Club Sadowsky!!!

[Chasarms]

Somewhere within the vastness of these Club Sadowsky threads, I noted that I wanted to change out the pickup configuration on my fairly recently acquired NYC PJ5. Fortunately, the bass was universally routed, so it was not a big deal. I also noted that I wanted a Tortoise shell PG for it.

So, I ordered a couple of PGs from Chandler on standard, one reverse config and both in Tortoise. They arrived Thursday. They are very nicely done. Perfect fit.

Anyway, I spent quite a bit of my free time this weekend, swapping, tweaking, testing and just playing. And, after a great deal of internal debate, the verdict is . . . .

The bass is exactly like it was before all of this started.

The first thing that I gave up on was the standard pickup configuration. The B string tone on that bass is very good in either config, but there was an obvious loss of articulation when I swapped it. It was a bit thicker the other way, but overall clarity and punch is more preferable to me.

I did lower the D-G pickup more than it was which considerably helped the string balance issues that I had with it. As for the E string, I am at least telling myself that it was the string itself. When I took it off to do the mods, it was really twisted. It rotated almost 90 degrees when it was freed from the bridge. When I re-installed it, it seems much better. Although, I am willing at this point to chalk almost anything up to psychoacoustics.

And finally today, after looking at it all weekend, I decided that I don't like the shell PG on it. I took it off and went back to the parchment one. I guess if I ever decide to sell it, I will have plenty of options for a would-be buyer.

Oh well, if not for compulsive folks such as myself, what would keep TB going!!!

 

[Jerry J]

Not to derail the curent discussion....oh why not?
I'm recording another song today on a lazy Monday since I don't have to work today! Oh yeah, Vic, we have not finalized that last tune, yet. I will send when when it's done.

NICE drum throne! I broke down and bought one quite a few months back for my practice room. I love it.

 

[BluesyCat]

NICE drum throne! I broke down and bought one quite a few months back for my practice room. I love it.

We have 2. The other one has a back rest add-on. Worth the $$.
"perfectbass" sells them too.

 

[roadkill2309]

Hi all,

I just got back from NYC about an hour ago. While we were there, my got the missus to agree to help me find the Sadowsky shop. When we got there, she asked if I was sure this was the place, of course (those of you who've been there know what I'm on about).

Anyway, we went in and spent maybe an hour messing with basses. I didn't really speak to anyone, as Kevin was taking an order for (I believe) a 24-fret 5ver from someone who'd been wailing on a spalty 'burst Standard 5 when we walked in. Also, at one point while Kevin and the buyer were talking specs, Roger poked his head in to say he was going on lunch. If I were closer to trigger-pulling time, I'd have waited around and started talking specs and getting all informed and such...

We did, however, spend a whole lot of time petting that gorgeous dog.

I played about with #5524 (modern 5-string), #5527 (the spalty standard 5) and I think #5551. I was surprised by how much I liked the 24-fret bass. I was expecting to be thrown off by how zingy it was, but my brief playing time showed it to be an easy bass for dialling in a good slap tone, but you could still calm it down. In comparison, I had a harder time finding that tone on the Standard -- and on my Lakland 55-02, and on a JO... I think I just need to spend more time figuring out what the settings for a killer slap tone *are* -- in which case, maybe I was just lucky with that 24-fretter.

Of course, I'd had my theoretical birthday bass all set up, and now I'm wondering if maybe one of those 24 jobbies might not be the right way to go. Probably not, but well... maybe?

Anyway, I'm going to go back next time I'm down in NYC, which will likely be next year.

 

[Vic]

Not to derail the curent discussion....oh why not?
I'm recording another song today on a lazy Monday since I don't have to work today! Oh yeah, Vic, we have not finalized that last tune, yet. I will send when when it's done.

Awesome. I very much look forward to it, and nice pic!

 

[Vic]

...the verdict is . . . .

The bass is exactly like it was before all of this started.
...

 

[Vic]

NICE drum throne! I broke down and bought one quite a few months back for my practice room. I love it.

Yeah, that's the exact same one our drummer uses, as well.

 

[FunkyMan]

i'ts just Me or has anybody realized that this is an absolutely awesome body design? it's like a new fresh design of a Jazz bass... absolutley wonderfull.. i'm in love...

 

[Vic]

i'ts just Me or has anybody realized that this is an absolutely awesome body design? it's like a new fresh design of a Jazz bass... absolutley wonderfull.. i'm in love...

You should hear it.

I just gigged this baby yesterday on top of a large house boat as a "party cove summer bash" in a local lake. We ran a scaled down PA, since we had to run on generators (long beer story on that one, someday too... sheesh. ). All I took was this bass, a Markbass F1, and an Epifani UL110/UL112 mini-stack. I was in bass tone happyland.

Also, on the body design, I haven't totally verified this yet, but I think it's the same body that's used on the Moderns, so the body isn't new, just changed the routes as needed for the different component set.

 

[Chasarms]

At least I got it out of my system!!!

In hindsight, I wish Mr. Sadowsky himself would have just sent me a P.M. that read "don't #%^& with greatness!!!" I think I would have simply responded "thank you sir. May I have another?" and left it alone.

 

[Chasarms]

. . . on the body design, I haven't totally verified this yet, but I think it's the same body that's used on the Moderns, so the body isn't new, just changed the routes as needed for the different component set.

This was my assumption as well. It is interesting that applying the vintage adornments to the modern body creates a whole new vibe.

I wonder if you could do a "true" modern, that is with his Soaps in the traditional location, and still give it the vintage vibe? I am thinking not as the plate would interfer with that PU positioning.

 

[rodneyat]

This was my assumption as well. It is interesting that applying the vintage adornments to the modern body creates a whole new vibe.

I wonder if you could do a "true" modern, that is with his Soaps in the traditional location, and still give it the vintage vibe? I am thinking not as the plate would interfer with that PU positioning.

Yes you can...look at my avatar. Just no control plate.

 

[Chasarms]

Yes you can...look at my avatar. Just no control plate.

Beautiful bass, but the PU positioning doesn't look the same as the "true" modern -- the bass that was the model for the Metro M24.

Is your bass a 24 fret?

 

[Vic]

New tag-line for any Sadowsky bass player...

Got gigs? Get one!

 

[Vic]

This was my assumption as well. It is interesting that applying the vintage adornments to the modern body creates a whole new vibe.

VERY true!

I sat there and A/B'd a couple pics from the site for a good while and I'm still not 100% sure. The PG alone really makes that lower horn seem sharper, just for one thing. Interesting.

 

[MAJOR METAL]

i'ts just Me or has anybody realized that this is an absolutely awesome body design? it's like a new fresh design of a Jazz bass... absolutley wonderfull.. i'm in love...

Its a hottie thats for sure, great design !

 

[KJung]

A few months ago, I ventured into the Sadowsky compound to compare a few basses they had in stock to determine what I wanted on my "ordered" Sadowsky.

One of the comparisons was SC vs. HC. Granted, this was all within the confines of their showroom. It wasn't on a gig or recorded.

While I did hear a difference between the two, it was very slight compared to the hum the SC's had (that the HC's didn't).

While I might notice the tonal difference while playing, I doubt my bandmates or anybody listening would.

On the other hand, everybody listening will hear the hum of the SC's.

Now I'm sure it'll be a lot less noticeable in the context of a song with everybody playing but I've got to start somewhere. And for me, the lack of hum will have (at least initially) more of a positive impact on my playing than any tonal difference the SC's might have.

As an aside, I went in mainly with the intent of comparing JJ vs. PJ pickups on a 24 fret bass. I ended up leaving ordering a Will Lee. For my money (literally), the Will Lee rocks.

I can only speak to the 5 strings, but I experienced a HUGE difference (to the positive) when changing from the stock HC's to the SC's (at least in my ash/maple NYC Vintage). I actually preferred the HC's in my alder/RW NYC Vintage.

Single coil hum is a zero issue if you learn how to use them correctly. As others have mentioned, when the pickups are blended to the center (both full on), the SC's hum cancel (and IME are actually a bit more quiet than the HC's!). If you want to get a bridge burp tone or a neck pickup big low end tone, all you need to do is move the blend very slightly (less than 5%) in that given direction. The SC's will still mostly hum cancel (i.e., they will be very quiet), and you will get a very good bridge or neck pickup tone.

It takes a little practice, since like most passive vol/vol or blend controls, the Sadowsky blend is more of an 'on/off' control than a variable blend. However, there is a 'true blend' function within the first 5% of so of that blend knob, and if you get it set just right, it is a wonderful thing.... bridge pickup burp with no hum at all

 

[Vic]

If you want to get a bridge burp tone or a neck pickup big low end tone, all you need to do is move the blend very slightly (less than 5%) in that given direction. The SC's will still mostly hum cancel (i.e., they will be very quiet), and you will get a very good bridge or neck pickup tone.

It takes a little practice, since like most passive vol/vol or blend controls, the Sadowsky blend is more of an 'on/off' control than a variable blend. However, there is a 'true blend' function within the first 5% of so of that blend knob, and if you get it set just right, it is a wonderful thing.... bridge pickup burp with no hum at all

I wanna' expand on this a bit, as Ken and I are very much on the same page here, but I think he left out another really important note, that I don't think we give enough attention to here at TB. Maybe because after doing it a while you just don't think about it anymore and forget to mention it. Anyway...

Right hand position (if you're right handed anyway)!!!

I also love the ash/maple/SC tone so much, and as I've mentioned before, HATE hum, so I've learned a couple things...

One is the fact that you don't really have to solo a pickup to get significantly enough into its tone. This is the part Ken and I have both mentioned.

The other is right hand position. If you want burp, simply "favoring" the bridge pickup... AND... moving your fingers way back towards the bridge will get you a VERY edgy burpy tone. In fact, I find that if I actually solo the bridge and do that, it's "too much". Same for the neck pickup. All you really need to do is favor it, but then emphasize/compliment it by moving your right hand over the neck pickup, or maybe even a bit forward.

I learned this technique a long time ago on a Ibanez dual pickup bass that had a pickup switch and master volume instead of the more typical vol/blend or vol/vol. The ONLY way I could get a "blending" effect was to move my right hand.

Anyway, LeonD, if you're already doing this kinda' thing, and it's still not enough for your tastes, well that's your decision to make based on your prefs. Just FWIW.

 

[KJung]

I wanna' expand on this a bit, as Ken and I are very much on the same page here, but I think he left out another really important note, that I don't think we give enough attention to here at TB. Maybe because after doing it a while you just don't think about it anymore and forget to mention it. Anyway...

Right hand position (if you're right handed anyway)!!!

I also love the ash/maple/SC tone so much, and as I've mentioned before, HATE hum, so I've learned a couple things...

One is the fact that you don't really have to solo a pickup to get significantly enough into its tone. This is the part Ken and I have both mentioned.

The other is right hand position. If you want burp, simply "favoring" the bridge pickup... AND... moving your fingers way back towards the bridge will get you a VERY edgy burpy tone. In fact, I find that if I actually solo the bridge and do that, it's "too much". Same for the neck pickup. All you really need to do is favor it, but then emphasize/compliment it by moving your right hand over the neck pickup, or maybe even a bit forward.

I learned this technique a long time ago on a Ibanez dual pickup bass that had a pickup switch and master volume instead of the more typical vol/blend or vol/vol. The ONLY way I could get a "blending" effect was to move my right hand.

Anyway, LeonD, if you're already doing this kinda' thing, and it's still not enough for your tastes, well that's your decision to make based on your prefs. Just FWIW.

+1 all the way. You can get 80% there just with hand position, and almost 100% there with the slight blending I describe above while still keeping the SC's in 'primarily HC' mod.

 

[Chasarms]

. . . It takes a little practice, since like most passive vol/vol or blend controls, the Sadowsky blend is more of an 'on/off' control than a variable blend. However, there is a 'true blend' function within the first 5% of so of that blend knob, and if you get it set just right, it is a wonderful thing.... bridge pickup burp with no hum at all

Thanks for the advice on the blends. The more I learn about theses basses, the more the phrase "less is more comes to mind." More than a little bit of any of the controls can get out of hand pretty quickly.

On a side note, last night just for giggles, I popped my bass into passive mode, tweaked the input gain slightly and added just a "bump" of bass on the F1 and got a KILLER, KILLER tone going. I jammed for an hour sans preamp. It made me very happy!!!