Club Sadowsky!!!

[tombowlus]

Ah come on Tom. Can't have you guys goin' soft on us. Next thing ya know - you'll be talkin' P-Bass 4. (W/FLATS!!!)
B.

Not so sure about the flats part, the rest of it sounds appealing.

 

[Distant Cousin]

Oh man, I don't usually go for Jazz copies with no pickguard and quilted paint jobs, but that red one is gorgeous!

 

[Joeykun]

joeykun:
aside from the color, are they different spec?
(not that there's anything wrong with having two of the same thing...i know i do)

They are the same spec. The only difference is the weight. The Carmel Burst weighs 7.3 lbs and the Burgandy Burst weighs 8 lbs. Tonallity = identical. That was what I was looking for. The red one gets most of the action and the frets are starting to show it. So, a solid back up was needed.

Oh man, I don't usually go for Jazz copies with no pickguard and quilted paint jobs, but that red one is gorgeous!

Thank You! That's the one that started it all!!!

 

[Chasarms]

Naw, that would be too easy! I should add a J bass at some point, but I'd probably get a Modern 5 Metro first.

MO - DERN! MO - DERN! MO - DERN!

I'm loving mine. I got it strung up Friday with my old standbys, the DM SR2000s, and I've got to say, it's speaking to me. I had a rehearsal Saturday morning, and I was just delighted with it.

First of all, it plays itself. It MIGHT be the best playing bass I have ever held in my hands. The NYC JJ that I had, now owned by Mikebass, was up there, but this one is at least as amazing. I'm not sure exactly what it is about this one, but it's just a joy to hold in your hands. And, tonally, well I have ranted enough for now, but I have been slowly figuring out how to handle this thing, and it just gets better every time I play it.

Which brings me to a good problem to have. I also was totally digging the PJ this weekend. I did a slice of the rehearsal on it, and also did some other prep work with it. I am starting to find my happy place with it as well.

It is comparatively heavy. Although I haven't weighed it, it does not really seem to be a heavy bass by general standards. But, it sure seems heavy when you take off the modern and throw it on. It have that tone though. I really like it. I am really eager to get the lighter nickel strings on it and see where it goes.

 

[Vic]

I also was totally digging the PJ this weekend. I did a slice of the rehearsal on it, and also did some other prep work with it. I am starting to find my happy place with it as well.
...
I am really eager to get the lighter nickel strings on it and see where it goes.

I'm definitely gonna' try nickels on mine next. I was gonna go flats, but I'm not sure at this point... definitely at least nickel tho.

 

[Chasarms]

What I'd like to see is a site where the various pup/model combos are listed with sound files, so I could listen to 'em all and make my decision based on essentially doing a virtual A/B that way. . . .

There is probably enough active TBers on here to pull off something like this. If we could fine a common hosting site, it would be cool. Sort of a BassTasters Sadowsky exclusive.

My only thoughts would be that it would be ideal to come up with some common riffs that would make for reasonable comparisons as well as a simple and common recording method that most of us could pull off.

I'd definitely throw my two up on some site if I could.

 

[Chasarms]

I'm definitely gonna' try nickels on mine next. I was gonna go flats, but I'm not sure at this point... definitely at least nickel tho.

Can't do flats. I have flat aversion. So much in fact that I actually got into a somewhat contentious argument with a guitarist friend of mine.

He thinks round wound bass strings are a scourge on society. I said that if flats were the only bass strings available, I'd probably just stop playing. And so, it began . . .

 

[Vic]

Can't do flats. I have flat aversion. So much in fact that I actually got into a somewhat contentious argument with a guitarist friend of mine.

He thinks round wound bass strings are a scourge on society. I said that if flats were the only bass strings available, I'd probably just stop playing. And so, it began . . .

I USED to be the same way, until I HEARD flats on a P in a MIX. Solo, tho, pretty hard to take... makes me wanna' cut'em off violently with dull cutters... but something about that P/flats in a mix is just darn cool.

That said, I also know they wouldn't be a long term thing with me, either... just something fun to do for a while.

Nickels tho... that could go the distance on a P or PJ with me.

 

[Chef]

Flats:
On a P, in a mix, yeah, they work.

Nothing else like them, plenty of great recordings to prove the value of that tone...
Flats on a J...no thanks.

I'll play flats, when someone requests it.
I even like and appreciate them for the right thing, when I hear them.
I keep one bass strung with them; either one of my old P's, or one of my old G&L L1000's.
I keep a set of both LaBella 760FL and DA Chromes on hand.

But, it ain't my thing, at all. It's a "does the project need it" thing.

Since it is about me, I'd never keep flats on something I play as regularly as my Sadowskys.
I don't have a Sadowsky P, and I sure wouldn't go down the road of rationalising one, just to keep flats on it

 

[Chasarms]

The Big Splits are more aggressive in a vintage sort of way while still maintaining warmth. The soaps had more of that Ken Smith/modern sound. I don't notice as much volume drop in with both pickups on full.

I must have missed this reply. I was actually very interested in reading your response.

Interesting. I can certainly see how one might want to take the bass in the "more aggressive" direction if they didn't have something else that was scratching that itch. For me, I would not want to go that way on that bass right now. I'm pretty happy with it as is and specifically snagged the PJ for the vintage feel.

I don't have a ton of experience with Ken Smiths, but I have played a few that I really liked. In fact, a Smith was probably at the top of my G.A.S. list for a long while. I don't know if it is a feel thing or a tone thing or maybe a combination of the two, but I don't really get that much of a Smith vibe from my Modern at all. But, there must be something to it as many use the comparision. My modern has a much thicker, fuller tone than any Smith I ever played. It is a "modern" sounding bass, but I wouldn't compare it to a Smith any more favorably than I would compare it an MTD or Modulus. It is very much its own thing to my ears.

 

[Chasarms]

. . . and I sure wouldn't go down the road of rationalising one, just to keep flats on it

Oh, come on man! The rationalisation is part of the fun!!! We all need a $3000 string stretcher. Don't flats go bad if not stored at tension?

 

[Jerry Ziarko]

Flats:
On a P, in a mix, yeah, they work.

Nothing else like them, plenty of great recordings to prove the value of that tone...
Flats on a J...no thanks.

Joe Osborn with 20yr old flats might have a little something to say about that. He's forgotten more top 10 songs he played on with that combination, than most could ever dream of having worked on.

 

[Vic]

I don't know if it is a feel thing or a tone thing or maybe a combination of the two, but I don't really get that much of a Smith vibe from my Modern at all. But, there must be something to it as many use the comparision.

I took his comments to be from the same perspective as mine when I've made them... not to say they sound the same, but more to say they're just very much in the same general tone genre... like the Peavey Cirrus, maybe even the Roscoe too... dual soaps generally more bridge oriented. Very strong midrange presence, very aggressive, VERY modern sounding and sizzly up top, and most typically 24 frets.

 

[MikeBass]

Might as well buy a SX P-Bass and drop flats on it.
Every P-Bass with flats sounds like a P-Bass with flats regardless of the pedigree.
It's a classic tone for sure, but flats IMO are the ultimate way to completely level the tonal playing field between ANY two basses.

IMO flats = tone suck.

Sorry, don't mean to be so harsh!

And the Joe Osborn reference......he could play anything and make it kill.
Just so happens he used flats.

 

[Chasarms]

Might as well buy a SX P-Bass and drop flats on it.
Every P-Bass with flats sounds like a P-Bass with flats regardless of the pedigree.
It's a classic tone for sure, but flats IMO are the ultimate way to completely level the tonal playing field between ANY two basses.

IMO flats = tone suck.

I wasn't going to go that far, but since you did, I'll jump on the wagon with an over sized, age-old TB:

+1

 

[Fran Diaz]

Hey, hey, hey, guys! Slow down a bit!:scowl:

...flats are the ultimate way to completely level the tonal playing field between ANY two basses?...flats = tone suck?...+1!!!

Wait until P.Bass shows up!

I tried flats on my basses several times along my playing life and always ended up pulling them off after a couple of days or even a few hours!...until I tried the Sadowsky flats in one of my Sadowsky JJs. They work so well in the mix for the kind of music I'm playing (mix of rock, country, americana...think Springsteen, Petty, The Band,...).
When I bought my PJ I tried the nickels on it and loved them, but I swapped them with the flats that were on my J and after a year and a half, I've tried to put rounds again on the PJ like three times, only to go back to the flats after a few hours of playing...the tone is so solid and warm...authoritative in the mix without any 'gank' and 'clang' on the high end

I've also tried the 'foam under the strings' thing, but that's not for me; as much as I love the thud and fast decay of the upright bass, I can't get along with it on the electric...I've heard others doing it and the tone was lovely, but it doesn't work for me.

Now that I've been using the wireless on my gigs, I go to the end of the room for the soundchecks and enjoy the way the bass sits in the mix.

Sorry guys. flats have plenty of tone

...IMO and IME

I'm definitely gonna' try nickels on mine next. I was gonna go flats, but I'm not sure at this point... definitely at least nickel tho.

Flats:
On a P, in a mix, yeah, they work.

Nothing else like them, plenty of great recordings to prove the value of that tone...
Flats on a J...no thanks.

I'll play flats, when someone requests it.
I even like and appreciate them for the right thing, when I hear them.
I keep one bass strung with them; either one of my old P's, or one of my old G&L L1000's.
I keep a set of both LaBella 760FL and DA Chromes on hand.

But, it ain't my thing, at all. It's a "does the project need it" thing.

Since it is about me, I'd never keep flats on something I play as regularly as my Sadowskys.
I don't have a Sadowsky P, and I sure wouldn't go down the road of rationalising one, just to keep flats on it

Joe Osborn with 20yr old flats might have a little something to say about that. He's forgotten more top 10 songs he played on with that combination, than most could ever dream of having worked on.

Might as well buy a SX P-Bass and drop flats on it.
Every P-Bass with flats sounds like a P-Bass with flats regardless of the pedigree.
It's a classic tone for sure, but flats IMO are the ultimate way to completely level the tonal playing field between ANY two basses.

IMO flats = tone suck.

I wasn't going to go that far, but since you did, I'll jump on the wagon with an over sized, age-old TB:

+1

 

[Chasarms]

. . . Sorry guys. flats have plenty of tone

...IMO and IME

Flats v. Rounds isn't quite as polarizing at TB as the classic fingerboard wood debate, but it's close. The two tones are VERY distinctive, so it's easy to have a strong preference one way or the other.

Of course, I have heard MANY great players and great recordings on flats, but they definitely aren't for me. Right now anyway.

 

[Chef]

Good for him
I don't care for it...

Don't mean that to sound snotty or whatever, but J+flats just ain't my thing. Been there, done that, like it less than P+flats....

Joe Osborn with 20yr old flats might have a little something to say about that. He's forgotten more top 10 songs he played on with that combination, than most could ever dream of having worked on.

 

[Vic]

Might as well buy a SX P-Bass and drop flats on it.
Every P-Bass with flats sounds like a P-Bass with flats regardless of the pedigree.
It's a classic tone for sure, but flats IMO are the ultimate way to completely level the tonal playing field between ANY two basses.

I disagree completely.

I have played cheapo P's with flats and decent P's with flats, and you can still hear all that wonderful woody organic P tone, and you can still appreciate the improved tonal consistency and playability of a finer instrument. The only thing you miss is the roundwound ring... so I guess if you just focus on that one part of the sound, we can agree, but to me, there's a lot more to a P's tone than just that.

Also, I don't know if you've spent enough time with flats to notice, but one of the things I'm talking about, which again, only really rears its head in a mix, is there's a certain kind of "punch" that comes from flats... that sorta' rubber band sound that I don't really seem to hear much in rounds.

Again, don't get me wrong, I'm not generally a flats guy, I'm a rounds guy, BUT, I just think flats don't get their due, because even IMHO, they really do work pretty well... surprisingly so, actually.

BTW, noting Fran's post and good point made, I'm also assuming a good quality set of flats.

 

[MikeBass]

OK so maybe flats=tone suck is a bit much.
But I've tried flats a few times as well on different JJ basses, and really, it leveled the playing field for me.
I can't get my head into that tonal space.

Hell, I had flats on my 65 Hofner Club bass and had to take them off that as well.

The part that, in my mind (IMM??) that at least on some level makes sense to me (as to why they all sound the same) is guys who use flats and have the same set on for years, only REPLACES the string if it breaks.
Not the set, but the single string.
I've read that plenty of times in BP and on TB.

If they work for you great. Just not MY thing.
And MY thing may not work for you.