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Club Sadowsky!!!

#14,684
I just finished wiring up the 500k pot on my RS5 w/ Area Js (which I believe are roughly the same as the new Sadowsky HCs). I'm finding the difference to be very subtle.

I like it well enough, but before I drill the hole, if I were going to swap out to true single coils, would the 250k or 500k be the right choice?

These are raw, uncomressed, unEQ'd, strait to sound card to show off the most difference.

http://www.themadmonkey.com/clips/AreaJ.DDT.250k.wma
http://www.themadmonkey.com/clips/AreaJ.DDT.500k.wma

http://www.themadmonkey.com/clips/AreaJ.DDT.250k.slap.wma
http://www.themadmonkey.com/clips/AreaJ.DDT.500k.slap.wma
 
#14,686
pickles said:
I just finished wiring up the 500k pot on my RS5 w/ Area Js (which I believe are roughly the same as the new Sadowsky HCs). I'm finding the difference to be very subtle.

I like it well enough, but before I drill the hole, if I were going to swap out to true single coils, would the 250k or 500k be the right choice?
Click to expand...
Like you, I found the results to be pretty subtle, and Roger told me the 500K pots are standard on all models right now regardless of pickups, so just leave it in there and you'll be fine.
 
#14,688
pickles said:
I just finished wiring up the 500k pot on my RS5 w/ Area Js (which I believe are roughly the same as the new Sadowsky HCs). I'm finding the difference to be very subtle.

I like it well enough, but before I drill the hole, if I were going to swap out to true single coils, would the 250k or 500k be the right choice?

These are raw, uncomressed, unEQ'd, strait to sound card to show off the most difference.

http://www.themadmonkey.com/clips/AreaJ.DDT.250k.wma
http://www.themadmonkey.com/clips/AreaJ.DDT.500k.wma

http://www.themadmonkey.com/clips/AreaJ.DDT.250k.slap.wma
http://www.themadmonkey.com/clips/AreaJ.DDT.500k.slap.wma
Click to expand...

Yeah, I think there was some confusion in that Roger posted that the 500k pot tended to make the HC's sound more like singles. IMO, from my experience with these pots in general, it would be just the opposite. The higher value pot adds a bit of upper treble to the tone (I guess, more correctly, it reduces the upper treble response less)... the exact opposite direction you'd want in order to make the HC's sound like the more upper mid/lower treble grindy SC's.

I think now Roger suggests the 500K pot with the singles IF you feel the singles don't have enough treble sizzle. That makes TOTAL sense to me... i.e., that the 500K pot will make the singles sound just a touch more like the HC's, not the other way around.

Quite frankly, most of that super upper treble is not reproduced well by bass backline, and is pretty much lost in the mix from the first hit of the hi hat, so all kind of a moot point to me.
 
#14,689
Not sure if Sadowsky bros interested to see a mock up pic or not, just asked our fellow TBer - Thndrstk6 makes me a mock up pic for my Sadowsky NYC 5 with spalted top I picked in order to comfort my GAS and waiting pain....:D

Enjoy!

DSC_5172b.jpg


DreamSadowskypsd2copy-1.png
 
#14,696
KJung said:
. . . I think now Roger suggests the 500K pot with the singles IF you feel the singles don't have enough treble sizzle. That makes TOTAL sense to me... i.e., that the 500K pot will make the singles sound just a touch more like the HC's, not the other way around. . .
Click to expand...

As much as I love my Sadowsky, the last thing in world I need is to make it brighter. Taming the brightness is the biggest challenge for me.
 
#14,697
Chasarms said:
As much as I love my Sadowsky, the last thing in world I need is to make it brighter. Taming the brightness is the biggest challenge for me.
Click to expand...

+1. I think Roger has changed the pickups a touch also, in conjunction with using the 500k pots (i.e., the 500K pot might have more of an impact with the modified HC's he is using now). I think he also now sources his single coils from Nordstrand (he says they are wound the same as the amazing, wonderful, perfect Seymours he used to use... I'd have to hear that myself before I would totally believe it!).

I'm with you, though, I would not recommend a current Sadowsky owner with the stock HC's to bother with this, since the Sadowsky HC's are very, very present up in the upper treble. With the original Sadowsky singles (which are a little more upper mid grindy and lower treble voiced)... maybe, depending on your tone goals.
 
#14,698
The NJ4s I tried one time were a little on the dark side, so a 500k pot might be just the ticket with those hmmmm.

I wouldn't recommend any DIYers do the 500k pot install. I'm pretty handy with this stuff and thought I was capable of drilling the hole cleanly, but I was wrong! Got a pretty massive paint chip. I'm really not sure how you'd do that cleanly after the finish is on. I glued the chip back in place as best I could and it isn't super ugly ... good thing this was a "player" to begin with!

I'm not touching my MS4.
 
#14,699
Chasarms said:
As much as I love my Sadowsky, the last thing in world I need is to make it brighter. Taming the brightness is the biggest challenge for me.
Click to expand...

Do you have the VTC? It does a great job on taming brightness.

KJung said:
+1. I think Roger has changed the pickups a touch also, in conjunction with using the 500k pots (i.e., the 500K pot might have more of an impact with the modified HC's he is using now). I think he also now sources his single coils from Nordstrand (he says they are wound the same as the amazing, wonderful, perfect Seymours he used to use... I'd have to hear that myself before I would totally believe it!).

I'm with you, though, I would not recommend a current Sadowsky owner with the stock HC's to bother with this, since the Sadowsky HC's are very, very present up in the upper treble. With the original Sadowsky singles (which are a little more upper mid grindy and lower treble voiced)... maybe, depending on your tone goals.
Click to expand...

Keep in mind that the 4 string pups are slightly different. The 5 string HC pups have a slight scoop to them. IME the 4 string pups are more balanced. I upgraded both my 4 and 5 to the 500K pot and did not notice huge change. I agree the Seymours are a wonderful pickup and the 500K upgrade with those are a win!

I too believe Roger changed his HC pups and the 500K pot is standard with all his basses now.
 

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