Club Sadowsky!!!

[Joeykun]

@Joeykun...

what if we had your Standard 5 mate with my bora blue burst Standard 5?

Your bass is hot!

Ha Ha Thanks!

I am pretty stoked to get these singles installed. I have been putting it off for too long. I am sure I am going to love them!!

 

[ElMon]

I"ve had a chance to A/B my new NYC PJ5 with my similarly spec'd Metro PJ5, and WOW, when played right next to each other I can DEFINITELY both hear and feel a difference. For starters, the NYC is just louder acoustically. The notes just leap off the neck and resonate the whole body. I don't know if the graphite strips and chambering have that effect, or even if the anodized aluminum that takes up a lot of surface area affects the resonance/response, but its a definite difference to my ears.

Even plugged in, with the same EQ settings (I tried flat with VTC on/off, and the same thing with a slight bass/treble boost), the NYC just sounds larger and has more sustain all the way up the neck. Definitely noticeable, although by boosting the bass more on the Metro it can get about 99% of the NYC's thickness, albeit a little bit more compressed to my ears. I"m glad I stepped up to an NYC, although I'd have just about the same kind of awesome tone on the bandstand with the Metro. Whoever gets my Metro next will CERTAINLY have an amazing first-class instrument.

 

[Vic]

I"ve had a chance to A/B my new NYC PJ5 with my similarly spec'd Metro PJ5, and WOW, when played right next to each other I can DEFINITELY both hear and feel a difference. For starters, the NYC is just louder acoustically. The notes just leap off the neck and resonate the whole body. I don't know if the graphite strips and chambering have that effect, or even if the anodized aluminum that takes up a lot of surface area affects the resonance/response, but its a definite difference to my ears.

Even plugged in, with the same EQ settings (I tried flat with VTC on/off, and the same thing with a slight bass/treble boost), the NYC just sounds larger and has more sustain all the way up the neck. Definitely noticeable, although by boosting the bass more on the Metro it can get about 99% of the NYC's thickness, albeit a little bit more compressed to my ears. I"m glad I stepped up to an NYC, although I'd have just about the same kind of awesome tone on the bandstand with the Metro. Whoever gets my Metro next will CERTAINLY have an amazing first-class instrument.

That's definitely the chambering, especially if you're talking unplugged "volume" levels, though at least in my case, my Metro PJ5 is VERY strong, and I don't really notice that much difference.

 

[Jerry J]

I assume she using single coils in her ash/maple J... that's what it sounds like to me anyway.... punchy, gritty, grindy. She sounds great.

I'm sure that I could go through and read about the SC's vs. the HC's in an ash/maple Sadowsky. And this has be discussed extensively.

I'm just trying to get a better handle on the differences. I've not tried the SC pickups and not heard them in person. Clips just don't seem to convey a real feel for the pickups either.

I have an early RV4 with HC's. I changed the strings that were on the bass when I got it to the FatBeams. The tone was way better than what was on the bass. But after reading that Vic and Bartman swear by HiBeams I tried them. Wow! nice change and I loved the increased clarity, bounce and sustain. But I eventually notice that the bass was VERY mid-forward. Especially after I heard some recordings from my band practice. It did cut like a sword and was very punchy. So it didn't seem to fit the style of music that we are playing so I am using my Pre-EB stingray.

Now in the context for an ash/maple NYC JJ4, how would the Sadowsky SC's be sound compared to the stock HC's? And where in the scheme of things would my RV4 with the HC's fit tonally?

 

[KJung]

I'm sure that I could go through and read about the SC's vs. the HC's in an ash/maple Sadowsky. And this has be discussed extensively.

I'm just trying to get a better handle on the differences. I've not tried the SC pickups and not heard them in person. Clips just don't seem to convey a real feel for the pickups either.

I have an early RV4 with HC's. I changed the strings that were on the bass when I got it to the FatBeams. The tone was way better than what was on the bass. But after reading that Vic and Bartman swear by HiBeams I tried them. Wow! nice change and I loved the increased clarity, bounce and sustain. But I eventually notice that the bass was VERY mid-forward. Especially after I heard some recordings from my band practice. It did cut like a sword and was very punchy. So it didn't seem to fit the style of music that we are playing so I am using my Pre-EB stingray.

Now in the context for an ash/maple NYC JJ4, how would the Sadowsky SC's be sound compared to the stock HC's? And where in the scheme of things would my RV4 with the HC's fit tonally?

You are the first person I've ever heard describe a Sadowsky J with HC's and Hi Beams as 'mid forward'. Not sure what is going on there, but the SC's would be MORE mid forward... tighter low end, more lower treble grind than upper treble sizzle, more punch and mid mids versus the somewhat scooped HC's to my ear.

However, I prefer the HC"s on the alder/rw Sadowsky basses myself (after swapping back and forth in my alder/RW NYC. The singles sound much better to me in the more aggressive ash/maple models... fattens and punches them up.

K

 

[pablo basso]

...Speaking of which... has anybody tried the Nordstrand Big Singles in a Metro M5-24?

I feel that although the Soapbars sound great, in my band I need more of a single coil sound to get through "the mud"... ( playing with 2 guitarheros that believe that size matters...)

 

[gillento]

...Speaking of which... has anybody tried the Nordstrand Big Singles in a Metro M5-24?

I feel that although the Soapbars sound great, in my band I need more of a single coil sound to get through "the mud"... ( playing with 2 guitarheros that believe that size matters...)

You are 100% right!

I put Big Singles into mine, and it helped a lot.
But in the end I discovered that the M5-24 was not my kind of bass.

I still got the BS, though. You are welcome to try them in your bass.

 

[KJung]

...Speaking of which... has anybody tried the Nordstrand Big Singles in a Metro M5-24?

I feel that although the Soapbars sound great, in my band I need more of a single coil sound to get through "the mud"... ( playing with 2 guitarheros that believe that size matters...)

They will warm that bass up a bit and take some of the edge off the top end... more mellow and mid present than the aggressive Sadowsky/Seymours. However, they don't really sound very 'single coil' to me, in the sense of a true single coil J pickup, and the extreme pickup position of the Modern really locks the tone of that bass in, regardles of pickups.

IMO, that change will take you in the wrong direction. The sound great, but I think the 'singles' in the name results in people thinking they will take the tone in a different direction than they actually do versus the Seymours that are stock in that bass.

 

[rdmjazz]

Fedex just made my day!!

Nothing like a new (to me) Sadowsky to start the day off!

 

[Hounddog]

Fedex just made my day!!

Nothing like a new (to me) Sadowsky to start the day off!

I will be so glad to say that myself. That is a great looking Bass. I was glad when you bought it. It was Haunting me a little. All this waiting around for a preowned Ash/Maple NYC VJ5 with a burst finish is killing me. Congratulations and I hope you enjoy it.

 

[rdmjazz]

Here's my quick review after spending only a few minutes with it:

I thought my NYC Modern 5 was light, boy this bass is LIGHT! 8.4 feels lighter than that. My back thanks you Roger and crew!
Neck: I think I like the 1 3/4 spacing better than the 1 7/8 on the 24-5. This is the first time I've played the "newer profile" neck, since my 24-5 is a 1993. I think I like the new one better, it plays easier, maybe its the thinner 1 3/4 nut width.

Of course what can I say about the looks, stunning! I wasn't sure how I'd like the black pearl, but it is very subtle and I think it will look really cool under stage lighting.

Sound: So far so good, I like the HC's, I think it will be a perfect fit for my "smooth jazz" shows coming up.

Thats all for now..gotta go play it some more!

Which nut width do you guys prefer 1 3/4 or 1 7/8??

 

[Saluki]

I will be so glad to say that myself. That is a great looking Bass. I was glad when you bought it. It was Haunting me a little. All this waiting around for a preowned Ash/Maple NYC VJ5 with a burst finish is killing me. Congratulations and I hope you enjoy it.

Bring your checkbook on the 20th and you won't be waiting anymore and you won't miss the ash/maple combo. Vic will have his ash combo and you can compare.

 

[Chef]

@cory

pm me time and place for the 20th plz?

 

[Hounddog]

Bring your checkbook on the 20th and you won't be waiting anymore and you won't miss the ash/maple combo. Vic will have his ash combo and you can compare.

I am planning on being there. Although I will be shocked if your Bass isnt sold by then. I am really trying to keep my sights set on a Burst finished Ash/Maple combo. Vic says your bass is a great one and he has never steered me wrong. I ve had to agree with him even when I didnt want to. LOL. But I just cant get over wanting a burst finish over a figured top. You and Gilsonite have had me thinking about your Basses but I am going to try to hold strong until my exact fit comes along.

SO QUIT TEMPTING ME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Jerry J]

You are the first person I've ever heard describe a Sadowsky J with HC's and Hi Beams as 'mid forward'. Not sure what is going on there, but the SC's would be MORE mid forward... tighter low end, more lower treble grind than upper treble sizzle, more punch and mid mids versus the somewhat scooped HC's to my ear.

However, I prefer the HC"s on the alder/rw Sadowsky basses myself (after swapping back and forth in my alder/RW NYC. The singles sound much better to me in the more aggressive ash/maple models... fattens and punches them up.

K

Thank you Ken. I was just re-thinking this and realized that this mid forward tone occurs going through a Little Mark II into a pair of Berg HT112's. This has been my practice space rig for several months. I never really noticed it until we started recording practices. The RV4 sounded very strong in the mids with very little lows or highs. And this is with the balance favoring the bridge pickup at 60-40 and only a bump in the bass EQ. But I have to attribute that to the LMII as I finally took my Ag DB750 to practice and it was whole different world. We didn't record that practice but I knew that there was a complete different tonal vibe going on.

So maybe this is not a relevent question afterall. More of an amp issue. My main gigging amp is my db750. Maybe it's time to dump the LMII and get something different for the practice space.

Thank you for the reply.

 

[T-MOST]

Hello Sadowsky lovers,

I have a question. Has anyone here ever modded a Sadowsky? I have a UV70 5 string Ash/maple. I love the bass in terms of feel and quality of the build. I even like the tone. However, after 2 years with it I miss my mids! Especially when it comes to finger style playing. So, I'm thinking of swapping out the pre with a Aguilar OBP3 with the push/pull mid pot. Any thoughts or suggestions about this?

 

[KJung]

Hello Sadowsky lovers,

I have a question. Has anyone here ever modded a Sadowsky? I have a UV70 5 string Ash/maple. I love the bass in terms of feel and quality of the build. I even like the tone. However, after 2 years with it I miss my mids! Especially when it comes to finger style playing. So, I'm thinking of swapping out the pre with a Aguilar OBP3 with the push/pull mid pot. Any thoughts or suggestions about this?

Dialing in mids with the midband of the OB-3 was never a pleasant thing for me.

You would be better off to either swap out the HC pickups for single coils, or sell the bass and purchase an RV, which will have more mid presence due to the 60's pickup position and alder body.

IMO... that Aguilar preamp would IMO be a significant step down.

 

[T-MOST]

Dialing in mids with the midband of the OB-3 was never a pleasant thing for me.

You would be better off to either swap out the HC pickups for single coils, or sell the bass and purchase an RV, which will have more mid presence due to the 60's pickup position and alder body.

IMO... that Aguilar preamp would IMO be a significant step down.

I like the modern end of the tone spectrum but wouldn't the single coils give me the headache of noise? I had a RV about a year and a half ago and didn't like it at all. What about another choice of pre?

 

[KJung]

I like the modern end of the tone spectrum but wouldn't the single coils give me the headache of noise? I had a RV about a year and a half ago and didn't like it at all. What about another choice of pre?

Single coils will only hum if you solo one of the pickups. They are much more mid punchy.

Also, remember, just favoring the bridge pickup a little bit (like 5% off the center detent with the blend control) will pump up the mids. You won't get quite the fatness you would get from an RV or MV due to that 70's pickup placement of the bridge pickup, but favoring the bridge pickup just a small amount and adding some low end will get you some pretty good burp on that bass.

An MV (which is ash/maple with 60's pickup position) with singles will punch your head off when slightly favoring the bridge pickup.

 

[T-MOST]

Single coils will only hum if you solo one of the pickups. They are much more mid punchy.

Also, remember, just favoring the bridge pickup a little bit (like 5% off the center detent with the blend control) will pump up the mids. You won't get quite the fatness you would get from an RV or MV due to that 70's pickup placement of the bridge pickup, but favoring the bridge pickup just a small amount and adding some low end will get you some pretty good burp on that bass.

An MV (which is ash/maple with 60's pickup position) with singles will punch your head off when slightly favoring the bridge pickup.

Well, thats certainly a few things to consider. I'll let you know which route I took.

thanks K!