Sadowsky’s all have an undersized J body except the Ultra Vintage which has the full size J body. IIRC.
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The Chinese non VTC pre’s use a lower quality POT than the VTC preamps used in the other lines. (MetroLine, NYC etc) Including the Will Lee , Mid Bump and VTC pre plates ( or no plated pre) The non chinese pre is an MEC POT loaded unit. IME the MEC loaded pre’s are quite good. But YMMV. The chinese built instruments also use pickups that are built specifically for that line, designed to emulate the higher end electrics in the other models.Hi guys. Anyone have any issues with Sadowsky preamp pots or Sadowsky Germany service in General?
I just received my new Sadowsky mid boost preamp which I installed in my Fender jazz ultra. It sounds amazing and the controls feel really great. A nice premium feel.
I bought the preamp after being so impressed with my new Metroline Hybrid P/J.
The thing is, I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around is inconsistency.
While the new Hybrid P/J is amazing the pots to be completly frank suck.
The pots feel and responds like a cheap import. The treble/bass stack is all loosey goosey, pulls up and down and when you turn treble the bass is also coming for the ride. While the new preamp feels and works great. A nice solid premium feel.
A lot of folks who I have spoken to have always raved about the service and say Sadowsky will take care of it don't worry but the email I got back was basically thank you for your kind words and sending a video but we can't see an issue and probably a user error.. Not looking for a free lunch here.
After feeling a bit dismissed I had to reach out again and ask for the part numbers to confirm the correct pot to buy in a brand new premium not cheap bass. The brand was built on fixing poor build quality after all right?
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I played a show tonight with my #1 pictured above , and I am still on cloud 9. With my IEM’s this instrument was so clear , articulate, balanced and just absolutely incredible sounding, I could not take the grin off my face. During setup I tested it, and immediately asked my drummer “ Do you hear this??” The bass was like a Steinway, I could not stop smiling. Every nuance, playing light or more aggresively, it was just magical. The kind of instrument that brings out the very best in your playing. I hit a different preset on HX to swap to a “sledgehammer” designed tone, and the bass filled the room. I had to lighten my touch to a feather, as it got very loud suddenly in the preset, but it was a delight playing so incredibly lightly and it still just sang.
As this has been my #1 for a few years , it now feels like home. Sits against me perfectly on the strap. Action is low, no buzz, and its just the most fun bass to play. I’m just in the afterglow right now. ( I just got offstage an hour ago so my memory is fresh) I wish everyone to have the same experience, with whatever bass is your #1. I hope we all get a chance to feel how great it is when your hands are working perfectly, you’re deep in the pocket, the band sounds killer, and you know you’re a part of the great sound in your IEM’s.
gonna be hard to sleep tonight.
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Too late. Whatever device you wrote this post with………..well. There ya go.
Hey there. My instrument is a German built Metroline. The new mid boost preamp I just purchased said made in China on the box.
It should have the higher end MEC electrics in it. I was unaware they were making the higher end units in China, but I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. That should be the same quality as other metro line electricsHey there. My instrument is a German built Metroline. The new mid boost preamp I just purchased said made in China on the box.
Just a thought: is the treble knob rubbing against the bass knob? What if you loosen the set screw and reposition it?
How loosey goosey are we talking? Mine has a bit of play but nothing extreme.
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I just compared my MX and my ML. The ML pots do have less resistance when turning but I wouldn’t say they’re very loose.
I think OP is talking about a German built bass, not a Chinese one. If you look at other posts on other threads owners of the MLs are the ones complaining about loose pots, not owners of MXs. I don't have loose pots on my MX.
Just a quick update on the metroline hybrid P/J preamp pot issue.
I think this was just a simple miscommunication at first (maybe even a tiny language-barrier thing since he’s in Germany and English isn’t his first language).
Once everything got cleared up, they stepped right up and took care of it exactly like everyone on here always says Sadowsky does, standing 100% behind the product — feels good to see.
And real talk: this Hybrid P/J is legitimately one of the best sounding and playing basses I’ve owned in 35+ years of chasing tone and working on instruments. The P/J setup is just chef’s kiss — zero of the usual drawbacks you normally get with a PJ config. Loving how versatile it is.
I’m already eyeing another MetroLine for the collection and converting the rest of my basses to Sadowsky circuits
Woo!
I think this was just a simple miscommunication at first (maybe even a tiny language-barrier thing since he’s in Germany and English isn’t his first language).
Once everything got cleared up, they stepped right up and took care of it exactly like everyone on here always says Sadowsky does, standing 100% behind the product — feels good to see.
And real talk: this Hybrid P/J is legitimately one of the best sounding and playing basses I’ve owned in 35+ years of chasing tone and working on instruments. The P/J setup is just chef’s kiss — zero of the usual drawbacks you normally get with a PJ config. Loving how versatile it is.
I’m already eyeing another MetroLine for the collection and converting the rest of my basses to Sadowsky circuits
Woo!
Hey folks.
Another quick question.
So I installed the new Sadowsky midboost preamp in a Fender Jazz ultra.
The bass still has the stock fender noiseless pickups in it which im not a fan of. They are already mid forward, so the midboost when enabled just sounds bad,congested,boxy and compressed even in a mix. This is most certainly just a bad match of pickups,preamp.
Can anyone suggest a good pairing of pickups for the Sadowsky preamp?
Tonally, I'm looking for unmistakable Jazz bass, versatility with an agressive edge. Ultra vintage to modern tones, stingray type tight sub bass. Ya, I know a tall order but this is where the Sadowsky preamp shines.
I'm looking at the Delano JMVC series.
(The ones with the big Musicman pole pieces) But fender noiseless kind of soured me on split coils however all the research I have done all seem to lead me to believe that the Delano splits don't have the issues or characteristics which I hate about the noiseless.
The JC AL single coil set which is described as a 60s/70s hybrid more or less, an intesting idea.
Or just order a set of Sadowsky single coils. Are they still made by nordstrand?
Also interested in the Bart b-axis also.
Any other possible suggestions?
Thanks!
Another quick question.
So I installed the new Sadowsky midboost preamp in a Fender Jazz ultra.
The bass still has the stock fender noiseless pickups in it which im not a fan of. They are already mid forward, so the midboost when enabled just sounds bad,congested,boxy and compressed even in a mix. This is most certainly just a bad match of pickups,preamp.
Can anyone suggest a good pairing of pickups for the Sadowsky preamp?
Tonally, I'm looking for unmistakable Jazz bass, versatility with an agressive edge. Ultra vintage to modern tones, stingray type tight sub bass. Ya, I know a tall order but this is where the Sadowsky preamp shines.
I'm looking at the Delano JMVC series.
(The ones with the big Musicman pole pieces) But fender noiseless kind of soured me on split coils however all the research I have done all seem to lead me to believe that the Delano splits don't have the issues or characteristics which I hate about the noiseless.
The JC AL single coil set which is described as a 60s/70s hybrid more or less, an intesting idea.
Or just order a set of Sadowsky single coils. Are they still made by nordstrand?
Also interested in the Bart b-axis also.
Any other possible suggestions?
Thanks!
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...or a set of Sadowsky HC's if you want to avoid noise and are ok with sacrificing some tone for it (at least IMHO).
It's no secret the pickup winds the Sadowsky brand selects are specifically chosen to match up with that unique preamp. So I'd strongly suggest going with that flow. IMHO, anything else is just swimming upstream for the sake of experimentation.
Now, if you're really into that with instruments, that's fine, and I'm sure there are other pickups that could work just fine, but probably not any "better" than the ones Sadowsky offers.
That is of course a subjective perspective, BUT I think the preponderance of empirical evidence of the popularity and effectiveness of the Sadowsky sound at least largely backs me up on that.
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I prefer the HC pups vs the SC in my #1 Sadowsky jazz.
Here is some “experimentalism.” Welcome to my world. Sadowsky preamp + Delano JMVC is def my jam.
Wow you must really like them!
Do they get close to what I had described in my post? I'm just sort of worried about any possible hum cancelling drawbacks. From the research I have been doing it seems like this set does not seem to have those compressed, less airy etc characteristics.
Correct. Most “open” humcancelling pups I’ve used.
Also…
The neck pickup has the best p-ish quality I have heard in a J profile footprint.
Slap tones are killer, both in balanced and favoring neck; giving a pretty useful spectrum.
Favoring bridge pickup retains upper harmonics without sounding thin.
I keep trying other pickups, and come back to the JMVC’s. For example, I was on a bit of a single coil kick for a while on both 4’s and 5’s. But, no go. JMVC’s full time for my gigs.
Why not sadowsky single coils? WL model uses true single coils with the mid pre.
The sound samples I've heard sounded like the upper bass / lower midrange has some hefty, punchy authority going on that I really liked!
[No need to ask, "Where's the beef?".]
