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https://www.talkbass.com/threads/club-sadowsky.390234/page-3235#post-28883204
The guitar from this post arrived safely. I never doubted Roger's work. Very snazzy and jazzy. Plays extremely well, too. I was on the fence if I'd get this SS-15 or the larger LS-17. I'm primarily an acoustic guy and the larger LS-17 could have potentially sat on my lap at my usual acoustic height. A decent deal came up and I picked the smaller SS-15.
I'm surprised these aren't a little more popular. It's a shame they're killing the archtop lineup later this year. This was on my "eventual" list, but I made it happen while it was easier to get one.
Very happy and impressed. The smaller body makes for a really light guitar and light gig bag. Now, time to dust off the jazz books...
The guitar from this post arrived safely. I never doubted Roger's work. Very snazzy and jazzy. Plays extremely well, too. I was on the fence if I'd get this SS-15 or the larger LS-17. I'm primarily an acoustic guy and the larger LS-17 could have potentially sat on my lap at my usual acoustic height. A decent deal came up and I picked the smaller SS-15.
I'm surprised these aren't a little more popular. It's a shame they're killing the archtop lineup later this year. This was on my "eventual" list, but I made it happen while it was easier to get one.
Very happy and impressed. The smaller body makes for a really light guitar and light gig bag. Now, time to dust off the jazz books...
Roger,
What are your thoughts on using a late 70's Fender jazz, with the Sadowsky SDP-1 running into a Tone Hammer pedal? I love how my Jazz sounds with the Sadowsky but would like a little overdrive as well (and a DI to run to the house).
What are your thoughts on using a late 70's Fender jazz, with the Sadowsky SDP-1 running into a Tone Hammer pedal? I love how my Jazz sounds with the Sadowsky but would like a little overdrive as well (and a DI to run to the house).
I'm looking for licensed Hipshot 1/2 post tuners in BLACK finish for my MetroExpress, where can I find them for a reasonable price?
So awesome. I look forward to every chance I get to play it.
All P pu w/ 15% B/T boost
All P pu w/ 15% B/T boost
First time posting my NYC Modern 5. My absolute favorite bass that I’ve ever played
For those interested I have both my Sadowsky’s listed in the Classifieds and I’m open to trades which doesn’t have to Sadowsky
And the 1996 Sadowsky NYC 4 is headed to Western Canada!
Looks great. I have one also and absolutely love it.
I love my Modern too. My favorite of the Sadowsky variety.
Well, I've been looking for a new #2 bass. A bass I can play on regular gigs, if my Will Lee needs a night off. My MIC Metro express sounds great but it is a bit on the heavy side even for church gigs with a two services. Anyway, I just pulled the the trigger on a MIG Metroline JJ RV4. it weighs well under 8 pounds. And I wanted one bass that was Alder Rosewood, even though Ash/Maple is my go to. Can't wait, this makes 3, I suspect I'm at my limit.
JazznFunk
Supporting Member
Popping in to share my new acquisition and claim membership in Club Sadowsky! This was a bit of a 'restoration' project in that it was a Reverb find at a great price with a lot of positive attributes and 'upgrades', but had an aftermarket bridge for reasons unknown. For the price, I took a chance. It's a 2021 model but has the serial number stamped on the back of the headstock, and has the new logo. I suspect it was an early 'second run' model after the initial 'RSD' batch? I've been looking for an unlined fretless that wouldn't break the bank for quite a while, and the MetroExpress offerings have been on my radar for a while.
The prior owner did a nice job of planing and smoothing out the ebony board, and installed the VTC upgrade package. String tree/guide was changed to the newer option as well. All the work was well done and cosmetically everything was like-new. The bridge was an A-style Hipshot but was installed way too far forward. Upon initial receipt it would not intonate properly at all (sharp no matter what, across the whole instrument) and all saddles were completely backed up to the bridge plate. The seller did refund me to compensate for the bridge purchase and time involved to fix it.
I bought an OEM MetroExpress bridge and proper screws from Warwick/Sadowsky and measured/staged/set the bridge using my other 34" scale Jazz Basses as references, got the pilot holes set, and everything went back together yesterday. While I was meticulous and made sure my measurements were right for the scale length, and I ended up using the 2 original front OEM screw holes as general placement guides, after setting up and intonating it post-installation I probably could have set the bridge back a little bit more, but those 2 prior front mounting screw holes likely would have been visible if I had done so. It would have been a compromise aesthetically that I wasn't comfortable with. It also makes me wonder if the OEM bridge placement from the factory might have been a little far forward from the get-go. I'm not sure if the tolerances with the bridges from 2021 changed when the newer half-saddle versions were introduced?
It plays beautifully, very even with no buzz anywhere on the board, is perfectly aligned, and sounds fantastic. I'd like a little more room to intonate with the E and A strings, but there is some breathing room left, barely. I do plan on installing the shorter intonation screw set (35 vs 40mm) just to clean things up cosmetically.
Even if it was a little bit of an 'indirect' route, I've been working my way to owning a Sadowsky in some form since I bought my first outboard preamp for my Fenders from the NYC shop in 1997, right after I started playing. I still have that outboard unit and am glad to have this too!
The prior owner did a nice job of planing and smoothing out the ebony board, and installed the VTC upgrade package. String tree/guide was changed to the newer option as well. All the work was well done and cosmetically everything was like-new. The bridge was an A-style Hipshot but was installed way too far forward. Upon initial receipt it would not intonate properly at all (sharp no matter what, across the whole instrument) and all saddles were completely backed up to the bridge plate. The seller did refund me to compensate for the bridge purchase and time involved to fix it.
I bought an OEM MetroExpress bridge and proper screws from Warwick/Sadowsky and measured/staged/set the bridge using my other 34" scale Jazz Basses as references, got the pilot holes set, and everything went back together yesterday. While I was meticulous and made sure my measurements were right for the scale length, and I ended up using the 2 original front OEM screw holes as general placement guides, after setting up and intonating it post-installation I probably could have set the bridge back a little bit more, but those 2 prior front mounting screw holes likely would have been visible if I had done so. It would have been a compromise aesthetically that I wasn't comfortable with. It also makes me wonder if the OEM bridge placement from the factory might have been a little far forward from the get-go. I'm not sure if the tolerances with the bridges from 2021 changed when the newer half-saddle versions were introduced?
It plays beautifully, very even with no buzz anywhere on the board, is perfectly aligned, and sounds fantastic. I'd like a little more room to intonate with the E and A strings, but there is some breathing room left, barely. I do plan on installing the shorter intonation screw set (35 vs 40mm) just to clean things up cosmetically.
Even if it was a little bit of an 'indirect' route, I've been working my way to owning a Sadowsky in some form since I bought my first outboard preamp for my Fenders from the NYC shop in 1997, right after I started playing. I still have that outboard unit and am glad to have this too!
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A couple weeks in, I think I may have found a PERFECT guitar, at least for the intended purposes. It wouldn't be the best guitar for metal.
The only thing that might have helped would be a bridge pickup, which the offer in some models. Without playing one, I'm not sure how the bridge and bridge+middle add. Killer tone and it's super light. Great action. The TI Jazz Flat 11 gauge strings sound great without feeling like a workout. They'll probably last a long time. The guitar has just enough unplugged volume to be useful in low noise environments. I took advantage of this yesterday while getting my oil changed. Snag one confidently if you have the change. I'm puzzled why Roger could discontinue such an amazing instrument line.
Subsequently, I think I'm done buying electric guitars. I have every config I enjoy and backups for some of them. There are a few basses I wouldn't mind like something with Wal style pickups and maybe trade my Hamer 12 string for a custom build with better ergonomics. I do have a "slight" acoustic guitar addiction and may need a 12 step program for that.
A couple weeks in, I think I may have found a PERFECT guitar, at least for the intended purposes. It wouldn't be the best guitar for metal.
The only thing that might have helped would be a bridge pickup, which the offer in some models. Without playing one, I'm not sure how the bridge and bridge+middle add. Killer tone and it's super light. Great action. The TI Jazz Flat 11 gauge strings sound great without feeling like a workout. They'll probably last a long time. The guitar has just enough unplugged volume to be useful in low noise environments. I took advantage of this yesterday while getting my oil changed. Snag one confidently if you have the change. I'm puzzled why Roger could discontinue such an amazing instrument line. Subsequently, I think I'm done buying electric guitars. I have every config I enjoy and backups for some of them. There are a few basses I wouldn't mind like something with Wal style pickups and maybe trade my Hamer 12 string for a custom build with better ergonomics. I do have a "slight" acoustic guitar addiction and may need a 12 step program for that.
I never get tired of the Modern slap tone, but a nice Jazz slap tone is classic too. Once past the slap tone, which bass sounds better is a toss up for me.
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I have zero interest in six string basses, but this bass is gorgeous and sounds great!
I cranked it up with the bridge pickup soloed. I don’t get to do this at home. I truly love the tone of this bass.
I cranked it up with the bridge pickup soloed. I don’t get to do this at home. I truly love the tone of this bass.
Love it, wish they did a lined fretless J in the Metro express. I'm not gifted with your intonation. Love the lines from "this Christmas".
I was not gifted with that intonation either; I worked at it pretty hard and I started on a lined fretless, but my ear has gotten better over time.
Actually, the newer MetroExpresses do have lined rosewood fingerboards.
Another happy customer. Can’t thank you enough for the correction of the bridge position. I usually never have an issue with saddle placement, as I use the OEM saddle positions that I thought were at least somewhat in the ball park. So glad to have a buyer with great setup skills that was able to correct my error. I put a lot of time and effort into that bass. Very satisfying when things come with a happy ending. Enjoy!
The church rig this morning. We're on IEM's so I use pedals to get some "amp tone" in my rig. Broke in the RV4, VERY impressed, it is very punchy and articulate yet retains smooth bottom all thru the fingerboard. I still need to take it too my guy for a set up but at well under 8 pounds it's a joy to play. I can confidently say this German metro is every bit as good a bass as the NYC's I had.
I think my MetroExpress is the best Bass in my stable - altough it´s the most expensive one and half the price as the next expensive one...
BUT - I have a rehearsal room which has a very bad electronic system (?) (sorry, not an native english speaker).
The Single Coils are humming like hell.
At home, other rooms or venues it´s rather quiet but as it´s my main rehearsal room I really need to get rid of that hum.
Any Ideas, except getting the Humbucker Pickups? (Too expensive at the moment)
BUT - I have a rehearsal room which has a very bad electronic system (?) (sorry, not an native english speaker).
The Single Coils are humming like hell.
At home, other rooms or venues it´s rather quiet but as it´s my main rehearsal room I really need to get rid of that hum.
Any Ideas, except getting the Humbucker Pickups? (Too expensive at the moment)
