Club Sadowsky!!!

[MikeBass]

Finally wrapping up my "Long Term Test Drive" review of the 4-21 Super P/J, and I did a couple of hours of A/B/C-ing with my WL4 and P/5 5 last night. I am ashamed to admit that I hadn't played either the WL4 or PJ5 for quite a while - part of the blame lies with the Super P/J 4! - but that allowed me to spend some time falling in love with them all over again. First off, both basses were spot on in tune, and had perfect action, despite LONG periods of neglect. I am just in awe of the sheer awesomeness of these basses! The one nice thing about forgetting about things for a while is rediscovering them again. My WL4 is one of, it not the best, J-style bass I own, and that P/J5 is just spot-on exactly what I love in a bass. And then there is the 4-21 Super P/J - which has been to almost every gig since I picked it up years ago. Sadowsky really is top of the heap, best of the best. I will fight anyone who feels differently!

I recently had Roger & Co put the Super P pickup in my 1995 Standard 5.
It’s freakin amazing. I love the Reverse P mode, but all three positions sound great. It moved up to my number one spot over my Satin 5.

 

[57pbass]

Finally wrapping up my "Long Term Test Drive" review of the 4-21 Super P/J, and I did a couple of hours of A/B/C-ing with my WL4 and P/5 5 last night. I am ashamed to admit that I hadn't played either the WL4 or PJ5 for quite a while - part of the blame lies with the Super P/J 4! - but that allowed me to spend some time falling in love with them all over again. First off, both basses were spot on in tune, and had perfect action, despite LONG periods of neglect. I am just in awe of the sheer awesomeness of these basses! The one nice thing about forgetting about things for a while is rediscovering them again. My WL4 is one of, it not the best, J-style bass I own, and that P/J5 is just spot-on exactly what I love in a bass. And then there is the 4-21 Super P/J - which has been to almost every gig since I picked it up years ago. Sadowsky really is top of the heap, best of the best. I will fight anyone who feels differently!

Hi Tom,
If you can post some pictures that would be great for us to see.
Thanks !!

 

[tombowlus]

Hi Tom,
If you can post some pictures that would be great for us to see.
Thanks !!

Sure thing! Here is the 4-21 Super P/J:

Here is my WL4 (reviewed in Bass Gear Magazine #4) with my P/J 5 and 25th Anniversary Modern 5 (which I regret selling, though I will say that I just don't bond with the particular tonality you get from the pickup placement on the Moderns, and I just preferred the P/J 5 in every setting):

 

[tombowlus]

I almost never use the circuit. If a Jaco groove is on the menu, maybe, but otherwise Roger's 2-band is more than sufficient in 99.9% musical situations.

View attachment 5370110

+1

 

[57pbass]

Sure thing! Here is the 4-21 Super P/J:

Here is my WL4 (reviewed in Bass Gear Magazine #4) with my P/J 5 and 25th Anniversary Modern 5 (which I regret selling, though I will say that I just don't bond with the particular tonality you get from the pickup placement on the Moderns, and I just preferred the P/J 5 in every setting):

Tremendous collection of great instruments..

 

[Vic]

OMG I never get tired of looking at that PJ5. What a mind blowing bass on every level.

 

[Tim1]

For those of you who are using the Will Lee models..do you use the additional mid range control ? I know the back story on why he needed it.
Just curious since I have never played this model. Thanks

I never used the mid boost on mine until I fitted TI flats. Love the strings and I find that in the standard Will Lee setting it gets me near as you can to a p bass tone. Just seems a perfect match for those flats.

 

[stingray78]

Just posted my 2014 Metroline Will Lee MIJ in the classified if anyone is interested.

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/sadowsky-metroline-mij-will-lee-5.1642555/

 

[bucephylus]

I recently had Roger & Co put the Super P pickup in my 1995 Standard 5.
It’s freakin amazing. I love the Reverse P mode, but all three positions sound great. It moved up to my number one spot over my Satin 5.

FWIW, I preferred the sound of the standard P config vs reverse in your recording.

 

[Sadowsky]

Seller stepped up. Sent the refund. It appears an underling was appointed to pack the instrument. Somebody’s gonna get a talkin to. Alls well that ends…..refunded. Still a tragedy. A really nice bass too. Played great. Sounded excellent. On to the next.

Glad this worked out.

 

[Sadowsky]

Finally wrapping up my "Long Term Test Drive" review of the 4-21 Super P/J, and I did a couple of hours of A/B/C-ing with my WL4 and P/5 5 last night. I am ashamed to admit that I hadn't played either the WL4 or PJ5 for quite a while - part of the blame lies with the Super P/J 4! - but that allowed me to spend some time falling in love with them all over again. First off, both basses were spot on in tune, and had perfect action, despite LONG periods of neglect. I am just in awe of the sheer awesomeness of these basses! The one nice thing about forgetting about things for a while is rediscovering them again. My WL4 is one of, it not the best, J-style bass I own, and that P/J5 is just spot-on exactly what I love in a bass. And then there is the 4-21 Super P/J - which has been to almost every gig since I picked it up years ago. Sadowsky really is top of the heap, best of the best. I will fight anyone who feels differently!

Thank you for your very kind words, Tom.

 

[barks]

I am very fortunate to have two NYC Sadowsky basses. I have recently mainly been using my sunburst one and realised that it is now 20 years old. I tracked this one down after seeing it for sale on TB but originally missing out. I jumped in when it came back up for sale a while later and got it shipped across to the U.K. from (I think) somewhere in Texas. It was always the classic look that I was looking for in a NYC after previously owning a sunburst Metro.
The slight difference to the ‘normal’ is the ash body, rosewood fingerboard combo.
Recently I have been using this bass with TI Jazz flatwound strings and favouring the neck pick-up for a P bass flavour. Just wondered who else does this. I do have a P bass but the Sadowsky is just such a nice bass compared to my non-Sadowsky P bass

 

[nickpc]

Recently I have been using this bass with TI Jazz flatwound strings and favouring the neck pick-up for a P bass flavour. Just wondered who else does this.

I play my NYC Satin Deluxe JJ something like 65/35 panned to the neck. The sound just opens up around that point to me. The way the knobs are aligned (With volume dimed, center detent for balance, tone wide open all 3 white indicators are in line with the knobs) I end up with the balance pointing "straight up" relative to the direction of the strings.

 

[Tim1]

I am very fortunate to have two NYC Sadowsky basses. I have recently mainly been using my sunburst one and realised that it is now 20 years old. I tracked this one down after seeing it for sale on TB but originally missing out. I jumped in when it came back up for sale a while later and got it shipped across to the U.K. from (I think) somewhere in Texas. It was always the classic look that I was looking for in a NYC after previously owning a sunburst Metro.
The slight difference to the ‘normal’ is the ash body, rosewood fingerboard combo.
Recently I have been using this bass with TI Jazz flatwound strings and favouring the neck pick-up for a P bass flavour. Just wondered who else does this. I do have a P bass but the Sadowsky is just such a nice bass compared to my non-Sadowsky P bass
View attachment 5378526 View attachment 5378527

I too have found that TI flats on my Will Lee get me very close to a P bass sound. The mid boost on the WL seems a perfect match to nail it.

 

[tombowlus]

I too have found that TI flats on my Will Lee get me very close to a P bass sound. The mid boost on the WL seems a perfect match to nail it.

In spending some time comparing the 4-21 Super P/J to the WL4, it did seem to me that when you favor the neck pickup a bit on the WL, it seemed to be a little closer to a "P/J sound" than what I get with other J-style basses. This is without using the mid-boost. I'm not sure why this may be, and perhaps it's all in my head...

 

[davidak]

Sadowsky P content... I just installed Sadowsky preamp in my Elite Fender P (huge improvement!!) so I hope I could post whole family pic here..

 

[barks]

Sadowsky P content... I just installed Sadowsky preamp in my Elite Fender P (huge improvement!!) so I hope I could post whole family pic here..

View attachment 5380832

I love your Sadowsky P basses. Very nice

 

[AngelCrusher]

I got my 2015 Metroline ms5 in and it’s awesome of course. One thing I notice is that the treble and bass knobs are tighter than my NYC, which is super loose no matter how I tighten it with the Allen keys they sent. Any of you all ever deal with that? The metro line is perfect, I can really feel the knob resistance.
Anyway the neck on this ms5 bass plays so nicely. An amazing neck with great string spacing, I have no problem playing fast lines on it or slapping. Super happy with this Japanese metroline, they really built a high quality instrument.

 

[Bassdudeman]

I concur Sir.

I have owned 1 NYC and several MIJs and TYOs.

Now only own two Sadowky's an MIJ MJ5s, a 2004, and a 2009.
The Japan crew crushed it IMHO.
Great quality basses.

I haven't had the chance to try out any of the MIG models.
The prices on the RSD labeled basses are VERY attractive online...600 for the MetroExpress.

1000 if you want the "Sadowsky" logo... a 400 difference.
But if resale matters get the 1000. IMHO.

But if you just need a backup to your regular Sadowsky?
Get the RSD for 600. YMMV.

 

[Addison]

Welp … I’m speechless.

Ships on Monday!!!