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Club Sadowsky!!!

#62,561
Mark Hughes said:
Looking for some hive-mind problem solving with the Sadowsky SBP-1 Preamp/DI pedal. I've had one of these for over 10 years, fantastic pedal, especially with a passive Jazz Bass. My one is getting a bit tired, scratchy pots which I've cleaned a bunch but are getting pretty loose these days.

So I ordered a new one, and it arrived a couple of days later. Beautiful build quality just like my old one. Sounded great through an amp, but... when I plugged the pedal's XLR into my Focusrite interface in my music room there was a loud hum coming from the XLR, and the amp via the 1/4" jack. Really loud, unusable, and gets louder when you slide the ground switch. My old SBP-1 is totally silent despite its wear.
The hum happens with a 9v battery and no external power, and also with and ac adapter. I've tried two different True Tone 1-Spot ac adapters, and my pedalboard power, and my Noble preamp's pedal power sockets. Different Basses, jack cables, XLR cables, channels inputs on my interface, no change. Swap in my old SBP-1 and totally quiet an normal function.

The retailer promptly sent me a replacement which arrived today, guess what, same problem!

I took it upstairs to my USB powered interface that plugs into my iPad, same hum when the XLR and 1/4" are used together. With the 1/4" output only into an amp, there is no hum. The hum is related to the XLR. I have plugged direct into a power amp and speaker and direct into one of my KRK monitors, multiple Bass amps too, same loud noise.

My old pedal doesn't have this problem, neither does my Tone Hammer DI, Noble, or just a plain old Radial J48, just these two new SBP-1 pedals.
So I'm scratching my head on this, has anyone else have this experience with the newer production of these pedals?
Click to expand...


I took one of the troublesome SBP-1 pedals to my gig the other night, plugged it in to our desk via the XLR and it made the same massive noise and hum. Flicked the ground switch and it got worse, just like here at home.
The retailer send me a third pedal, it arrived Tuesday and it had the exact same hum problem again. I also noticed that I would get a little zap from my guitar cord every now and then when plugging and unplugging when connected to an amp and a mixer or interface.

Today I decided to get the multimeter out and see if the grounds were connected between the 1/4" and XLR. I found the XLR has been mis-wired on all 3 new pedals sent to me. Pins 1 and 2 are reversed compared to my old pedal and other standard DI boxes I have. The reversed wiring puts the ground connection onto the signal + pin and vice versa. Hence the hum. So there must be a batch issue.

Here's a photo where I've circled the ground pin on the new pedal (left), and my old pedal (right). At least I know what it is now. Hopefully Warwick/Sadowsky can remedy as I'd like to replace my scratchy old SBP-1.
SBP-1 XLR.jpeg
 
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#62,562
kevk said:
NBD (right)—my plexi’s…View attachment 5230725
Left: WL 5-22–Mango~Okoume/Brazilian (sc’s)
Right: 5-21V—Myrtle~Alder/Ebony (hc’s)

Both 1.75 nut. They’re plenty different…attack and tone. I’m trying some Dunlop SS flats on the 5-21. (WL—either Black Nickel’s or LaBella RX-N5A’s) Anyway, s-u-p-e-r pleased with both these basses :cool:…
Click to expand...

If you ever decide you don't know what to do with that WL5, I hope you'll let me know!
 
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#62,563
Mark Hughes said:
I took one of the troublesome SBP-1 pedals to my gig the other night, plugged it in to our desk via the XLR and it made the same massive noise and hum. Flicked the ground switch and it got worse, just like here at home.
The retailer send me a third pedal, it arrived Tuesday and it had the exact same hum problem again. I also noticed that I would get a little zap from my guitar cord every now and then when plugging and unplugging when connected to an amp and a mixer or interface.

Today I decided to get the multimeter out and see if the grounds were connected between the 1/4" and XLR. I found the XLR has been mis-wired on all 3 new pedals sent to me. Pins 1 and 2 are reversed compared to my old pedal and other standard DI boxes I have. The reversed wiring puts the ground connection onto the signal + pin and vice versa. Hence the hum. So there must be a batch issue.

Here's a photo where I've circled the ground pin on the new pedal (left), and my old pedal (right). At least I know what it is now. Hopefully Warwick/Sadowsky can remedy as I'd like to replace my scratchy old SBP-1.
View attachment 5231004
Click to expand...

Who sent you out this third Pedal without testing operation after first two had same problem?
 
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#62,567
Mark Hughes said:
I took one of the troublesome SBP-1 pedals to my gig the other night, plugged it in to our desk via the XLR and it made the same massive noise and hum. Flicked the ground switch and it got worse, just like here at home.
The retailer send me a third pedal, it arrived Tuesday and it had the exact same hum problem again. I also noticed that I would get a little zap from my guitar cord every now and then when plugging and unplugging when connected to an amp and a mixer or interface.

Today I decided to get the multimeter out and see if the grounds were connected between the 1/4" and XLR. I found the XLR has been mis-wired on all 3 new pedals sent to me. Pins 1 and 2 are reversed compared to my old pedal and other standard DI boxes I have. The reversed wiring puts the ground connection onto the signal + pin and vice versa. Hence the hum. So there must be a batch issue.

Here's a photo where I've circled the ground pin on the new pedal (left), and my old pedal (right). At least I know what it is now. Hopefully Warwick/Sadowsky can remedy as I'd like to replace my scratchy old SBP-1.
View attachment 5231004
Click to expand...

Did the builder for these change since you bought your original?
 
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#62,568
Frank Kreber said:
Hello,
Has anyone tried the Sadowsky Flats on a Modern 5 ?
What were your experiences?
Thank you for your impressions!
Click to expand...

I've done D'Addario Chromes on the Moderns I owned. Great choice.

IME, it adds even more rounded low-mid character, to a design that inherently leans in that direction.

If you have an Ash/Maple Modern 5, and really got into it for that 'Ken Smith on Steroids' slap tone (IMO for this setup) I would stay away.

If you got into the Modern 5 model because you love the finger style tone, I say try it.

BIAS ALERT: I have Chromes on all my Sadowski, except my Metro UV5. Something about that 'Marcus-ish' setup just screams round wounds. To me: flats take out the overtones/upper-harmonics that I personally do not like about round wounds, and Roger's pre has more than enough to dial back in whatever highs I lose with that string choice.
 
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#62,570
ElMon said:
I've done D'Addario Chromes on the Moderns I owned. Great choice.

IME, it adds even more rounded low-mid character, to a design that inherently leans in that direction.

If you have an Ash/Maple Modern 5, and really got into it for that 'Ken Smith on Steroids' slap tone (IMO for this setup) I would stay away.

If you got into the Modern 5 model because you love the finger style tone, I say try it.

BIAS ALERT: I have Chromes on all my Sadowski, except my Metro UV5. Something about that 'Marcus-ish' setup just screams round wounds. To me: flats take out the overtones/upper-harmonics that I personally do not like about round wounds, and Roger's pre has more than enough to dial back in whatever highs I lose with that string choice.
Click to expand...

Thank you for your input, ElMon
Yes, I ve got an ash / maple SingleCut, and yes I thought of flats to tame the amount of overtones/ upper harmonics you wrote of.
I chose the Sadowsky flats because I tend to the 125 B and like the taper wound string the Sadowsky Blue Label offers.
I play 98% fingerstyle, my musical background is Blues, Jazz, Soul.
I always thought the Chromes were a very bright, modern version of flats?
 
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#62,571
Frank Kreber said:
Thank you for your input, ElMon
Yes, I ve got an ash / maple SingleCut, and yes I thought of flats to tame the amount of overtones/ upper harmonics you wrote of.
I chose the Sadowsky flats because I tend to the 125 B and like the taper wound string the Sadowsky Blue Label offers.
I play 98% fingerstyle, my musical background is Blues, Jazz, Soul.
I always thought the Chromes were a very bright, modern version of flats?
Click to expand...

Relatively speaking. Then they die down … a few greasy sets of hands here and there … and my PJ5 wears a set going on 5years old.
 
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#62,573
Frank Kreber said:
Hello,
Has anyone tried the Sadowsky Flats on a Modern 5 ?
What were your experiences?
Thank you for your impressions!
Click to expand...

I've owned Modern 5s, and use Sadowsky flats, particularly on fretless, but never together. Based on this experience and what you say you're looking for, they should be an excellent combo - wish I'd tried it on the best Modern 5 I'd had, and never should have sold...
 
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#62,574
Mark Hughes said:
I took one of the troublesome SBP-1 pedals to my gig the other night, plugged it in to our desk via the XLR and it made the same massive noise and hum. Flicked the ground switch and it got worse, just like here at home.
The retailer send me a third pedal, it arrived Tuesday and it had the exact same hum problem again. I also noticed that I would get a little zap from my guitar cord every now and then when plugging and unplugging when connected to an amp and a mixer or interface.

Today I decided to get the multimeter out and see if the grounds were connected between the 1/4" and XLR. I found the XLR has been mis-wired on all 3 new pedals sent to me. Pins 1 and 2 are reversed compared to my old pedal and other standard DI boxes I have. The reversed wiring puts the ground connection onto the signal + pin and vice versa. Hence the hum. So there must be a batch issue.

Here's a photo where I've circled the ground pin on the new pedal (left), and my old pedal (right). At least I know what it is now. Hopefully Warwick/Sadowsky can remedy as I'd like to replace my scratchy old SBP-1.
View attachment 5231004
Click to expand...
:thumbsup: Well done!

bucephylus said:
Almost sounds like the two outputs are wired backwards to each other; possibly a bad batch from the factory?
Click to expand...

IF you are handy with a soldering iron, the corrective action might be pretty simple. Just a thought. GL
 
Last edited:
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