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Hello all,
Just wanted to join the club and share a few photos of my new (to me) Olympic White RV4. Great instrument. I love the Morado fingerboard. Love the slap tones. It's very bright and bold. The tone just sings out. Nice bite and crunch from the bridge pup. Quite a preamp. Very nice. The fit and finish are top notch. My only minor quibble is the VTC pot. It seems a bit loose and doesn't have an accurate feel when adjusting. I've been told by Roger that this is unavoidable in stacked pots. Given that I've played passive Fender Jazz basses since the '70's, it's just something I'm not used to.
Very, very happy with the instrument overall. It really can cop a huge variety of tones, not just through the preamp but it just seems to be a very expressive instrument.
Just wanted to join the club and share a few photos of my new (to me) Olympic White RV4. Great instrument. I love the Morado fingerboard. Love the slap tones. It's very bright and bold. The tone just sings out. Nice bite and crunch from the bridge pup. Quite a preamp. Very nice. The fit and finish are top notch. My only minor quibble is the VTC pot. It seems a bit loose and doesn't have an accurate feel when adjusting. I've been told by Roger that this is unavoidable in stacked pots. Given that I've played passive Fender Jazz basses since the '70's, it's just something I'm not used to.
Very, very happy with the instrument overall. It really can cop a huge variety of tones, not just through the preamp but it just seems to be a very expressive instrument.
Hello all,
Just wanted to join the club and share a few photos of my new (to me) Olympic White RV4. Great instrument. I love the Morado fingerboard. Love the slap tones. It's very bright and bold. The tone just sings out. Nice bite and crunch from the bridge pup. Quite a preamp. Very nice. The fit and finish are top notch. My only minor quibble is the VTC pot. It seems a bit loose and doesn't have an accurate feel when adjusting. I've been told by Roger that this is unavoidable in stacked pots. Given that I've played passive Fender Jazz basses since the '70's, it's just something I'm not used to.
Very, very happy with the instrument overall. It really can cop a huge variety of tones, not just through the preamp but it just seems to be a very expressive instrument.
#210 - steve f
welcome, very nice photos bass and even nicer bass!
HI
Welcome Steve. Are you sure you are talking about the VTC pot? Your preamp is volume, pan, vtc(also pull for passive), and a stacked bass and treble(treble on top). VTC, like I stated, is the 3rd knob in line. It functions just like a Fender tone. All the way up for max and roll it back to cut "tone". The bass and treble stack are boost, only. When they are rolled completely off they are actually flat. Just roll forward a bit to boost. I very rarely use my treble boost at all. I boost bass anywhere from 10% to 30% depending on the room. Best of luck with it
Rob
Welcome Steve. Are you sure you are talking about the VTC pot? Your preamp is volume, pan, vtc(also pull for passive), and a stacked bass and treble(treble on top). VTC, like I stated, is the 3rd knob in line. It functions just like a Fender tone. All the way up for max and roll it back to cut "tone". The bass and treble stack are boost, only. When they are rolled completely off they are actually flat. Just roll forward a bit to boost. I very rarely use my treble boost at all. I boost bass anywhere from 10% to 30% depending on the room. Best of luck with it
Rob
Chef
In Memoriam
Gig report:
Well, you guys were right. If it's at all possible, the whole Sadowsky thing was perhaps even undersold by the couple of close friends I talked to about it before I bought in!
WE played at the Roots n Blues Festival. Booker T was across the street from us, and there were venues all over downtown. The band and the sound guy at our venue were all familiar with my JO5, which looks just like the RV-5 to an uneducated eye. But when I plugged in for soundcheck, everyone was like "whoa, *** are you doing different tonight?" The soundguy was nice enough to both mic the UL410 and thake the M6's direct line; he prefered the direct line (which is post eq) saying "it's bigger and clearer than the mic is.''
I had the M6 set to preset #2, and the bass backed off just a bit, and mid/treble both stright up. On the bass, I bumped the bass and treble both just a tiny bit, and then used the vtc and blend to easily dial in whatever sonic variance was needed for this or that song. Cool.
The notes jump right off that bass! Big, clear defined. Aggressive!
I watched that Behind the notes video of Roger, and took notes on where the basic Sadowsky setup sets string height and pickup height. The action as it came to me was *really low!" I spent some time setting it to where I normally like things; and it sure didn't sound the same. I'm normally a fairly heavy handed player, but I felt like the bass lost some it's inherent personality iwth the action higher, so it set it back to where it came from, and I'm just gonna have to be more of a light touch player with this bass. That's ok, because it's so strong, you just don't need to play as heavy as I usually do.
One really notable difference is how nice and even it is all the way up and down the board, and across all the strings. You don't have to play the G or D harder. That's neat!
I reckon I could go on, but y'all have heard pretty much all of this already.
I'm sold! Great bass!
Well, you guys were right. If it's at all possible, the whole Sadowsky thing was perhaps even undersold by the couple of close friends I talked to about it before I bought in!
WE played at the Roots n Blues Festival. Booker T was across the street from us, and there were venues all over downtown. The band and the sound guy at our venue were all familiar with my JO5, which looks just like the RV-5 to an uneducated eye. But when I plugged in for soundcheck, everyone was like "whoa, *** are you doing different tonight?" The soundguy was nice enough to both mic the UL410 and thake the M6's direct line; he prefered the direct line (which is post eq) saying "it's bigger and clearer than the mic is.''
I had the M6 set to preset #2, and the bass backed off just a bit, and mid/treble both stright up. On the bass, I bumped the bass and treble both just a tiny bit, and then used the vtc and blend to easily dial in whatever sonic variance was needed for this or that song. Cool.
The notes jump right off that bass! Big, clear defined. Aggressive!
I watched that Behind the notes video of Roger, and took notes on where the basic Sadowsky setup sets string height and pickup height. The action as it came to me was *really low!" I spent some time setting it to where I normally like things; and it sure didn't sound the same. I'm normally a fairly heavy handed player, but I felt like the bass lost some it's inherent personality iwth the action higher, so it set it back to where it came from, and I'm just gonna have to be more of a light touch player with this bass. That's ok, because it's so strong, you just don't need to play as heavy as I usually do.
One really notable difference is how nice and even it is all the way up and down the board, and across all the strings. You don't have to play the G or D harder. That's neat!
I reckon I could go on, but y'all have heard pretty much all of this already.
I'm sold! Great bass!
Nice gig report, Chef!
I was sure sweating it on whether you would like the bass. I do play with a very light touch so I go for a low setup. I'm sure that there is someone here that can give you some setup hints to get the action a bit higher and keep the tone.
Yes you are preaching to the choir here about good stuff going on with Roger's basses. But somehow I don't think any of us get tired of hearing about it. At least I don't.
I can't say enough good things about this bass. The chunkier feel over my Lull really translates well to live playing; there's more roome for error when performing dance moves and it feels sturdier in my hands. I feel like grooving more than soloing. And the tone! Holy crap! My band couldn't stop tellinge how amazing it was. Big, full, thick, but still cuts through. It has just the right frequencies in just the right places. I broke the Lull for soundcheck, but after a few notes everyone said they wanted to hear the Sadowsky again.
I think the Lull could benefit from some different pickups, certainly. However, I am really starting to like the feel of the Sadowsky and the live tone is simply unparalleled, IMO. Definitely a keeper!
I think the Lull could benefit from some different pickups, certainly. However, I am really starting to like the feel of the Sadowsky and the live tone is simply unparalleled, IMO. Definitely a keeper!
I really like the 5-string necks and general feel of Sadowskys, but the preamp kills the deal for me.
The whole point of a fanclub is to be one massive circle-jerk.
I just got this beauty! could I join the club?
sure you can...you are #211. welcome.
that's a nice spalt there
Yeah, what a terrible pre. Who would want a thick and clear tone that cuts through any mix and ALWAYS enhances what's going on around it. Terrible.
Of course, I'm sure that opinion is actually qualified by real world experience..............
doubt it.
Chef
In Memoriam
Doinkin' around this morning; I played the RV-5>M6>LDS 2x12+2x6, and in a "no horn environment," the RV-5 can do a pretty decent vintage sound too. Nice.
Yeah, what a terrible pre. Who would want a thick and clear tone that cuts through any mix and ALWAYS enhances what's going on around it. Terrible.
Of course, I'm sure that opinion is actually qualified by real world experience..............
doubt it.
Wow I'm sure glad he pointed that out. I guess I better go run out and get a new preamp for mine.Who wants those pesky sound compliments getting in the way...
speaking of strings...
I was thinking of trying the flats on my JJ4 ash/maple, which has the blue nickels right now. How much of a change in tone is going to happen? Thanks ahead.
I have the flats on my Fender 62 P and I love them!
I was thinking of trying the flats on my JJ4 ash/maple, which has the blue nickels right now. How much of a change in tone is going to happen? Thanks ahead.
I have the flats on my Fender 62 P and I love them!
Chef
In Memoriam
I think I'll just "let her be what she is." No need to calm her down more than an old school cab, at least by me (and probably not even that the majority of the time!). I've got other axes for that!
IME, the combo of the Sadowsky Pre's capabilities (clear and present bass and treble and balanced mids IMO) and the deep/fat fundamental of flats is a REALLY good combo if you're more of a fingerstyle player. Sounds HUGE in a mix IME.
