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After a seven month wait, my Will Lee was finally done. And being in Baltimore for work this past week with a drive home to Massachusetts, isn't it funny how the route took me right thru Brooklyn. 
Kevin sent me a couple of pics earlier in the week. Needless to say, based on the pics, I was a little worried. It didn't seem to turn out how I envisioned. I actually started thinking that I was going to have to wait another seven months for them to do another bass. Either that or pick from something else they had in stock.
Once I saw the bass in person, it was a different story. The boys (and girls) on Jay St. nailed it. While I tried to remain calm on the outside, it was
on the inside.
I understand "no pics, no bass" but I'm too busy playing it. Once I take a break, I'll take and post some pics. But for now, back to my bass place.
Kevin sent me a couple of pics earlier in the week. Needless to say, based on the pics, I was a little worried. It didn't seem to turn out how I envisioned. I actually started thinking that I was going to have to wait another seven months for them to do another bass. Either that or pick from something else they had in stock.
Once I saw the bass in person, it was a different story. The boys (and girls) on Jay St. nailed it. While I tried to remain calm on the outside, it was
on the inside.I understand "no pics, no bass" but I'm too busy playing it. Once I take a break, I'll take and post some pics. But for now, back to my bass place.
I'm really curious, what was it that you thought was gonna' be a problem based on the pics that (happily) went away when you saw it in person?
I'm sorry for the derail, but does anyone here know if, aside from the 22 frets, there's a different neck profile on a WL5 compared to a normal fiver-neck with 1-3/4" nut width? Thanks.
The Sadowsky Modern is the love child of Fender and Ken Smith. So here's some Modern Love...
I've had a somewhat-older R5-24 Metro (alder/rosewood) for almost a year, and as time goes on I dig it even more and more. I've played Smiths and enjoyed their sound, but got frustrated with the inability to pull more of an old-school tone - one very cool Smith voice, but too soloistic for certain of my contexts when playing with acoustic musicians. I've played Fenders and loved the sound in certain contexts, but not others. The R5-24 bridges this gap, and while it leans more toward a Smith sound, likely a function of pickup placement, if I roll the VTC back, back off of both pickups (I switched to V/V rather than V/P when I had the VTC installed) and perhaps goose the bass a wee bit on the preamp (I usually leave the preamp flat down, or boost the bass maybe 5-10% and the treble about half of that), I can get to a convincing old-school place that clearly flows from the Fender tradition, but is its own voice. This is a useful thing that I could not pull out of either of the Smiths I owned.
As to "thickness," I felt I could get a "thick" sound from the Smiths, but it had a processed quality to it, sort of like what I get from G&L MFD pickups. To me, the R5-24 does "thick" in a smoother and more organic way, again displaying some sort of kinship with the rootsy Fender thing.
Each Smith had more "ping" and could go even further into that nasal, burpy thing, but I get plenty of the later from the Modern, and the former is probably a function of the ebony boards on the Smiths as compared with the rosewood on my Modern. I'm giving that "quick attack" question a good deal of thought right now as I prize that quickness, but also suspect that while rosewood is "slower," it also has something to do with the warm and songful sounds I'm pulling from this Modern.
In fact, of all the basses I've tried with soapbar pickups (Smith, Alembic and others equipped with Bartolini or EMG pickups), this is by far the most pleasing - the only other soapbar I've tried that could put quickness and warmth together for me is Alembic, but I have other issues with the Alembics I've tried.
What REALLY kills me about this bass is that each and every note centers quickly, is fully usable, and the pitch integrity is unreal... all the way from that Low B to High G. I've seen that kind of consistency on a good Modulus Q5, but not with the warmth and expressive quality of this R5-24 (plus I don't like 35" G-strings). No Fender I've ever played has delivered this kind of playability and integrity (although a C/S axe comes close). And this Modern is super-expressive; very responsive to left-hand nuance, and I can get a horn or voice-like singing quality when playing in the mid and high registers. This musical integrity is key, and is what pulls this axe ahead of almost every other bass I've ever played (And I went through a lot of good used basses during a GAS-driven period of exploration).
I sometimes wonder if I could be getting more punch, but tend to hear this more when playing by myself or recording - playing out, this does not seem to be a problem. I found myself in NYC last week with a half-day on my hands, so took the trip to Brooklyn and tried a bunch of NYC basses in the showroom, to see how this punch factor might play out (thanks, Kevin!). I've been thinking about that single-coil sound, can tell you the Will Lee basses are winners, and I'm totally sold on Sadowsky workmanship and design as they ALL had that centered pitch integrity across the range. But I calibrated all of this by reference to an NYC M5-24 on the premises, and have to confess that the Modern sound really speaks to me. I may well jump on a Sadowsky SC jazz at some point so as to explore that sound, but at this point, I can't see not having a Modern in the house.
It's special. If my house was on fire and I could grab only one bass in scurrying out the door, this would be the one. Maybe, someday, there is an NYC Modern in my future.
And geez, I guess I should join this club. Number, anyone?
Great review and very compelling thoughts for the Modern. And I love the comment " if my house was on fire...". I typically say that my '97 JJ5 would be the one I will take to my grave.
I've alway thought of Ron Jenkins http://www.ronjenkins.org/ as the foremost spokesman for the Sadowsky Modern. He gets a killer tone with his bass.
I'm sure that I will put a Sadowsky Modern on my GAS list one of these day and this review makes it become more likely.
I SERIOUSLY have to stay off of this forum!!!!! Curse you sir!!!!!!!
And yet, nice way of putting it. Very persuasive!
Sorry for what may be a dumb question.
I'm about to replace the nickel strings on my RV-PJ5 with a fresh set for the first time. Do I need to remove the chrome piece screwed into the base of the head stock just past the nut (what's that thing called, anyway?) -or- can I cut the strings and pull them through underneath it?
Worried that I'll eventually strip those screws if I'm taking that piece off/on at every string change. Also, since I think this piece is there to add additional tension on the strings, its height probably matters.
My Lakland had this as well and Carl Pedigo (former Lakland head luthier) had told me about this during a visit to their shop, but I didn't have the Lackie long enough to change the strings on it and I don't recall what he said - I think he said it comes off for changes, but don't remember what he said about height adjustment.
Thoughts or tips?
Thanks!
I'm about to replace the nickel strings on my RV-PJ5 with a fresh set for the first time. Do I need to remove the chrome piece screwed into the base of the head stock just past the nut (what's that thing called, anyway?) -or- can I cut the strings and pull them through underneath it?
Worried that I'll eventually strip those screws if I'm taking that piece off/on at every string change. Also, since I think this piece is there to add additional tension on the strings, its height probably matters.
My Lakland had this as well and Carl Pedigo (former Lakland head luthier) had told me about this during a visit to their shop, but I didn't have the Lackie long enough to change the strings on it and I don't recall what he said - I think he said it comes off for changes, but don't remember what he said about height adjustment.
Thoughts or tips?
Thanks!
Honestly I don't recall ever pulling the tension bar off to restring. I just pulled the whole string through, made my length measurement, cut the string and wound it up.
I recall that Roger once posted regarding the height of the bar but I can't recall. I'm sure it's just a slight downward tension.
I've never removed any of mine. There's really no need. Just cut before or after pulling under. Works great.
REALLY nice videos! But way too short. Thank you for posting.
thanks man! i know there really short and ill have full videos up soon!
Another point to consider here... I'm pretty sure the only reason Roger puts those springs under the bar is to hold it out of the way for pulling strings under. An indication you should never have to remove it, anyway.
Speaking of restringing, I received my package from NY and had to slap the new strings on before this morning's rehearsal. So, now the PJ is sporting a sparkling new set of Sadowsky Black Nickel 40s.
I was actually pretty surprised how much it changed the vibe. Of course it's the same bass, much with a little smoother, more mellow tone. They feel awesome. Part of that is the nickel plate, and the softer 40s are more me.
These may be the string for this bass.
I was actually pretty surprised how much it changed the vibe. Of course it's the same bass, much with a little smoother, more mellow tone. They feel awesome. Part of that is the nickel plate, and the softer 40s are more me.
These may be the string for this bass.
Hey Guys,
I finally got my Sadowsky a proper setup, the difference is pretty major. My only concern is a "chorus" like sound from my E string, it's weird, that string alone sounds like it has a chorus effect on it. Could it be because of a pickup adjustment maybe? I think the pickups were adjusted from what they were before I brought it in. Any ideas? I have heard of this type issue before, but don't remember the cause.
I finally got my Sadowsky a proper setup, the difference is pretty major. My only concern is a "chorus" like sound from my E string, it's weird, that string alone sounds like it has a chorus effect on it. Could it be because of a pickup adjustment maybe? I think the pickups were adjusted from what they were before I brought it in. Any ideas? I have heard of this type issue before, but don't remember the cause.
if it is worbally (uh is that a word?) sounding then yeah, it would be pickup adjustment. Kind of going in and out of pitch and also changing volume.
Check this out, it is a recording I made of my old Stingray, but it should help you understand what I mean.
Link Removed
Check this out, it is a recording I made of my old Stingray, but it should help you understand what I mean.
Link Removed
Pretty much sounds like that. So what is the issue? pickup(s?) too close? The 2 different pickups fighting each other? Try lowering one? I do notice the P pickup is a bit higher and maybe has more of a V angle to it than it did before. Looks like the J may have been moved a bit too, a little higher.
