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Club Sadowsky!!!

#9,041
KJung said:
Those fancy tops work much better on the standard models without guards and without 'bursts', etc. The fancy tops with bursts and guards are just a strange combination of vintage and, well, I don't know what. They just don't make sense to me aesthetically (pure IMO there).
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To each his own. However, to me the best looking bass I've ever seen is this one:

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Which is why I ordered my Will Lee in the exact same wood and color scheme. I like how it has the classic look at a distance, yet as you get closer, it becomes obvious that it's got more going on . . .

So Ken, when it gets here, you'd better cover your eyes or put on some blinders or something, 'cause I'm going to post about a hundred "bass porn" pics of it. :D :p
 
#9,042
BartmanPDX said:
To each his own. However, to me the best looking bass I've ever seen is this one:

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Which is why I ordered my Will Lee in the exact same wood and color scheme. I like how it has the classic look at a distance, yet as you get closer, it becomes obvious that it's got more going on . . .

So Ken, when it gets here, you'd better cover your eyes or put on some blinders or something, 'cause I'm going to post about a hundred "bass porn" pics of it. :D :p
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It's a losing game to post about aesthetics, since everything looks great to somebody and not great to somebody else.

My main point was that even though I dislike fancy tops on a Jazz bass, those two posted above are just AMAZING!

And... your spec looks better than most to me, due to the more simple top that seems to work with that tort guard rather than compete with it.... nice. That top also works beautifully with the neck 'swirl'... very nice.
 
#9,043
jonno1707 said:
I find the Fatbeams to sound fantastic on ash/maple basses but dont do it for me on alder/rosewood axes as they have more mid scoop than highbeams and loose definition...
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Interesting. I've never heard them before. They sure did work on the Streve's bass, but if they actually have more mid scoop than the Hi Beams (which are still my favorite string overall), that would be trouble on some basses IMO.
 
#9,045
jonno1707 said:
Absolutely as i didn't dig them at all on my LG but on the LM they were great...I still dig the Highbeams more tho...
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Cool! You know, I also LOVE the Hi Beams on my LM (not much on the LG). I am using the Sadowsky Blue Label Steels on my ash/maple NYC with singles Sadowsky to really move that bass a far way away from my A-C voicings, and it works well. But, sometimes, that huge upper mid spike on those strings and just gets a bit much for me. I keep going back and forth on whether to put the Hi Beams back on that bass, since they sound and feel so good.

Who knows! There is something cool in the mix about the more 'ganky' Sadowsky strings, and that aggressive upper mid grind versus the more pure top end of the Hi Beams.
 
#9,046
KJung said:
It's a losing game to post about aesthetics, since everything looks great to somebody and not great to somebody else.
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No, it's just that you're wrong, and everybody else is right. ;) :D :D :D :D :D

...sorry, just couldn't resist... :D

Seriously tho, yeah, it's purely subjective and of course it's TOTALLY COOL yer not into it... just ribbin' ya 'cause we're buds. :D
 
#9,049
I have DR LowBeams on my RV4. I tried them because HiBeams were too much on my other Sadowsky, but that was a M5-24 with the aggressive soap bars. I think HiBeams would be good on the RV4 so I may go back to them.

I love HiBeams. I have used them for years on every bass. They just seem to fit me.
 
#9,050
jonno1707 said:
I find the Fatbeams to sound fantastic on ash/maple basses but dont do it for me on alder/rosewood axes as they have more mid scoop than highbeams and loose definition...
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Jonno, are the Fatbeams that much different than the Highbeams?

It would make sense if MM spec'ed them for his ash/maple jazz. For some reason I recall reading that the Fatbeams were supposed to be to favor the mids. It must have been on the DR website...but as always I could have bass-ackwards.:(
 
#9,052
I have Blue Steels on my Standard 4 with single coils, ash routed body with maple top and brazilian rosewood fingerboard and I think they do a good job. As many have said before the bass sounds okay when at home, but it sits very good in a band mix.

I have a 5-string on order and I asked them to string it with Blue Steels as well. It's been almost 5 months since I placed the order and the wait is beginning to kill me :).

Anyhow, with my Standard 4, I do find it more difficult to make it sit nice in a jazz combo. Maybe you guys can give me any tips? BTW, I usually play in passive mode when playing in a jazz combo. I sometimes try some different PU- and tone-settings, but at times, it seems to be too boomy or aggressive. Maybe it's handy to know that our school has 12" and 15" Behringer combos, SWR Baby Blue 2x8" combos and Markbass 1x12 combos. I dislike the 15" Behringer (it makes things even boomier) and I do find the Markbass combos to be somewhat hi-fi most of the time. Furthermore, I can't find a nice tone when using the EQ of the Markbass. So, when available, I prefer the SWR or the 12" Behringer. The SWR has a semi parametric '3-band' EQ and the Behringer has a 7-band EQ.
So, for pop, I have no trouble finding a nice sound, but for jazz, I haven't found THE sound yet.


Thanks for your time.
 
#9,053
Musicfreak1988 said:
I have Blue Steels on my Standard 4 with single coils, ash routed body with maple top and brazilian rosewood fingerboard and I think they do a good job. As many have said before the bass sounds okay when at home, but it sits very good in a band mix.

I have a 5-string on order and I asked them to string it with Blue Steels as well. It's been almost 5 months since I placed the order and the wait is beginning to kill me :).

Anyhow, with my Standard 4, I do find it more difficult to make it sit nice in a jazz combo. Maybe you guys can give me any tips? BTW, I usually play in passive mode when playing in a jazz combo. I sometimes try some different PU- and tone-settings, but at times, it seems to be too boomy or aggressive. Maybe it's handy to know that our school has 12" and 15" Behringer combos, SWR Baby Blue 2x8" combos and Markbass 1x12 combos. I dislike the 15" Behringer (it makes things even boomier) and I do find the Markbass combos to be somewhat hi-fi most of the time. Furthermore, I can't find a nice tone when using the EQ of the Markbass. So, when available, I prefer the SWR or the 12" Behringer. The SWR has a semi parametric '3-band' EQ and the Behringer has a 7-band EQ.
So, for pop, I have no trouble finding a nice sound, but for jazz, I haven't found THE sound yet.


Thanks for your time.
Click to expand...

I play quite a few 'cocktail jazz' type gigs with my Sadowsky. Actually, I find that in passive mode, the bass becomes a bit more aggressive (if you define aggressive as 'upper mid grindy'). So, I usually leave it active (actually, I never play my Sadowsky in passive mode anyway), dial the VTC back about 25% to take the upper edge off, put the blend control just ever so slightly to the bridge pickup to 'round and clarify the notes (i.e., more mids, less deep boom), and then roll in just a touch of low end to replace the deep low end lost by blending toward the bridge.

That results in a nice, warm, articulate voice for swinging and soloing. Some actually do the opposite, and favor the neck pickup, and that makes sense also. I prefer more note defintion in that context than 'faux DB' by playing up on the neck favoring the neck pickup... but that's legit also.

K
 
#9,054
Musicfreak1988 said:
I have Blue Steels on my Standard 4 with single coils, ash routed body with maple top and brazilian rosewood fingerboard and I think they do a good job. As many have said before the bass sounds okay when at home, but it sits very good in a band mix.

I have a 5-string on order and I asked them to string it with Blue Steels as well. It's been almost 5 months since I placed the order and the wait is beginning to kill me :).

Anyhow, with my Standard 4, I do find it more difficult to make it sit nice in a jazz combo. Maybe you guys can give me any tips? BTW, I usually play in passive mode when playing in a jazz combo. I sometimes try some different PU- and tone-settings, but at times, it seems to be too boomy or aggressive. Maybe it's handy to know that our school has 12" and 15" Behringer combos, SWR Baby Blue 2x8" combos and Markbass 1x12 combos. I dislike the 15" Behringer (it makes things even boomier) and I do find the Markbass combos to be somewhat hi-fi most of the time. Furthermore, I can't find a nice tone when using the EQ of the Markbass. So, when available, I prefer the SWR or the 12" Behringer. The SWR has a semi parametric '3-band' EQ and the Behringer has a 7-band EQ.
So, for pop, I have no trouble finding a nice sound, but for jazz, I haven't found THE sound yet.


Thanks for your time.
Click to expand...

I would try some flats. The brazilian rosewood board with no doubt will sound terrific with flats. I have Thomastik flats on my routed ash/morado NYC (now with Nordstrand singles) and the sound is warm and beautiful, fantastic for jazz. The preamp is always on with a little bass boost. I also find my 12" Markbass combo great - paired with my bass.
 
#9,055
In my case, I do what Ken doesn't do; mostly;)

KJung said:
I play quite a few 'cocktail jazz' type gigs with my Sadowsky. Actually, I find that in passive mode, the bass becomes a bit more aggressive (if you define aggressive as 'upper mid grindy'). So, I usually leave it active (actually, I never play my Sadowsky in passive mode anyway), dial the VTC back about 25% to take the upper edge off, put the blend control just ever so slightly to the bridge pickup to 'round and clarify the notes (i.e., more mids, less deep boom), and then roll in just a touch of low end to replace the deep low end lost by blending toward the bridge.

That results in a nice, warm, articulate voice for swinging and soloing. Some actually do the opposite, and favor the neck pickup, and that makes sense also. I prefer more note defintion in that context than 'faux DB' by playing up on the neck favoring the neck pickup... but that's legit also.

K
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#9,058
I do use the bridge, or bridge bias for some stuff, but, "it's not my native sound."
I like it a lil fatter than that; and while I get your "add some back at the bass eq," it's just a tad different feel...
It is one I do use sometimes though, and in general with an active bass when I blend towards the bridge, I do add a tad of bass back in.

So, we're not that different;)
 
#9,059
Bass Collector said:
Some JJ looooove :)

IMG_1655.jpg
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I die a little bit inside each time I see Bass Collector's Quilted Maple Standard 5...:bawl: It is such a beauty!
 

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