Fender Roscoe Beck V vs Sadowsky Metro5

I would have tough time choosing, if the choice was straight up. They are both awesome basses.

The Roscoe Beck's are getting to be rare beasts, and you may have traders regret for letting it go.

 

Keep the Roscoe Beck V...! You'll be glad you did.

 

You have a LIGHT Roscoe Beck V????

How light?

 

Keep your Roscoe Beck.

You can always get a new Sadowsky Metro.

 

Having owned and gigged both, I vote keeping the RB5.

 

There are two sorts of responses, I believe. Those with an to collecting say get the RBV, those thinking about primarily a gigging workhorse are probably thing Sadowsky. The irony is that the RBV was designed to be a gigging workhorse, but they are now rare, and do you really want a rare base to be your workhorse?

 

Yeah but why trade straight across a more valuable collectors bass for a readily available workhorse?

I say keep the Fender. And I usually don't plump for Fenders.

 

You are right, as I often do on TB, I read the post too quickly.

 

They aren’t making any more RB V’s

 

Keep the Fender RB, you will regret it.

Just a suggestion! Try a Squier Contemporary Active Jazz 5. It just might amaze you how good they sound, and it's quality. All for about 1/8 the price of the Sadowsky

 

If you can handle the size, the RB Five is simply the best 5-string Fender ever made, or ever will make. Nothing wrong with a Metro, but for me it's the RB all day, every day.

 

This is a great question. I've never played a RB bass but I've always been curious. My main basses are a Sadowsky NYC 5 and Metro 4. To me they both seem to be attempting the same thing, a modern update to the classic fender vibe with a little more, but arriving at it completely differently. I would think that the weight and girth would be the deciding factor to me. By all accounts the RB basses are heavy and the necks are rather large but still comfortable. Sadowsky tends to be light weight and the body is smaller than a traditional jazz so it feels sleek. My NYC weighs 7.8lbs and my Metro just a little over 8. It would take a while for me to warm up to a 10 pound bass these days.

With all of that said I would love to add an RB to my collection and they aren't making any more of them. Considering you already have the RB, my talk bass approved answer is...both

 

Since I misread the original post, I say that I strongly favor keeping the RBV. I say use it, but save for a Sadowsky since the RBV is rare and borderline vintage.

 

I much prefer the Sadowsky but I would never trade a rare Fender RB 5 to get one especially if you have a RB less than 10 lbs!
I use my Sadowsky basses exclusively for recording and in ear situations and my Fenders for live performances.
I have 2 Sadowsky’s and 4 Fenders.
Don’t sell your lightweight RB ……….

 

Is the Sadowsky active? I'm partial to passive instruments so...

 

I own a Sadowsky Metro RV5, they are fantastic basses, but I don't understand why the RB doesn't tick all the boxes you mention.

I would suggest anyone owning either of these basses you should keep it. IMO both basses will do the best job and neither will outperform the other.

 

I might have missed it, but is there a reason the RB doesn’t work for those situations for you? Is the collectible nature of the RB of any concern to you? Or do you have any attachment to it? If not, and you just want to see if you like the sadowsky better, I would find a way to play one in person back to back with your bass. Those fenders get a lot of praise on here, but if it’s just another bass to you, no problem with trading it for something you like more.

 

The Fender is a great bass. But a Sadowsky is a Sadowsky. I mean you have a Fender bass with the fantastic preamp and lighter bass.
I have played Fender basses for a very long time, but since a own some Sadowsky basses, all my Fender were gone.
Sadowsky is among the best basses you can find.

 

Yes they are. With also a preamp bypass