringPocket]

Standard P gives the classic P-bass tone. Reverse P has more growl (less depth) on the BEA strings, more depth (less presence) on the DG.

I'm a classic P-guy, but have a reverse in my collection for variety. I mainly use it for modern rock (not classic/oldies). That said, my ears are not fussy: I can make any bass work for any genre, and that includes slap funk on a P-only bass. I've never had a BL complain about my bass choices (thank goddess).

Too bad the Super-P which can switch normal/reverse is only available on NYC builds…

 

[ragetoca]

Have you guys flown southwest with your Sadowsky? My order might be ready in time for my very short trip to NYC at the end of the month and I was planning on picking it up from the shop. I looked up southwests policy for instruments and it has to fit in an overhead bin, if there is space. If there isn’t they check it. I don’t know if it’s worth the risk.

Yes many times, I always the air hostess to put it in one of their closets, I tell them it is a very expensive instrument.

 

[Holdsg]

No closet on Southwest. But I’ve found the bins on Southwest large enough for a bass in a gig bag. Even an EUB. But you have to be in the A group to get to the bin first, otherwise, nyet. So it pays to pay extra to ensure you get in A group.

 

[stingray78]

No closet on Southwest. But I’ve found the bins on Southwest large enough for a bass in a gig bag. Even an EUB. But you have to be in the A group to get to the bin first, otherwise, nyet. So it pays to pay extra to ensure you get in A group.

↑
This

 

[KaseOfBass]

No closet on Southwest. But I’ve found the bins on Southwest large enough for a bass in a gig bag. Even an EUB. But you have to be in the A group to get to the bin first, otherwise, nyet. So it pays to pay extra to ensure you get in A group.

This x 2

 

[Bassdudeman]

Your taking a chance by showing up to the airport with your bass in a gig bag IMHO. If there is no room on board for your bass they will check it and it will get thrown into the cargo hold in the gig bag.

My 2 Cents...Either buy a really good flight case (SKB makes a good light one with wheels) or have your new bass shipped.

 

[KenMoore05]

Thanks guys! It’ll be in the porabag, not just a gig bag, so I think that would be just fine. Maybe I’ll see what Roger thinks. I’m starting to think I’ll just let him ship it, as there are so many variables I can’t control.

 

[marchone]

This question has come up before. A PortaBag is not designed for shipping. Place the bass inside the PortaBag inside an SKB hard shell case. Lock and check in.

Flying with a Sadowsky Portabag?