Club Sandberg (part 2)

[jid]

depending on what preamp is there the forty eight and the vm4 have the same pickup combination. The forty eight just has large covers over the p bass section. I have both basses and they are very close sound wise. My vm4 has the 3 band vs the 2 band in my vm4

Same pickups…. Interesting! I do love the VM4 p/u’s. My VM4 is a passive setup (no battery… only 2 knobs) so the pre-amp would be a nice addition. I’ve played an active VM4 also and definitely liked the sounds.

sounds like I need to buy one!

there is a forty eight on reverb… super nice seller. He just dropped the price to 1500 from 1650. Only thing holding me back is I prefer a non-maple fretboard and that one is maple. I might pull the trigger anyway if someone here doesn’t snag it.

 

[Anemic_SluG]

And I should clarify. Same being it is a split coil neck pickup and a humbucker bridge pickup. I haven’t ever pulled the covers to look to see if it is a reverse p like the vm4, and Sandberg has used different pickups and preamps over the years.
But tone wise my 2 are very close.

 

[mcnach]

And I should clarify. Same being it is a split coil neck pickup and a humbucker bridge pickup. I haven’t ever pulled the covers to look to see if it is a reverse p like the vm4, and Sandberg has used different pickups and preamps over the years.
But tone wise my 2 are very close.

Agreed.
I went to a shop to try a couple of 48s, and I ended up ordering a VM4. The sound was very very similar but I preferred the ergonomics of the VM4.

 

[Pet Sounds]

Agreed.
I went to a shop to try a couple of 48s, and I ended up ordering a VM4. The sound was very very similar but I preferred the ergonomics of the VM4.

Does the Forty-Eight have the "long reach" feel of a Thunderbird?

 

[mcnach]

Does the Forty-Eight have the "long reach" feel of a Thunderbird?

Yes. Because it doesn't have a 'long horn' the whole bass is 'shifted' a bit to the left (for a right-handed). I think it didn't feel as long as on a Thunderbird, maybe the shift is smaller on the 48, but it's been a few years so my memory may not be accurate on this, but yeah, it was precisely that 'long reach' that convinced me to go for the VM4 instead.

 

[Anemic_SluG]

Wow, 48 looks stunning, does it sound anything like thunderbird? Pup spacing seems different. Would you mind uploading a soundclip?

I don’t know if I’ll have time to upload, but no it’s not alike my tbird. It’s more pj with a full low mid due to the humbucker. If you like pj basses but want some fullness this is the bass.

 

[Anemic_SluG]

Does the Forty-Eight have the "long reach" feel of a Thunderbird?

It’s in between. I dont find it uncomfortable at all or notice the reach difference compared to my tbird. The tbird is definitely a stretch.

 

[pablohonig]

Hello friends,

New and proud owner of a Lionel VS. In the long haul, was considering a replacement to the Nordstrand NP4V to make an excellent product even better. Does anyone know if the spacing, aperture, and other parameters of the SS Lionel would reduce compatibility before I invest the time and resources? Is there a more appropriate, backup choice? I imagine blade-style (i.e. Bartolini, etc) would eliminate these issues entirely.

 

[triviani]

i just stumbled onto a Custom fretless 5 at a local dealer - feeling very fortunate.

i can't stand wait lists and invariable change my mind when something DOES pop up.

i was chatting with some Sandberg fans recently and they confirmed the lead times for orders are WAY out.

depends on what you are looking for.

have you checked the online dealers?

I just put in an order and the ETA is 15-16 months. If it turns out as nice as the one I have (which was not a custom order - it was in stock at a retailer), I will be happy.

I ordered a custom VS4 and have no regrets. It’s beautiful, weighs about 7 lbs, is flawlessly built and sounds perfect. Got to order a custom color too…. So, I’d recommend it!

Thanks for the comments about ordering a Sandberg. A 1+ year wait is too much. I’d even change my mind about the specs in such a long time.

But a couple of them showed up used (not that many around here in Japan) so I finally decided to get one.

A VM in black with rosewood fretboard. Not totally what I had in mind but quite close. It should be here in a couple of days!

 

[triviani]

Update,

The VM4 arrived today, first impressions.

The good: Light weight and very comfortable to play. You can say it's a quality bass right away.
The so-so: I'm not digging the sound. The neck PU sounds dark, the middle position hollow and the M one just bright. I didn't find a spot were it just sounds "great".

It may be that I'm used to the passive Gibson, so the active preamp sounds too clean to my ears. It also came with some thin (the stock?) strings, and the bass needs a setup. I'll give it another try tomorrow.

 

[Zoot H Rollo]

Update,

The VM4 arrived today, first impressions.

The good: Light weight and very comfortable to play. You can say it's a quality bass right away.
The so-so: I'm not digging the sound. The neck PU sounds dark, the middle position hollow and the M one just bright. I didn't find a spot were it just sounds "great".

It may be that I'm used to the passive Gibson, so the active preamp sounds too clean to my ears. It also came with some thin (the stock?) strings, and the bass needs a setup. I'll give it another try tomorrow.

congrats on the VM4.

i have similar experiences even with basses i try in stores. after i get them home, it takes a little time and adjusting to dial it in.

check the pickup heights and yes - STRINGS make a huge difference.

and setup, of course. neck relief and saddle height can completely change the tone.

good luck, keep us updated!

 

[darthplagis]

Does the Forty-Eight have the "long reach" feel of a Thunderbird?

Do people actually have issue with this?

My status (B2) has a t bird style neck, and I have a t bird too.
I have never had any issue with reach and if I could I'd happily play a 35" 5 with the same neck feel.

Though I don't play slung past my belt.

 

[Pet Sounds]

Do people actually have issue with this?

My status (B2) has a t bird style neck, and I have a t bird too.
I have never had any issue with reach and if I could I'd happily play a 35" 5 with the same neck feel.

Though I don't play slung past my belt.

I'm happy for you that you don't have a problem with T-bird necks. Being a different individual, however, I do.

 

[gunai]

Do people actually have issue with this?

My status (B2) has a t bird style neck, and I have a t bird too.
I have never had any issue with reach and if I could I'd happily play a 35" 5 with the same neck feel.

Though I don't play slung past my belt.

Me? I'm with you, I recently realized that it doesn't really matter much to me whether the neck is 34'' or 35'', the nut width is 1.5'' or 1.71'', and so on.
Sure, I notice it, but it's neither better nor worse aside from some very particular stretches.

Now imagine you're 5'6'' with a matching wingspan and proportional mitts, I reckon that one inch will suddenly matter a decent amount more, even if not critically.

 

[darthplagis]

Now imagine you're 5'6'' with a matching wingspan and proportional mitts, I reckon that one inch will suddenly matter a decent amount more, even if not critically.

aye I suppose looking at it that way, at 6'4" with arms like an ape and shovel hands I don't struggle.
my brother who is the same height as me complains going from SG to Strat but I blame that on him being a bit soft PMSL

 

[tb-player]

Anyone here have a VM5? Curious to get thoughts on the feel and sound. I have my eyes on one. I'm normally a jazz bass guy but I'm looking for something a little different... ballsier, maybe?

 

[Zoot H Rollo]

Anyone here have a VM5? Curious to get thoughts on the feel and sound. I have my eyes on one. I'm normally a bass guy but I'm looking for something a little different... ballsier, maybe?

VM5 isn't a bass?

 

[tb-player]

VM5 isn't a bass?

oops-- "normally I'm a jazz bass guy but I'm looking for something a little different"

(fixed it)

 

[SubSpec]

Anyone here have a VM5? Curious to get thoughts on the feel and sound. I have my eyes on one. I'm normally a jazz bass guy but I'm looking for something a little different... ballsier, maybe?

Feel is absolutely amazing! It feels both light and rock solid all at once. You can feel every vibration resonate through the thing. Neck is silky smooth under the hands, board is pretty wide and flat, which is not my preference but the way it feels sort of defies my preferences. It is a really good feeling instrument, among the best I've played.

Now for sound. It sounds great, but it took some getting used to for me. Black label is what are in my VM5, but the Delano's in my VM4 were similar. The pickups have a lot more dynamic range than I'm used to along with a bunch of top end bite. That all sounds good and desirable, and it is, but it also requires adjustment. I like pushing into the front-end of the amp and getting a full ballsy tone, which you can definitely do (really well) with the VM5, but you have to push it way more than might feel natural.

On it's own it is very clean, crystal clear, and the passive or active as the Glockenklang pre is pretty transparent. It has a lot of power and oomph, but to get to it (or get it to stand out rather) you have to mellow down the the top end a bit. Of course, that is pretty easy to do either with the onboard controls or outboard. I suppose the key thing is, it gives you a bunch of stuff you can easily take away if you don't want it (i.e. high end clarity) but could not easily add to a bass if you did want it.

Now, that is my take and I am not a gigging bassist or anyone that could be considered any kind of expert. Despite what may sound like I'm being negative about the sound, it is my favorite bass by a decent margin. Much of that is due to the build quality and feel, but I do appreciate that if I want crystal clarity (though I rarely do) I can get that out of it and otherwise I simply turn some knobs and have super powerful, responsive, attack heavy sound.

 

[tb-player]

Feel is absolutely amazing! It feels both light and rock solid all at once. You can feel every vibration resonate through the thing. Neck is silky smooth under the hands, board is pretty wide and flat, which is not my preference but the way it feels sort of defies my preferences. It is a really good feeling instrument, among the best I've played.

Now for sound. It sounds great, but it took some getting used to for me. Black label is what are in my VM5, but the Delano's in my VM4 were similar. The pickups have a lot more dynamic range than I'm used to along with a bunch of top end bite. That all sounds good and desirable, and it is, but it also requires adjustment. I like pushing into the front-end of the amp and getting a full ballsy tone, which you can definitely do (really well) with the VM5, but you have to push it way more than might feel natural.

On it's own it is very clean, crystal clear, and the passive or active as the Glockenklang pre is pretty transparent. It has a lot of power and oomph, but to get to it (or get it to stand out rather) you have to mellow down the the top end a bit. Of course, that is pretty easy to do either with the onboard controls or outboard. I suppose the key thing is, it gives you a bunch of stuff you can easily take away if you don't want it (i.e. high end clarity) but could not easily add to a bass if you did want it.

Now, that is my take and I am not a gigging bassist or anyone that could be considered any kind of expert. Despite what may sound like I'm being negative about the sound, it is my favorite bass by a decent margin. Much of that is due to the build quality and feel, but I do appreciate that if I want crystal clarity (though I rarely do) I can get that out of it and otherwise I simply turn some knobs and have super powerful, responsive, attack heavy sound.

Thanks for that detailed analysis. I’ve listened to a lot of YouTube demos and what you’re sharing seems to line up with what I heard. I love the clarity of the tone. I also like the versatility. The one I’m looking at has the black label pickups and they seem to have some serious cojones. If I pull the trigger, I’ll be sure to post pics & first impressions here.