Do you have opinions on this? i have a jazz cs but i would be interested in buying a sandberd masterpiece..thank you.
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Fender custom shop vs sandberg masterpiece
- Thread starter Pantofolaio79
- Start date
Different animal. I have never seen any Sandberg with my own eyes, let alone held one, but apparently the Masterpiece is a force to be reckoned with.
It would be interesting to get feedback from anyone who has tried or owns a fender cs and sandberg masterpiece to help me understand..I have a cs but have never tried a masterpiece ..
I just recently discovered that the zero fret is a construction feature of German origin .. in fact the basses of several German brands have the zero fret, it is not a question of economic bass ..
I have owned several "normal" Sandbergs and they were all excellent, the quality was up there with Musicman. I have never had the chance to play a Masterpiece as they are quite a rare beast but I would imagine they are top quality basses. And Holger is a total dude!
Apparently there is an 18 months wait for one of these but Bassdirect in the UK has a VS4 for £2499.
Apparently there is an 18 months wait for one of these but Bassdirect in the UK has a VS4 for £2499.
Maybe drop in and chat to some of the folks over at the Sandberg club:
Club Sandberg (part 2)
I'm a bit biased, but I would choose a Sandberg Masterpiece over a Fender CS any day.
Club Sandberg (part 2)
I'm a bit biased, but I would choose a Sandberg Masterpiece over a Fender CS any day.
I’ve not played a Masterpiece, I have played Sandbergs and they were ok but usually were on the heavy side .
I have played and owned plenty of Fender Custom Shop basses and have enjoyed them.
I would only buy a custom bass used or with a return policy because if I didn’t like it I would not want be stuck with it only to have to find a buyer to unload it ( been there and it’s no fun)
I have played and owned plenty of Fender Custom Shop basses and have enjoyed them.
I would only buy a custom bass used or with a return policy because if I didn’t like it I would not want be stuck with it only to have to find a buyer to unload it ( been there and it’s no fun)
Aplogies for the late repsonse, but I've owned several Fender CS's and Sandberg Masterpieces. Currently I have a Sandberg California II TT (Jazz) Hardcore Masterpiece.
None is better than the other, just different.
What I prefer over the Fender CS's is the Sandberg smaller body (& lighter weight), and the single volume and pick up controls.
The "aged" thing is something you like or not. I love it - The bass really feels and sounds like it has done 30+ years of countless gigs. It's hard to put in words, you just have to feel and hear it for yourself, and even then it's a matter of taste.
The re-sell value of a Fender is possibly higher, if that is important to you.
I have owned 5 Fender CS's including 1 Masterbuilt, but I'd choose a Sandberg over a Fender any day of the week.
None is better than the other, just different.
What I prefer over the Fender CS's is the Sandberg smaller body (& lighter weight), and the single volume and pick up controls.
The "aged" thing is something you like or not. I love it - The bass really feels and sounds like it has done 30+ years of countless gigs. It's hard to put in words, you just have to feel and hear it for yourself, and even then it's a matter of taste.
The re-sell value of a Fender is possibly higher, if that is important to you.
I have owned 5 Fender CS's including 1 Masterbuilt, but I'd choose a Sandberg over a Fender any day of the week.
Thank you for your reply .. I actually agree with your consideration .. I really think that in the end they can't really compare .. I have a jazz 60 cs that I love and I ordered a passive tt4 masterpiece .. and in fact I expect a different bass but one of a kind .. i chose kloppmann jb71 pickups just to have a different instrument with vintage and modern characteristics at the same time .. i still have a lot of months to wait ..
Aside from the ultra high end Sandbergs that I can't afford at this "station in my life", their German built 4-strings typically have a neck width that might be ideal for me; 39.5mm at the zero fret. My lockdown purchase was one of their Electra TT's that I found on a clearance sale.
It turned out that the width on those necks is 37mm at the zero fret (they were incorrectly listed as having the same 39.5mm width on Sandberg's site when I bought mine). The Electra was a very nice build that I wanted to get along with, but it was just too skinny for me.
So if I go after another Jazz styled bass down the road and I don't quite want something with a neck that's more of a typical P width, a German Sandy may be on my short list. That 39.5mm width just might be my personal sweet spot. That's pretty much why they're on my radar, but I've also been disappointed in one way or another with a few Fenders through the years, including three or four US versions. My sob story...
You might find a better fit with one neck or the other, but I'd expect both labels to give you and instrument that's really well put together.
It turned out that the width on those necks is 37mm at the zero fret (they were incorrectly listed as having the same 39.5mm width on Sandberg's site when I bought mine). The Electra was a very nice build that I wanted to get along with, but it was just too skinny for me.
So if I go after another Jazz styled bass down the road and I don't quite want something with a neck that's more of a typical P width, a German Sandy may be on my short list. That 39.5mm width just might be my personal sweet spot. That's pretty much why they're on my radar, but I've also been disappointed in one way or another with a few Fenders through the years, including three or four US versions. My sob story...
You might find a better fit with one neck or the other, but I'd expect both labels to give you and instrument that's really well put together.
I am very curious about the Sandberg neck to see what kind of feeling there will be .. I think I have never tried a neck with a 14 radius, I have always been used to a 7.25 or 9.50 radius .. it will be a nice surprise ..
I haven’t owned a Masterpiece Sandberg but I’ve owned a Marlowe DK 4 and currently own a Lionel 30” scale with a lot of extra options. I’ve also owned several custom shops over the years. In terms of fit/finish/overall build quality..Sandberg all day long. Sandbergs are, to me, on a different level manufacturing wise.
Most of the CS basses have been unnecessarily heavy(when you know fender had the leverage to get as much nice, light wood as is available) and really sketchy fretwork. All but one has required a fret dressing to get to playable with low action(especially in the upper register). Truly vintage attention to detail IMO. There’s a huge appeal with FCS because the logo, the shape, the headstock, the nitro paint job etc... It’s classic and undeniably cool. The nicest CS I ever played was actually a Tele. Truly an incredible guitar. I just don’t think they put as much attention in with the basses because they are building a certain number every month(several hundred just in the custom shop) and the CS guitars outsell the basses probably 10-1.
Most of the CS basses have been unnecessarily heavy(when you know fender had the leverage to get as much nice, light wood as is available) and really sketchy fretwork. All but one has required a fret dressing to get to playable with low action(especially in the upper register). Truly vintage attention to detail IMO. There’s a huge appeal with FCS because the logo, the shape, the headstock, the nitro paint job etc... It’s classic and undeniably cool. The nicest CS I ever played was actually a Tele. Truly an incredible guitar. I just don’t think they put as much attention in with the basses because they are building a certain number every month(several hundred just in the custom shop) and the CS guitars outsell the basses probably 10-1.
In fact, I opened this post precisely because Fender cs has an undeniable charm ... leaving aside what is its market power ... I hope I have heard from everyone that Sandberg has a truly excellent build quality with much more attention to detail .. reasons why precisely having already a CS I decided to choose a sandberg .. and I'll be curious to make this comparison in person
With some (but limited) experience in Sandberg vs Fender CS, I would easily pick Sandberg. Every Sandberg I played was finely crafted and from very resonant and "alive" wood. They were ALL very easy to play, and better setup than any regular Fender I have seen. But the are not Fenders...
And I will say, the best bass I ever played, was a Fender CS Jazz, closet classic or time machine. Flawless.
And I will say, the best bass I ever played, was a Fender CS Jazz, closet classic or time machine. Flawless.
Thank you for your answer .. I choose sandberg because I already have a fender cs .. it sounds divinely .. jazz heavy relic .. so next to it a sandberg tt4 with kloppmann pickup
Some time ago I asked here in a post what were the differences between a Sandberg tt4 passive Masterpiece and a jazz bass 60 custom shop..many of you told me that you couldn't really make a comparison because two very different basses..after months, having both of them I can express my opinion: I slightly prefer the Sandberg..a of constructive quality in the care and in the details it is superior, albeit slightly but it is..then obviously level the Sandberg is of a more modern nature see the radius from 14 but holds perfectly all its vintage character .. the Fender is a classic so then here comes the subjective factor .. this is simply my opinion, and I also think that a Fender custom shop is still too expensive for what it's really worth .. I hope to being able to be of help to those like me who have had these doubts ..
Thank you. I am considering both right now. Do you have pictures of your Sandberg?
