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Has anyone bought and NOT liked a Sadowsky??

#81
Chasarms said:
I would take exception to characterizing Sadowsky basses as "Fender clones." They are not. Having owned at least a dozens Fenders, I can unequivocally state that the feel and tone is very different than a Fender bass.
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I wholeheartedly agree with this statement. The only thing that Sadowsky and Fender have in common is their shape. Completely different playing and sounding basses. You can make an argument that my Lakland's are Fender "clones", but after playing a Metro for 6 years, the Sadowsky is just a Fender wannabe characterization only comes from those who have never actually played a Sadowsky.

FWIW, I no longer own my Metro MV4, but loved everything about it. I just wanted to revert back to mainly passive instruments. If I ever do buy another bass, there's a great chance that it will be a Sadowsky.
 
#82
My next Sadowsky will be my first!
It will also have to be an NYC, because the Metro's are too heavy and I didn't like the neck, at least on the two that I tried. They were beautifully finished, though.
I'll get the NYC as soon as I can pay for it with gig money. :bassist:
 
#83
jhfishn said:
I had one custom ordered with EMG pickups (jazz model) and a maple top.

WRONG!!!!!!!

As beautiful as it looked the sound was incredibly tinny and no matter what I did with the preamp it sounded like a Stratocaster! No bottom whatsoever! I have no idea why it sounded that way but it was downright unusable ... so I wound up back on my Fender P-Bass.

I've played some real beauties since so it may have been just that one bass.

Far to many people love them to say they are a bad bass ..... and if anyone wanted to give me another .... I think I could find it in my heart to give it another chance! :D Any takers? :eek:
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Huh??? :eyebrow:
No bottom???
Must have had something wrong going on there.
One thing a Sadowsky pre-amp- in any bass- has is SSSOOOOOOOOO much bottom it's boarderline cartoon-ish!
Crank the bass up on that pre amp and you can kiss speakers good by as the voice coils blow through the grill of your cab creating confetti!
Again, tone is subjective, but bottom of any type is bottom. And lack-there-of from that pre-amp doesn't sound right to me.

I can understand most logical reasons for not liking pretty much anything really- and if that holds true- sounding tinny on that one, I TOTALLY get it and would have dumped it faster than a rented mule with the runs....... But I gotta wonder if you had something amiss with that particular bass.
 
#84
This thread has come at a very interesting time for me. I feel as though I need a jazz bass in my arsenal. I spent a day at Rogers shop in New York. Let me start by saying that he is a true gentleman. He showed me around, and told me to take my time. He made every bass in his shop available to me. After about 5 hours of playing every bass, I did not leave with one. I think the lack of a mid control prevented me from buying one. I could not for the life of me find one that had the tone I was looking for. The closest bass that I played was a Modern 5 string. He was asking $4,500 for it and it weighed just under 8 pounds. Last weekend I went to Bass Specialties and tried 3 or 4 Metros, and none did the trick for me. The store owner told me that I had to hear a Sadowsky in the band mix to really appreciate it. I don't think I have matured enough musically to buy an instrument that doesn't sound good to me when I am listening to it alone. I have listened to Jay Leno's band, and the Sadowsky the band leader is playing sounds great. I wish I could take one on a gig to see for myself. I'm really struggling with this decision.
 
#85
Virgil said:
This thread has come at a very interesting time for me. I feel as though I need a jazz bass in my arsenal. I spent a day at Rogers shop in New York. Let me start by saying that he is a true gentleman. He showed me around, and told me to take my time. He made every bass in his shop available to me. After about 5 hours of playing every bass, I did not leave with one. I think the lack of a mid control prevented me from buying one. I could not for the life of me find one that had the tone I was looking for. The closest bass that I played was a Modern 5 string. He was asking $4,500 for it and it weighed just under 8 pounds. Last weekend I went to Bass Specialties and tried 3 or 4 Metros, and none did the trick for me. The store owner told me that I had to hear a Sadowsky in the band mix to really appreciate it. I don't think I have matured enough musically to buy an instrument that doesn't sound good to me when I am listening to it alone. I have listened to Jay Leno's band, and the Sadowsky the band leader is playing sounds great. I wish I could take one on a gig to see for myself. I'm really struggling with this decision.
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7 day return policy.......
Listen to Letterman's band....Sadowsky there as well......
 
#86
I have two Sadowsky Modern 5-24s and they're great. I had played a couple of the vintage models at L.A. Bass Exchange in the Long Ly years and wasn't particularly impressed. I though, "Oh, a jazz bass." Then I visited Roger's shop and played an M5-24 and was hooked. When his 25th Anniversary models hit the street, I ordered one, and it's just fantastic. Nice, aggressive tone. If you're into the vintage sound, you probably won't like the Modern basses. I'm not big on vintage tone, so consider my remarks accordingly.
 
#87
Virgil said:
This thread has come at a very interesting time for me. I feel as though I need a jazz bass in my arsenal. I spent a day at Rogers shop in New York. Let me start by saying that he is a true gentleman. He showed me around, and told me to take my time. He made every bass in his shop available to me. After about 5 hours of playing every bass, I did not leave with one. I think the lack of a mid control prevented me from buying one. I could not for the life of me find one that had the tone I was looking for. The closest bass that I played was a Modern 5 string. He was asking $4,500 for it and it weighed just under 8 pounds. Last weekend I went to Bass Specialties and tried 3 or 4 Metros, and none did the trick for me. The store owner told me that I had to hear a Sadowsky in the band mix to really appreciate it. I don't think I have matured enough musically to buy an instrument that doesn't sound good to me when I am listening to it alone. I have listened to Jay Leno's band, and the Sadowsky the band leader is playing sounds great. I wish I could take one on a gig to see for myself. I'm really struggling with this decision.
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Man, lack of mid control?!?!?!?!? Listen to this clip... basically the Sadowsky pre either flat, or with just 10% bass boost... relatively stock model, although with Sadowsky singles. Do you hear a 'lack of mids' with this clip!?!?!?!?

I'm not saying it is or should be your tone, but the clips I've heard you put up with your basses sound nice, but VERY scooped, and you seem to dig Andrew Gouche's tone, where I think he literally removes all mids from his tone by cranking the bass and treble all the way up.

Just confused!?!?!?:eek:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
#88
This is the kind of topic that, if I had started it, my stalkers would have put the kibash on it fast.

But since it's lasted, I'll put in my 2 cents.

If I had the money to have one made for me, or was so famous, one was given to me, I'd play it.

But from what I've played (and I've played many ) they seem like basic basses to me. Sorry. And I've owned custom made basses, vintage and the like. This isn't coming from lack of experience. I don;t get what's so great.


Blindfold someone and hand them 6 different jazzes, one being a Sadowsky. Could they tell? Maybe. Could a listener tell? Doubtful.

If you want to pay an extra 1K for hand craftsmanship guaranteed reliability and personal details, or if you like a bass to feel really solid and can get it tweaked until it does, or...if you find something special in the way they play or feel ...then go for it. And enjoy.
 
#89
HI

All 3 late night guys play them. My friend Rob just finished a bass for Mike Merritt from Conan's show. If u look at the pro's playing these instruments, you'd understand a little better about the tone and quality. My god, the majority of recordings coming out of Nashville are done w Roger's instuments.

Also, if you havent tried one or better yet gigged one how can u really comment? I tried a Sadowsky 5 about 10 years ago and was not impressed at all. Frankly, I dont know what I was expecting. Was it supposed to play itself for me? LOL. Of course not. I bought a 4 string a few months later for kicks and have never looked back. Sold off everything I had(Lull, Fodera's, Roscoe, MTD, Celinder, Pensa, Etc) Nothing punched thru a mix like it. They are virtually plug and play. Never played a room where I couldnt get the tone I liked. Def cant say this for other basses Ive owned regardless of price and mid controls.

If you dont like the price, so be it. There is more to life than saving money. There is such a thing as paying for quality, service, workmanship, years off expert knowledge. Im happy to play Sadowsky and be one of his artists. Were not here to convince you to own one. But I will say if you played a weekend of gigs with one, your opinion would quickly be altered.

Rob
 
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#90
bikeplate said:
HI

All 3 late night guys play them. My friend Rob just finished a bass for Mike Merritt from Conan's show. If u look at the pro's playing these instruments, you'd understand a little better about the tone and quality. My god, the majority of recordings coming out of Nashville are done w Roger's instuments.

Also, if you havent tried one or better yet gigged one how can u really comment? I tried a Sadowsky 5 about 10 years ago and was not impressed at all. Frankly, I dont know what I was expecting. Was it supposed to play itself for me? LOL. Of course not. I bought a 4 string a few months later for kicks and have never looked back. Sold off everything I had(Lull, Fodera's, Roscoe, MTD, Celinder, Pensa, Etc) Nothing punched thru a mix like it. They are virtually plug and play. Never played a room where I couldnt get the tone I liked. Def cant say this for other basses Ive owned regardless of price and mid controls.

If you dont like the price, so be it. There is more to life than saving money. There is such a thing as paying for quality, service, workmanship, years off expert knowledge. Im happy to play Sadowsky and be one of his artists. Were not here to convince you to own one. But I will say if you played a weekend of gigs with one, your opinion would quickly be altered.

Rob
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You can not judge by this. That's like thinking the people in the front row of a big show are the ones who can afford it, when it reality, they're the ones who are given tickets for free.

Pros play high end instruments because they're pros and the company wants exposure.

Again, this isn't to say they aren't nice basses. It sounds like you found something that worked for you. Great. But others may say the same about the basses you got rid of.
 
#93
Hi

And yes, they work for me. Thats the point Im trying to get across. If you cant get along with a bass or amp, dont play it. Move on. Im giving the other side to a thread that is lopsided. Long live Sadowsky

Rob
 
#94
KJung said:
Man, lack of mid control?!?!?!?!? Listen to this clip... basically the Sadowsky pre either flat, or with just 10% bass boost... relatively stock model, although with Sadowsky singles. Do you hear a 'lack of mids' with this clip!?!?!?!?

I'm not saying it is or should be your tone, but the clips I've heard you put up with your basses sound nice, but VERY scooped, and you seem to dig Andrew Gouche's tone, where I think he literally removes all mids from his tone by cranking the bass and treble all the way up.

Just confused!?!?!?:eek:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Click to expand...

After all of these years, I see what gets you fired up, midrange!:D
 
#96
HI

Hey Mike, Hows life? My only wish is that I could have 10 of them. LOL

Again, buy and play what u like. Judge for urself. Its cool getting info from others on TB, other forums, etc. Its still the players call. What do u want to spend on a bass? What do u consider too much for a bass? Ive never looked at it that way. Ive spent less on basses and Ive spent more than I spend on my Sadowsky's The price isnt the determining factor for me. Im not wealthy but Im all about tone, quality, and a relationship with the people I do biz with.

Rob
 
#97
bikeplate said:
Hi

And yes, they work for me. Thats the point Im trying to get across. If you cant get along with a bass or amp, dont play it. Move on. Im giving the other side to a thread that is lopsided. Long live Sadowsky

Rob
Click to expand...


I didn't read the whole thread and didn't realize it was anti sadowsky. Bottom line, a good instrument is a good instrument, but it won't be for everyone. The debate as to whether it's "worth" X amount of dollars is also a personal thing.
 
#98
HI

Also, lack of midrange? Please. Go see a show with someone gigging one of Roger's instuments. Laughable. I set my amps flat, straight up the middle. Plug in his basses, boost the bass control about 20percent. Then I play, smile, get paid and go home. Period

Rob
 

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