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I play in an environment where we don't use any stage amps, is all IEM with no stage noise (no bass or guitar amps), sound guy was always asking me if I could give him more volume (We have a Digico FOH board) and besides I like running my volume at 75%, the 18v gives me more and *cleaner* output (headroom) and I like it!
Just curious, is it common for people to run their volume that low? I'm in the 100% volume 99% of the time camp. Rare situations call for less volume than I can get dynamically with my fingers, but most of the time it is all the way up. Even on my Sad (Singles wired VV) my favorite sound is both up. Never in my life have I ran out of headroom on an onboard preamp. Definitely ran out of headroom on the things later in the chain but not on the bass itself.
Not surprised a soundman would ask for more output if you aren't running at full volume, but modding a bass to get more volume when you could just turn up the volume knob doesn't make sense to me. But whatever works for you I guess.
Not surprised a soundman would ask for more output if you aren't running at full volume, but modding a bass to get more volume when you could just turn up the volume knob doesn't make sense to me. But whatever works for you I guess.
I tend to keep volume in the 80-90% range, so I can boost for solos. That said, I might abandon my purist ideals and get some pedals, which could change that strategy.
- Apr 3, 2003
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Had my 4-21 with the Super P and Super J pickups out at a gig last night, and it just killed! I played the Sadowsky most of the night. BTW, that is the new Glockenklang Blue Bird head, which is in for review, and it is glorious!
- Nov 4, 2003
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You don't have anything in your signal chain at all with any kind of gain stages? Maybe you're just using a direct box or something? I guess regardless, I'm very surprised you run with a board that has issues setting input gain like that. Even with the standard output of the Sadowsky, through a passive direct box (I use the Radial JDI sometimes), I've never, ever, had an issue where the sound guy couldn't get the input gain stage set properly.
In my case, I'm also IEMs only, two bands and also worship, I always use a Fractal unit as both my processor and also DI box, so I have lots of options for gain staging, but I have also gone super simple at times, with just the JDI and just never had any issues.
Your experiences are what they are, and you do what you gotta' do, I understand that. I guess I'm just glad they aren't mine. I'd hate to have to modify my bass to operate properly in the environment I play in. Don't think I'd even consider it, honestly.
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- Nov 4, 2003
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- 3,137
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- Endorsing artist- Suhr basses, PedalTrain, GHS, Ultimate Ears
We do about 130 dates a year and also run full IEMs- our rack is two X32r’s and one full x32 mixer.
I take a line off of my pedalboard but the way I have my pedals (one two are ever on- compressor which is always on, and then a Darkglass VMT Ultra which is on 90% of the time) I have them set so when they are off, there’s no change in the level to FOH.
I’ve had a Sadowsky in rotation since 95 or so, never was asked for more output. Even when it was just taken straight off my old Countryman DI only.
BTW, man did I miss the WL preamp. I haven’t had a WL in a few years. This new single cut has it and I instantly had my sound.
I take a line off of my pedalboard but the way I have my pedals (one two are ever on- compressor which is always on, and then a Darkglass VMT Ultra which is on 90% of the time) I have them set so when they are off, there’s no change in the level to FOH.
I’ve had a Sadowsky in rotation since 95 or so, never was asked for more output. Even when it was just taken straight off my old Countryman DI only.
BTW, man did I miss the WL preamp. I haven’t had a WL in a few years. This new single cut has it and I instantly had my sound.
The player does the most to make the bass sound good, Enrico!
Exactly Rog
, once you got the tone you wanna reach in your mind, it's a downhill 
This thread has always interesting talking for all of us bass lovers nerds
I'm not a electronic engineer that knows everything about preamp circuits, I work mainly with my ears and recording skills and, I have a fretless with 18v circuit with two humbuckers in J position and that bass has the same headroom of my modern Sad with the two soapbars (j pickups).
In my experience I find out 18v usually used for more complex onboard preamps because more switch and controls and I never experienced more "output" of my Sad.
I experienced some bass with a lot of headroom, and with my surprise was 9v and everything was due to the preamp.
Plus when you got a lot of headroom then you have to pay attention to easy clipping and that means more post sound work
Joe have you ever tried the combo DI + compressor? There are so many options that gives you enough boost.
I don't know your sound chain, but I often work in a full in-hear monitoring (despite I really don't like
) and with a good DI and a decent compressor (unfortunately most of the comp pedals work just as limiter 
) you can cover any scenario
I'm not a electronic engineer that knows everything about preamp circuits, I work mainly with my ears and recording skills and, I have a fretless with 18v circuit with two humbuckers in J position and that bass has the same headroom of my modern Sad with the two soapbars (j pickups).
In my experience I find out 18v usually used for more complex onboard preamps because more switch and controls and I never experienced more "output" of my Sad.
I experienced some bass with a lot of headroom, and with my surprise was 9v and everything was due to the preamp.
Plus when you got a lot of headroom then you have to pay attention to easy clipping and that means more post sound work
Joe have you ever tried the combo DI + compressor? There are so many options that gives you enough boost.
I don't know your sound chain, but I often work in a full in-hear monitoring (despite I really don't like
) and with a good DI and a decent compressor (unfortunately most of the comp pedals work just as limiter ) you can cover any scenarioSince I play 3 different sadowsky basses, they don't all have the same output, even my Single Cut seems to be somewhat low output....I had a 2008 M5-24 that had SO MUCH output it was crazy LOUD....by my german moderns are not close at all to it....I also have a Roscoe SKB3005 that I put an 18v Sadowsky Pre with Aguilar DCBs,
That's interesting
, do you have the same pickups on all? Which wood combinations are they?A Will Lee Jazz 5 (Jazz pups), Single Cut M5-25 (Soapbars), Modern M5-24 (Soapbars) All Metroline GermansThat's interesting
I guess the Lee model is the one with more output isn't it? The soapbars are humbckers, J or P?
Both J - I think the Moderns are suppose to have more output, not sure! My japanese M5 had so much output, like enough to blow a system up!
How does the volume compare when switching to passive? I know early German metrolines had lots of gain, but were modded later to lower level to match closer to passive mode.
Both J - I think the Moderns are suppose to have more output, not sure! My japanese M5 had so much output, like enough to blow a system up!
And what about the wood?
I didn't get the chance to try any of the German Sad
Our older preamps, on which the circuit board was covered in black epoxy or black paint, were actually too hot. Too many people were having issues clipping their amps' input stage. We tamed things down a bit when we moved to the pin connector circuit board. Even today, Will Lee is asking me to attenuate the output on his basses a bit as some engineers have told him his bass is too hot, even without the mid-boost. What is that Talkbass expression???? YMMV?
Hi Roger,
Doesn't that only have an impact when the WL circuit is engaged? That said I was playing the SC yesterday and ran it thru an ancient Boss PQ-3B parametric. I set all the pedal eq's flat and just used it for straight gain - made all the difference in the world, only took me three years to figure that out - what a goof.
