Club Sadowsky!!!

[bass12]

Maybe your case was sprayed with Febreze before it left??

It seems to me as if the honey/lemon scent is coming from the lacquer. It's a pleasant smell, but was originally quite strong. Strange that I'm not the only one who has noticed this smell, but that no one seems to be able to explain it. Anyway, I consider myself lucky - how many people can honestly say that their bass sounds great, looks great AND smells great?





I wonder if I give it a lick here...?

 

[ElMon]

Yeah, I wanted to hold onto all the hi-end basses I've had, including my current MTD, but you're right, Sadowsky basses:

1) Smell better

2) Taste better

3) Go with more outfits

 

[Vic]

I think as long as you don't oil any more than once every couple years, and don't use the lemon oil that has the petrolium gunk in it, you are fine. Most trouble comes from oiling too often.

That could be, but I'd rather use an oil that I simply don't have to worry about, and I've read some advice from qualified sources that it's good to oil some boards even monthly.

 

[Vic]

Yeah, I wanted to hold onto all the hi-end basses I've had, including my current MTD, but you're right, Sadowsky basses:

1) Smell better

2) Taste better

3) Go with more outfits

... errr... umm... wait...

 

[KJung]

That could be, but I'd rather use an oil that I simply don't have to worry about, and I've read some advice from qualified sources that it's good to oil some boards even monthly.

Wow... that is extreme. I guess there is just no true information about this at all. When I played Ebony boards for years, I just did a little pure lemon oil (like the Dunlop stuff), maybe every other year. Oiling monthly seems like a bad idea no matter what you use. However, my guess is, you probably aren't doing anything that the wood really needs anyway, so whatever makes you feel good (i.e., oiling a little or a lot) is probably OK, as long as you don't use stuff with the petroleum additives, etc.

 

[Vic]

Wow... that is extreme. I guess there is just no true information about this at all. When I played Ebony boards for years, I just did a little pure lemon oil (like the Dunlop stuff), maybe every other year. Oiling monthly seems like a bad idea no matter what you use. However, my guess is, you probably aren't doing anything that the wood really needs anyway, so whatever makes you feel good (i.e., oiling a little or a lot) is probably OK, as long as you don't use stuff with the petroleum additives, etc.

For the record, I don't oil anywhere near that often, but to your point, information on this topic is literally all over the place, and as such, I usually just throw up my hands and filter out the stuff that's "controversial" and use the stuff that seems to be safe no matter what advice you take. For me, so far, that's been the Dunlop 02. I am interested in the PW stuff tho. Might try it just to see.

 

[OrionManMatt]

I wasn't being extreme, I really do think you guys are crazy.

If you are still at all interested in a Sadowsky, you might want to take a look at this model as well:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Psssst. It features a mid boost.

 

[Laklandlover]

+1 Some of those classic 70's J bass funk guys really go to a bit of extremes, lowering the saddles so that you get all that grindy, gunky, aggressive clack when digging in and playing above the 12th fret, and then putting a bit of a bow in the neck to keep the rest of the instrument from buzzing from the nut to the 12th fret or so. That's a bit extreme for me personally, but it works for those guys.

In the article, whose the young guy with neck in arm?

 

[psax]

Yeah, that's an even better idea if you're all about mids and aggression... holy cow. Regardless, if a Sadowsky doesn't fit you, it ain't no big thing. Just find what fits you and rock on. The only thing I'd say is, and this is true of any instrument... don't be too quick to form a "final" opinion. Spend a few gigs, ask a few questions, and if it still doesn't fit, then at least you'll know for sure.

I don't know about you guys. I own a EB Music Man, Bass '73 P-bass, Custom made 5er, Warwick fretless... AND have played many MANY instruments. When i got my NYC my feeling was... "WHAT tha hell have I been playing for the last 15 years???" I just couldn't believe mi fingers. My technique got smoother instantly (I bet many of you guys know what i'm taliking about). It just BLEW me away..."right away". But the again... that's just me
Cheers

 

[Chef]

OK then...printed this. Read it carefully before proceding
Also, got out my micrometer, and made sure that my allen wrenches really did measure 1/16, 3/32, 5/64, and 1/8 across the flats.

I feel like using the graduated ruler method means that accurate reading is "somewhat dependent on where I place my eyeballs, and I might not be able to do that consistently or properly." My plan was to use the allen wrenches to measure b/t top of fret and bottom of strings instead.

So, both my JO5 and 5501 were set to my preferences, and, pretty dang close to 3/32 on the G side to 1/8 on the B side. I like them like that. I can dig in, and they play and sound great. Both of these basses took a little tension to set the neck per Rogers instructions. Both of these basses are wearing HiBeams.

The Sadowsky is set now set somewhat lower than that, running 5/64 on G side to 3/32 on the B side. Either the Pedulla nickels that are on Sadowsky are lower tension than the DR's, or the neck is stouter than the Laklands (or something else...), but at any rate, the Sadowsky takes nearly no tension at the adjuster for the neck to be where it ought to be according to the article procedures.

I still like the Sadowsky set lower, and played lighter than my other basses.

Marcus Miller seems to agree...[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[Vic]

...but at any rate, the Sadowsky takes nearly no tension at the adjuster for the neck to be where it ought to be according to the article procedures.

That just means that the neck either has a little bit of natural backbow, which automatically works against the string tension, in which case the truss rod doesn't need to help much, or the neck is just particularly stiff. Moisture content in the air does this too, which is why rods can typically require 2 adjustments/year with the major season changes.

I have a bass that I literally have to just add a touch of tension to the rod just to keep it "snug" in its route because the neck just naturally sits against string tension with no help needed. I might turn it slightly 1/2 the year, but generally, that one needs very little or no adjustment in a given year. Other necks, more.

 

[Chef]

Yessir, understood there can be several variable at play there. Humidity is on it's way down here right now from summer highs to dryer cooler air.
Some of my basses don't react to this much; some react to it more.

 

[kph24]

Anyone here have one of the Vintage 24 Fret 5 string Jazz basses if so what do you think?

 

[ElMon]

... errr... umm... wait...

I seriously was told this the first time I brought out an MV5 to a gig. After hearing 'man that bass sounded HUGE out front', etc, I had a guy tell me 'it looked REAL sharp against your black suit'. So there ya go.

 

[MisterMagician]

If you are still at all interested in a Sadowsky, you might want to take a look at this model as well:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Psssst. It features a mid boost.

I would love that if it was a 5.

 

[Joeykun]

Woah! Cool! I actually have a set of HC's available, AND a 500K pot!

Vic,

Did you ever make this switch? I have an appointment tomorrow to have a 500k volume pot installed in my Standard 5 with HC pups. Was curious what the outcome was?

J

 

[Vic]

Vic,

Did you ever make this switch? I have an appointment tomorrow to have a 500k volume pot installed in my Standard 5 with HC pups. Was curious what the outcome was?

J

Sorry, didn't get to it. I forgot Saturday was my kids' homecoming so pretty much all day we were busy with family stuff. I still plan to do it soon tho. I have one or more gigs every weekend until November, so it'll get checked out.

 

[Jerry J]

OK then...printed this. Read it carefully before proceding
Also, got out my micrometer, and made sure that my allen wrenches really did measure 1/16, 3/32, 5/64, and 1/8 across the flats.

I feel like using the graduated ruler method means that accurate reading is "somewhat dependent on where I place my eyeballs, and I might not be able to do that consistently or properly." My plan was to use the allen wrenches to measure b/t top of fret and bottom of strings instead.

So, both my JO5 and 5501 were set to my preferences, and, pretty dang close to 3/32 on the G side to 1/8 on the B side. I like them like that. I can dig in, and they play and sound great. Both of these basses took a little tension to set the neck per Rogers instructions. Both of these basses are wearing HiBeams.

The Sadowsky is set now set somewhat lower than that, running 5/64 on G side to 3/32 on the B side. Either the Pedulla nickels that are on Sadowsky are lower tension than the DR's, or the neck is stouter than the Laklands (or something else...), but at any rate, the Sadowsky takes nearly no tension at the adjuster for the neck to be where it ought to be according to the article procedures.

I still like the Sadowsky set lower, and played lighter than my other basses.

Chef, it might be the tapered ends that are giving you grief in the setup. You might want to experiment with a set of HiBeams or even a set of the Sadowsky Blue label nickels. Another string that I think might sound great on that bass is the ones made by the guys on the other side of the river in NYC.

I never had the neck move at all. But the humidity in my music room is very consistant despite the amount of rain that we get here in Portland.

 

[Chef]

Tonight: Mesa Walkabout+ LDS 2x12+2x6 as we host the local blues jam.
Should provide a more vintagey top end!

 

[jmilkey]

Nice to be part of the club. Ordered my NYC a few weeks ago...so now I just wait....

Anyone out there have a Hipshot D-Tuner installed on their bass?

These are new as of Sept 22.
Link Removed

Thoughts on getting this added to my bass now or just wait and add it later if it makes sense?

I never used one of these as I have been playing 5 strings for many years. Decided to order a 4 string for a few different reasons.

Thoughts???

Jeffrey