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Fender CS - Lakland - Sadowsky which one??

#21
New to the traditional Fender vibe are the 34" scale Nordy vJ Classic 4 and 5. These are right up this same alley and should be considered for those looking for the ultimate Fender Jazz experience.
 
#22
HI

What makes everyone think a Sadowsky is "modern" sounding? If you get a Sadowsky with humbuckers in the bridge position of a JJ with humcancelling pickups, I can understand. But a Sadowsky J with singles? Why would that be modern? Same body shape, singles coils in the exact locations of a Vintage Fender, 34" scale. Bypass the pre and there is really no difference between it and a CS Fender or Lakland JO. Right?

You cant discuss the brand and state that every one is modern sounding. Just not true. They can be if you get one that way. Or get a JJ, bypass the pre, and have the best of both worlds. Dont forget the single coils

Rob
 
#23
serein2j said:
I think you really gotta play one to decide.
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+1 I definitely agree with this.

I loved how Sadowsky played and sounded but I just prefer Vintage tone over Modern tone.
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I'm not so sure that I am with you on this one, though. I do agree that some Sadowsky's have that "Fender on steroids" tone, to a degree, but IME/IMHO, a Sadowsky equipped with single coils can sound quite "vintagey," especially in passive mode.

I find it somewhat amusing when some people refer to Sadowsky's as sounding more modern than they'd like, but then they typically run their Sadowsky's with a decent amount of bass and/or treble boost. When you want to sound more "era appropriate" on a Sadowsky (or any other bass with an active/passive option), my advice to try passive mode, first.

I have not had much experience with Fender Custom Shop basses, though I've briefly played one or two. Likewise, I don't have a ton of time in on a USA-built Lakland (though I do own several Skylines, and I think highly of them). The Alleva-Copollo's I have played definitely have a vintage vibe going on, for sure.

I guess what I am saying is that you definitely should play all of the basses that you can before making a final decision, but don't rule a Sadowsky out because you don't think it's going to sound "vintage enough." IME/IMHO, you certainly can get a very good vintage tone out of a Sadowsky, but you can also get a more modern tone.

YMMV, of course.
 
#26
Mastermold said:
Lots of threads on this I think. The gist is all are on par with each other quality-wise. You'll get more modern tone from a Sadowsky, more vintage tone with the Fender and Lakland. I'd try a few and see what you like.
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I agree there are nearly 10,000 threads on this topic.

I disagree that the Sadowsky has a more modern tone and less of a vintage tone c/w Lakland and Fender. I've been there done that and played some pre-CBS P and J basses too. I get those tones with my Sadowsky and whole lot more.

If you blindfold yourself and play one of Roger's vintage style P or J basses loaded with singe coils and bypass the preamp and play the other two companies high end basses, I'll bet you $50 you can't tell which is more sonically modern or vintage if you play all three. Blindfolded. Seriously.

You might know which is the Sadowsky if it's an NYC model and chambered producing a light weight bass.



Which to buy? Play 'em for yourself and decide.
 
#27
Thanks to all for the great information! Seems like all 3 of the brands have their fans. From the info I have gotten there seems to be a few consistencies: First and foremost, all are good choices. Second, one of the biggest differences of all 3 centers around tone. Probably needs to be heard to make a real decision but all have their subtle differences. Lastly, you gotta play them to see what fits best. There are a few places that have both Lakland and CS bases but have yet to find a place that has the NYC Sadowsky's. Where does one go to find them all under one roof?

I had not considered the Alleva Coppolo in my original post. I will do a serach to get more informaition on this brand.
Again, Thanks to all.
 
#29
Good point on the Sadowsky with single coils. I was comparing the Sadowsky with the others as the Sadowsky comes standard with the HC's and you would have to go single-coils as an upcharge, if i'm not mistaken. I didn't find that the Sadowsky sound changed much when bypassing the pre. Even with the VTC. It's a GREAT sound, but certainly not as versatile as the other two.
 
#31
Lakland all the way!!! I had a Sad Metro once....I hated the way it felt, played, and sounded. It was built well....just wasn't for me. I have had my Lakland for almost 10 years....it will be with me until the day I die. The only other brand that has given my Lakland a run for the money is LEJ. The LEJ5 I used to own felt better than my Lakland, but it did not sound as good.
 
#32
As mentioned, Sadowsky Metros and NYCs are quite different in that Metros do not have chambered bodies (you can totally notice the NYCs resonating when playing unplugged; not sure how this translates to plugged in playing), their necks are not as thin (front to back), the necks do not have graphite rods in them (this definitely adds to the strong attack of NYCs, IMO). To the OP, I would suggest to check out an NYC when making your mind up about Sadowskys. If you buy a Sadowsky, I believe they give you a 24 hour try-out period where you would have to pay for the shipping back if you return it.
 
#37
I own a couple of Sadowskys and a Lakland. Have played a CS5 a few times with the intent to purchase one. The Sadowsky with single coils in passive modes gets a great vintage tone (I have a Tokyo model which has a different preamp which is not as "modern" as the standard pre).

Just about every Lakland I have played has been exceptional in quality. Every Jazz instrument has been good. I don't think it has more vintage tone than the Sadowsky. The JO is a great sounding passive instrument, but didn't, IMHO seem to be the Holy Grail of Vintage tone.

The CS was a great instrument. Had no problems with it at all.. Didn't walk away with the need to own it after playing 5 different ones

My next jazz 5 is an Alleva Coppolo. I played one and it blew me away!! I have a vintage jazz bass and it felt and played just link a 40+ year old bass. Tonally it was there and the neck felt really comfortable. I think if you are looking for a vintage 5 string, there is no better answer than this
 
#39
I haven't actually played one of these myself, but I really like the tone of Lakland's basses. I've worked with a guy in studio that played a Lakland 5'er, and it's a dream to work with when mixing. Sounds good no matter what, within most genres.
 
#40
landru64 said:
can someone define 'vintagey' for me?
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Most basses these days have active electronics. 'Vintagey' is used to describe the tone of a passive bass, usually (such as in this thread) a Fender Precision or Jazz bass from the 50's or 60's.

FWIW/IMHO, Sadowsky basses have a modern tone even in passive mode. I don't mean that in a bad way: to the contrary, my #1 bass is a Sadowsky. And naturally I do *not* mean to say that Sadowsky basses sound radically different from vintage Fenders... they are Fender-style instruments, after all. But in general there is a difference, and that is by design: with a Sadowsky, you get the Sadowsky version of a Fender.
 

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