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Club Sadowsky!!!

#12,762
Maybe I am reading this wrong, but does anyone else run their VTC wide open? My strings are kind of dead (Sadowsky Blue Nickels), but I run my VTC wide open and my treble at about 15%-20% just to get some high end bite. I also run my Thunderfunk with highs boosted on the para-eq and the treble control... not to mention I have my tweeter on my Aggie GS 4x10 at about 2 o'clock. I have the single coils in my bass, but I am just shocked that I have to boost the highs that much.
 
#12,768
chris.gotfunk said:
Maybe I am reading this wrong, but does anyone else run their VTC wide open? My strings are kind of dead (Sadowsky Blue Nickels), but I run my VTC wide open and my treble at about 15%-20% just to get some high end bite. I also run my Thunderfunk with highs boosted on the para-eq and the treble control... not to mention I have my tweeter on my Aggie GS 4x10 at about 2 o'clock. I have the single coils in my bass, but I am just shocked that I have to boost the highs that much.
Click to expand...

I generally run my VTC 100% wide open probably 95% of the time (no treble boost, though). If my strings are brand new, I'll back off on the VTC a bit, and if my strings are getting pretty dead, I might dial in a little treble boost. If I am playing reggae or something with an earthy, vintage vibe, then I will sometimes roll off a bit on the VTC, but most of what I play sounds great with a "full-range" tone.
 
#12,769
tombowlus said:
I generally run my VTC 100% wide open probably 95% of the time (no treble boost, though). If my strings are brand new, I'll back off on the VTC a bit, and if my strings are getting pretty dead, I might dial in a little treble boost. If I am playing reggae or something with an earthy, vintage vibe, then I will sometimes roll off a bit on the VTC, but most of what I play sounds great with a "full-range" tone.
Click to expand...

Hmmmm. Okay. Good to know. I need to put some new strings on there soon.
 
#12,771
chris.gotfunk said:
Maybe I am reading this wrong, but does anyone else run their VTC wide open? My strings are kind of dead (Sadowsky Blue Nickels), but I run my VTC wide open and my treble at about 15%-20% just to get some high end bite. I also run my Thunderfunk with highs boosted on the para-eq and the treble control... not to mention I have my tweeter on my Aggie GS 4x10 at about 2 o'clock. I have the single coils in my bass, but I am just shocked that I have to boost the highs that much.
Click to expand...

Like you, I run the VTC wide open and boost treble when my strings are going dead. With fresh strings, it depends on what rig I'm using. With my tweeterless Berg NV610, I run the VTC wide open and sometimes boost treble on top of that. With a tweetered cab I almost always roll the VTC back a bit, and if I'm feeling especially aggressive I'll boost treble and roll the VTC back even farther: that way I can get strong high end without a lot of noise above 6kHz or so.
 
#12,772
I typically run the VTC at about 50% or so, with the bass and treble at 0. I do like a "old school" kind of sound though. I find I will rub my hand up and down the strings and adjust the VTC to minimize, but not totally eliminate the string noise I hear when doing this. Certainly not scientific, but it works for me! I don't like the "clicky - squeaky" string sound you can get when the treble is boosted or the VTC is all the way up. Just my.02!
 
#12,775
nostatic said:
These days I'm running my VTC at about 50% with no bass or treble boost as well. If I feel that I need a bit more sizzle I'll open up the VTC. This is on a PJ though...
Click to expand...
Ditto yet again.

One disclaimer... currently, all my Sadowskys are ash/maple.

I do a few other things tho too...

Sometimes I like to back the VTC off a lot more and solo (or more strongly favor) the bridge pickup... maybe even adding some bass. The VTC affects mids more as you back it off (typical of any VTC/PTC). This gives a really cool burpy yet smooth and low mid strong tone. Way cool.

I also like to drop the VTC AND boost the treble to varying amounts. This may seem silly on the surface, but try it. It's not the same thing as just leaving the treble alone and maxing out the VTC (removing it).

Even if the Sadowsky preamp was boost/cut, I'd still like to have a VTC on there (though I do admit it wouldn't be as important to me in that case). The main reason is, it's NOT strictly a low pass treble chop circuit. It's a variable RC circuit in parallel with the inductance of the pickup(s), and while the behavior is a function of frequency, it's not as simple of one as some people assume. This is why mids get involved the more you have the VTC dialed back. It actually changes your sound... it doesn't just drop off the high end.

Anyway, FWIW/IMHO. :)
 
#12,776
Vic said:
Ditto yet again.

One disclaimer... currently, all my Sadowskys are ash/maple.

I do a few other things tho too...

Sometimes I like to back the VTC off a lot more and solo (or more strongly favor) the bridge pickup... maybe even adding some bass. The VTC affects mids more as you back it off (typical of any VTC/PTC). This gives a really cool burpy yet smooth and low mid strong tone. Way cool.

I also like to drop the VTC AND boost the treble to varying amounts. This may seem silly on the surface, but try it. It's not the same thing as just leaving the treble alone and maxing out the VTC (removing it).

Even if the Sadowsky preamp was boost/cut, I'd still like to have a VTC on there (though I do admit it wouldn't be as important to me in that case). The main reason is, it's NOT strictly a low pass treble chop circuit. It's a variable RC circuit in parallel with the inductance of the pickup(s), and while the behavior is a function of frequency, it's not as simple of one as some people assume. This is why mids get involved the more you have the VTC dialed back. It actually changes your sound... it doesn't just drop off the high end.

Anyway, FWIW/IMHO. :)
Click to expand...

Hmmm. Great explanation. I need to try that. Though, I have to admit, as I have stated before, I am the happiest I have ever been with my tone thanks to this bass.
 
#12,778
chris.gotfunk said:
Hmmm. Great explanation. I need to try that. Though, I have to admit, as I have stated before, I am the happiest I have ever been with my tone thanks to this bass.
Click to expand...
Meh, if you already have the tone you're looking for, it might be fun to play with, but I'd say in your case, you already have things "solved". :)
 
#12,779
So, in regards to the following pre-owned NYC PJ5:[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I wanted to fess up and say that I might know something about its future whereabouts, and might even be unloading a certain Metro PJ5 in ash/maple trans/white. Just saying.
 
#12,780
ElMon said:
So, in regards to the following pre-owned NYC PJ5:[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I wanted to fess up and say that I might know something about its future whereabouts, and might even be unloading a certain Metro PJ5 in ash/maple trans/white. Just saying.
Click to expand...
:eek: Woah. Folks, when he unloads his Metro, jump on it! My ash/maple Metro PJ5 has really become a go-to bass... seriously!
 

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