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Club Sadowsky!!!

#10,001
SteveC said:
Slight tangent...

Blaspheme I know, but I played a pretty nice MM Sterling (not the cheap import) with the single neck and traditional big humbucker at the bridge, 5 way toggle and 3 band eq today. Blue with matching headstock., maple neck/board. Not bad. Very different, of course, from a Sadowsky, but still a nice bass.

Back to the topic...
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nostatic said:
I owned a Sterling back in the early 90's before I switched to 5 string. I was playing in a jazz quartet in SF switching between upright and the Sterling. The switch and eq allowed for a couple different tones, and there was something oddly cool about playing bebop on a Sterling.
Click to expand...

I don't know that I'd buy it. It is nice, but I just love the Sadowsky tone. I like the size, weight and neck of my Yamaha BB605 a lot. I am thinking about getting some pups and a preamp and putting them in it instead of the Bartolini electronics it has now. The Barts sound nice, but if I could get close to my RV in a 5, that would be great.
 
#10,004
SteveC said:
I don't know that I'd buy it. It is nice, but I just love the Sadowsky tone. I like the size, weight and neck of my Yamaha BB605 a lot. I am thinking about getting some pups and a preamp and putting them in it instead of the Bartolini electronics it has now. The Barts sound nice, but if I could get close to my RV in a 5, that would be great.
Click to expand...

A Sterling sounds like a Sterling. It won't sound like an RV no matter what you do to it. Don't know the BB605 so I can't comment on that. I found the Sterling was a little more flexible than a regular MM though. But no way either could cover as much sonic ground as a Sadowsky with VTC.

The Sterling does get a very cool tone though.
 
#10,006
kph24 said:
Thanks

Now I want to start thinking about A rig next what do you guys think goes well with a Sadowsky?

I was thinking a Genz Benz 12.0
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I just got a Max 12 and Shuttle 112 for my RV4 - it sounds amazing. Seriously, it's the best I have sounded ever.

nostatic said:
A Sterling sounds like a Sterling. It won't sound like an RV no matter what you do to it. Don't know the BB605 so I can't comment on that. I found the Sterling was a little more flexible than a regular MM though. But no way either could cover as much sonic ground as a Sadowsky with VTC.

The Sterling does get a very cool tone though.
Click to expand...

I meant I was thinking about putting the Sadowsky stuff in my Yamaha.
 
#10,007
kph24 said:
Thanks

Now I want to start thinking about A rig next what do you guys think goes well with a Sadowsky?

I was thinking a Genz Benz 12.0
Click to expand...

My NYC's are VJ4 ash/BrazRW and UVJ4 ash/maple both with Sadowsky Singles and VTC. My amps are Markbass TA501, Aggie DB750, and recently aquired TC RH450. The cabs are Bergantino HS410 and a Schroeder 15L+.

Both basses sound great with any of this gear but my favorites are the DB750/HS410 and the RH450/HS410 ... superb!
 
#10,008
HI

Ive had numerous combinations of amplification last few years. Im currently running a Thunderfunk 550B with a Berg HS410. Killer! Tubiest SS amp Ive owned. Ive had tube heads(Sadowsky SA200, etc), Epifani, EA. They all work. Find something quality you feel suits your ears, pocketbook, and fits in your ride!!

Rob
 
#10,009
kph24 said:
Thanks

Now I want to start thinking about A rig next what do you guys think goes well with a Sadowsky?

I was thinking a Genz Benz 12.0
Click to expand...

If you want a killer, and I mean killer rig that would not break the bank. Try what I have......

Amp: Carvin B1500 - the cleanest amp I have ever played through...period. With 1900 watts I can guarantee your bass will not fart out, even during solos. And you can't beat the price, $699 for 1900 watts...that is insane!

Cabinets: Avatar. I use two B210 NEO cabinets. Loaded with Eminence Neodymium tens they sound great. And they are fairly light weight. With both my cabinets I am running at 4 Ohms = 1250 Watt with the Carvin.

Both my fretted and fretless Sadowsky basses sound fantastic through this rig.

b1500.jpg

avatarb210.jpg
 
#10,010
kph24 said:
Thanks

Now I want to start thinking about A rig next what do you guys think goes well with a Sadowsky?

I was thinking a Genz Benz 12.0
Click to expand...

I haven't played it through many amps yet. Happy enough with my Ashdown ABM-500 and EA VL-110 combo. I haven't tried my Epifani 2-10 yet, but frankly I haven't used that cabinet for a long time. I have a pair of VL-110s, and can play small rooms with just one, and then add a second if I need to push more air.

Two things strike me. I like having a tube in the front end to give a little bounce and grit - works well with the Sadowsky preamp. And I think you need a somewhat hi-fi cabinet to get all of the articulate hi frequency that the bass puts out. I could see how it might get too harsh with too much hi-fi. Depends on the setup and how you attack the bass.
 
#10,012
I'm currently enjoying my Ultra Vintage P into an Ampeg V4B+ Accugroove Tri112L. It's unbelievable!
I also have a Thunderfunk 550B which is IMO the best SS amp money can buy. But the full tube glory of the Ampeg through an hifi cab like the Accugroove really let the Sadowsky shine!!
 
#10,013
I have a question for the Sadowsky, TF 550B users. I had some time today to play around with my rig (I just got the TF a week or so ago). I noticed that at lower volumes, the tone just plain sucks. I am running the Sadowsky with just a little bit of bass boost (15%?), treble boost (25%?), VTC full open. I am running the TF with flat eq, Timbre between 10/11 o'clock, Enhance at about 7-8 o'clock. The Gain is about at 2 and the Volume is about 2-3ish. My cab is an Aguilar GS410 (8ohm) with the tweeter at about 1-2 o'clock. The Sadowsky has a brand new set of nickel blues.

Okay, so those are my settings. Here is my problem. I have to crank the treble almost full on to get any high end bite out of it. It almost seems that no matter what I do with my treble settings, it just doesn't seems to be enough.... at the lower volume. But, when I turn the volume up to around 3-4 (which feels kinda loud) the tone really comes alive. Is this normal? I was considering adding another GS210 to the mix to get the full power rating out of the TF which might help at lower volumes, but I am just not sure.

If anyone has any suggestions, it would be great.

Thanks!!!
 
#10,014
The TFB is not a "modern sounding" amp. Getting sufficient top end sheen out of it was hard for me too. I ended up running enhance up to about two o'clock, and then pushing a little bit of mids back in...

And then selling it and going with the Mesa M6.

Lovede it for DB though.
 
#10,015
Chef said:
The TFB is not a "modern sounding" amp. Getting sufficient top end sheen out of it was hard for me too. I ended up running enhance up to about two o'clock, and then pushing a little bit of mids back in...

And then selling it and going with the Mesa M6.

Lovede it for DB though.
Click to expand...

I hear ya. For me, I love mids. So boosting the enhance kills that for me. I know what I really need to do is get this out to a good gig and see what it does for me on stage. I may need my volume up around 3-4-5 mark. Who knows..... :confused:
 
#10,016
I ran input gain such that the led would light occasionally when I was really diggin in...which was about 3-4; and I ran master at about 5-6.

I'm not familiar with that particular cab; but if you can't get the top end response you want with a Sadowsky fronting your signal chain, something is missing for you...
 
#10,017
Chef said:
I ran input gain such that the led would light occasionally when I was really diggin in...which was about 3-4; and I ran master at about 5-6.

I'm not familiar with that particular cab; but if you can't get the top end response you want with a Sadowsky fronting your signal chain, something is missing for you...
Click to expand...

Wow!!! That has to be really loud!!! I have a gig on the 9th of Dec that I will be able to open it up just a bit. I will see what it sounds like. I guess my basement just feels really loud.

I hear ya about being able to get top end. I know it's there because when I practice through my Korg PX4D, I have plenty of that high end bite.

Thanks for the help Chef!!!
 
#10,018
Chef said:
but if you can't get the top end response you want with a Sadowsky fronting your signal chain, something is missing for you...
Click to expand...

That's for sure. I traded my M5-24 for my RV-4 as it was just too modern for me. I love the RV-4 but it can still have plenty of zing. I think the rosewood board and jazz pups gave me what I was looking for.
 
#10,020
chris.gotfunk said:
I have a question for the Sadowsky, TF 550B users. I had some time today to play around with my rig (I just got the TF a week or so ago). I noticed that at lower volumes, the tone just plain sucks. I am running the Sadowsky with just a little bit of bass boost (15%?), treble boost (25%?), VTC full open. I am running the TF with flat eq, Timbre between 10/11 o'clock, Enhance at about 7-8 o'clock. The Gain is about at 2 and the Volume is about 2-3ish. My cab is an Aguilar GS410 (8ohm) with the tweeter at about 1-2 o'clock. The Sadowsky has a brand new set of nickel blues.

Okay, so those are my settings. Here is my problem. I have to crank the treble almost full on to get any high end bite out of it. It almost seems that no matter what I do with my treble settings, it just doesn't seems to be enough.... at the lower volume. But, when I turn the volume up to around 3-4 (which feels kinda loud) the tone really comes alive. Is this normal? I was considering adding another GS210 to the mix to get the full power rating out of the TF which might help at lower volumes, but I am just not sure.

If anyone has any suggestions, it would be great.

Thanks!!!
Click to expand...

I'd agree with bumping the gain and then give it a shot at the gig. I feel the same way as you - the TF really seems to come alive for me around 3 all the way until around 6 or 6.5 - beyond that it starts to compress a bit (to my ears anyway). With a full band, this has always been my normal gigging volume anyway although it sounds loud in my practice room. I use roughly the same settings on my Sadowsky as you do, which always seems to sound better in a mix than it does by itself anyway.

When practicing by myself, I tend to like the tone with the enhance set higher (4 or so), but back it off to 2-3 during gigs - I find that adding just a touch fattens things up nicely but too much is tone-sucking at its worst... I find it easy to find the sweet spot where everything balances the right way. I also keep timbre at one click left - any more than that, the tone really starts to become loose to my ears. And though many say they find the amp to sound best flat, I've found some really great tones with the versatile EQ - a slight bump at 4K affects the high end in a positive way (IMO).

I also imagine that an ash\maple Sadowsky with stainless steel strings would sound awesome. That's obviously a bright tone, but I think would balance perfectly with the voicing of the warm\organic voicing of the TF. If you are looking for an amp with a lot of high end sheen\bite (ala SWR, EBS, etc), then this amp may just not be for you - especially with an alder\RW bass...
 

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