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F Bass or Sadowsky?????

T

thumb

Nov 16, 2004
19
0
52
laval
webanalsex.com
#1
Hello everyone, I will soon order a bass but, i was wondering witch one. Sadowsky RV5, Status S2-Classic or BN5 F Bass. I have small hand's, I am looking for a very Pro round and warm sound. Fat and Punchy. I Know it is a personal choice and that i should try them but, they dont sell them were i live.
So i'm gonna take a chance, and i know there reputations so.....
 
#2
thumb said:
Hello everyone, I will soon order a bass but, i was wondering witch one. Sadowsky RV5, Status S2-Classic or BN5 F Bass. I have small hand's, I am looking for a very Pro round and warm sound. Fat and Punchy. I Know it is a personal choice and that i should try them but, they dont sell them were i live.
So i'm gonna take a chance, and i know there reputations so.....
Click to expand...

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=180978
 
#3
Two completely different beasts.

Drop both of them an email and ask if there are any owners in the Montreal/Laval area. In fact, I recall an issue of BP that had a brief on a bass player in Montreal that had two F basses. I know Steve's used to carry them years ago.

I suggest email and check them out for yourself.
 
#4
bmc said:
I know Steve's used to carry them years ago.

I suggest email and check them out for yourself.
Click to expand...

They don't carry them anymore. Archambault centre-ville might have some.

If you can get a hold on Jean-Louis locas, he is in Ste-Rose. He own a few F.

I owned both F and Sadowsky basses, they are both GREAT bass. If i had to own only one it would be the F though. Alot more versatile.
 
#5
Bonjour Yvon

I remember Steve's carrying F basses in the late 70's when they came out. In fact, I think F Basses were built in Montreal before George moved to Hamilton. It's amazing how much one way traffic hit the 401 back then. :D
 
#8
Actually, not that different.
They both go for the Jazz bass tone and they both nail it quite well IMO.
The F Bass is really a Jazz bass in wolfs clothes. It's a lot like a Sadowsky in reguards to going for a jazz type sound but with a pretty transparent pre-amp that doesn't color the basic sound, but just adds lows, mids and highs.
The Sadowsky Metros, while coming in a bit cheaper than the F Bass, is just what you want. Fat and punchy. The pre-amp acts just like the F Bass pre, as it doesn't add really any color to the sound of the bass, just boosts the lows & highs.
A trick with the Sadowsky pre is to use it lightly. A little bass boost or a little treble boost will go a LONG way with their pre-amp. Most guys who check out the Sadowsky, the first thing they do is crank the pre up, forgetting that it is boost only and turned all the way down is actually flat-or the center detent of most other pre-amps.
The F Bass pre is much more subtle than the Sadowsky pre, but they are the two best sounding pre-amps I think I ever heard/played.
I own both basses you mentioned, two F Basses-BN5 and a BNF5, and also two Sadowsky's- RV4 and a RV5. I've owned in the past a Sadowsky NYC standard 5 and also a NYC Modern 5 fretless.
I prefer the Sadowsky myself. I like the neck shape and feel. And also their tone-the classic "Sadowsky Sound".
You may like the F Bass as the width at the nut is a bit slimmer and the profile of the neck is a bit flatter as well.
This is not ment to sound like I dislike F Basses, ther are as nice as anything else out there, I just prefer Sadowsky a bit more. Sorta like preferring a Jag over a Mercedes. Totally happy with either, but likeing the styling or feel of another a bit more.
Oh yeah, the Metros IMO, are 95% of the NYC basses feel & tone wise.
 
#13
IME it has to be Fbass. The preamp is much more versitile. It doesn't look like some copy of another instrument. The feel is great for me. The spacing at the bridge is the perfect 19mm and the nut spacing feels great. The neck radius also feels great (a bit thicker that sad) to me and the body balances very well.

With Sadowsky I hated not having a mid knob, the neck felt wide and flat which I don't like, the 34" felt kinda comfy, it was a bit lighter, but just didn't feel right to me. Also I am sick of seeing companies make fender copies. I never can drool at one unless its a modern model. They do sound great just not as versitile as Fbass. The main breaker IMO will be feel. While they are awesome basses the price doesn't warrant the feel of the bass to me.

Good luck and really try both out before buying..

;)
 
#14
sethlow3 said:
IME it has to be Fbass. The preamp is much more versitile. It doesn't look like some copy of another instrument. The feel is great for me. The spacing at the bridge is the perfect 19mm and the nut spacing feels great. The neck radius also feels great (a bit thicker that sad) to me and the body balances very well.

With Sadowsky I hated not having a mid knob, the neck felt wide and flat which I don't like, the 34" felt kinda comfy, it was a bit lighter, but just didn't feel right to me. Also I am sick of seeing companies make fender copies. I never can drool at one unless its a modern model. They do sound great just not as versitile as Fbass. The main breaker IMO will be feel. While they are awesome basses the price doesn't warrant the feel of the bass to me.

Good luck and really try both out before buying..

;)
Click to expand...


See, my opinon was different from seth's. Finally folks are having intelligent discussions and not just bashing.
Great point of view seth!
But Sadowsky's are better! ;)
hehe! :D
 
#15
sethlow3 said:
IME it has to be Fbass. The preamp is much more versitile. It doesn't look like some copy of another instrument. The feel is great for me. The spacing at the bridge is the perfect 19mm and the nut spacing feels great. The neck radius also feels great (a bit thicker that sad) to me and the body balances very well.

With Sadowsky I hated not having a mid knob, the neck felt wide and flat which I don't like, the 34" felt kinda comfy, it was a bit lighter, but just didn't feel right to me. Also I am sick of seeing companies make fender copies. I never can drool at one unless its a modern model. They do sound great just not as versitile as Fbass. The main breaker IMO will be feel. While they are awesome basses the price doesn't warrant the feel of the bass to me.

Good luck and really try both out before buying..

;)
Click to expand...

I think of the Sad as a "wolf in sheeps clothing". It looks like a J bass, so it doesn't scare anybody or draw any attention, but it got its got the tone man.

I've taken a lot of flack over the years for playing modern looking basses ...
 
#16
Considering you are choosing between two $3,000+ instruments, you may want to get on a plane and try out the two instruments. If you go to NYC, I think you can try a number of Sadowskys at their shop. I think it's in Brooklyn. Or better yet, find one spot that has a number of both, and A/B them.

If you spend $300 on plane tickets and cabs, it may end up being a good investment.
 
#17
After playing both basses back to back this week, the two are a toss up to me and I go back and forth on which I actually like better.

Overall, I really like the tone of the Sadowsky the best, but what bothers me about them is the lack of treble roll-off (I know, get one with a VTC, but it's still prefer to be able to cut) and the lack of a mid adjustment. I understand and respect Rogers' view on not having a pre with a mid control, but for me, I really love to play with the mids both cutting and boosting, so not having one on a bass is a serious drawback for me. I will say that the Sadowsky is the bass I like the best that doesn't have a mid control though.

I like the styling and the feel of the Fbass over the Sadowsky. The neck feels a bit better to me although I like them both, but when it's strapped, the Fbass is hands down more comfortable to play even though they are much heavier than the Sadowsky. The Fbass pre is a bit more user friendly for me, but I wish that it had a mid and treble cut rather than just a boost. The output is a bit on the low side too, and even though it's an easy fix, I really wish that the pickups were hotter.

As of right now, I've decided that if I want to go Ash/Maple, I prefer the Fbass, but if I wanted anything with a Rosewood board, I'd go with the Sadowsky even though you really can't go wrong with either choice.
 
#18
Halftooth said:
Overall, I really like the tone of the Sadowsky the best, but what bothers me about them is the lack of treble roll-off (I know, get one with a VTC, but it's still prefer to be able to cut) and the lack of a mid adjustment. I understand and respect Rogers' view on not having a pre with a mid control, but for me, I really love to play with the mids both cutting and boosting, so not having one on a bass is a serious drawback for me. I will say that the Sadowsky is the bass I like the best that doesn't have a mid control though.

I like the styling and the feel of the Fbass over the Sadowsky. The neck feels a bit better to me although I like them both, but when it's strapped, the Fbass is hands down more comfortable to play even though they are much heavier than the Sadowsky. The Fbass pre is a bit more user friendly for me, but I wish that it had a mid and treble cut rather than just a boost. The output is a bit on the low side too, and even though it's an easy fix, I really wish that the pickups were hotter.
Click to expand...
Halftooth: If you are into the mids, have you tried a Zon or Roscoe? I mentioned this in another thread too. I've found those two fretless basses have a very similar tone, and they can give you all the mids you can want.

They are very different from the F Bass and Sadowsky, but worth a try.
 
#19
Bassmanbob said:
Halftooth: If you are into the mids, have you tried a Zon or Roscoe? I mentioned this in another thread too. I've found those two fretless basses have a very similar tone, and they can give you all the mids you can want.

They are very different from the F Bass and Sadowsky, but worth a try.
Click to expand...

Roscoe and Zon are probobly one of my favorite basses, and the Roscoes with the Demeter preamp flat out slams!
 
#20
Halftooth said:
After playing both basses back to back this week, the two are a toss up to me and I go back and forth on which I actually like better.

Overall, I really like the tone of the Sadowsky the best, but what bothers me about them is the lack of treble roll-off (I know, get one with a VTC, but it's still prefer to be able to cut) and the lack of a mid adjustment. I understand and respect Rogers' view on not having a pre with a mid control, but for me, I really love to play with the mids both cutting and boosting, so not having one on a bass is a serious drawback for me. I will say that the Sadowsky is the bass I like the best that doesn't have a mid control though.

I like the styling and the feel of the Fbass over the Sadowsky. The neck feels a bit better to me although I like them both, but when it's strapped, the Fbass is hands down more comfortable to play even though they are much heavier than the Sadowsky. The Fbass pre is a bit more user friendly for me, but I wish that it had a mid and treble cut rather than just a boost. The output is a bit on the low side too, and even though it's an easy fix, I really wish that the pickups were hotter.

As of right now, I've decided that if I want to go Ash/Maple, I prefer the Fbass, but if I wanted anything with a Rosewood board, I'd go with the Sadowsky even though you really can't go wrong with either choice.
Click to expand...


Check this one out:
Link Removed
It's about half way down the F Bass Custom page as well:
F Bass Custom Main Page
I don't mean to spam here, but if your looking for an F Bass I'm selling this one. It also used to belong to our own Adrian Garcia, you can PM him for details as well.
Shoot me a PM and we'll talk if your interested.
 

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