• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Dissapointed in Sadowskys

#61
KenToby said:
I've said it a billion times now, trust your ears not the headstock logo. A little objective homework goes a LLLOOONNNGGG way when shopping for a bass. Price and pretty are attractive selling points, however they're very seldom the final answer - trust me, I know! There are a few guys here on TB who continually try and catch the elusive tone phantom by buying high $$$$ basses only to sell them a month or two later like I used to do. By reading every review and hanging onto every hip catch phrase (what is "Growl" anyway??) I fell into that trap, I mean how many ways can you spin the words "Ash body, Maple neck, tone woods, blah -blah". Honestly, given its outstanding construction and materials, my $6700 Ken Smith is not my favorate bass. Believe it or not, I like the feel of my Ibanez Roadstar II and the tone of my very inexpensive passive SX '75 copy (with pickup upgrade) much better. It took some time and growth on my part to develop my point of view but it's working for me. Yea, I FEEL good about owning a $6700 Smith, but the reputation, legend and history, etc. of it speaks louder than its realities I'm afraid.
You did the right thing to "try before you buy". It's a lesson I wish I would have learned sooner instead of later.

KT
Click to expand...


I spent thousands and thousands of dollars to figure out that I like Jazz Basses-or copies there-of ;) .
Also, I have a certain Fodera that would like a new home. Was it a gamble buying the Fodera?? Yup, also an investment. (if you guys knew what I scored it for-you would crap yourself: me + right place + right time + guy needed money NOW for new house = I win :D )
Who knew, when I first got her, the honeymoon was killer. She looked good as hell, smelled nice, felt good. Then I asked baby to cook and clean. Ya know, like a good little Jazz bass should do.
Well, she wanted NOOOO part of it. Didn't like beer and hot wings. Just wine and sushi. Served.
But, my Sadowsky, now baby can make some MEAN azz BBQ pork chops or take you to Hooters, rub your feet after dinner and watch the game with you. AND LIKE IT!!!!! :D
And she looks good too. Not crazy pretty, but sexy. Too pretty and she doesn't get dirty. Now the sexy ones, they will get a little freaky, and we likes that!! :smug:
Umm....we are still talking basses right?!?!?
 
#64
Joelc73 said:
Not every bass by even your favorite luthier will blow you away. I'm a huge fan of Vinnie Fodera's work and I've had at least a few Foderas that just didn't do it for me.

I hated my first Sadowsky 5 and swore that it was all hype. I recently picked up a PJ5 that I'll never part with. Sometimes it is the luthier's style that doesn't work for you, other times it's just a case of a wood combo that produces something markedly different that what you're used to hearing in your head.
Click to expand...

Very well put, Joel. . .
 
#65
MikeBass said:
Who knew, when I first got her, the honeymoon was killer. She looked good as hell, smelled nice, felt good. Then I asked baby to cook and clean. Ya know, like a good little Jazz bass should do.
Well, she wanted NOOOO part of it. Didn't like beer and hot wings. Just wine and sushi. Served.
But, my Sadowsky, now baby can make some MEAN azz BBQ pork chops or take you to Hooters, rub your feet after dinner and watch the game with you. AND LIKE IT!!!!! :D
And she looks good too. Not crazy pretty, but sexy. Too pretty and she doesn't get dirty. Now the sexy ones, they will get a little freaky, and we likes that!! :smug:
Umm....we are still talking basses right?!?!?
Click to expand...

:eyebrow:



:eek:



:D



:hiding:
 
#66
Not to fan the flames but does it seem like every Sadowsky owner has something negative to say about Fodera's? Obviously not all of them but I never see Sadowsky players saying "I had a Smith and the Sadowsky KILLS it!"

It's almost as if...naaaah....
 
#67
Jared Morante said:
Not to fan the flames but does it seem like every Sadowsky owner has something negative to say about Fodera's? Obviously not all of them but I never see Sadowsky players saying "I had a Smith and the Sadowsky KILLS it!"

It's almost as if...naaaah....
Click to expand...
No. It's just that everybody knows Fodera sucks.


;)

I had a Vic Whooten to demo for a week. Great bass but I liked the Sadowsky better for what I consider to be my preferred ear candy. Also, I was afraid to get on Bikeplate's bad side. I have posted that I think Smith basses maybe the fastest and smoothest playing basses I've laid my hands on.



(You know I love ya', Rob!)
 
#68
Jared Morante said:
Not to fan the flames but does it seem like every Sadowsky owner has something negative to say about Fodera's? Obviously not all of them but I never see Sadowsky players saying "I had a Smith and the Sadowsky KILLS it!"

I don't know.... Ricky Minor has some of the nicest Smith's,
but I haven't seen him play anything live but his Sadowsky's
for a while now. Hhhmmm.... what do you think he's saying??
Click to expand...
 
#69
I spent thousands and thousands of dollars to figure out that I like Jazz Basses-or copies there-of .
Also, I have a certain Fodera that would like a new home. Was it a gamble buying the Fodera?? Yup, also an investment. (if you guys knew what I scored it for-you would crap yourself: me + right place + right time + guy needed money NOW for new house = I win )
Who knew, when I first got her, the honeymoon was killer. She looked good as hell, smelled nice, felt good. Then I asked baby to cook and clean. Ya know, like a good little Jazz bass should do.
Well, she wanted NOOOO part of it. Didn't like beer and hot wings. Just wine and sushi. Served.
But, my Sadowsky, now baby can make some MEAN azz BBQ pork chops or take you to Hooters, rub your feet after dinner and watch the game with you. AND LIKE IT!!!!!
And she looks good too. Not crazy pretty, but sexy. Too pretty and she doesn't get dirty. Now the sexy ones, they will get a little freaky, and we likes that!!
Umm....we are still talking basses right?!?!?
Click to expand...

LOL, Mike, I'm sure that she also tells you that nobody touches her the way you do...and you know that's not true... but you like to hear it...and then your face is like this: :smug:
LOL

keep groooovin'
Fran
 
#70
pickles said:
I've played a lot of the basses that people rave about, and didn't like them at all. There is no accounting for taste! If you have access to one of the "botique" style bass stores that are floating around, go in and just play everything they will let you play ;) You'll learn a lot and probably fall in love with something.
Click to expand...
,or maybe not. :hmm:
 
#71
Jared Morante said:
Not to fan the flames but does it seem like every Sadowsky owner has something negative to say about Fodera's? Obviously not all of them but I never see Sadowsky players saying "I had a Smith and the Sadowsky KILLS it!"

It's almost as if...naaaah....
Click to expand...


Umm. I did have a Smith (CR5G-6th one made) and it was smokin hot, but my Sadowsky just does it better for me.
I not flaming Fodera, I love me Emp 5, but having a +$3000 back-up bass seems strange to me. Wait, Sadowsky's can be +$3000.......DAMN!!!!!! Blows that reason out of the water :hmm:
How about.......I just prefer the neck and body shape of Sadowsky's?!?!? Especially the 5 string neck. Or I like the pre-amp a bit better. Or your momma does goats and midgets with.........Oops! Sorry!
Thats just me. And yeah, I don't wanna piss off bike either!!! ;)
 
#72
I went from a Modulus 5 to a Sadowsky Metro. The original setup was kinda in the middle, not to high but definately not the low flying setup I enjoy having. I must say, it took me a while to fine tune the neck and strings to get the set-up I wanted but once I did...WOW. I find myself playing this bass ALL THE TIME! She was a bit heavier than my Modulus but like I tell every other bass player the picks her up "She feels a little heavy but she sounds like she weighs 6 tons". I haven't had a sound guy yet that hasn't said it's the best sounding bass he's ever mixed, and these aren't guys on a 16-channel Peavey board either, they're big boys. It's all about being happy with what you have or finding something that makes you happy. I went the Sadowsky way and I couldn't be happier.
 
#73
B String said:
Jared Morante said:
Not to fan the flames but does it seem like every Sadowsky owner has something negative to say about Fodera's? Obviously not all of them but I never see Sadowsky players saying "I had a Smith and the Sadowsky KILLS it!"

I don't know.... Ricky Minor has some of the nicest Smith's,
but I haven't seen him play anything live but his Sadowsky's
for a while now. Hhhmmm.... what do you think he's saying??
Click to expand...

Pretty sure I saw him on a recent tv show playing both.

I guess he's saying he can like more than one bass.
Click to expand...
 
#76
MikeBass said:
I spent thousands and thousands of dollars to figure out that I like Jazz Basses-or copies there-of ;) .
Also, I have a certain Fodera that would like a new home. Was it a gamble buying the Fodera?? Yup, also an investment. (if you guys knew what I scored it for-you would crap yourself: me + right place + right time + guy needed money NOW for new house = I win :D )
Who knew, when I first got her, the honeymoon was killer. She looked good as hell, smelled nice, felt good. Then I asked baby to cook and clean. Ya know, like a good little Jazz bass should do.
Well, she wanted NOOOO part of it. Didn't like beer and hot wings. Just wine and sushi. Served.
But, my Sadowsky, now baby can make some MEAN azz BBQ pork chops or take you to Hooters, rub your feet after dinner and watch the game with you. AND LIKE IT!!!!! :D
And she looks good too. Not crazy pretty, but sexy. Too pretty and she doesn't get dirty. Now the sexy ones, they will get a little freaky, and we likes that!! :smug:
Umm....we are still talking basses right?!?!?
Click to expand...

:D SO TRUE. This is why every luthier can stay in business and everyone can have a different bass. I thought I wanted a Fodera until recently, and then it just wasn't it for me. Because it's a great bass doesn't mean it's great for you. I think some took this personal because someone "call the baby ugly".
 
#77
B String said:
Ricky Minor's Sadowsky has been sounding totaly stupid on
the American idol shows. I'm sure it helps that he's the MD
on the gig. Sort of assured of being up front in the mix.
BUT!! His bass has that "Sadowsky" sound, and it sounds
killer! Again, I love the sound, just not the playability or the
feel of the Metro's that I played.
Click to expand...
Ricky ain't playing no Metro,but I've played a few of the Metros in Atlanta,and there were 2 MV5's that were real nice out of the bunch,but the other 3 were sorta hmmm...ok.however I still may purchase one because IMO they don't really sound like Fenders,the only similarity is the body albeit smaller,but I will say that the new Fender American Dlx basses have been improve BIG time !
 
#78
Jeff Rader said:
I think if Ricky was playing a JC Penny Special it would sound great!

To your point, I own 3 Sadowskys and I know what I sound like playing it. I'm sure I couldn't tell between a Sadowsky and many other basses if someone else was playing one. But then, I've never really been into what other people play as long as they play it well.

However, I do admit it is just a bit on the cool side to see Ricky playing one on AI :)

Jeff
Click to expand...
Hey Jeff don't be knocking the Vintage(he he)Jazz basses that JC Penny/Sears use to put out.My 1st Jazz bass was from Sears and it sounded great. :p
 
#79
bikeplate said:
Hi!

Its all good. I just dont like threads that bash specific gear. Gear is subjective. I'm disappointed with pretty much everything I pick up at a store but I'd never start a thread to bash it.

Rob
Click to expand...
Sadowskys haven't been bash no more so than any other basses thats been spoken of here at Talkbass.
I'm not trying to flame you,because even in this post there have been some good things said about this instrument. :)
 
#80
I would never start a thread bashing someone elses product unless I had personally knowledge of an unethical business practice being involved, I personally owned a very expensive 4 string from a major manufactor in the mid 80's it retailed for over 4000$ (lots of money in 84). After having numerous problems during the ordering process, I recieved a bass that wasn't what I ordered (wrong top, wrong scale length) the retailer was so frustrated he knocked 500 off the price and I went home with what I thought was a great bass. What I owned was a one trick pony, that could achieve one artist's sound as long as it wasn't on a a stage, It was stiff,and couldn't cut thru the mix if if the mix was melted butter. I sold that bass at a considerable loss! I have never started a thread saying, "whats wrong with ------- basses", and when someone ask for my opinion, I preference every comment, with I don't know whats going on with there shop now, and I'm sure there makeing products people like.
So now some comments on this thread:
#1 It's not that bad, really you should have read the Sadowsky threads when I Luv Pink was here!!
#2 Don't take it so seriously, It's just a bass. They are not talking about your kids or your mother ( I know Mikebass and if you read his comments in context they wern't that bad) Were talking about two pieces of wood,a bunch of wires, some recycled piano strings, and an overpriced piece of tortose shhell!
#3 I own a Sadowsky, I think it's great that some people don"t "get it"
I didn't for a while my self, It cost me a lot of other wasted experiences to discover my Metro was "the one".
#4 Dispite the fact I think Roger sprinkles angel dust on every one, I wasn't put on the earth to convince everyone to buy one, and unless there's some compensation (Roger a 5 string alder/maple special top would be nice) I don't worry if there not convinced
#5 It's better for us Sadowsky owners if they don't "get it". That way we'll continue to get all the gigs while other bassist suffer with grossly inferior equipment, JUST KIDDING........
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back