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Lakland, and Sadowsky

#61
I love my Laklands also though. The 55-02 is a hard to beat. If I only could have one bass, it would be it because it can cover everything. For passive tones I would buy the Laklands over the Fenders. Love the 55-60. They feel better, look better, and just are better to me. You cant lose with a Lakland and a Sadowsky.
 
#62
J. Brooks said:
Hi LaMarquis, a bit OT but I was recording for 'Bassy' Bob the other day and learned that he had mixed Waterfalls. I once transcribed that bass part note for note for a gig, great playing on there.

Back OT, I agree, the sadowsky preamp is super useful. Even with a p bass / flatwound strings I use it all the time to get more brightness, bass, drive the amp more, or drive my pedals more. US Laklands are nice too but the Sadowsky pre is an indispensable tool for me.
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Thanx J Brooks! Much appreciated man. I use a Ken Smith CR 6 string on that particular recording.
 
#65
George Himmel said:
I would consider Lakland, Sadowsky, Smith, and Fodera all to be high-end. I rarely use the term "boutique", but differ between some basses in that some are vintage-styled, and others aren't. Sadowskys and (most) Laklands are vintage styled, whereas Smiths and Foderas aren't (at least not yet!).

Just my personal terminology.
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George both Smith and Fodera make a vintage style jazz bass.
The KSD-604 and the Fodera NYC jazz
 
#66
LaMarquis J said:
George both Smith and Fodera make a vintage style jazz bass.
The KSD-604 and the Fodera NYC jazz
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I know what you mean. I liked the NYC basses a good deal, and both of those are very much a nod to a Fender Jazz Bass.

But Smith doesn't actually build that KSD, and Fodera no longer produces the NYC line. Fodera has some firm roots in vintage territory, but the closest thing they make to what I'd call a vintage-styled bass would be an Emperor bolt-on with single coils and a pickguard. Even then, the tilted peghead and exotic tops push it away from being truly vintage style in the manner of say Sadowsky or Lakland (or Lull, Alleva Coppolo, Nash, Nordstrand, Wilkins, Performance, or LowEnd).
 
#67
Rocky McD said:
I believe that High-End means quality of workmanship, the best hardware, electronics, comfort, balance and playability. When you start adding super grain exotic woods, you are not adding to anything but the beauty and price. I find that the best High End instruments can be had in the $3,000 to $4,000 price range.
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I agree. Beyond that price the curve plateaus into diminished returns. YMMV.
 
#68
I have both - passive Lakland and active Sadowsky.. They're very different sonically, but truth be told in a mix it makes little difference. No matter the genre, I usually just grab whichever color better matches my outfit that day. Both band leaders and audiences tend to notice that much more.
 
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#69
leroy diamond said:
The flatter radius on a Sadowsky takes a bit of getting used to for sure. If you have been a Fender player, it can be a bit of a jolt when you wrap your hand around a Sadowsky.
Its imperative that you try before you buy if at all possible
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I am looking for some insight into what neck radius measures before I purchase my next Jazz bass. My '76 fender has a great neck feel but I want less wight and love the Sadowsky tone. I tried a WLee and a Modern 4 and both have a 12" radius. The neck seems fatter…is that the result of the radius or is that measured some other way? I notice that some of the reissue Fender Jazz basses have 9" radius neck and Rodger will also do this neck radius? Can anyone help/ provide advice?
 
#70
I found the neck on the Sadowsky quite fat, so I had Roger re-shape it and it is now thinner front to back. I reckon that the fatness of the neck is not related to Radius and if you like the radius on your Fender, the 9'' radius Sadowsky option may be well worth considering. However if the Sadowsky's you have tried are too fat, then you need to have a good think as to whether the Sadowsky will be your thing. However they are an excellent company to deal with, so you could give them a call and see can they meet your requirements with a neck re-shape.
 
#71
There are many great basses to choose from but. . . . I'm playing a Lull PJ5 and a Lakland US 55-94D and I'd suggest either of those if you don't want to buy another bass in the next 10 years.
 
#72
I've never owned a Lakland but I've tried them and really liked both the feel and the sound. I've owned three Sadowsky NYCs (one Standard 4, and two Standard 5s) and my current Standard 5... wow. I've never played a bass I like better (though my MTDs are on par). This is my first Sadowsky with single coils and they are amazingly quiet (more so than the HCs I had in the two others). Incredible balance from string to string, with robust D and G strings that won't disappear in a mix. Through a cabinet or in-ears, on stage or in studio, this bass is incredibly satisfying to play and does exactly what I need it to do.
 
#73
I have a Nordy VJ4 and a Sadowsky Vintage 4 (NYC). Both excellent instruments, and very different instruments as well. The Nordy has an incredible neck feel - it is the best neck I have ever played. With the Big Singles pickups it has a great big warm sound, with a different kind of brightness than you would get from a vintage Fender. It reminds me of the difference between P-90 and fender single coil pickups for guitar. The Sadowsky is more modern in sound, with great highs and lows. The preamp is superb, and the weight and balance are excellent. The flatter radius neck of the Sadowsky has been an adjustment for me, and it has a great feel. Both are keepers for me as they are very different in what they do.
 
#74
StayLow said:
I have both - passive Lakland and active Sadowsky.. They're very different sonically, but truth be told in a mix it makes little difference. No matter the genre, I usually just grab whichever color better matches my outfit that day. Both band leaders and audiences tend to notice that much more.
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Yep. Kind of like my wife picking the best uniform when picking a winner in an athletic event.
 
#75
Dhughes411 said:
I am looking for some insight into what neck radius measures before I purchase my next Jazz bass. My '76 fender has a great neck feel but I want less wight and love the Sadowsky tone. I tried a WLee and a Modern 4 and both have a 12" radius. The neck seems fatter…is that the result of the radius or is that measured some other way? I notice that some of the reissue Fender Jazz basses have 9" radius neck and Rodger will also do this neck radius? Can anyone help/ provide advice?
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The radius refers to the fretboard and not the neck. The higher than number the flatter the fretboard.

Most of the Fender reissue basses have a 7.25" radius. The modern Fenders are 9.5" That means that the RI basses have a rounder fretboard and the modern basses are a little flatter.

neckDimDiagram_zpsb1131346.jpg


A: Fretboard width at the nut
B: Fretboard width at the heel
C: Neck thickness at 1st fret
D: Neck thickness at 12th fret
 
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#76
Dave W said:
The radius refers to the fretboard and not the neck. The higher than number the flatter the fretboard.

Most of the Fender reissue basses have a 7.25" radius. The modern Fenders are 9.5" That means that the RI basses have a rounder fretboard and the modern basses are a little flatter.
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Thanks to bassgod0dmw for clearing that up. I hear it confused all the time. I just took a minute to alter the diagram slightly as to demonstrate why it's called a "radius", and why a larger radius produces a flatter fingerboard.
 

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