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Group Sadowsky-Convert!

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You guys are saying I may be able to get this as a 5'er come the first of the year?!!? Sweet :cool:
 
To r379: If you're a passive bass guy, you may not dig the Sadowsky tone. As a primarily passive guy myself, I have to say that I outfitted my Metro UV70 with single coils, and often run it passive. That is NOT the norm for Sadowskys, which have their own signature tone. There's nothing wrong with a USA JO -- one of the best passive Jazz basses made; in fact, you may well prefer it to a Sadowsky.

Thanks for your comments, Bartman.

I don't, unfortunately, own the JO anymore. I sold it during a moment of insanity and it was a very good JO, at that, and I'm told by a mutual friend that the current owner will never sell it.

There are no Sadowsky dealers where I live (closest one is in Austin) but I would like to try a Metro someday. Maybe that'll change my mind.
 
I put a deposit down on a used Sadowsky NYC (#1300 or so) today and will pick it up next week.

I have been agressively looking for a '70's Fender Jazz for the last year or two and didn't find one that I fell in love with, so I started looking at other stuff. Bought a Lakland 55-02... sold it. Just didn't cut on gigs. Have a Bongo 5... selling it. Too murky sounding and clear highs are a problem.

Tried the Sadowsky today and the owner of the store must have thought I was crazy! I seriously could have sat and listened to the sustain and sound of open E and octaves on the A and G string all day. It sounded that good.

Bought it on the spot. And... I bet it is under 8lbs (natural swamp ash body).

I am converted and completely understand the passion people have for these things.

If I didn't have to sell BOTH my MIA Fender Jazz V's AND my Geddy Lee Jazz to buy a Metro 5'er, I would have added that to the order!
 
I put a deposit down on a used Sadowsky NYC (#1300 or so) today and will pick it up next week.

I have been agressively looking for a '70's Fender Jazz for the last year or two and didn't find one that I fell in love with, so I started looking at other stuff. Bought a Lakland 55-02... sold it. Just didn't cut on gigs. Have a Bongo 5... selling it. Too murky sounding and clear highs are a problem.

Tried the Sadowsky today and the owner of the store must have thought I was crazy! I seriously could have sat and listened to the sustain and sound of open E and octaves on the A and G string all day. It sounded that good.

Bought it on the spot. And... I bet it is under 8lbs (natural swamp ash body).

I am converted and completely understand the passion people have for these things.

If I didn't have to sell BOTH my MIA Fender Jazz V's AND my Geddy Lee Jazz to buy a Metro 5'er, I would have added that to the order!

Congrats!!!

Did you buy it at Club Bass? I really have to get down there some time, it's the closest Sadowsky dealer. I did have them send me a Sadowsky outboard preamp, which I really like.
 
i havent come across a sadowsky in the UK yet but i do know a shop in london that sells them it just always seems to be closed when i have days off work!

i would love to give a few of them a try and see what they are like.. i love a good modern jazz and p bass so i think a sadowsky might make a good addition to my family as i dont currently own a jazz or p bass ( for the first time in many years!)
 
my sadowsky is the best investment i ever made in my playing. i play more and better than i ever have before.
every note i play is enjoyment and i'm always excited about playing on it - which to me is worth the purchase alone. but i've also been asked to play gigs for more people than i ever did before i had this bass.
 
I really need to play one at a gig or rehearsal because I have played Sadowskys three times, one time pretty extensively, and I can take them or leave them. To be more clear, I think they are beautiful, well made, and sound great. They just haven't struck me as enough of an improvement to justify the cost for me, a player who really makes no money from bass playing.

If I were doing studio work or gigging regularly in commerical venues, my opinion might be very different. That said, I have seriously considered installing a Sadowsky preamp in my basses or getting a Sadowsky outboard preamp.:)
I can dig what you're saying Cheese.As I mentioned here at this thread, it took me some time to really warm up to it,but I do play it more often and that's proably because I've got the Nordstrand J5 pickups in it which really fatten it's tone,however it's not like I can't leave home with out it
 
I have always liked Sadowskys. Ever since I saw a picture of a Modern 5 I've wanted to get one (or at the very least try one). Living in Lawrence, KS for ten years, there weren't any stores that stocked any boutique bass stuff. Every store within driving distance stocked only the most basic brands and buying and selling instruments on the internet hadn't really been perfected yet either (some say it's still not!).

So I knew I was just gonna have to wait. And wait I did until I moved to NY. Last year I was directed to an ebay auction of a beautiful used Trans Blue Metro MV5 thanks to a thread started by Mikebass. Then earlier this year I made the big mistake ;) of visiting the shop. After playing most of the basses in the showroom, I fell in love with an NYC 24-5 P/J and a regular NYC 24-5 with soapbars and I got those.

I ended up never playing the Metro so I put it on consignment a few weeks ago. My NYC's get most of the playing time and they have kept all of my other basses in their cases too. I never thought I'd say it but I could get rid of all but my P/J and be happy for the rest of my life. That's saying something!
 
Tried the Sadowsky today and the owner of the store must have thought I was crazy! I seriously could have sat and listened to the sustain and sound of open E and octaves on the A and G string all day. It sounded that good.

+1000, Sometimes I ged distracted by the beauty of that tone and play long notes just to enjoy that sweet, full tone.

I'm not exactly a Sadowsky convert, but for several years I stayed away from the Sadowskys because of the lack of a mid freq. eq. that all my previous basses had had. Once I tried one I fell in love with that low boost :bassist: it should have the word TONE written on capital letters on the knob. :)
 
Yep, my tests came back positive for an RV5 today. White/Tort and wow they are well made. A whole lot better made bass for only a little more money. Worth every cent.

VTC why would you build a bass today without it?

The attitude not to discount and therefore not to cut corners on quality totally works for me.

Another bass that "as is" needs nothing.


Big ditto on the UV70, they are very sweet.
 
This group is for the people like me.

I used to think, "Sadowsky is just a rip off of Fender, and they're overpriced etc etc."

And then, I played a Sadowsky 5-string Metro, and fell in love.

I can't afford one, but man do I love these! I go down to ClubBass here in Toronto just to play them!

So, who else is in the same boat as I am?

My story's almost the same as yours Mark, except that I couldn't find one to try out :(, so I took a huge leap of faith and ordered a brand new one (a Metro 5-24. Picture attached for reasons of further GAS induction :D).

It was a huge mistake :bawl: !!!

:hiding:

... now, I have to buy another one :D (just 4 strings, next time).

I was quite happy with my vintage Fenders, until I discovered that back ache is not mandatory to get a good tone and that even "dead spots" are optional :eek: !

Be prepared to get very disillusioned with a lot of "other" basses, once you get used to a Sadowsky.

As usual with Talkbass, the "hype" is always based on some kind of truth ;).

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i havent come across a sadowsky in the UK yet but i do know a shop in london that sells them it just always seems to be closed when i have days off work!

i would love to give a few of them a try and see what they are like.. i love a good modern jazz and p bass so i think a sadowsky might make a good addition to my family as i dont currently own a jazz or p bass ( for the first time in many years!)

There's only one UK dealer for Sadowsky and so, if that's the shop you're talking about (in Camden, with a black painted door), it might be worth noting that they don't always leave their door unlocked, even when they are "open".

I haven't been for a few years, but last time I was there, I had to ring the bell to get them to come and open the door for me. It might sound a bit like "poor service" on the face of it, but they're a stellar bunch of guys to deal with - once you get passed the door ;) !

Anyway, you're fairly local, you probably know more about it than I do ;).

Best of all, you could demo a Sadowsky alongside just about every major competitor, as they stock a lot of high-end basses.

:bassist:
 

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