Club Sadowsky!!!

[Chef]

The LaBella are the tried and true Motown Sound.
The Chromes are a different thing, more middy, less thump, but, nice.
The Fender 8050's are bridge cables. Very high tension. I don't care for them.
The TI's, as noted, are pretty loose.

 

[ElMon]

I've now got three, so I'm in heaven. That said, I'd like just oooooooone more....



To get back to strings for a moment: I usually rock the rounds, but I play in a couple of R&B bands and would like to keep flats on "Red". I ordered her with Sadowsky flats (below), but have decided that LaBella nylon tapes sound a little better in the mids. Based on some comments here (ElMon) I'll try D'Addario Chromes next, and another friend recommended LaBella flatwounds. I've got a set of TI Jazz flats sitting at home -- they sounded great on my Fender RB5, but the tension on those is so low that I'm hesitant to go back to them. Then there's Fender... still popular with flatwound players.
Link Removed

The D'Addario Chrome B string is second-to-none IMO/IME. It has the most pitch definition/clarity and I love the tension. I begrudgingly switched to D'Addario nickels on my PJ5 only because I realized it didn't make much sense to have BOTH of my alder/rw basses (PJ5 and 62' Pbass) strung with flats.

In doing so I was reminded that with a simple string change, my PJ5 can go from vintage-inspired thump to ultra-modern clarity. Pretty cool, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tempted to dump the 62' for a second PJ5 that was SOLELY used for a flat-setup. Then again, it's hard enough fighting off serious GAS-pains from drooling over Chasarms' Modern!!! I dumped the ash/maple Metro version I had but am SERIOUSLY intriqued at the idea of an alder/braz rw Modern with a fancy top. I bet the combination of the unique pickup position and the warmer sounding wood choices is a real winner in the mix.

 

[Chef]

Yeah. I like the Chromes, and the B string does kill.
I have those on my Reverend 5L.

 

[Chasarms]

With all the PJ love going around, I should mention that "my" old NYC Ash/Maple PJ5 in on the block again in the classifieds. Since I already tried to trade Rodney back for it and he said nah, and I can't figure out a way to buy it out right, I think someone else should snag it. It's a sweety.

You can even convert it to a jazz if you want.

 

[p0k]

With all the PJ love going around, I should mention that "my" old NYC Ash/Maple PJ5 in on the block again in the classifieds. Since I already tried to trade Rodney back for it and he said nah, and I can't figure out a way to buy it out right, I think someone else should snag it. It's a sweety.

You can even convert it to a jazz if you want.

I've been lusting over that bad boy since it popped up...

 

[Chasarms]

. . . Then again, it's hard enough fighting off serious GAS-pains from drooling over Chasarms' Modern!!! I dumped the ash/maple Metro version I had but am SERIOUSLY intriqued at the idea of an alder/braz rw Modern with a fancy top. I bet the combination of the unique pickup position and the warmer sounding wood choices is a real winner in the mix.

If you have any affection at all for the tone you got with the Modulus you have on the block right now, there is no doubt you may be VERY smitten with my Modern.

Mine is actually a mahogany core, which is alledged to be even a bit darker and smoother than Alder. It seems to make sense to me, as my modern, while absolutely "modern," is not particularly bright (unless you want it to be) and very smooth and buttery in tone. It's very clear and articulate, but not really what I would call aggressive. There may be something to the Modern w/ mahogany thought. When my son and I did the "study" most all of the 'hog core bodies were on the moderns.

Actually, the tone has a bit of the same vibe as the "original" Q5 I had, which universally was viewed by those who know Qs to be a bit warmer and "organic" sounding than many. The Sadowsky has even a touch more of that more "natural" midrange texture, but in many ways remarkably similar. It doesn't have as much of that "bell tone, piano" sound as does a Q5, which I actually like. It sounds more like a bass guitar. But, the notes are probably as "quick".

And lastly, a gratuitous pick to promote GAS pains:

 

[Vic]

Mine is actually a mahogany core, which is alledged to be even a bit darker and smoother than Alder. It seems to make sense to me, as my modern, while absolutely "modern," is not particularly bright (unless you want it to be) and very smooth and buttery in tone. It's very clear and articulate, but not really what I would call aggressive. There may be something to the Modern w/ mahogany thought. When my son and I did the "study" most all of the 'hog core bodies were on the moderns.

IMHO, the mahogany body is the one to get on a Modern. It adds a bit more in the low end which I think does a nice job of fattening the sound up and making it a bit more balanced. I had an ash bodied NYC and A/B'd it to Tom's mahogany bodied one, and liked his better. I could get in the same general zone by adding some bass EQ, but his still sounded better to me right out of the gate.

On the "brightness", this may be a subjective interpretation thing, but I've played several of these now and pretty much none of them have seemed all that "bright"... at least compared to a JJ or PJ. These have a lot more going on WAY up high... up in the sizzle area, but not so much down in the roundwound ring area in what I call the lower treble region. What that meant to me is, it had a nice sweet sizzly high end for slap, but for fingerstyle, it was pretty subdued up there and almost sounded to me like it had its VTC backed off a bit. That's not a "bad" thing... but it was something I ended up deciding didn't fit me as well as the JJ sound. Similarly, the low end was a little too tight and focused for me as well. The mahogany definitely helped with that, but not enough for me to get another one with that config. When it comes to Sadowsky basses, I'm just a JJ/PJ guy, and fairly specifically in the ash/maple camp.

I will say one thing tho... the one that I had, like yours, was amazingly easy to play... holy cow. My JJ/PJ basses definitely play GREAT, but that one just had it goin' on a little bit more somehow. Particularly impressive.

IMHO/IME anyway.

 

[Chasarms]

IMHO, the mahogany body is the one to get on a Modern. It adds a bit more in the low end which I think does a nice job of fattening the sound up and making it a bit more balanced. I had an ash bodied NYC and A/B'd it to Tom's mahogany bodied one, and liked his better. I could get in the same general zone by adding some bass EQ, but his still sounded better to me right out of the gate. . .

In finding "my" sound on mine, I have discovered that about a 10-15% bump on the bass EQ is in order. Although, I have ended up doing that on all of the Sadowskys I've played live. It may be typical, and frankly, I think that since the EQs are boost only, it's probably very wise to voice the bass is such a way that it is reasonably conservative at flat.

 

[Vic]

In finding "my" sound on mine, I have discovered that about a 10-15% bump on the bass EQ is in order. Although, I have ended up doing that on all of the Sadowskys I've played live. It may be typical, and frankly, I think that since the EQs are boost only, it's probably very wise to voice the bass is such a way that it is reasonably conservative at flat.

Makes sense to me. I generally don't use much, if any, EQ on my Sadowsky basses, and if the Modern tone was my thing, I'd have gotten the Mahogany version and probably not boosted bass on that, either, but I think I would (and did, typically) on my ash/ebony one.

 

[Russell Bergum]

With all the PJ love going around, I should mention that "my" old NYC Ash/Maple PJ5 in on the block again in the classifieds. Since I already tried to trade Rodney back for it and he said nah, and I can't figure out a way to buy it out right, I think someone else should snag it. It's a sweety.

You can even convert it to a jazz if you want.

Someone should buy it and put flats on it, and then it would REALLY sound awesome!

I miss that bass! If it were a 4-banger, I would still have it.

On a different note, how have people been liking the Will Lee model??

 

[ElMon]

If you have any affection at all for the tone you got with the Modulus you have on the block right now, there is no doubt you may be VERY smitten with my Modern.

Mine is actually a mahogany core, which is alledged to be even a bit darker and smoother than Alder. It seems to make sense to me, as my modern, while absolutely "modern," is not particularly bright (unless you want it to be) and very smooth and buttery in tone. It's very clear and articulate, but not really what I would call aggressive. There may be something to the Modern w/ mahogany thought. When my son and I did the "study" most all of the 'hog core bodies were on the moderns.

Actually, the tone has a bit of the same vibe as the "original" Q5 I had, which universally was viewed by those who know Qs to be a bit warmer and "organic" sounding than many. The Sadowsky has even a touch more of that more "natural" midrange texture, but in many ways remarkably similar. It doesn't have as much of that "bell tone, piano" sound as does a Q5, which I actually like. It sounds more like a bass guitar. But, the notes are probably as "quick".

And lastly, a gratuitous pick to promote GAS pains:

You sir are NOT helping things!!!!!!!!




I'll have to add that to my 5year plan!!!

 

[tombowlus]

On a different note, how have people been liking the Will Lee model??

Loving mine!

 

[MikeBass]

On a different note, how have people been liking the Will Lee model??

Loving mine!

Ya know, if someone had a nice NYC-WL, I would be hard pressed to not take them up if they offered me a trade for my NYC 5.

 

[Russell Bergum]

Loving mine!

Does the mid boost make a big difference?

I see a lot of them on the Sadowsky web site coming in under 8lbs. Is there a point where the bass is too light?

 

[Vic]

Does the mid boost make a big difference?

YES!!

It's highly adjustable, so you can make it pretty mild if you want, but it's a VERY powerful control if you want it to be.

 

[Chasarms]

Does the mid boost make a big difference?

I see a lot of them on the Sadowsky web site coming in under 8lbs. Is there a point where the bass is too light?

My modern is well under 8 pounds. The only argument I would offer about it being too light is that it makes just about every other bass on the planet seem TOO HEAVY!!!

 

[tombowlus]

Does the mid boost make a big difference?

The mid boost certainly does make a difference, and it can be tweaked to do a variety of things. Rather than type it all out again, it might be easier to just refer you to my review in [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]. Vic has tried out this same bass and posted some thoughts here, as well.

Tom.

 

[cripula]

I see a lot of them on the Sadowsky web site coming in under 8lbs. Is there a point where the bass is too light?

If there is I haven't found it yet. My 24/4 is 7.5 lbs, 24/5 is 7.8 and they both KILL.
I have a Fender CS55P that is under 7 and it sounds great.

Anything over 9 lbs is officially too heavy for me. 8 and under is a major bonus AFAIC.

 

[Russell Bergum]

The mid boost certainly does make a difference, and it can be tweaked to do a variety of things. Rather than type it all out again, it might be easier to just refer you to my review in [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]. Vic has tried out this same bass and posted some thoughts here, as well.

Tom.

I read your review before. Very nice article! I thought I'd see what other people think too.

Everything I've seen and read on the Will Lee looks great. I certainly cannot buy one now as I have a lot of other things to pay for right now.

I keep telling myself:

I don't NEED another bass...I don't NEED another bass...I don't NEED another bass.

Maybe in 6-8 months once I pay for new windows on our house, etc....you know, there is about an 8 month lead time on new NYC's....

I don't NEED another bass....I don't NEED another bass....

 

[4-string]

You need another bass.

And so do I.