Do you need a Sadowsky bass ?

[DiMarco]

I got the chance to play a Sadowsky jazz last thursday and it beats any fender I played in the past 25 years.
Perfect neck, perfect fretwork. Awesome subtle controls with every setting in the usable range.
No pun intended but with every Fender so far there's always been something wrong or faulty.

Do you need one? No. But they are awfully sweeeeet to play.
For this, you have to dig deeper in your pocket then for the average Fender.

Is it worth it? That depends on how much you value your money.

 

[Panther]

I got the chance to play a Sadowsky jazz last thursday and it beats any fender I played in the past 25 years.
Perfect neck, perfect fretwork. Awesome subtle controls with every setting in the usable range.
No pun intended but with every Fender so far there's always been something wrong or faulty.

Do you need one? No. But they are awfully sweeeeet to play.
For this, you have to dig deeper in your pocket then for the average Fender.

Is it worth it? That depends on how much you value your money.

Same thing happened to me. That's why I bought the Sadowsky

 

[AcridSaint]

I won't comment on whether or not someone needs a Sadowsky. But, ask yourself this - if you're a professional, is a $3000 tool real that much money? How long will a well-cared-for Sadowsky last? The cost over your lifetime as a player is negligible. Consider the cost of "tools" for any other job and their lifespan.

 

[DigitalMan]

Not really but, I'll take a MIJ Jazz, MIJ P-Bass, MIJ Aerodyne and for S#*ts and giggles a MIJ Mustang and put the rest of the money I'd have paid for the Sadowsky in the bank.

I’d rather have the Sadowsky as none of those basses really compel me, and it sounds like a lot more strings to have to change. Having said that, I’m not buying the Sadowsky either.

 

[Trouztrouz]

I turn 50 this year, there's a good chance that my wife will get me a surprise Sadowsky or tell me to take a pilgrimage to the mecca in NYC.

Hang on... How can you tell us about something your wife will be giving you as a surprise? Is this like a variation of the unexpected hanging paradox?

 

[Acoustic356]

You can add a Sadowsky Pre-amp (drop in or pedal).. that should would help get "the tone."

I have a Signature Fender and a Sadowsky Metro. Passive Fender, active Sadowsky. They sound the same passive. Completely indistinguishable.

The preamp on the Sadowsky is boost only.. when when you bring in the pre... you get a nice fat bass tone colored with their pre-amp.

 

[Kubicki Fan]

Maybe, but I don't like her tone (what I've heard of it anyway). Will Lee and Walter Becker on the other hand...

I just happen to watch an interview between Will Lee and Rogers Sadowsky.
Even Sadowsky has his hits and misses (as the interview with Will Lee reveals around the one minute mark).
No doubt Sadowsky's instruments earned their good reputation. As to what a given person needs, it will differ from case to case. If one can accomplish what one aims for with a say $850 G&L then one needs to look no further for the right tool.

 

[matty4string]

I don't need a Sadowsky bass, but I sure as heck would like to have one! I think if a person could find a really nice made in Mexico or crafted in Japan Jazz bass, you could then install the aftermarket Sadowsky drop-in preamp, and have a fairly close iteration of the real deal from New York or Tokyo. I don't have time to watch the video right now with headphones but I'll check it out later. Always good posts from @Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati !

Why not USA?

 

[matty4string]

I got the chance to play a Sadowsky jazz last thursday and it beats any fender I played in the past 25 years.
Perfect neck, perfect fretwork. Awesome subtle controls with every setting in the usable range.
No pun intended but with every Fender so far there's always been something wrong or faulty.

Do you need one? No. But they are awfully sweeeeet to play.
For this, you have to dig deeper in your pocket then for the average Fender.

Is it worth it? That depends on how much you value your money.

I disagree.

 

[Pbassmanca]

Why not USA?

Of course an American model would be great, I just suggested the other models as they can usually be had for less which makes for a thrifty Franken-dowsky

 

[design]

may put this under “bassists” but, aside from the bass player who’s really good, .....

So i googled and found out that the bass player is Kinga Glyk the bandleader. Dear OP please edit your first post to include her name! ‍

 

[bassstation]

may put this under “bassists” but, aside from the bass player who’s really good, I’d like to focus on the bass tone..
Here we have a MIJ Fender sounding like a Sadowsky IMO (please don’t come up with the usual “the sound is in the fingers” sort of comments of stuff like that) or not?
Tal Wilkenfedish sound?
What do you think?
Bass solo part starts st about 04:40...
Opinions awaited ...

Do I need a sadowsky? after finally getting to try one out (pj hybrid) in a shop a few years ago... YES I DO

 

[Govner22]

My primary basses are an MIA Jazz (that sounds so much better than several other Jazzes I demoed at the time) and a Metro HPJ. The Sadowsky is much more versatile and is my #1 but the J has a particular voice the Sadowsky doesn’t.

 

[Marley's Ghost]

I need one. But I can't afford one.

 

[Nightman]

So i googled and found out that the bass player is Kinga Glyk the bandleader. Dear OP please edit your first post to include her name! ‍

Very nice playing! Enjoyed listening to this.

 

[phillipkregg]

To me it sounds like a regular jazz bass tone with a great player controlling it.

A Sadowsky has more of a modern sound to it - a little brighter and more focused and punchy sounding.

In this case though, it's not the bass, it's the player. She can make any bass sound great.

As much as you don't want to hear "the sound is in the fingers", that's really pretty accurate. When you're great, you're great, regardless of the brand name of the instrument.

If you gave Tal Wilkenfeld a Fender or Ibanez, or whatever, she's gonna sound great.

Do you need a Sadowsky? No. Do you need hard work, experience and perseverance? Hell yes.

 

[ajkula66]

Very nice playing! Enjoyed listening to this.

+ 1.

And there's some far more interesting stuff from her band on YT...



Ms. Glyk sounds great on that EB-3 clone as well IMO, and at only 20...she's definitely a breath of fresh air.

Wishing her the best of luck from the bottom of my heart.

Many thanks to OP for bringing this fine young lady and her band to my attention...

 

[GreyBeard]

The good thing about playing bass today is that while I might want a $5,000 Sadowsky, all I really need is my $599 Sire v7-5. That bass can easily cover everything I need. But, I still want the $5,000 Sadowsky.

 

[Chrisk-K]

Do I need a Sadowsky? No, I need two - one with a maple fingerboard and the other with a rosewood board.

I've been thinking about buying a MIA Fender J. Since a decent Fender J will cost $2k, I'm tempted to pay a little bit more to get a Sadowsky. I've tested 4 Sadowsky basses in my life, and each of them was impeccable.

 

[red_rhino]

Does Yo-Yo Ma really need a Stradivarius?

Do we really need another "Do you really need a Sadowsky?" thread?

Does it really matter?