NBD/First Bass Day Sandberg TM4

[PaulS]

Beautiful, congrats have spent much time on the Sandberg configurator myself.

 

[Real Soon]

I'd play that. Helluva first bass, and it'd be a killer eighth bass too. Congrats!

 

[DISCOSTUVW]

Nice find!

 

[BaltBass5]

Congrats! Beautiful Bass! Play her well!

 

[RolandMHall]

I had my eyes on a Fender for months, and then had the chance to play around on a VM4, and was blown away at the difference. I have seen several of the Roquefort Blue TT4's, and I won't lie, it's still currently my desktop wallpaper.

I'm not bashing fender only stating my personal experience. I own a US deluxe 5. It's good now after a full setup, fret job and pickup change. I just think the Sandbergs are better built out of the box instruments. For 2k new that's not acceptable but I got mine used so I digress.....

 

[dbsfgyd1]

Hey TalkBass,

I finally pulled the trigger on buying my first bass, and was able to get this Sandberg California in my favorite color. The box arrived from UPS and looked like customs had taken it through a warzone, but fortunately the bass was okay. The additions to the stock bass are Black Beauties and a BT7 from Hipshot. I just got it back from Dom at Third Floor Guitars here in town who got this setup and the Hipshot installed for me, and I couldn't be more thrilled to show this off to everyone.

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beautiful. The green Stan really makes that grain pop. congrats!

 

[Maynjo]

Oh, that is a beautiful bass. IMO, you made the right choice with the MM/J configuration (or TM4 as they call it for whatever reason). It's a super versatile combo. Pretty expensive for a first bass, but I agree with the mentality of getting it right the first time, and I've been told Sandberg quality is about as good as it gets. Enjoy! and beware of GAS!

 

[kevmac]

Hey TalkBass,

I finally pulled the trigger on buying my first bass, and was able to get this Sandberg California in my favorite color. The box arrived from UPS and looked like customs had taken it through a warzone, but fortunately the bass was okay. The additions to the stock bass are Black Beauties and a BT7 from Hipshot. I just got it back from Dom at Third Floor Guitars here in town who got this setup and the Hipshot installed for me, and I couldn't be more thrilled to show this off to everyone.

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She's a beauty,good luck with her.Here is my NBD offering,a cheapo but any new bass make ones' day brighter.I must admit at $250 w/gig bag and delivered in under 48hrs.she totally exceeded my expectations in every way.As the owner of 21 basses my high end days are probably over but I looked for a cheap hollow body as other than my Beatle bass I had a void in the area.Here's what I got.

 

[2tonic]

First of all @Khiros1447 , Welcome to TB!
Second.....smokin' hot bass....really beautiful, and I normally don't go for green.

Third...what is the control/electronics layout on your particular bass? Looks interesting.

And finally....I'm not familiar at all with this marque, but it looks to be of very high quality. I notice a lot of attention was paid to small details. Just curious, are the four equa-spaced round dots, at the body/neck joint, a finish screen or maple dowels inset into the body? I'm assuming this is a logo of some type for this maker.
Congrats!!

 

[SunByrne]

That, sir, is truly gorgeous. Nicely done!

 

[kevmac]

First of all @Khiros1447 , Welcome to TB!
Second.....smokin' hot bass....really beautiful, and I normally don't go for green.

Third...what is the control/electronics layout on your particular bass? Looks interesting.

And finally....I'm not familiar at all with this marque, but it looks to be of very high quality. I notice a lot of attention was paid to small details. Just curious, are the four equa-spaced round dots, at the body/neck joint, a finish screen or maple dowels inset into the body? I'm assuming this is a logo of some type for this maker.
Congrats!!

Sandberg makes real nice basses.Everything I've heard about them has been great.

 

[Matty Koff]

That's a hell of a first bass. I think the retail price of the three I currently own adds up to the cost of that single bass.

Play the crap out of it. Very lovely.

 

[Polk Salad]

Very nice, I love the Sandberg stuff, congratulations.

 

[Khiros1447]

First of all @Khiros1447 , Welcome to TB!
Second.....smokin' hot bass....really beautiful, and I normally don't go for green.

Third...what is the control/electronics layout on your particular bass? Looks interesting.

And finally....I'm not familiar at all with this marque, but it looks to be of very high quality. I notice a lot of attention was paid to small details. Just curious, are the four equa-spaced round dots, at the body/neck joint, a finish screen or maple dowels inset into the body? I'm assuming this is a logo of some type for this maker.
Congrats!!

Thank you for the welcome! The controls here are volume (push/pull for active to passive), balance, treble, bass, and then a switch that allows the humbucker to become a single coil. I really wanted to get something versatile for all genres, and this seemingly does it all.

The four silver dots are the Sandberg logo, I believe they are just inlaid into the body, but also might be a high quality adhesive. The dots are flush with the body, so it's hard to tell.

 

[alaskaleftybass]

You did good. Sandbergs are excellent basses. I love both of mine and will never part with them. They put Fenders to shame IMHO
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I've been drawn to this model of Sandbergs because of the MM pickup. I've noticed there is also a model that has a P-bass pickup instead of the J-bass. Were you able to try both, and what do you think would be the difference between the P and J on this model? Thanks

 

[Ewo]

Enjoy! You chose well. Sandbergs are excellent basses. That satin finish greenburst is beautiful.

 

[Ewo]

I've been drawn to this model of Sandbergs because of the MM pickup. I've noticed there is also a model that has a P-bass pickup instead of the J-bass. Were you able to try both, and what do you think would be the difference between the P and J on this model? Thanks

I might be able to help. I've been gigging TM-5s for the past couple years (with the J at the neck), but before that I used a couple VM-5s (with the reverse P at the neck).

The MM works great as the bridge pickup in both; it's meaty enough to add its own tone, and rolling a little toward the bridge pickup brings in that flavor nicely.

As for the difference between the TM and the VM, the neck pickup puts each bass in its respective tone universe. The TM is a Jazz, and the VM is a Precision. On steroids, both.

 

[Khiros1447]

I've been drawn to this model of Sandbergs because of the MM pickup. I've noticed there is also a model that has a P-bass pickup instead of the J-bass. Were you able to try both, and what do you think would be the difference between the P and J on this model? Thanks

I was able to try both a VM4 and a TM4 before I made up my mind. Ultimately, the TM4 has the ability to split the humbucker into a single coil, which the VM4 does not. Since jazz is my main focus, this made my decision for me.

 

[alaskaleftybass]

I might be able to help. I've been gigging TM-5s for the past couple years (with the J at the neck), but before that I used a couple VM-5s (with the reverse P at the neck).

The MM works great as the bridge pickup in both; it's meaty enough to add its own tone, and rolling a little toward the bridge pickup brings in that flavor nicely.

As for the difference between the TM and the VM, the neck pickup puts each bass in its respective tone universe. The TM is a Jazz, and the VM is a Precision. On steroids, both.

I was able to try both a VM4 and a TM4 before I made up my mind. Ultimately, the TM4 has the ability to split the humbucker into a single coil, which the VM4 does not. Since jazz is my main focus, this made my decision for me.

Thanks to both of you! Gives me better perspective. I'm thinking I might be leaning to the P-bass pickup.

 

[RolandMHall]

I've been drawn to this model of Sandbergs because of the MM pickup. I've noticed there is also a model that has a P-bass pickup instead of the J-bass. Were you able to try both, and what do you think would be the difference between the P and J on this model? Thanks

You're referring to the sandberg VM5. It's a very nice bass. I played one once and liked it alot.
I however do own a Maruszczyk Jake 5a plus. Very similar to the VM5. It's a precision bass on steroids.

Like Sandberg its equipped with a glockenklang 2 band preamp and Delano pickups. If you solo the split pickup and set it to passive mode it nails the p bass tone.

These are in the same league as Sandberg in my opinion.