Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
bajocallao
Supporting Member
- Jul 13, 2006
- 1,104
- 200
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: D'addario Strings, Aguilar Amplifiers
yes. over the years i know i've seen multiple comments on this, but i can't point you to any of them specifically. in my case, no. i'm 100% happy with the sound as is.
Guilty and then some. 
Not only swapped the pickups to Geezers but the preamp to the traditional passive Fender type. I’m very happy with it.
Not only swapped the pickups to Geezers but the preamp to the traditional passive Fender type. I’m very happy with it.
On my alder/Brazilian P5 I went from Nordstrand to an Aguilar that I got from a friend -- mainly out of curiosity. To my ears the end result was different, not better/worse. I was happy with both, so I may go back again, who knows.
I changed mine from humbuckers to Sadowsky single coils. One set is made by Nordstrand, the other is from a German made Sadowsky...with the white label. I don't know who makes those...Warwick?
Last edited:
I changed my pickups to Ulyates. To my ear, the Ulyates are more balanced , plus they’re single coils too. I plan to change bridge to a HipShot. The HipShots are lighter than these Sadowsky bridges. Feel like brass
I’ve been on board with Sadowsky over 25 years and have never heard this mentioned. Frets are rounded over on their tops - there’s no sharp lines that could scratch or catch a finger.
It’s not uncommon for the tangs of the frets to expand outside of the sides of the fingerboard a little bit. Maybe this is what you mean? This is because of the different expansion and contraction rates of metal and wood. This can be fixed easily by a qualified and competent guitar technician.
The Warwick Sadowsky MetroLine Will Lee has invisible frets. So no fret sprout is possible.
I have a new Warwick MetroLine Will Lee. I can’t quite imagine what you’re describing. The frets are under the strings. How do they scratch your fretting fingertips?
Last edited:
I currently own 7 basses and the WIll Lee is brand new, but some of the frets feel a bit too high, not all of them..to the point when you are sliding the left hand to play higher notes you can feel where it almost scratches the fingers
After paying almost $4k it seems like it would be an unnecessary thing to do
Interesting. Can't say I've every encountered something like that with any Sadowsky I've played (whether Japan, NYC or German builds). Maybe the amount of space between the string and the edge of the fretboard is more distance than you are used to with your other basses?
My Talkbass experience informs me not to reply, but what you’re describing is not a normal occurrence in the standard guitar playing experience. You might feel the frets with your left hand fingertips when sliding up the neck, but you should not feel scratching or an unpleasant sensation. This doesn’t happen even on cheap guitars. It’s even less likely on a bass because the width of the strings themselves lift the finger over the plane of the top of the frets.
The only things I think that could cause this are an extremely low action or a lack of calluses on the fingers. New fret wire does have sharp angles and corners on it that could catch the fingers but that is removed during the fret installation and crowning process. Even if a bass had high frets in some positions, you’re talking very small distances down to the thousands in Imperial measure.
It’s unlikely a new German Sadowsky could have a subpar fret job but it’s not impossible. I’d advise bringing the bass into a good tech who can examine it and check to see if there are fret leveling issues or other concerns.
I didn't pay 4K for mine. I bought used and they are earlier Japan models.
My NYC has taller fret ends and the strings are closer to the edge of the fb than say, my ‘70 P, which has more tapered fret ends with the strings more inboard. I immediately noticed the difference when I first got the NYC after playing the P for a few years.
bajocallao
Supporting Member
- Jul 13, 2006
- 1,104
- 200
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: D'addario Strings, Aguilar Amplifiers
Bought a set of lollar but apparently Sadowsky pickup cavity is smaller than fender.
I want to put single coils in my UV70 5ers
I did. I wanted a NYC 24-5 PJ bass, but wound up getting a barely used 24-5 Modern many years ago. To get me closer to the sound I wanted, I got some Nordstrand Big Splits right away and never really used the soaps. After a few years, I felt the bass was too bright, but just the bridge pickup, so I swapped it for a Dual Coil with the series wind (I kept the Big Split in the neck position). I’ve been super happy with the result and it’s really an amazing bass. It still has the Sadowsky preamp.
