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Club Sandberg (part 2)

The Latest family photo.

Top left to right:
TT4 Masterpiece - Creme
TM2 HCA - Orange (with Black Label pups now fitted - not shown)
Panther - Bocote Top (match H/Stock)

NOTE- TM2 now has Black Label pups fitted

Btm left to right:
UMBO HCA - Red
Forty Eight HCA - Red (match H/Stock)
Grand Dark - San Remo Blue

View attachment 3206266
Thinking about getting a Panther, how do you like yours?
 
Hello all, I'm a happy owner of a TM4 and am thinking about adding a VS4 to round out my collection. Does anyone own or have an experience with the VS4? I would love to hear any thoughts you may have on the tones that the VS4 brings. I love the quality of Sandberg's and feel a VS4 may suit my needs. For context, I'm also looking at the EBMM Cutlass bass and a Maruszyczyk Jake. I'd like a P tone but not necessarily a strict old school sound.
Any advice would be much appreciated.
 
Hello all, I'm a happy owner of a TM4 and am thinking about adding a VS4 to round out my collection. Does anyone own or have an experience with the VS4? I would love to hear any thoughts you may have on the tones that the VS4 brings. I love the quality of Sandberg's and feel a VS4 may suit my needs. For context, I'm also looking at the EBMM Cutlass bass and a Maruszyczyk Jake. I'd like a P tone but not necessarily a strict old school sound.
Any advice would be much appreciated.
I have one of the new shape Vs4's. When I got it it was very bright but that was probably due to the extremely light weight (7.7lbs) and maple neck. I changed the pickup for a Emg Geezer Butler and made the bass passive. It is a very resonant bass and I could probably have EQ'd the scoop out but I like a vintage tone and everything is great now anyhow.
I'd have liked to try a rosewood neck to compare as the depth of the fretboard on Sandbergs makes a big difference to the tone between the maple and rosewood options IME. The steamed oak option looks interesting as well.
 
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Thanks for your advice, I would prefer Rosewood over maple in general and I've heard great things about EMG pups so I may have to give this a shot. I enjoy the Active/Passive toggle on my J Bass but I wonder how practical it is on a P style instrument. Do you find it usable on your VS4?
 
Thanks for your advice, I would prefer Rosewood over maple in general and I've heard great things about EMG pups so I may have to give this a shot. I enjoy the Active/Passive toggle on my J Bass but I wonder how practical it is on a P style instrument. Do you find it usable on your VS4?
I removed the preamp and configured the controls as volume - Stellartone -regular tone. I already had the Stellartone in my drawer and needed to fill the 3 control spaces. It comes in handy though giving, different mid character in the 6 settings.
The EMG Geezers are a re-creation of a classic 60's P Pickup, passive with vintage tone. They come with passive solderless wiring and pots.
 
You've got to love these guys.
Wanted to see if the factory would let us know what strings came on what models.
I had already aske a few questions and mentioned that I wasn't trying to be a PIA over minor details.
I sent an email and had a reply 1 1/2 hours later:

Hi Jim,
no problem, you are welcome!
I will answer all you questions as long as you have some.

We use 4 different types of bass strings at the moment….

Electra Series – D´Addario nickel
Marlowe DK Signature Bass – Dunlop nickel
Fretless basses – GHS Boomers nickel
6-sting basses – GHS Boomers nickel
All other basses – Sandberg stainless steel

Best,
Mike

GHS Boomers (roundwounds) on fretless basses? Not flatwounds? That's interesting!

Can any fretless Sandberg owners confirm that they come delivered with rounds?

Not meaning to sound picky, but rounds on a fretless would be a bit of a disappointment for me.
 
Mine had rounds when I first got it, but it didn't sound "right" to me and I ended up not playing it much. I just ordered some Deep Talkin' flats and going to string it E-C to see if it gets more interesting to me.
Thanks!

I hated the stock stainless steel strings on my fretted TM4. It now has flatwounds, and feels and sounds much better.

Now I'm also thinking about an E-C tuning on a new fretless TT5.

Merry Christmas!
 
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Today the Good Lady told me to get a new bass. What a woman!

So I just pulled the trigger on my first Sandberg. I was looking at the Fender Performer p/j bass but I have owned loads of Fenders over the years but I like P bass type basses so had a look and spotted a VS4 Californian. I really like the shape of the body, familiar but different enough to make it stand out a bit. It has an active/passive circut in it which should come in handy.

Have I chose wisely?
 
Today the Good Lady told me to get a new bass. What a woman!

So I just pulled the trigger on my first Sandberg. I was looking at the Fender Performer p/j bass but I have owned loads of Fenders over the years but I like P bass type basses so had a look and spotted a VS4 Californian. I really like the shape of the body, familiar but different enough to make it stand out a bit. It has an active/passive circut in it which should come in handy.

Have I chose wisely?
Yes. Yes you have.
 
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Nice one, I’m sure you will enjoy it so welcome to the club... I’m sure you will get a number. Most people buy their first and end up with more.... hell i’m a guitarist but have 4 Sandberg basses! Ha ha
 
Mine had rounds when I first got it, but it didn't sound "right" to me and I ended up not playing it much. I just ordered some Deep Talkin' flats and going to string it E-C to see if it gets more interesting to me.
HUGE change with the flats - the mwah is back - and E-C is different enough that it might find its way into the rotation again. The 35" scale still weirds me out. At my age my fingers don't spread out as much as they used to. First-world problems...
 
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I had an oopsie again....

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