Club Sadowsky!!!

[31HZ]

Agreed, they’re very versatile and I’ve been very pleased with the Metro MJ5 that I picked up awhile back. I’ve been running it primarily with both pickups on - J in single coil and MM in series. The ergonomics of the narrower string spacing, neck dimensions, and slimmer nut width really make it a winner for me. And mine only weighs in at 7.9 lbs! They really hit a home run with those basses in my book.

Admittedly, I have been fighting the urge to pull the trigger on one of the special edition MJ basses, strictly from an aesthetics standpoint. Really dig the looks of most of those (and the pickguard on the regular ones like mine is not my favorite, but still growing on me).

I too like that J-single, MM-series combo, but I'm finding that I can't raise the J pickup enough to match the output of the MM pickup, and I'm considering putting additional foam under that pickup to allow for more height. Do you find that the output is similar on your MJ5?

 

[scubaduba]

I too like that J-single, MM-series combo, but I'm finding that I can't raise the J pickup enough to match the output of the MM pickup, and I'm considering putting additional foam under that pickup to allow for more height. Do you find that the output is similar on your MJ5?

I lowered my MM pickup a little. It didn't take much for me to feel real good about the balance after I did.

 

[scubaduba]

Agreed, they’re very versatile and I’ve been very pleased with the Metro MJ5 that I picked up awhile back. I’ve been running it primarily with both pickups on - J in single coil and MM in series. The ergonomics of the narrower string spacing, neck dimensions, and slimmer nut width really make it a winner for me. And mine only weighs in at 7.9 lbs! They really hit a home run with those basses in my book.

Admittedly, I have been fighting the urge to pull the trigger on one of the special edition MJ basses, strictly from an aesthetics standpoint. Really dig the looks of most of those (and the pickguard on the regular ones like mine is not my favorite, but still growing on me).

I agree. I love the 18mm spacing and neck feel. I like J in single coil and MM in parallel best for beefy, punchy and articulate tone.
I had a metroline with pickguard and loved it so I sold it and splurged on one of the LTD special edition MJ's. I agree that the pickguard takes a while to grow on you.

 

[Fuzzbass]

The reason I am interested is that I tried a Sadowsky PJ recently, and I liked the sound, so I’m guessing it is not tailored specifically to J pickups. I’m restoring a ‘79ish P bass, and was thinking of putting in a John East pre, but I think the Sadowski would sound better in this bass.

That’s what I was thinking, and a stack treble/bass. I don’t want to do any routing, or drill a hole for the socket though.

The black bass in my avatar is a P-only Sadowsky, and because of it I bought a second P-only. So as others have said, the Sadowsky pre works great with P.

As for your question: I do not believe the Sadowsky onboard pre can be installed into a stock Fender P-bass without additional routing. The pre itself might (???) be small enough, but a 9V battery is also required. And on that note: battery life is very good, but I wouldn't want to remove an entire P-bass pickguard to change it every 6-12 months.

 

[Dave Hill]

I had a metroline with pickguard and loved it so I sold it

GAS is a wonderful thing, eh? hahaha

 

[scubaduba]

GAS is a wonderful thing, eh? hahaha

Yes, for sure. But I find some consolation in the fact that it is within the Sadowsky family at least. No GAS to wander outside the fold...

 

[Deep]

I agree. I love the 18mm spacing and neck feel. I like J in single coil and MM in parallel best for beefy, punchy and articulate tone.
I had a metroline with pickguard and loved it so I sold it and splurged on one of the LTD special edition MJ's. I agree that the pickguard takes a while to grow on you.

Out of curiosity on the MMJ...how do you have your internal trimpots set on the WL preamp?

 

[scubaduba]

Out of curiosity on the MMJ...how do you have your internal trimpots set on the WL preamp?

However it is by default.

 

[Deep]

Thank you

 

[KaseOfBass]

I too like that J-single, MM-series combo, but I'm finding that I can't raise the J pickup enough to match the output of the MM pickup, and I'm considering putting additional foam under that pickup to allow for more height. Do you find that the output is similar on your MJ5?

I also ended up having to adjust the MM pickup down a bit to help it not overpower the J. The J has noticeably hotter output in single coil mode, but adjusting the MM pickup down helped the balance when the J is in series or parallel.

I agree. I love the 18mm spacing and neck feel. I like J in single coil and MM in parallel best for beefy, punchy and articulate tone.
I had a metroline with pickguard and loved it so I sold it and splurged on one of the LTD special edition MJ's. I agree that the pickguard takes a while to grow on you.

I’m having to fight the urge to pull the trigger on one the special edition MJ5 basses.

 

[bucephylus]

I agree. I love the 18mm spacing and neck feel.

I SOOOO wish the NYC J5’s, or even the Warwick CS J5’s were available that way.

 

[AlexKidd]

Hey guys,

I came across this really interesting Sadowsky P/J Hybrid secondhand. The owner said he bought it new in Japan but…. with EMGs?! I never heard of Sadowsky Metroline Japan offering that as an option. In addition to that the finish (or the pickguard) isn’t something I have seen before (but I am more accustomed to their J-style metrolines). On top of THAT, they sent me the serial number and it seems to exceed the highest number on the Sadowsky website. Is this some kind of Frankenstein they made at the very end of their run or is this bass a complete fake.

 

[2thAche]

Hey guys,

I came across this really interesting Sadowsky P/J Hybrid secondhand. The owner said he bought it new in Japan but…. with EMGs?! I never heard of Sadowsky Metroline Japan offering that as an option. In addition to that the finish (or the pickguard) isn’t something I have seen before (but I am more accustomed to their J-style metrolines). On top of THAT, they sent me the serial number and it seems to exceed the highest number on the Sadowsky website. Is this some kind of Frankenstein they made at the very end of their run or is this bass a complete fake.

The hardware looks correct. The neck looks correct just by the wood and finish and shape. I've never seen that type of bridge pickup on a Sadowsky PJ, so say if someone swapped pickups to EMGs, they'd have had to rout it out. @Sadowsky can probably answer better. Maybe was a custom order?

 

[pepj]

Do like that Red finish with grain showing through

 

[Spidey2112]

Either way, that's a piece of work! Nice color/finish!

 

[AlexKidd]

The hardware looks correct. The neck looks correct just by the wood and finish and shape. I've never seen that type of bridge pickup on a Sadowsky PJ, so say if someone swapped pickups to EMGs, they'd have had to rout it out. @Sadowsky can probably answer better. Maybe was a custom order?

Oh they would have had to route it? Not sure how I feel about that. I mean, if it was something that happened at the Metroline shop then ok, I had just never heard of them giving those kind of options. Maybe a Metroline that they took elsewhere and changed. But the owner bought it from Okada music (you can see on the card with the serial number).

Then there is the issue of the serial number, it just doesn’t make sense being 11000+. Sadowsky website doesn’t go over 10900 or thereabouts.

Either way, that's a piece of work! Nice color/finish!

It definitely caught my eye. I was about to buy an MV4 but this really caught my eye.

 

[Dave Hill]

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Hey guys,

I came across this really interesting Sadowsky P/J Hybrid secondhand. The owner said he bought it new in Japan but…. with EMGs?! I never heard of Sadowsky Metroline Japan offering that as an option. In addition to that the finish (or the pickguard) isn’t something I have seen before (but I am more accustomed to their J-style metrolines). On top of THAT, they sent me the serial number and it seems to exceed the highest number on the Sadowsky website. Is this some kind of Frankenstein they made at the very end of their run or is this bass a complete fake.

Control cavity cover looks off to me.

 

[AlexKidd]

Control cavity cover looks off to me.

Ok. I shot Roger a quick email and he gave me a contact for Okada (Japan) so I’ll see what I hear back.

 

[2thAche]

Oh they would have had to route it? Not sure how I feel about that. I mean, if it was something that happened at the Metroline shop then ok, I had just never heard of them giving those kind of options. Maybe a Metroline that they took elsewhere and changed. But the owner bought it from Okada music (you can see on the card with the serial number).

Then there is the issue of the serial number, it just doesn’t make sense being 11000+. Sadowsky website doesn’t go over 10900 or thereabouts.

I've only seen them with a J pickpup there, not a soapbar type. The wood does not look altered around there in the pictures though, so maybe a custom order. The serial I'd ask Roger about.

 

[Fuzzbass]

I came across this really interesting Sadowsky P/J Hybrid secondhand. The owner said he bought it new in Japan but…. with EMGs?! I never heard of Sadowsky Metroline Japan offering that as an option.

The Japan shop was known for unique builds so it might not be a mod/Frankenstein. I look forward to the response from Okada.