Yeah, an alnico MM4 pickup weighs about 6.3 oz so the ceramic one may even weigh a little more.
That would be in the ballpark of my VS4.
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That would be in the ballpark of my VS4.
Coming from a new (and unhappy) G&L purchase, Sandberg really has the weight thing figured out.
G&L's not made from empress wood are typically 9 lbs + up. I recently asked at least 10 seller the weight on Reverb. There were some over 10 lbs.
Just bought a 2nd Electra (first a P and now a J) and the seller says less 8lbs 3 ounces. The P weighs about the same.
I've got two 70's Fenders that are 9.2 and 9.5 lbs and a Stingray that's close to 10.
I will never buy anther bass that's more than 8.5 lbs as I don't enjoy three longs sets with that much lumber on my back.
G&L's not made from empress wood are typically 9 lbs + up. I recently asked at least 10 seller the weight on Reverb. There were some over 10 lbs.
Just bought a 2nd Electra (first a P and now a J) and the seller says less 8lbs 3 ounces. The P weighs about the same.
I've got two 70's Fenders that are 9.2 and 9.5 lbs and a Stingray that's close to 10.
I will never buy anther bass that's more than 8.5 lbs as I don't enjoy three longs sets with that much lumber on my back.
MDBass
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Accidentally wrote an 80's crime drama theme while playing my VM4 the other day: anyone care to write the pilot episode? 
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Is this the one that was on Reveb, or over sea's?
I was drooling over it yesterday.
I recently did the setup for a Sandberg player and I noticed that the zero fret on his basses seems different to how I remember my Sandberg. I then had a look at high res pictures online and it seems like most Sandberg basses are like his.
To explain the difference: the Sandberg "zero fret" is not shaped like a normal fret (round on the top) but rather like a very shallow nut. It has grooves cut into it and the witness point is not in the middle, like it would be on a round fret, but actually at the end of the fret, just like a nut. And it also looked like they do a tiny bit of compensation on that fret, similar to the compensated nut on Musicman basses, where the G string witness point is further back than the D, which is further back than the A, etc. Just a tiny bit.
For proper intonation that fret would also be a bit further back (half the width of the fret) than a round zero fret would be, I didn't measure it but I assume that Sandberg has this figured out since the basses intonate just fine.
The problem is that I don't have my Sandberg anymore so I can't say for sure that this is different, I remember my bass also having slots cut into the zero fret but it seemed like a normal fret, rounded. And not the shallow nut shape like his. I'll try to find some pictures of what I'm talking about.
To explain the difference: the Sandberg "zero fret" is not shaped like a normal fret (round on the top) but rather like a very shallow nut. It has grooves cut into it and the witness point is not in the middle, like it would be on a round fret, but actually at the end of the fret, just like a nut. And it also looked like they do a tiny bit of compensation on that fret, similar to the compensated nut on Musicman basses, where the G string witness point is further back than the D, which is further back than the A, etc. Just a tiny bit.
For proper intonation that fret would also be a bit further back (half the width of the fret) than a round zero fret would be, I didn't measure it but I assume that Sandberg has this figured out since the basses intonate just fine.
The problem is that I don't have my Sandberg anymore so I can't say for sure that this is different, I remember my bass also having slots cut into the zero fret but it seemed like a normal fret, rounded. And not the shallow nut shape like his. I'll try to find some pictures of what I'm talking about.
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That's what I mean, in the first picture the zero fret is how I saw it on his basses, here it seems like a normal, rounded fret. All of their zero frets are definitely oversized because they cut slots in them, but the question would be whether or not you have a "nut shaped" or a normal rounded zero fret. Or maybe the fret is this nut shape towards the bass side and round at the treble side, creating that compensated nut effect I was describing.
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Hi, everybody! Hope you are doing great.
So I just received a Sandberg Electra P-type bass today. Great instrument, it seems so far. My only issue is with the bridge. I could only achieve a string height of 0.06 of an inch at 12th fret, for both the 1st and the 4th string. From your experience, does it usually go any lower? I set the saddles as low as possible, and the neck is perfectly straight. Is there something I could do to make the action even lower? Or am I nuts to want that?
Cheers,
Oleg
So I just received a Sandberg Electra P-type bass today. Great instrument, it seems so far. My only issue is with the bridge. I could only achieve a string height of 0.06 of an inch at 12th fret, for both the 1st and the 4th string. From your experience, does it usually go any lower? I set the saddles as low as possible, and the neck is perfectly straight. Is there something I could do to make the action even lower? Or am I nuts to want that?
Cheers,
Oleg
I see. Thanks. I did not know, because I did not have a good reference point. On my Spector I could achieve around 0.04 on the first and the fourth, but, obviously, the construction is different.
Action is one thing, relief is another. A dead straight neck might give you a lot of fret buzz.
In general, though, 2.0-2.5mm at the 17th fret should be achievable.
My first Sandberg came out of the factory with a neck pocket shim, so I can only assume that shims are manufacturer endorsed.
Thanks for the info. Was it a wooden shim? Did it fill the whole neck pocket area?
It was a thin piece of wood, and was only 10-15mm long. Long enough to fit between the last 2 bolt holes and the end of the neck pocket. I later replaced it with a full size shim that I made myself. I might still have the original one... If so, I'll take a photo for you.
Found it!
Correction to my previous post - the factory shim was actually long enough to be secured by the last 2 neck bolts. (Thumb included for size reference).
I see! Thanks a lot, appreciate it
Will try to find some wood blanks then
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I’ve heard from the others that they also found such factory shims in their new Sandbergs. Why do they put them? I believe without a shim the neck joint would be stiffer which is better for tone?
Manufacturing always has tolerances, so I guess they put them in because they need to. Shims are a convenient and accepted way to achieve a low action.
Whereas action is measurable, tone is subjective. I've lusted after some vintage guitars that have sloppy neck routing and shimmed necks simply because they have tone to die for.
My Sandberg with the shimmed neck feels and sounds amazing.
