Knowing that the both instruments had new strings, I'd go with the Sadowsky. It has much more clarity to my ears. The Ray sounds muffled in comparison.
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Feedback Wanted on tone preference.
- Thread starter Dr. Cheese
- Start date
Stingray Special's preamp is revoiced to be more subtle than the OG circuits and ceramic pickups. These are Neodymium pups and more polite in the highs. Could be a matter of string freshness, preamp voicing (the sadowsky pre notches out at 300 hz if I'm not mistaken, which clears up the sound very nicely and rumbles in my experience tend to have a bump around that area), and many other things.
In the end if it sounds good then it's good. Choose the one you can't stop thinking about.
In the end if it sounds good then it's good. Choose the one you can't stop thinking about.
Really??? Opposite for me. I think the SR is more gigable done. I had to fast forward and move around and did not find anything useable with the Sadowsky. And I am not exactly a deep SR fan-boi.
May sound good by itself but too scooped. I listened to my best listening system (EV Interface-D and Yamaha Sub, Schitt DAC to a Marantz pre-amp and Tube power amp). A lot of subsonic rumble, mids are lacking. Maybe good for soloing on the high notes but so is the SR
How can you hear fret buzz that I did not hear live or on the video, and nobody else mentioned, but you cannot make any comments about the tone?
I suspect the Sadowsky will have a good finger tone, like my Super 5, but with more bottom end. I will check again before I make a final decision.
Hey Doc,
Both sound good but the Sadowsky is the better sounding to my ears. The Stingray sounds a little muffled by comparison. Of course, you opened with that above the 12th fret work with the Sadowsky and not on the Stingray. I liked the brighter and more open sound of the Sadowsky and was surprised by the versatility of sounds you were able to get from it. Comparing these two is reminiscent of comparing a Jazz and P-bass. They are both great basses but with different sound capabilities. I voted for the Sadowsky.
Neither is a bad choice, and they both could serve someone well for a lifetime. I’ve owned and played both onstage and in studios for years - haven’t played MM/J Sadowsky, but their proprietary preamp is a distinctive key feature across all models.
I’ve found that a Sadowsky is easier to work with if you want a sound that fits in with the widest variety of music you’re likely to encounter. My “gun-to-the-head” choice. Sound techs seem to like them and I’ve gotten unsolicited positive comments on a regular basis regarding the sound.
Traditional Sadowsky J models get a lot of their sound from the preamp - it just works and that’s well-documented. The traditional MM sound seems to slot a little higher and more aggressively in the mix. Ultimately, the old chestnut comes into play - you have to go with what the heart wants in conjunction with the instrument that truly gets the sound in your head out into the world.
I’ve found that a Sadowsky is easier to work with if you want a sound that fits in with the widest variety of music you’re likely to encounter. My “gun-to-the-head” choice. Sound techs seem to like them and I’ve gotten unsolicited positive comments on a regular basis regarding the sound.
Traditional Sadowsky J models get a lot of their sound from the preamp - it just works and that’s well-documented. The traditional MM sound seems to slot a little higher and more aggressively in the mix. Ultimately, the old chestnut comes into play - you have to go with what the heart wants in conjunction with the instrument that truly gets the sound in your head out into the world.
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Having both yet different models, a NYC Sadowsky JJ and a MM Old Smoothie both 4 string, I think the Sad is more versatile. I love them both. Enjoy!
I don’t know if it has been said, and I have not read through the entire thread yet, but let’s first talk about price. The German made Sadowsky is $1000 more brand new at retail than the American made EBMM Stingray Special. I’m not sure why there is such a cost difference, but there it is. Also, I’m really not a fan of the Sadowsky pickguard styling on this bass. However, as most have said, that Sadowsky sounds gooooooood. I recently picked up a used Stingray Special 4HH here in the classifieds (for $2000 less than the new retail price of these Sadowsky’s), and it is really killer with a lot of versatile tones. I have to tweak the onboard EQ a bit to get each setting where I like it, and maybe the Sadowsky requires less tweaking, but again the cost difference is very real. I really dig the tone in that Sadowsky, but I personally can’t justify the cost difference.
The Sadowsky has a way more useful tone. The Stingray was quite flat and dull.
V
The Sadowsky is $3,625 and the Stingray Special is $2,429. That is indeed a huge difference. If I can’t get the Sadowsky at New Year and I decide it is the one I want, I can wait until I have the money. This is more about a want than pure practicality.
Acknowledging that it's a want is a good thing. Keeping our heads about gear purchases isn't always easy, especially for bassists who hang around the enablers on THIS web site.
And before anyone thinks I'm pointing the finger at them, I'm the first to admit that I'm one of those enablers. I'm also one of the enabled, too.
And before anyone thinks I'm pointing the finger at them, I'm the first to admit that I'm one of those enablers. I'm also one of the enabled, too.
I liked the Sadowsky tone more in the video, but that has been my issue with Sadowsky basses. I like the way others sound on them more than how I sound on them. 
I have owned 2 lovely NYC Sadowsky basses in the past, but now own a very nice Stingray Special BFR. It takes a bit of effort to dial in the tone I want, but couldn’t be happier.
I have owned 2 lovely NYC Sadowsky basses in the past, but now own a very nice Stingray Special BFR. It takes a bit of effort to dial in the tone I want, but couldn’t be happier.
You just described 40 years of my life on jazz bass. Everyone else sounds great on a jazz. Not me.I liked the Sadowsky tone more in the video, but that has been my issue with Sadowsky basses. I like the way others sound on them more than how I sound on them.
I have owned 2 lovely NYC Sadowsky basses in the past, but now own a very nice Stingray Special BFR. It takes a bit of effort to dial in the tone I want, but couldn’t be happier.
Technically, I own two "Jazz Shaped Objects"...I'd guess they are wired so differently than a traditional jazz that I can actually play them.
Acknowledging that it's a want is a good thing. Keeping our heads about gear purchases isn't always easy, especially for bassists who hang around the enablers on THIS web site.
And before anyone thinks I'm pointing the finger at them, I'm the first to admit that I'm one of those enablers. I'm also one of the enabled, too.
This is definitely a want. I own enough basses already and I promise you that no one in church will notice a difference besides me.
I can definitely appreciate that. I’m looking forward to when these start hitting the classifieds
. One last discussion about the new retail price in these. Is it just the Sadowsky name commanding that price tag? I’m sure they are very well made, but if they were priced in that $2500 range new at retail, I’d probably already own one (with the clear pickguard
).
I can definitely appreciate that. I’m looking forward to when these start hitting the classifieds
One last discussion about the new retail price in these. Is it just the Sadowsky name commanding that price tag? I’m sure they are very well made, but if they were priced in that $2500 range new at retail, I’d probably already own one (with the clear pickguard
A big part of Sadowsky’s price is that they are made Germany, a high wage country.
Once again, for me it's a crapshoot listening to bass auditions over earbuds, computer speakers, etc., so I'll pass on what I think I'm hearing for what I know I'm hearing.
SR's are always going to have a characteristic, big humbucking tone, partly from their preamp and tone network, but primarily in that that big pickup and pole pieces are hearing the string over a wide 'aperture', look how wide it is with the double row polepieces, then imagine the field is actually a bit bigger than the shell, it's got quite a length of string in that spot to hear. Closer to the bridge than not, a bit brighter than bassier in that spot, this is a big part of the classic rage of a MM pickup, and why for me a double humbucker MM is TOO much of a good thing. The single pickup version sheds a bit of thickness by being mounted in that spot.
The Sadowsky is a two pickup bass, a fundamentally different proposition that allows for a mix of two pickups, and note these are (relative to the MM pickups) very narrow pickups. Add in the mightily and tasty tweaks Sadosky has built into these axes to basically perfect them in a practical sense as a Jazz Bass, it's just going to be different than a MM.
The difference in clarity most hear here is easily the result of two single coils vs. the big humbucker coupled to a not-as-fully realized tone circuit alongside the Sadowsky. Essentially, imagine this as the difference in a PBass and a JBass, except the PBass is on steroids.
Then it's down to the player and the amp to get it where you want it. And of course, the Sadowsky Jazz is much slimmer on the strap and in hand than the MusicMan.
All depends what you're after.
SR's are always going to have a characteristic, big humbucking tone, partly from their preamp and tone network, but primarily in that that big pickup and pole pieces are hearing the string over a wide 'aperture', look how wide it is with the double row polepieces, then imagine the field is actually a bit bigger than the shell, it's got quite a length of string in that spot to hear. Closer to the bridge than not, a bit brighter than bassier in that spot, this is a big part of the classic rage of a MM pickup, and why for me a double humbucker MM is TOO much of a good thing. The single pickup version sheds a bit of thickness by being mounted in that spot.
The Sadowsky is a two pickup bass, a fundamentally different proposition that allows for a mix of two pickups, and note these are (relative to the MM pickups) very narrow pickups. Add in the mightily and tasty tweaks Sadosky has built into these axes to basically perfect them in a practical sense as a Jazz Bass, it's just going to be different than a MM.
The difference in clarity most hear here is easily the result of two single coils vs. the big humbucker coupled to a not-as-fully realized tone circuit alongside the Sadowsky. Essentially, imagine this as the difference in a PBass and a JBass, except the PBass is on steroids.
Then it's down to the player and the amp to get it where you want it. And of course, the Sadowsky Jazz is much slimmer on the strap and in hand than the MusicMan.
All depends what you're after.
Please excuse my ignorance, but is USA not a high wage country? California not a high wage state? When EBMM Stingrays hit $3600 retail new, I’m out! Lol.
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