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Do you need a Sadowsky bass ?

#63
sheltjo6 said:
Sounds like a jazz bass to me regardless of who manufactured it.
I've heard massed produced instruments that sound amazing and boutique instruments that sound like crap.
(I've more often heard the opposite though.)

It all depends on how an instrument is built and who is playing.

I recently watched a video on Facebook that made the following point:
A mediocre bassists can make a boutique bass sound mediocre whereas a great bassist can make any bass sound boutique.
As a fellow bassist told me, "It's the Indian, not the arrow!"
I've listened to a few bassists, whom I admire their playing, play several basses live in music stores and I'm amazed that they sound consistent regardless of what instrument they played.

I know that is not the answer you are seeking.
If I read your question correctly, you're asking if any one really needs a Sadowsky bass?
The answer in my opinion is no.

Would I buy a Sadowsky?
Maybe if I had money to burn and if the instrument played "that" much better than any of the basses I've personally assembled.

My Warmoth jazz bass is still my go to bass because it plays well and sounds great.
I have G&L JB-2 as a backup bass.
It plays well but does not produce the tone my Warmoth jazz bass produces. (And it costs more than the Warmoth)

I'm rambling. I'm probably repeating what others have already written in the responses to this thread.
I'll get off my soapbox now and stop preaching to the choir.

Thanks for posting this thread.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your well exposed & comprehensive reply :thumbsup:
 
#68
bass12 said:
It's funny you should mention Tal Wilkenfeld because, while I like the "Sadowsky sound", I don't like her tone at all. Way too harsh and clacky. I prefer the tone in the OP's clip. To me it sounds like a good Fender run through a preamp with a bit of compression on it.
Click to expand...
To me ... maybe I’m wrong ... Wilkenfeld is sinonymous of modern jazz bass sound which Sadowsky is an eminent exponent of .. ergo ... (IMO, IMO and only IMO)
 
#69
Biggbass said:
Sounds like a well played Fender J to me.
I really don't hear that much Sadowsky in the guy's tone. Gets a bit thin on the G & D Strings up the neck, sounds solid on the low end...typical Fender to my ears.
A Sadowsky would be more balanced in note definition throughout the fingerboard, even in the hands of a less experienced player. That opinion is founded in my own Sadowskys compared to my Fenders. YMMV
Click to expand...
:thumbsup:
 
#70
G On Bass said:
I have a bass from another manufacturer that has a Sadowsky pre and the same pickups. How would that be different? And if someone swapped pickups in their Sadowsky, would it still sound like a Sadowsky?
Click to expand...
Good question ... I believe that if the starting bass is well constructed and maintained, using Sadowsky’s electronics (which I like a lot BTW) should help in imitating the Sadowsky’s tone
 
#71
Barring extreme differences (flats vs. rounds, jazz vs. hofner, etc), sound is in the hands of the player at the end of the day.

I own both Sadowsky and Fender Jazz basses. Sadowsky builds a wonderful instrument and their customer service is top notch. I find the Sadowsky bass to be a more refined version of the Jazz.

That being said there is certain narly organic “gank” that Fenders bring to the mix. I don’t find it in the Sadowskys I have played or listened to on tracks.

I can get close to a Sadowsky tone using the Jazz with a pre. Harder to make the Sadowsky get that unruly Fender magic IMHO.

At the end of the day, I sound like me on any bass I play!
 
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#77
16notes said:
Barring extreme differences (flats vs. rounds, jazz vs. hofner, etc), sound is in the hands of the player at the end of the day.

I own both Sadowsky and Fender Jazz basses. Sadowsky builds a wonderful instrument and their customer service is top notch. I find the Sadowsky bass to be a more refined version of the Jazz.

That being said there is certain narly organic “gank” that Fenders bring to the mix. I don’t find it in the Sadowskys I have played or listened to on tracks.

I can get close to a Sadowsky tone using the Jazz with a pre. Harder to make the Sadowsky get that unruly Fender magic IMHO.

At the end of the day, I sound like me on any bass I play!
Click to expand...
Personally I agree with you ;)
 
#78
cnltb said:
But...what is the question and how does the linked video into the question?
Click to expand...
The question is the OP has got a certain opinion of what a Sadowsky bass sound (very well) and, rightly or not, he believes that the way that cheap MIJ 70s style jazz bass sounds is similar, bass player aside, to that of a Sadowsky bass..
Hence the OP’s question ...
 
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#80
Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati said:
Good question ... I believe that if the starting bass is well constructed and maintained, using Sadowsky’s electronics (which I like a lot BTW) should help in imitating the Sadowsky’s tone
Click to expand...
I have a Sadowsky preamp in my Lull Jazz. The bass sounds like a Sadowsky.
 
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