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Sandberg TM users / owners:
What settings can you recommend? Feeling overwhelmed with all the options and am struggling to find a solid foundation for my tone.
What settings can you recommend? Feeling overwhelmed with all the options and am struggling to find a solid foundation for my tone.
Do you have the stock Delano pickups? What strings are you using? What style of music do you play?
I have fretted (Cali 1) and fretless (Cali 2) TM4s, both with Delano pickups. They are quite hi-fi and can sound very bright if using roundwound strings. Both of mine have Fender 9050L flatwound strings, which IMO suit the pickups nicely.
I usually play in passive mode with tone all the way up. I usually have the bridge pickup in humbucking mode. I then adjust the pickup blend to taste. For example, I played my fretted TM4 with a folk rock band last night (2 x vocals, either 2 x acoustic guitars or 1x guitar and 1x violin, 1x bass and no drums) and the mix sounded best with the blend heavily in favour of the bridge pickup.
I have a Nighthawk Plus TM4. It is very bright. I usually dial the highs down on my amp to about 8 or 9 o'clock. Once I tamed the upper frequencies, the rest is minimal EQ'ing to taste.
I have a TM4 SuperLight with Black Label pickups and DR Fat Beams.
Only pedal I use is an Xotic Bass RC Booster. Amp is a Mark Bass CMD121P.
Normally play rock / hard rock. Think Hendrix / Led Zep / Soundgarden.
I use my TM5 in cover bands, playing a range of material from the 60s to the present.
I typically leave the EQ flat, bridge pickup in humbucker mode, and use the pickup blend to go anywhere from 100% neck (mellower classic tones) to maybe 75% bridge/25% neck (a more cutting modern sound). I'll sometimes used the treble EQ, for example to push up the highs for a bright 80s sound when using mainly the bridge pickup.
I never touch the bass EQ and never use the bridge pickup only.
The bridge single coil mode with the pickup blend centred is great for the classic Jazz "all knobs on full" tone.
I typically leave the EQ flat, bridge pickup in humbucker mode, and use the pickup blend to go anywhere from 100% neck (mellower classic tones) to maybe 75% bridge/25% neck (a more cutting modern sound). I'll sometimes used the treble EQ, for example to push up the highs for a bright 80s sound when using mainly the bridge pickup.
I never touch the bass EQ and never use the bridge pickup only.
The bridge single coil mode with the pickup blend centred is great for the classic Jazz "all knobs on full" tone.
Sorry if this has been mentioned before but… Has anyone made any modifications to their TM series instrument to fix the issue of pickup blend knob sensitivity? It seems like it’s not so much of a blend knob as it is a switch. If I move it from the center (both pickups) toward the neck pickup even the slightest bit it seems like it’s all in or all out. I would love it if it were a more gradual blend between them. Right now it seems like there are only a couple of millimeters of leeway in the knob adjustment for it to actually be blending anything.
I don't do anything special to get good tones, there are just there -- however they are BRIGHT. If you are having trouble, I bet it is your strings. What are you using? I cut the trebble on my amp but also on the bass unless I am looking for a specific bright tone. I also favor the neck pickup most of the time and primarily have the dual coil in single mode. I rarely boost the bass.
Let me clarify… I absolutely love the tones I am getting with the strings I have on it. The tones I get in the various settings are all great and I have no desire to change them. I simply find that the pickup blend knob is not as variable as I would like. It seems like if it’s in the middle then both pickups are fully on but, for example, if I turn it the tiniest bit toward the neck pick up, it’s as though it is 100% on the neck pickup. So it acts more as a switch than as a variable blend. If I am extremely careful I can adjust the blend between them but too much movement and it’s all one or the other.
I've owned 7 two pickup Sandbergs (including an old style TM4) and the blend knob has always been gradual on mine.
I quoted and was answering @Stan_da_man about his tone question, not your question which I replied to in post #4251. My bad as I answered them out of order.
It seems that others haven’t experienced this. I’ve got a VT4 (PJ) coming in… maybe December? Whenever the build is finished... and it’ll be interesting to compare them in that regard.
Can I grab a number? I'm in love with this TM5. I have never played a bass that feels this good, with so much attention to detail and quality in regard to the build. I think it's safe to say that I don't think I'll be looking elsewhere for basses anytime soon. I've found the brand that makes me want to play more every time I pick it up.
