Club Sadowsky!!!

[Alessandro Cruz]

I’m considering replacing the preamp in one of my basses with the Sadowsky prewired pre. I have a few questions, and I apologize if they’ve been answered elsewhere.

1. The current onboard preamp revision has +18 dB boost on the bass and treble controls, but I seem to remember an older revision having around +12 dB. Any tonal differences between the two? I’d imagine the current controls are more sensitive with +18 dB of range than with the former +12 dB.

2. My bass currently has an 18V preamp. Are there any pros or cons to also wiring the Sadowsky at 18V instead of 9V?

3. Can the pickup pan control be easily rewired to the more common pan orientation, or is it permanently set to the standard Sadowsky pan orientation?

Thanks for the help!

IIRC, Roger already said the preamps with or without VTC are essentially the same, so I guess the specs are untouched.

No, you cannot wire the Sadowsky preamp to 18v, since it's only 9v power.

Yes, you can rewire the pan/balance pot to the standard orientation, it's easy to do that.

 

[R&B]

+1 The spreads in difference between them all is quite broad in many cases.

True that. And I didn’t get into NYC versus TYO versus the newer MIG lines.

My own grossly excessive roster (all great, all 4-bangers):

NYC PJ
TYO Verdine
TYO Teppei model
TYO Modern Edge 4
MIJ Metroline MV4 x 2
MIJ Metroline RV4 HPJ x 2

Yes, I know. Pics. Will get on it.

 

[HeavyJazz]

For those here into Hevy Devy (aka Devin Townsend), I picked up his new record yesterday and he's clearly returned to his "BIG" sound. He's also a bass geek, and favors his Sadowsky NYC for recordings since about 2008. So, I'm assuming that is still the case here. Saw him with a Sadowsky guitar live several tours ago, but I heard he had to pawn it to afford flight tickets home. (Ouch!) Anyhow, it's a great album for those into his thing.

 

[PhishPhan22]

So I have a Spector euro LT with bart pups and then a darkglas preamp. It’s been solid. But I play jam band style music so some tones are out of its reach without the haz and EMGs. I really like alembics, elricks, Ken smith lol “ I wish” , style t tone basses. Idk why. But sadowsky makes me kinda have the Ken smith vibe? Maybe it’s the knobs but what y’all think? I love the throaty sound i get from Spector Euro but just to metal sounding. I really am considering one of these!

 

[Fuzzbass]

So I have a Spector euro LT with bart pups and then a darkglas preamp. It’s been solid. But I play jam band style music so some tones are out of its reach without the haz and EMGs. I really like alembics, elricks, Ken smith lol “ I wish” , style t tone basses. Idk why. But sadowsky makes me kinda have the Ken smith vibe? Maybe it’s the knobs but what y’all think? I love the throaty sound i get from Spector Euro but just to metal sounding. I really am considering one of these!

The Sadowsky that gets closest to the Ken Smith tonal vibe is the Modern 24 fretter, the one with soapbars closer to the bridge than the standard Fender-style PJ/JJ. If you don't want the Ken Smith sound, then go for a more traditional PJ/JJ pickup configuration.

 

[pepj]

For me, Sadowsky has always been about a Jazz on steriods.
And like many makers, doing the Fender think better than Fender.
If you want a Smith sound..which imv, is very stylised and niche...get a Smith.

 

[bucephylus]

Big shout out to Roger, who is a 100% solid cat in our community.

My NYC recently needed some setup adjustment. I found that the neck pickup screws were somewhat “frozen,” due to the tap holes having been slightly undersized for the hardness of the roasted alder on my NYC. I messed one of the screws up getting the setup where it needed to be. Roger was completely supportive, stayed with my ask for new hardware, and more than helped me out. I know he is terribly busy, and very much appreciate his efforts for a seemingly minor ask. Folks, this is the standard for premium support. It’s more than just the instrument.

 

[conttador]

Trying to restore a 90s modern. At some point the previous owner replaced the original Gotoh bridge with a Kluson, the original tuners with Hipshots and the original EMGs Soapbars w later issue Sadowsky Soapbars. The Sadowsky preamp was replaced twice, first from non VTC to VTC and then with a John East pre.

I received the original EMGs with the bass when I bought it and the original preamp (no VTC) and a later issue with VTC. My tech had issues with the non-VTC preamp so we went back to the VTC preamp in lieu of the East.

I was able to source a Gotoh bridge, the model # escapes me at the moment. The issue is that the Gotoh bridge is chrome & the current hardware is black. I want to replace the tuners now but I’m hoping the collective can help me identify these tuners:

All that’s on these is “Made in Japan.” Anyone know the manufacturer & model?

If anyone has a a set for a 5 string please let me know and if you have a working non-VTC preamp as well I’d be interested.

Of course any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[bassballs27]

Very impressed with this instrument.
It’s a 1996 build which has good meaning to me, the year I started playing bass and the year I first visited New York City on a class trip with my instrumental music class back I played Alto Sax. Got to visit the Twin Towers back then too. I would have never been able to afford a Sadowsky at the time let alone one like this.

I’ve owned a bunch of Rogers basses in my time and they’ve always been very well built and sounded decent. I had a Blue NYC Vintage 5 I probably should’ve kept but this one may have bested it. It’s super awesome and I don’t miss the tone control.

 

[Alessandro Cruz]

Trying to restore a 90s modern. At some point the previous owner replaced the original Gotoh bridge with a Kluson, the original tuners with Hipshots and the original EMGs Soapbars w later issue Sadowsky Soapbars. The Sadowsky preamp was replaced twice, first from non VTC to VTC and then with a John East pre.

I received the original EMGs with the bass when I bought it and the original preamp (no VTC) and a later issue with VTC. My tech had issues with the non-VTC preamp so we went back to the VTC preamp in lieu of the East.

I was able to source a Gotoh bridge, the model # escapes me at the moment. The issue is that the Gotoh bridge is chrome & the current hardware is black. I want to replace the tuners now but I’m hoping the collective can help me identify these tuners:
View attachment 7072841

All that’s on these is “Made in Japan.” Anyone know the manufacturer & model?

If anyone has a a set for a 5 string please let me know and if you have a working non-VTC preamp as well I’d be interested.

Of course any help is greatly appreciated!

These are Gotoh tuners. The same "OEM way" they manufactured to Ibanez to use with its BTB Boutique Bass series. Also Yamaha, Bass Collection and others.

In fact, these are the well-known Gotoh GB7 tuners. They now also manufacture the GB707, same structure but different "ear"


I had one BTB1005 Prestige with same tuners

 

[Alessandro Cruz]

I was searching for pickguard options for my Metro Express 21-5, and since they're are basically non-existent around anywhere in US ( other than send your own current pickguard to be "copy-and-cut" by some pickguard shops ), I accepted the roulette game and ordered one from AliExpress. It took about 2 weeks to arrive, and guess what? PERFECT fitment!

Since I've ordered the cheapest one ( 1-ply black ) to make sure it would fit, now I'm going after the other options with 3-ply and different patterns ( black pearl and bronze pearl are next! ), so I can have spare ones, too.

 

[Bassdudeman]

Very impressed with this instrument.
It’s a 1996 build which has good meaning to me, the year I started playing bass and the year I first visited New York City on a class trip with my instrumental music class back I played Alto Sax. Got to visit the Twin Towers back then too. I would have never been able to afford a Sadowsky at the time let alone one like this.

I’ve owned a bunch of Rogers basses in my time and they’ve always been very well built and sounded decent. I had a Blue NYC Vintage 5 I probably should’ve kept but this one may have bested it. It’s super awesome and I don’t miss the tone control.

View attachment 7072924View attachment 7072925View attachment 7072926View attachment 7072927View attachment 7072928View attachment 7072929View attachment 7072930View attachment 7072931

I think that is a Schaller (SP) Bridge.

 

[Alessandro Cruz]

I think that is a Schaller (SP) Bridge.

Looks like a Schaller 3D-4 to me.... because of the rolling saddles.

 

[glassmoon]

I was searching for pickguard options for my Metro Express 21-5, and since they're are basically non-existent around anywhere in US ( other than send your own current pickguard to be "copy-and-cut" by some pickguard shops ), I accepted the roulette game and ordered one from AliExpress. It took about 2 weeks to arrive, and guess what? PERFECT fitment!

Since I've ordered the cheapest one ( 1-ply black ) to make sure it would fit, now I'm going after the other options with 3-ply and different patterns ( black pearl and bronze pearl are next! ), so I can have spare ones, too.

View attachment 7072978View attachment 7072979View attachment 7072980

That's awesome cos I've been looking at the tortoise shell from AE and was unsure about hitting the enter button on this. Great piece of news!!!

 

[HeavyJazz]

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

It finally happened... I remember the original false start several years back. Congratulations, Roger!

 

[gwangi]

I put my order in but it doesn't mean they will call me to get a deposit, they are only building 5 instruments.

 

[Pet Sounds]

I put my order in but it doesn't mean they will call me to get a deposit, they are only building 5 instruments.

Wow. Five instruments is "very limited," alright !

 

[Lava]

The new “original” Super J looks gorgeous. I’m assuming it’s chambered. It looks non-gloss , but not quite Satin?

 

[PhishPhan22]

The Sadowsky that gets closest to the Ken Smith tonal vibe is the Modern 24 fretter, the one with soapbars closer to the bridge than the standard Fender-style PJ/JJ. If you don't want the Ken Smith sound, then go for a more traditional PJ/JJ pickup configuration.

Thats funny man I didn’t know much other then when I played em an I got that Ken smith ish vibe out of it. Like I have the Spector euro but it’s got the dark glass ab Bart pups so it’s reallt not the traditional Spector haz sound. But a show owner let me play a his KenSmith and it was amazing I can’t afford that lol but I think selling my Euro can get me close to getting a Sadowsky. I think it’s more jam band tone for sure ans just fits the style an a jazz on roids is the feel i get! But I love the low B i get out of Spector a the barts aren’t bad the dark glass seesm
To be where im like eh but I’m thinking hard on one of these

 

[deepestend]

Wow. Five instruments is "very limited," alright !

That's all we have the parts for!