Club Sadowsky!!!

[rowsi]

What is the right material to use for these? My daughter wants to crochet me something for Christmas and I was thinking she could make a bunch of these protectors in colors to match my basses, but I want to make sure she gets the right kind of yarn.

If she uses yarn made of 100% cotton or wool or linen (or mixtures thereof) you should be 101% safe. However, most yarns with synthetic parts should also be pretty safe for your bass. Problems with stands and an instruments finish are mostly related to nitro finishes and synthetic padding.
Anything that is safe to use as a piece of clothing for a human should be safe for your bass' finish.

 

[Pet Sounds]

What is the right material to use for these? My daughter wants to crochet me something for Christmas and I was thinking she could make a bunch of these protectors in colors to match my basses, but I want to make sure she gets the right kind of yarn.

Have her darn you some Mono Neon socks!

 

[slagbass]

I think, though not absolutely sure, the TYO predates the metro line. I’ve read on here that those were NYC necks & bodies shipped to Japan to be finished. The preamps were different in so far as they had the treble boost cut. Most if not all came w a BadAss II, which mine has, as well as single coils.

I own one of these basses as well (and it is amazing). I concur with everything you said but am confused why these are being called "TYO". I've seen other Sadowsky basses with "TYO" on the headstock, but the original basses produced in Tokyo say "Tokyo" on both the headstock and neck plate as you have pictured in post #60306.

 

[conttador]

I own one of these basses as well (and it is amazing). I concur with everything you said but am confused why these are being called "TYO". I've seen other Sadowsky basses with "TYO" on the headstock, but the original basses produced in Tokyo say "Tokyo" on both the headstock and neck plate as you have pictured in post #60306.

I think some may use Tokyo & TYO interchangeably.

 

[foldyman]

Here's probably a few easy Will Lee (specifically the newer Warwick ones) related questions I don't know the answer to. Could anyone help me out please?

So the WL5 Metros are narrower at the nut in comparison to the standard Metros. Are there any other differences in the neck or is it just that? Front to back? Radius?

I also understand that the WLs have single coils, but the standard ones are hum cancelling? I assume they'd be simple to swap out for their hum cancelling equivalent if needed?

And the preamp, I get it has the mid controls, is it otherwise the same preamp as the standard, with boost only for the bass/treble?

Aside from the extra fret, are there any other differences I'm missing?

Cheers,
A

 

[KaseOfBass]

Here's probably a few easy Will Lee (specifically the newer Warwick ones) related questions I don't know the answer to. Could anyone help me out please?

So the WL5 Metros are narrower at the nut in comparison to the standard Metros. Are there any other differences in the neck or is it just that? Front to back? Radius?

Radius is the same, general neck carve is the same, but there used to be small differences in thickness front to back between Metros and NYC basses. I've had a few NYC basses that were noticeably thinner front to back, and my WL5 is a bit thicker than those - My new MJ5 Metro is a bit thicker front to back than the WL5. So, there still seems to be some small differences out there.

Because of the smaller 1.75" on the WL5, the taper up the neck is different, but it ends up the same width at the heel as the regular 1.875" nut width basses.

I also understand that the WLs have single coils, but the standard ones are hum cancelling? I assume they'd be simple to swap out for their hum cancelling equivalent if needed?

This is correct, or at least it always was before the deal with Warwick. There's been some debate and different answers flying around though. It's an easy swap if you have basic soldering skills, or some of the NYC preamps I've seen have quick connect pots. The German-made MJ5 Metro I just got does not have quick connect pots, so I'd assume the others do not either.

And the preamp, I get it has the mid controls, is it otherwise the same preamp as the standard, with boost only for the bass/treble?

Yes, same preamp but with the added functionality of the following mid controls:

Aside from the extra fret, are there any other differences I'm missing?

Cheers,
A

Nope, that's pretty much it - mid boost preamp, slimmer nut width (and subsequent neck taper), standard with single coils, and an extra fret. The body on the Will Lee basses is slightly smaller than the already "dinky" sized standard Sadowsky J body.

 

[ragetoca]

Here's probably a few easy Will Lee (specifically the newer Warwick ones) related questions I don't know the answer to. Could anyone help me out please?

So the WL5 Metros are narrower at the nut in comparison to the standard Metros. Are there any other differences in the neck or is it just that? Front to back? Radius?

I also understand that the WLs have single coils, but the standard ones are hum cancelling? I assume they'd be simple to swap out for their hum cancelling equivalent if needed?

And the preamp, I get it has the mid controls, is it otherwise the same preamp as the standard, with boost only for the bass/treble?

Aside from the extra fret, are there any other differences I'm missing?

Cheers,
A

The neck feels a bit Chunkier but very comfortable. Also the WL has 22 frets. I was not fond of the mid range will lee circuitry and the single coil vintage sound so I sold the WL preamp and the pickups and its placed installed a regular preamp and split coil. Now it sounds like an amazing jazz bass with the Sadowsky punch and Crisp highs.

 

[foldyman]

Radius is the same, general neck carve is the same, but there used to be small differences in thickness front to back between Metros and NYC basses. I've had a few NYC basses that were noticeably thinner front to back, and my WL5 is a bit thicker than those - My new MJ5 Metro is a bit thicker front to back than the WL5. So, there still seems to be some small differences out there.

Because of the smaller 1.75" on the WL5, the taper up the neck is different, but it ends up the same width at the heel as the regular 1.875" nut width basses.



This is correct, or at least it always was before the deal with Warwick. There's been some debate and different answers flying around though. It's an easy swap if you have basic soldering skills, or some of the NYC preamps I've seen have quick connect pots. The German-made MJ5 Metro I just got does not have quick connect pots, so I'd assume the others do not either.



Yes, same preamp but with the added functionality of the following mid controls:

View attachment 4894570



Nope, that's pretty much it - mid boost preamp, slimmer nut width (and subsequent neck taper), standard with single coils, and an extra fret. The body on the Will Lee basses is slightly smaller than the already "dinky" sized standard Sadowsky J body.

Thanks.
You are now responsible for me having just ordered one

 

[Clark Westfield]

What is the right material to use for these? My daughter wants to crochet me something for Christmas and I was thinking she could make a bunch of these protectors in colors to match my basses, but I want to make sure she gets the right kind of yarn.

I think just cotton would not affect the nitrocellulose finish.

 

[KaseOfBass]

Thanks.
You are now responsible for me having just ordered one

Fantastic and congrats! I hope you love it as much as I love mine!

 

[foldyman]

So I'm curious, I've seen in a couple of previous posts talk of being able to install a switch to go between single coil and stacked. Firstly, is that possible with these:
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And secondly, with them being slightly taller and a smidge narrower than their single coil counterpart, will they easily slot right in in their place without having to do anything more than a bit of soldering?

Cheers,
A

 

[Sadowsky]

For those of you that own both NYCs & Sadowsky Tokyo basses, which preamp do you favor?

I recently picked up an early Sadowsky Tokyo bass and so far, I’m not loving the preamp. I’m going to see if maybe a change of strings does the trick and if not I may start to look for an NYC preamp in the classifieds.

I have a ‘92 Modern with a newer NYC preamp & the old EMG pickups and I like that preamp a lot.

I’d love to hear what the collective has to say about these preamps.

I would strongly recommend you upgrade the preamp. The Tokyo basses preceded the MetroLine and I was not ready to let them have my regular preamp until I could judge the quality of the instruments.
Roger

 

[Sadowsky]

Preamps are the same. Could it be the pickups you don’t like?

Tokyo Preamps were NOT the same. These basses preceded the MetroLine and I was not making my regular preamp available to them at that point in time.

 

[scubaduba]

Tokyo Preamps were NOT the same. These basses preceded the MetroLine and I was not making my regular preamp available to them at that point in time.

Well how about that. Learn something new about the Sadowsky legacy every day.

 

[Sadowsky]

So I'm curious, I've seen in a couple of previous posts talk of being able to install a switch to go between single coil and stacked. Firstly, is that possible with these:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

And secondly, with them being slightly taller and a smidge narrower than their single coil counterpart, will they easily slot right in in their place without having to do anything more than a bit of soldering?

Cheers,
A

These are stacked design, so you can turn off the bottom coil with a switch. They should fit with no problem, but depending on your bass, the pickup routs might have to be deepened.

 

[Sadowsky]

Circuit-wise, they are identical. But, the NYC preamp is MUCH easier to work with when changing pickups, due to the fact that it has a solderless terminal block. FWIW

They are not identical at all.

 

[Sadowsky]

I get confused with this Tokyo label. So what is the difference between a Japan Tokyo and a Japan metroline? Is the Tokyo like masterbuilt or custom options and when was it discontinued?

The Tokyo basses preceded the MetroLine and did not have the regular Sadowsky preamp. They eventually became the MetroLine around 2003.

 

[conttador]

I would strongly recommend you upgrade the preamp. The Tokyo basses preceded the MetroLine and I was not ready to let them have my regular preamp until I could judge the quality of the instruments.
Roger

Thank you as always for your insight! Your customer service is second to none!

 

[bucephylus]

They are not identical at all.

Mea culpa. I had thought the discussion was regarding the Metro preamps.

 

[foldyman]

These are stacked design, so you can turn off the bottom coil with a switch. They should fit with no problem, but depending on your bass, the pickup routs might have to be deepened.

Thank you.
I wonder if anyone else here happens to have swapped the single coils from a recent German WL5 for stacked successfully?
Not too keen on the thought of routing.