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Club Sandberg (part 2)

#223
This old S1 (I think it's a S1 model ...) is likely the WW Infinity, exactly the same wood for the neck and table, same "profil" of the neck, but Bartolini for mine
The sound of the Infinity is very close from this Sandberg
 
#224
Has anybody here tried the Sandberg Seventy Two model? It seems to be an exclusive made for Thomann, and sort of a modernized version of the '72 Telebass - a big MM-style pickup over by the neck and 2-band active electronics. Interesting...

280168.jpg
 
#226
pklima said:
Has anybody here tried the Sandberg Seventy Two model? It seems to be an exclusive made for Thomann, and sort of a modernized version of the '72 Telebass - a big MM-style pickup over by the neck and 2-band active electronics. Interesting...

280168.jpg
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing I didn't know about the Seventy Two model, look cool and I bet it's groovy as hell. Please someone if you have a chance, go to Thomann try it out and tell us all about it. My friend promised me to go with me to Thomann for already 2 years but never fulfilled it. I wonder what happened to him, haven't heard from him for a while. Still those are great friends, the ones you don't talk to for a long time and then when you do you get the feeling like as if you spoke just yesterday. Keeps you young, reminding that a year or two have past. :)

I post a reply here to introduce to you guys a new member to the Sandberg Bass family. Haven't tried it out yet but I can tell you already it's a bargain. The components are made in the far east, but the bass is built together in Braunschweig, Germany. Sandberg guarantees that the components are top quality and the final touch and adjustment is anyhow done by the masters hands. Making a price of 600€ possible.
Here it is:
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For more information visit: Invalid Link Removed
This is an important step for Sandberg, these basses will most probably be sold worldwide and will convince fellow bass players with their quality and reliability. If you wish to support this little Bass manufactory please keep it on and buy their product, even with the new Electra model a little support is done. The situation here in Germany is not very smooth right now, the materials rise in price and taxes are very bitter for smaller companies. It will be difficult for Sandberg to maintain their very fair prices on their instruments. The Electra is the first model which uses wooden parts, made in the far east. People have to realise that most companies do the same and still sell the bass with the slogan that it was made in germany or in the USA, not being completely honest about where the major work was done.
Dingwall showed with the introduction of the Combustion, a very high quality model made in the far east, that this concept works very well and ends in a good deal for everyone. The only thing which is lost is the uniqueness and flair of the real handcrafted basses. The quality standards wont and can't be the same. Certain things cost their money no matter where they are made.
On monday I tried out a beautiful 5 String Basic M fretless. Great B-String as well known of Sandberg. The body was Ash with a Natural finish, beautiful grain in the wood. Wonderful basses and hard to say no with a price of 1050€, but I have to be realistic, one fretless is enough for now. I still dream that my next bass will be a Fretless Custom Thinline with an Ebony and Purpleheart top.
Sandberg is very successful here in germany, still most people play on the standard basses such as Fender, but more and more famous Bassists here have found their love for Sandberg-Basses. Still the international fame for this company is not yet reached. Sandberg is very loyal to what they offer, I doubt that in the future when the fame goes up that the prices will increase, like with Warwick. Though I also own Warwick basses I must admit that for me the company has lost a huge deal of my respect. They do a lot to advance the technology of their basses, and the new models made in the far east are not bad at all, but the prices don't fit anymore. The german made basses are not affordable anymore, and the made in korea ProSeries costs as much as the German models did before. This does not fit anymore, the German models are also not entirely made here. I understand they can't offer anymore the german made chorvette standard for 800€ but then to let them be made in Korea and ask over 1000€ for them is somehow not fair anymore. The quality is great but what you pay for them doesn't fit to the standard, not like Sandberg. Warwick ends up to be a name you have to pay for, even the Rockbasses have been overpriced, now they are loaded with more original warwick parts to compensate this a bit, but still. Gretsch builds the Electromatic series basses in Korea, the Quality is superb at least as good as the ProSeries. For the PS Starbass you pay 400€+ more, the MEC electronics give it a little more value but not as much.
I write in my own opinion and might be wrong in some points, but I'm sure the agrees with me.

Best regards!
 
#227
pklima said:
Has anybody here tried the Sandberg Seventy Two model? It seems to be an exclusive made for Thomann, and sort of a modernized version of the '72 Telebass - a big MM-style pickup over by the neck and 2-band active electronics. Interesting...

280168.jpg
Click to expand...

Wow. I've been looking for a bass that's a modern take on the '72 Telecaster bass, but I don't know about this. There is something very cool about the aesthetics of a '72 Tele bass that Sandberg just didn't capture here.

A lot of that has to do with the pickup. There are such limited options on bass humbuckers with that old school look. You've got the classic Fender mudbucker, Gibson's mudbucker pickups (as seen in the current SG bass) or the DiMarzio Model One. But can Sandberg source those parts? And does the pickup offer great tonal options?

There are definitely a lot more aftermarket Musicman style humbuckers on the market, and that's likely why Sandberg chose that pickup. But it does look a little fugly, to be honest.
 
#229
ShoeManiac said:
Wow. I've been looking for a bass that's a modern take on the '72 Telecaster bass, but I don't know about this. There is something very cool about the aesthetics of a '72 Tele bass that Sandberg just didn't capture here.

A lot of that has to do with the pickup. There are such limited options on bass humbuckers with that old school look. You've got the classic Fender mudbucker, Gibson's mudbucker pickups (as seen in the current SG bass) or the DiMarzio Model One. But can Sandberg source those parts? And does the pickup offer great tonal options?

There are definitely a lot more aftermarket Musicman style humbuckers on the market, and that's likely why Sandberg chose that pickup. But it does look a little fugly, to be honest.
Click to expand...

This bass is being sold for 998€, thats cheap for a Sandberg. As this bass is a special version and they well know that not many people will be interested in one of these they try to keep the price low. The only way to keep the price so low is to use parts which they have in stock. A different body, pickguard or pickup would shoot this bass´s price way up.
Thomann did put up some soundclips on their page:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

This bass sounds muddy enough, don't see the need to put in a mudbucker. Also Sandberg doesn't want to loose their characteristic sound, the clarity and punch has to be there. Same with the Rickenbacker copies Sandberg made, they used the Shape but didn't simulate the sound of them.
 
#231
My baby is here!

It is everything I've hoped for and more! The color, Marley blue, is the most awesome I've ever seen, and the bass is also very resonant and very lightweight. I was a bit worried about the weight at first because some of the sandbergs I've tried has been quite heavy, but this one is a feather!

The best thing about this bass is the neck, it's heavenly! For me it was between a passive Sandberg California or a Fender American Standard. So glad I went with the Sandberg! The neck feels so much nicer and the construction is much more solid than all of the Fenders I have tried out.

Here are the specs for my bass again:
Sandberg California TT Passive
Alder body
Rosewood fingerboard
Sandberg singlecoils
Marley blue highgloss finish

And for your pleasure:

image-739883358.jpg
 
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#236
fuzzychaos said:
Looks like Sandberg is getting more popular here on TB. Hopefully my plan works...

What plan you say?

Step 1. Make Sandberg more popular, especially in the US.
Step 2. Make current Sandberg owners (especially in the US) get GAS for another Sandberg.
Step 3. Buy used Sandberg from step 2 and repeat

:)
Click to expand...

Nice! Keep up the good work! Id love to own a Sandberg, but due to the wildly varying weight between basses, I need to try before I buy, or special order.
 
#238
Scott McArron said:
Nice! Keep up the good work! Id love to own a Sandberg, but due to the wildly varying weight between basses, I need to try before I buy, or special order.
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What kind of wood was the body made of on the basses you tried?
IME the basses with european ash bodies are generally the heaviest and the alder ones tend to be a bit lighter. Although I don't have any personal experience with swamp ash-bodied Sandberg, I've heard they are the lightest ones around. Sadly they seem to be pretty rare.

This, however, does not seem apply to all Sandberg basses. I've played around eight different Sandbergs with alder bodies and NONE of them felt unreasonably heavy except this UMBO 4-string which was heavy as hell AND balanced terribly. Pretty sure it was an older model though.
 
#240
Jaldegren said:
What kind of wood was the body made of on the basses you tried?
IME the basses with european ash bodies are generally the heaviest and the alder ones tend to be a bit lighter. Although I don't have any personal experience with swamp ash-bodied Sandberg, I've heard they are the lightest ones around. Sadly they seem to be pretty rare.

This, however, does not seem apply to all Sandberg basses. I've played around eight different Sandbergs with alder bodies and NONE of them felt unreasonably heavy except this UMBO 4-string which was heavy as hell AND balanced terribly. Pretty sure it was an older model though.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure what the body woods of the basses were. European vs Swamp ash or Alder. When I was in Germany last year, I stopped by 2 shops that both carried a number of Sandbergs. I spied about 3 or 4 that I didn't want to try because the neck pockets were not anywhere close to tight, so I'd never be interested in those. Picked up 2 of them and immediately set them down because they were way too heavy, at least 11+ lbs, and one that may have been only 7lbs.

Can't remember how many I played, maybe 4 of them that were in the relatively comfortable zone in weight, between 8-10 lbs for me, that were actually worth me putting a couple minutes into trying them. Only fell in love with 1 of them, but it still wasn't quite to spec with how I'd want one built. Great bass though. I'm not a fan of that super light finish where you can actually feel the wood grain. I'd opt for the high gloss.

If they allow weight ranges when custom ordering, then I might consider one when I move over there. I'll probably hold off until then when I can get my hands on a number of them to really try them out.
 

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