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I just received my first Sandberg. All my expectations have been blown away!
What a beautiful instrument, I expected Hugh quality but this is superb.
I have to say, I really love how well the necks are on these. I keep just admiring mine like a true weirdo.
I had the same reaction. Love 99% of the bass, except the pickguard. The neck is a joy.
I love the pickguard concept but this one lifts up, like the screw holes of the bass were drilled a hair too close
When I encounter the difficulties with just getting a replacement pickguard, here in the USA, it really does make me LOVE my G&L much more. I love Sandbergs, but even just getting support documentation for intonation adjustments is a total PITA. I bought my bass through VSN in Canada, but maybe Bass Central will help. I use them for Bergantino and G&L.
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https://www.sandberg-guitars.de/wp-content/uploads/Hangtag-California-Bass.pdf
Edit: I have a G&L L1000. I put a scratchplate on it.....
I just set this one up and did the intonation. Kind of an odd bridge. I thought at first it may be as intuitive as a babicz but it was not. I had to keep lowering the saddle just to adjust it then reraise to check the intonation. Now that it's done I'm sure I'll never need to think about it again but I found it weird that it couldn't slide back and forth while maintaining its height. I like the set screw and barrel to adjust spacing, that's a plus even though I'll leave it all as is.
On a positive note this neck and fret work is so nice! And these pickups with the tone capsule are so meaty! Yet extremely versatile in active and passive modes.
On a positive note this neck and fret work is so nice! And these pickups with the tone capsule are so meaty! Yet extremely versatile in active and passive modes.
One thing that I especially like about the electronics package is that when passive mode is engaged, the volume is almost identical to active mode. That tells me that the preamp is not so much boosting and coloring the signal, but simply allowing me to shape the tone
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Well, I guess I am fortunate to have two basses that do play well (G&L L2500 and a VM5). Could be much worse!
Yes! I noticed that too the passive is actually a bit thicker than the active set flat.
I totally agree. The Sandberg preamp is really sweet sounding. I tend to like passive sounds better mostly in a song context... and I do think my VT4 sounds really good in active mode and as stated the volume is identical.
I am in the midst of deciding on the exact Sandberg 5-stringer I'm getting... which brings me nicely to the topic of pickguards:
Sandberg will RMC their California models with either no upcharge or a modest one (when the finish would call for further labor, e.g. gloss), G&L last I checked would have to be convinced to consider it by a dealer with a pull, like Greg from Rocket Music, and even then it'd be reserved for a custom shop order.
I love my G&L SB-1, it's the only bass I own and I'm quite G.A.S. free when it comes to 4 stringers, but if we had a local dealer for Sandberg back when I ordered it I would've opted for a pickguardless Sandberg VS/VT without thinking twice.
As for replacing a pickguard, it must be my lax standards of shipping times, but it's not like Sandberg (via their webshop) or a European dealer would refuse to mail you a pickguard, it's not exactly a large and heavy package.
Sandberg will RMC their California models with either no upcharge or a modest one (when the finish would call for further labor, e.g. gloss), G&L last I checked would have to be convinced to consider it by a dealer with a pull, like Greg from Rocket Music, and even then it'd be reserved for a custom shop order.
I love my G&L SB-1, it's the only bass I own and I'm quite G.A.S. free when it comes to 4 stringers, but if we had a local dealer for Sandberg back when I ordered it I would've opted for a pickguardless Sandberg VS/VT without thinking twice.
As for replacing a pickguard, it must be my lax standards of shipping times, but it's not like Sandberg (via their webshop) or a European dealer would refuse to mail you a pickguard, it's not exactly a large and heavy package.
Not quite what I meant, but G&L is MUCH better at sharing support information about its guitars and basses. But the inability to just purchase a replacement pickguard is symbolic to me of how much more available and responsive G&L has been.
I don’t mind slow shipping, but the webshop didn’t give the option to list a US shipping address. Not a big deal, but reinforces how much easier G&L is.
Probably true, but remember Sandberg is in Germany.
All of my communications between manufacturers regarding purchased instruments has been through the dealers where I bought them. I found both g&l and Sandberg to be equal under those conditions.
And if I wanted a new pickguard for my Sandberg, I'd just contact one of the American companies that make them. There's a lot of hubbub concerning international trade that we don't know about. Some of it involves licensing, some involves health regulations, some environmental laws.
