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Club Sadowsky!!!

#63,743
Snipehunter said:
Hey all. I just received a used metroline modern 4 today. Unfortunately, the front pickup seems to be dead.

I use the pan control and when it's all the way forward everything is fine. As I turn it toward the middle position where both pickups should be engaged, there is no tonal change. When I turn it all the way back where the front pickup should be engaged, the bass is silent. With both pickups on, I should be able to tap the pickup with a screwdriver and hear it come through the speaker. It does that for the rear pickup but not the front.

Here's a picture of the control cavity? Any ideas of quick things to try? I replaced the battery but that didn't help.
View attachment 5469693
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OK I'm starting to get somewhere. I noticed the volume pan pot was loose in the cavity and I can shift it with my fingers some. When I press down on it, the front pickup starts working. I thought I could fix this by taking the knob off and tightening the pot down but that didn't work. The pot is firmly in place now but it still requires me to press down on it for the front pickup to work. Don't think it's a grounding issue because after I lift my finger it will continue to work for a few seconds and then cut out.

Edit: A little DeoxIT seems to have done the trick..for now.
 
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#63,744
On to next issue. Check out the angle of this strap button. You can tell somebody really forced it because of the screwdriver gauge next to it. This was sold as "like new". I'm guessing it should be harmless to try to fix this?

IMG_8643 Large.jpeg IMG_8644 Large.jpeg
 
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#63,746
Jerry J said:
Good job on the pickup/sound issue!

The strap button is pretty wonky. I would pull it and check out the hole. The old trick is to stuff the existing hole with tooth picks (possibly a little bit of Elmers glue) and reinstall the button correctly.
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Thanks! I think I'm all set now. I had some Schaller s-locks laying around that went in just fine. Unfortunately it's time to hit the sack now so will be tomorrow before I really get to play it.
 
#63,747
Roger is out of the office for a couple weeks. So, I have a question to the club in the timeline and differences between the Japanese Metro-Metroline.

Earlier versions stamped Sadowsky Guitars then switched to Sadowsky Metroline.

Can anyone explain the differences between these before the MetroExpress was introduce and before the Warwick transition?
 
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#63,748
Small batch production (Early Metroline) versus large batch production (Early Metro express). So as expected, quality and attention to detail much higher in the early Metros versus early Metro Express. That’s how I would describe. When metro express production moved to china, there were definite growing pains, which have long been discussed on this forum. I don’t recall how long metro express were made in Japan, but it was not for long (year or two tops).
 
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#63,751
Rdore2000 said:
Hey guys, new to Sadowsky so here's a silly question (probably). If I'm running the bass in active mode through a Sansamp (Steve Harris SH1), will the onboard preamp interfere with the preamp of the pedal?
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No - a countless number of bass players do this all the time, and have done so since the first Sansamp intially meant for guitarists came out in 1989.

Proper and reasonable use of EQ, common sense, and good taste are the big concerns. You don’t need to crank the bass knob on the bass and the bass knob on the Sansamp. It might work in the bedroom at low volumes, but in a live setting it won’t be practical.

It’s probably a good idea to keep the bass and treble boosts on the bass at reasonable settings, although some players ignore that advice and seem to do OK with it.
 
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#63,752
Holdsg said:
Small batch production (Early Metroline) versus large batch production (Early Metro express). So as expected, quality and attention to detail much higher in the early Metros versus early Metro Express. That’s how I would describe. When metro express production moved to china, there were definite growing pains, which have long been discussed on this forum. I don’t recall how long metro express were made in Japan, but it was not for long (year or two tops).
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I purchased a Japanese made Metro Express in 2019. It was flawless. The morado board on it was beautiful dark chocolate. I still love it and I would not say the quality on the Japanese Metro Express instruments was lesser than the Japanese Metroline instruments. The main difference in the ME versus the Metroline were the color options being less in the ME.my understanding is that the reasoning that Roger shifted to Warwick was because the Japan shops could not produce the quantities expected and that Warwick had the resources to build faster. Also, the have a relationship with the Chinese shop that they were heavily involved in the QC. But Roger has all the details and this is my understanding of the shift.

soflbass said:
Metro Express SN ME560 arrived yesterday. Wow! Fabulous looking, flawless, great playing and great sounding! Excuse me for the crappy cell phone pics. Can I get a number, please.

View attachment 3474533 View attachment 3474535 View attachment 3474536
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#63,753
tieftonservices said:
Will the replacement pickguards sold by Warwick also fit the older japan models? I just bought an older RV4 and would like to change the guard.
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Just from past experiences, I would say it would not work. Even slight variances in the screw locations can cause you grief unless you want to drill new holes in your bass. And as I've said before, don't ask me how I know this.:)
 
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#63,754
tieftonservices said:
Will the replacement pickguards sold by Warwick also fit the older japan models? I just bought an older RV4 and would like to change the guard.
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I would be surprised if they did fit but don't know for sure. I would reccomend getting one made. I've had several made for my Japan/NYC models and they all fit perfect. I can't remember which company I used but I always did tracings & didn't mail them my current pickguard.
 
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#63,755
soflbass said:
I purchased a Japanese made Metro Express in 2019. It was flawless. The morado board on it was beautiful dark chocolate. I still love it and I would not say the quality on the Japanese Metro Express instruments was lesser than the Japanese Metroline instruments. The main difference in the ME versus the Metroline were the color options being less in the ME.my understanding is that the reasoning that Roger shifted to Warwick was because the Japan shops could not produce the quantities expected and that Warwick had the resources to build faster. Also, the have a relationship with the Chinese shop that they were heavily involved in the QC. But Roger has all the details and this is my understanding of the shift.
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Ah the neverending myths and theories of Japanese production and ME vs metroline. Roger has addressed this in the past but the differences are a bit more than you state iirc.
 
#63,757
Kai Sanchez said:
I own two Japanese metro lines. A 2013 and 2015 (both ash/maple). And a Japanese metro express from 2020 (alder/morado). The metro express has the best B string of all three and is the lightest at 8.5 pounds (being chambered).
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Are you sure that your Japanese metro express is chambered? All the information I can find states they are solid body as well as being built by a different factory to the Yoshi Kikuchi specialist Sadowsky facility.
 
#63,760
Sadowsky said:
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
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