Like mine?
Man, I rode that bike a couple of months ago, it was rippin fast and supperrr loud....
, I was having so much fun ridding, that Jonno had to come looking for me, he thought maybe I was never coming back....
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Man, I rode that bike a couple of months ago, it was rippin fast and supperrr loud....
, I was having so much fun ridding, that Jonno had to come looking for me, he thought maybe I was never coming back....
Hey guys. I've been using my Sadowsky NYC ash/maple vintage with Sadowsky single coils (I love this bass and that particular Sadowsky spec) as my 'reference' instrument for posting clips of various LDS cabs over in the amp section of the site (I live close to the LDS shop).
FYI, here is a clip of the Sadowsky through what I consider a relatively pure, 'studio monitor' type rig (a 'Greenboy inspired' three way LDS 212/6/tweeter cab driven by the Puma500). My gigging tone is a bit more snarly and grindy, but similar to the 12/6 clip I put up a while back, this shows 'another side' to the classic Sadowsky J tone. A bit warmer, fatter and smoother to my ear. I dig it.
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Hey Ken, welcome back. What strings do you have on the Sadowsky right now? They sound great!! I have never tried Sadowsky strings but really want to try those...
I believe he's still using DR HB's on that bass. That's also what I'm using on mine, which is totally identical except for age and color. GREAT combo!
sonofa,
you guys are making me want a motorcycle sooo bad, but having one in the city is a one way ticket straight to st. vincent's...
you guys are making me want a motorcycle sooo bad, but having one in the city is a one way ticket straight to st. vincent's...
Sadowsky Blue Label Steels. I also love the Hi Beams on this bass, but have grown to like the tighter tension and more 'upper mid/lower treble' vibe of the Blue Label Steels versus the pure, open, sizzly, smooth tone of the Hi Beams on this particular bass. Again, with my more typical rig that grunts and grinds and growls a bit (at the moment, that is a TC RH450/AE410, or an Epifani 410UL/Markbass F500), the Blue Steels really provide a nice bright top end that isn't so sizzly, so it smashes through a mix a little better once the cymbals and horns kick in. They last as long as the Hi Beams also, which is very impressive. The strings on the clip have 5 or 6 hard gigs on them over about a 6 week period, and they are still very much alive.
K
PS To the other question above, yes, that cab is 4ohms... very high SPL, HUGE low end, and a very pure, clean response in the upper mids due to the subwoofer-like drivers being crossed over at 800 hz, and the very powerful (and quite expensive) 18Sound 6.5" mid driver handling the upper mids through lower treble. Nice cabs if you dig that 'playing through a studio monitor' type clean, wide tone. Amazing low end also, due to the amazing Eminence 'LF' series neo speakers.
I was going to say 'sorry for the derail', but this thread was already there
Joeykun
pronounced ジョーイくん
- Jun 22, 2007
- 4,200
- 16,150
- Disclosures
- Endorsing: LAKLAND SADOWSKY GENZLER DARKGLASS NORDSTRAND TEMPLEBOARD KIRLIN DRSTRINGS ACCESS
That's interesting. I didn't know you'd switched.
That said, both my newer Sadowsky basses (the Metro PJ5 and the NYC JJ5) both came with a new set of SS blues on them, and I do like them a LOT, and yes, they have so far "worn" very very well. The only issues I've had a couple times is with a "sprung" B string. The B on the Metro is a little dodgy, but not bad enough to swap out. The B on the NYC is fine. That's always a risk with tapered strings, though.
I still have the HB's on my older NYC JJ5/SC that's like your orange bomber. I may try a set of blues on that after all.
Hey Vic,
I had Hi Beams on my original NYC Alder/RW Sadowsky (which is probably what you are remembering), but always had the Blue Steels on the Orange bomber. I'm 'all DR' on the A-C's though.
I also had a 'sprung' B string in one of the sets from a previously ordered batch of 5. Sounded buzzy and felt like the windings came loose from the core or something. I mentioned this to the Sadowsky crew when I ordered my next 5 sets, and they included a replacement B string with my order. Nice service. Not sure if there is something wrong with the manufacturing of that particular B design, since it only happened on one of about 10 sets I've used over the last two years or so that I've owned the bass.
interesting. those sound like the reasons i use low riders on my jazz basses. on the old fenders, hi beams can sound a little pretty. i just put a new set of low riders on my vf5 and theyre pretty killin'.
Chef
In Memoriam
Alright, while we're talking strings; anyone have any suggestions on a good set of nickel rounds to warm up and fatten up/old-school-size an ash/maple Big Single loaded 5 string?
I have HiBeams on there now, and they're just too much top and not enough bottom....
I have HiBeams on there now, and they're just too much top and not enough bottom....
I use Zon nickel round wounds on my Lightwave Fretless. Different beast to be sure, but I really like the strings.
- Apr 3, 2003
- 35,516
- 19,952
- Disclosures
- Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine
Believe it or not, I really like the Fender nickel plated steel rounds on my "Fender inspired" instruments. They are a good option for me if I need to take a little off the highs and add some low-mid warmth. That being said, I think that I typically like a brighter, more aggressive sound than you, Chef, so those may still be more bite/attack than you are after. I will also state that I play SS rounds (various brands) on about 90% of my basses.
+1 in a big way. Perfect to make a bass like that growl and punch more, and click and sizzle less. I'm sure many brands of nickel roundwounds could do this similarly, but the Lo Riders just FEEL great to me... a little less 'slippery and smooth' than some nickels I've played (which I guess could be a negative for the true nickel lover).
Hey Joe!
I was just emailing with Vic about this. The Lo Rider steels are much closer to the Sadowsky Blue Label than they are to the Hi Beams IMO. The feel is very similar. The Lo Rider Steels have a bit more upper treble versus the bit more lower treble/upper mids of the Sadowsky Steels to my ear, but they feel very similar tension wise, and sound more similar than less similar. They are cool for 'roughing' up a bass that sounds too clicky and open with the Hi Beams IMO.
Lotsa' good options out there, some already mentioned, but if you like the slinkiness of the HB's and just want nickel, try the SunBeams. Otherwise, I echo others' suggestions, as well as maybe tacking on the good old XL170's.
I have DR Hi Beams on my RV-4 and I think they sound fantastic. I slap the crap out of Brick House (I know but we have to play it) and it sounds sweet. Fingerstyle for What Is Hip is clear as a bell. Great bass, great strings.
I too dug the Hi Beams on my alder/RW spec. That spec has a bit more low mid presence, and a touch more subdued top end versus the very 'wide and bright' ash/maple models. With the Hi Beams, that was just a little too much of a good thing for me on my ash/maple with single coils. However, the Hi Beams did 'pretty up' the tone a bit, which would be a good thing for some tone goals... more smooth and sizzle than the grind and grunt of the Sadowsky Blues.
Interestingly, the Hi Beams REALLY speak to my on my ash/maple 70's inspired A-C LM, but that bass has more traditional growl and grit built into its voicing to my ear to begin with.
Mix and match
Low Riders for sure, don't like round core strings on 5's especially on 34" 5's - just too loose for my liking. Another one I like is the GHS Gary Willis Progressives, received a R5/24 with a fresh set awhile back - nice solid string, fat and articulate without the stainless "zing."
A set of Ken Smith Burners will definitely give you the warmth you're looking for. Since I found them, they've become my favorite strings because of the deeper lows and low-mids they provide. I tried out a Fender AmDlx Jazz strung with (presumably Fender) nickel roundwounds and it sounded great so I think Fender strings would be worth a look too. I really like I like DRs and they truly are high quality strings but they all seem to share a certain brightness that I just can't get used to.
