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Club Sandberg (part 2)

#5,481
mcnach said:
I have a love/hate relationship with my VM4.

It's such a nice bass to play, but I'm not completely sold on the sound. I've toyed with changing preamp (I really am not a fan of the stock one), and even pickups, but I'm first trying to find a set of strings that I'm happiest with as my experience is that a different set of strings can be make or break.

I don't like the Sandberg strings.
The DR Pure Blues were the best ones so far, while the DR Sunbeams that I love in most other basses felt a bit too polite.
I just tried a set or DR Neon, as I used to enjoy their Black Beauties in the past on other basses... and they're probably the most disappointing strings, I find myself struggling to EQ in the right amount of low mids. Shame, as they look great and they're a lot of fun in the dark with blacklight illumination :D

IMG_20230410_124737453_2.jpg


The quest continues. I've got a Darkglass Tonecapsule that I bought for another bass but might be a good fit here, plus passive tone control, if I can fit it all in, the control cavity is pretty tight...
Click to expand...

Have you tried the Roto Swing Bass Nickels? I have them on my Cali VT and like them a lot. But I'm also not a fan of the stock pre. But it works.
 
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#5,482
bdplaid said:
Have you tried the Roto Swing Bass Nickels? I have them on my Cali VT and like them a lot. But I'm also not a fan of the stock pre. But it works.
Click to expand...

No, I never tried those. I think my only experience with Rotosounds was their Monel flatwounds. I'll keep that in mind, thanks.

I just ordered a couple potentiometers to install the Darkglass preamp, and hopefully that will give me the adjustability I'm missing. With a Tech21 PSA2 [1] I can tame the higher mids and bring the lower mids closer to where I want them, and the frequencies on the darkglass seem very close to what I'm after. In addition the bass control is set at 70 Hz which I find much more useful than the typical active bass EQ that's usually centered around 40-50 Hz.
So it'll be:
Stacked volume and passive tone control, blend, bass EQ, and stacked hi/lo mids. It's quite tight in there, so I may need minipots for the stacked passive/tone but I already had a CTS standard size one, so I'll try that first. I had a John East UniPre deluxe and it just was too big :(

I play quite a range of styles so I like basses to be versatile enough, although there's always something each bass does better than others. I find the VM4 stock to be really good for the rock end of the spectrum, and with the right outboard toneshaping boxes you can really get good sounds that will fit anywhere but I like getting as close as possible at the bass itself (that's just me).

I've never liked enough any of those P-style pickups with the big polepieces. I can't put my finger on it, but they have a certain something that is never quite right for me. The Delanos in my Maruszczyk went out really quick, and a humble Dimarzio Model P was a much better fit for me. I wasn't going for a Precision sound, I specified the pickup to be closer to the bridge than standard. I'm not trying to make a bass sound like another bass, I enjoy the variety.
The VM4 is such a nice bass that I want to get it as good as I can for my taste, but I hope between finding the right strings and possibly preamp it'll get there. I wish I had gone for the Black Label pickups instead, but it's too late now. When I ordered it I was hesitant, given my previous experiences, but I figured I'd give the Sandberg ones a try before going down that particular rabbit hole :D

[1] A more sensible person would just make sure to use the PSA2 and be done, right? :D
 
#5,483
I think the black label p pickup is all Sandberg uses. I have a VT so mine has a J pickup at the bridge, but it's a Black label and is very good indeed. Same with those in my TT.

Both my Sandbergs have the glockenklang pres. If I were in your position I would look at Audere and Noll. Audere is very compact, and has the awesome Z control that changes the resonant frequency of the pickups depending on setting.

The Noll Is also compact, and highly configurable. I found the company to be very accommodating when I was speccing my pre.

I think these are both first rate pres. Not sure if they'll give what you want, but the Auderes kick ass with what they can do in getting different tones.
 
#5,484
bdplaid said:
I think the black label p pickup is all Sandberg uses. I have a VT so mine has a J pickup at the bridge, but it's a Black label and is very good indeed. Same with those in my TT.

Both my Sandbergs have the glockenklang pres. If I were in your position I would look at Audere and Noll. Audere is very compact, and has the awesome Z control that changes the resonant frequency of the pickups depending on setting.

The Noll Is also compact, and highly configurable. I found the company to be very accommodating when I was speccing my pre.

I think these are both first rate pres. Not sure if they'll give what you want, but the Auderes kick ass with what they can do in getting different tones.
Click to expand...

I had an Audere in a Jazz, didn't like it. I mean, it was not bad, but when I tried the John East J-Retro that was it. Mostly because of the semiparametric mids.

The Noll preamps are quite cool and they often include a passive tone which I *really*want, that's a great call, thank you :) . That's why I got the UniPre Deluxe: passive tone and semiparametric mids... but the circuit boards took up too much room and didn't fit the VM4. I'll try the passive+Darkglass option first since I have it already (just waiting for the stacked 50K pot for the lo/hi mids). If it doesn't fit then I'll probably be looking at passive tone control plus the semiparametric mids module from John East on its own, or maybe one of the Noll offerings, as they have some very attractive options.

The P type Black labels have the smaller polepieces, paired a bit like on a Jazz bass:

sandberg-blacklabel-v4-split-coil_1_BAS0011616-000.jpg


They're probably more to my liking, but the standard Sandberg with the big polepieces looked good (I know, know) and I figured that's what sandberg installs by default so let's try it that way first. Ah well!

If I end up changing the pickup I already have a few I can try (I have accumulated a lot of parts over the years!). I've got an EMG GZR and a DiMarzio Model P and I think probably a Fender of some description. It's just a matter of spending a little time trying various combinations of things I already have.

Tonight I have a little recording session (ska/reggae/funk) so I'm bringing the Sandberg with the PSA2 as that's sounding pretty good at least at home. I've been experimenting with a range of tracks in different styles, both my own and from my music collection, removed the bass track using the Moises app [1], and used those to see how well I can make the Sandberg sit in the mix. With everything stock it's not bad, but with the PSA2 shaping the mids a bit (it's a great unit for the control it offers over the midrange) the results have been pretty decent. I could live with it as it is but I like modding and it's just costing my time and a few dollars in a couple of additional pots, I'd rather be able to get that control from the onboard preamp and not depend so much on external boxes. Just my preference.

[1] The Moises app, if anyone is interested: Moises - The Musician's App | Remove vocals and much more!
 
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#5,485
Upstate SC Bass said:
View attachment 5031898 View attachment 5031895 View attachment 5031896 View attachment 5031897

I love my Sandberg it is my go to 5 string
Here is my “raising the center pole pieces” hack.
I use small washers on the E A and D string on my Sandberg to help balance out the string to string volume. It works great with the Delano poles because they are nice and big magnets. Not hardly noticeable.

I use DR blues 120-40 string gauge set. Love them too!
Sandbergs are truly great instruments.

but I agree that all pickups should be radiused design or have adjustable poles.
Click to expand...
That's a great trick.
 
#5,486
mcnach said:
If I end up changing the pickup I already have a few I can try (I have accumulated a lot of parts over the years!). I've got an EMG GZR and a DiMarzio Model P and I think probably a Fender of some description.
Click to expand...

I think the small pole pieces are the Black Labels. That's what I have. I didn't specify anything, and that what I got.

When I first received the bass, I didn't like them. I installed my go-to pickups, the Fender Original 62. It sounded good. But then something happened in my head, and none of my P-Basses sounded right anymore. I tested the Sandberg P against several p pickups I have in my drawer, and it was probably the best of them. Or close to it. So I reinstalled the Black label in the VT. I like it better.

One of the things I think I've founds about Sandberg basses, is that they are very susceptible to tonal changes with alterations to the material provided. The bridge did that, quite a bit. And it wasn't better. I think Sandberg has chosen its parts to be a certain way, and they work more as a system than any other bass I've ever had. In other words, I learned to not mess with it.
 
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#5,487
bdplaid said:
One of the things I think I've founds about Sandberg basses, is that they are very susceptible to tonal changes with alterations to the material provided. The bridge did that, quite a bit. And it wasn't better. I think Sandberg has chosen its parts to be a certain way, and they work more as a system than any other bass I've ever had. In other words, I learned to not mess with it.
Click to expand...

Amen. It's German engineering.
 
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#5,489
Hi Club Sandberg-

My local GC has a 4-string Basic on display. It's the first Sandberg I've ever seen in person. I was surprised at how thin the body was. I'm GASing for a TM5 SL, but no one has them in stock and I'm hesitant to spend that kind of money sight unseen. I guess my question is what can I infer about the TM5 from playing the Basic? Are the neck profiles the same? Is the QC similar or better?
 
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#5,490
CoughSyrup said:
Hi Club Sandberg-

My local GC has a 4-string Basic on display. It's the first Sandberg I've ever seen in person. I was surprised at how thin the body was. I'm GASing for a TM5 SL, but no one has them in stock and I'm hesitant to spend that kind of money sight unseen. I guess my question is what can I infer about the TM5 from playing the Basic? Are the neck profiles the same? Is the QC similar or better?
Click to expand...
Is it a Basic with a single pickup? Or dual pickups in a TM configuration?

Basics have a 24 fret neck with 2+2 (or 3+2) tuners, while Californias have 22 fret necks with 4 (or 4+1) tuners. Otherwise, the fret size, nut width and radius of the fretboard will be the same. I've played both Basics and Californias and the necks all feel the same to me.

If you're comparing a Basic TM with a California TM then the body shape is probably the only significant difference.
 
#5,491
Jughead6 said:
Is it a Basic with a single pickup? Or dual pickups in a TM configuration?

Basics have a 24 fret neck with 2+2 (or 3+2) tuners, while Californias have 22 fret necks with 4 (or 4+1) tuners. Otherwise, the fret size, nut width and radius of the fretboard will be the same. I've played both Basics and Californias and the necks all feel the same to me.

If you're comparing a Basic TM with a California TM then the body shape is probably the only significant difference.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it was the Basic with a single pickup in the Stingray position. I've never played a bass with a 14" radius before though my Ray35 had a 12" and I like it. I'd really like to get my hands on a 5 string though.

I'm going to Chicago this summer, hopefully CME will have some in stock I can play.
 
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#5,493
CoughSyrup said:
Yeah, it was the Basic with a single pickup in the Stingray position. I've never played a bass with a 14" radius before though my Ray35 had a 12" and I like it. I'd really like to get my hands on a 5 string though.

I'm going to Chicago this summer, hopefully CME will have some in stock I can play.
Click to expand...

You can call CMX before you go. The Sandbergs are right across from the bass sales desk. But I will advise you to keep an open mind. Never did I think of the configuration I went home with (or paying that much). But I’m so thrilled with it. Gigged it again tonight All that, potato chips and a case of Vienna natural casing hot dogs.
 

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#5,494
vindibona1 said:
You can call CMX before you go. The Sandbergs are right across from the bass sales desk. But I will advise you to keep an open mind. Never did I think of the configuration I went home with (or paying that much). But I’m so thrilled with it. Gigged it again tonight All that, potato chips and a case of Vienna natural casing hot dogs.
Click to expand...

That's a nice looking bass. I've been looking at the VM2 options. You can split the coils, but you have to split both at the same time, right? You can't run single coil at the neck and humbucker at the bridge, right?
 
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#5,495
CoughSyrup said:
That's a nice looking bass. I've been looking at the VM2 options. You can split the coils, but you have to split both at the same time, right? You can't run single coil at the neck and humbucker at the bridge, right?
Click to expand...

The pickups on my bass look a lot like Music Man pups. But obviously they are Sandberg designs. On my bass I have the option of active, passive, and split coil. Seeing as it is a general split I would assume that if the blender was centered and the split coil switch was on, I would have single coil at both pups. Using the blender knob I could select one or the other.

The EQ knobs are kind of in reverse of what I'm used to, but makes sense. I can go to passive by pulling out the volume knob. Then the EQ is taken over by the treble knob, the other EQ knobs inactive. I imagine that I can still, in passive mode split the coils.

This was an accidental find that I couldn't walk away from. I was perfect for me right out of the shoot, though I did lower the action just a bit. Not quite used to stainless steel strings yet, but the sound is perfect and versatile beyond what I thought possible. One feature that I overlooked until recently is that it has a zero fret. Consequently a very even sound and open notes sound the same as fretted notes.
 
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