Club Sadowsky!!!

[DavidJamesNHBass]

That guitarist needs a good smack!

At one point, don't they all?

 

[slagbass]

Please allow me to clarify all of this.

The Tokyo line was made by my team in Japan before I proceeded with the MetroLine series. It was all made in Japan and used a different preamp.

The MetroLine began in 2003 and eventually duplicated most of my NYC models. They all featured Japanese-made bodies and necks. Sadowsky preamps, pickups, and bridges were used. They were not chambered. Production was ended in 2020.

The MetroExpress was made in Japan from 2017-2020. This was a full-on factory-made Sadowsky in only the 4-21 and 5-21 models and the 4-24 and 5-24 models. We also did the Verdine White model. They were chambered. Production ended in 2020.

The TYO models were Japan "Custom Shop" models made for the Japanese market only.

Since 2020, MetroLine production moved to the Warwick Factory in Germany. The MetroExpress is made by Warwick in China.

Roger

This is great info. Given the number of posts asking questions around this, I would respectfully ask that it be included in the Sadowsky website - maybe under a "History" link?

 

[Tim1]

This is great info. Given the number of posts asking questions around this, I would respectfully ask that it be included in the Sadowsky website - maybe under a "History" link?

Agreed. Roger must be getting tired of having to make this statement regularly. Mind you, it is a tribute to his legacy that there are so many Sadowsky historians and obsessives. Fender of course went the same way.

 

[2thAche]

"The P and the J combo has always been the PJ bass's weak link."

I agree with Roger's statement above.

There is a weird phase thing that goes on between two different pickup types, ie. P & J IMHO.

Not so with a J/J or equally matched pickups...P/P per Lee Skar, for example.


I love a good P sound, and I owned an NYC PJ for a while but used each pickup solo, but never mixed.
The P and J sounded fine that way.

Mixed they sounded weird to me... YMMV.

I go P/J 90/10 to 45/55 every gig. The more toward the latter, the more grindy 90s tone I can get. Nothing weird about it.

 

[projectapollo]

This is great info. Given the number of posts asking questions around this, I would respectfully ask that it be included in the Sadowsky website - maybe under a "History" link?

I have been around the Sadowsky scene for many years and thought I had a good grasp on the various lines. But I never knew what a TYO instrument was, now we know. And I had no idea that the Japan MetroExpress was chambered. Explains why they were so light.

 

[Joeykun]

I had a Japanese Metroline Standard 5 back in the day that truly rivaled my NYC Standard 5!

 

[Chris Chong]

I had a Japanese Metroline Standard 5 back in the day that truly rivaled my NYC Standard 5!
View attachment 5317310

Beautiful

 

[Fuzzbass]

"The P and the J combo has always been the PJ bass's weak link."

I agree with Roger's statement above.

There is a weird phase thing that goes on between two different pickup types, ie. P & J IMHO.

It's funny, some bassist friends get killer tones from blended PJ. There are also pros, just one example being Duff McKagan who gets that nasty-in-a-good-way snarl from his. But after decades of trying I could never really make blended PJ work for me, and soloed J is definitely not my thing. So, both of my Sadowsky P-basses are P-only.

 

[DaveAceofBass]

The preamp is the same with or without the VTC. Installing the entire Onboard Preamp Assembly is much easier than installing the VTC. It is difficult to wire up the switch portion of the VTC kit.

Regarding the PJ configuration. I do not think you will be happy with any other J bass pickup in combo with the P.
The P and the J combo has always been the PJ bass's weak link. If you do a lot of funk style, you will see some benefit from doing a reverse P or installing a Super P pickup. In the reverse P, the treble coil is in the same location as a neck position J pickup, resulting in a better tone when popping the G string.

The output of the P pickup will always be louder than the J. I like to bring the J pickup to my normal spec height and then lower the P until the balance is better. I suggest you replace the J pickup with our hum=canceling J to eliminate the single coil hum (only on the MetroExpress). If you want something hotter and fuller sounding, I would consider the DiMarzio Model J or the DiMarzio Relentless J pickup.

Is this a 4 string or 5 string

Roger

Although my Sadowsky NYC 5-24 isn't a PJ, I have another bass (Kinal) with a PJ configuration. That bass has Nordstrand pickups with one of the newer John East preamps, which has a built-in remedy for the balance issue with PJ pickups. The custom made blend pot that John East uses has two signal paths. In passive mode, it works the same as any other blend pot, and the P pickup will always be hotter than the J. But, in active mode the blend works more like an active mixer, and there are two small trimpots to adjust the level of each pickup. Using a decibel meter, I was able to gain up the J pickup to match the output of the P pickup. There is no additional noise added, it's completely silent. Now when I have the blend control in any position the output level is unaffected, and it's only the tone that changes. I asked John East a long time ago if he would ever sell just the blend portion of the circuit for use with another EQ, like a Sadowsky preamp, and he said it was possible and that's why he designed it to be more modular. Both John and Roger are two of the nicest and innovative guys in the industry. It might be worth it to look into this as a potential upgrade for PJ basses, while preserving the Sadowsky tone by using their EQ. It works quite well in my instrument, and I always get compliments on my tone with that bass in particular.

 

[The_Owl]

Please allow me to clarify all of this.

The Tokyo line was made by my team in Japan before I proceeded with the MetroLine series. It was all made in Japan and used a different preamp.

The MetroLine began in 2003 and eventually duplicated most of my NYC models. They all featured Japanese-made bodies and necks. Sadowsky preamps, pickups, and bridges were used. They were not chambered. Production was ended in 2020.

The MetroExpress was made in Japan from 2017-2020. This was a full-on factory-made Sadowsky in only the 4-21 and 5-21 models and the 4-24 and 5-24 models. We also did the Verdine White model. They were chambered. Production ended in 2020.

The TYO models were Japan "Custom Shop" models made for the Japanese market only.

Since 2020, MetroLine production moved to the Warwick Factory in Germany. The MetroExpress is made by Warwick in China.

Roger

I just wanna say the fit and finish of my 2021 MetroLine is impeccable. You could not fit a hair in the neck pocket, the neck is smooth as silk, finish is flawless, fret ends are literally invisible and the playability is so effortless. I understand why Warwick was chosen - their factory is most likely the most advanced instrument factory in Europe and the quality speaks for itself!

 

[mmbass21]

Any PJ bass I've had or have like my Verdine White Satin, I always blend both pickups and have liked the tone. At times on my VW and some others I'll favor the bridge slightly for a little more bite. I've never felt a blended PJ to sound not as good to me. Always an interesting discussion when this comes up.

 

[Chicken Wing]

I used my MIG Metroline J on stage for the first time last week. It sounded great!

The bass is so light and comfortable to play (sub 8 lbs).

Turning up the bass gives you instant fundamental, I totally get why people love these basses live. Plenty of low end to carry the band. I've been playing Sadowsky Nickel rounds and they are getting nice and dead which is my preferred tone.

 

[vision]

agree, that's why a P with dual coil in the bridge is so much better (IMO) than a single coil there.
just IME and IMO

To your point I remember back in the day (at one of the amazing Bowlus Bass Borg hangs, had to have been around 2005-06) playing TBer Vic's Fender PJ which had dual J's in the bridge position that could be selected, and that blended tone was AMAZING. To this day I've never played a PJ that sounded that good blended.

 

[pickles]

Blended PJ is a big scooped filtery rock sound on the low strings. It is what it is and if you want a J tone you're doing it wrong. And just don't play the high strings when blended.

Blending in a little bit of J with the full volume P takes the bark out of the P and makes it more polite.

I like these sounds and they're hard to get any other way. But I also have JJs for when I want that.

 

[projectapollo]

...I totally get why people love these basses live. View attachment 5317687

The Sadowsky sits in the mix so nicely. Very pleasing fundamental.

 

[E sharp]

Just a question about the M24 Moderns .
Has anyone ever put in a third pickup - in between both of them?
I've been mulling over the idea of dropping in one , in the middle . The front pickup would need to be routed maybe a few millimetres forward , then you'd have three in a row - sort of like what Dingwall do .
The middle one would then be sort of right in the MM position . So would open up more options .

 

[2thAche]

Blended PJ is a big scooped filtery rock sound on the low strings. It is what it is and if you want a J tone you're doing it wrong. And just don't play the high strings when blended.

Blending in a little bit of J with the full volume P takes the bark out of the P and makes it more polite.

I like these sounds and they're hard to get any other way. But I also have JJs for when I want that.

I find the opposite. I roll in the J pickup for more bite with a pick (80s new wave tones) or when I add dirt and want more presence. It basically adds high mids to the more warm P sound.

 

[The_Owl]

I agree. If you go PJ, go for the reverse P. A la 80's Yamaha BB2000, for instance. Tetsuo Sakurai from Casiopea mained that bass and had a wonderful, fat and meaty slap tone.

 

[Joebone]

I agree. If you go PJ, go for the reverse P. A la 80's Yamaha BB2000, for instance. Tetsuo Sakurai from Casiopea mained that bass and had a wonderful, fat and meaty slap tone.

Ditto. Reverse P/J rules. Yamaha BB2000...Spector P/J...'nuff said.

 

[kevk]

Main player (WL5-22) on my 'bench'…anyone else use their kitchen bar for a temporary guitar work bench?