Nordy or Sadowsky???

[Lackey]

I always thought the bass players amongst these musicians had a tone lacking in the mids:

John Abercrombie
Peter Adams
Sandro Albert
Jimmy Ali | Bob James, George Clinton
Derek Allen | Janet Jackson
Kenny Ames | Jason and the Scorchers, Disciples of Loud, Eddy Raven, Dash Rip Rock
Leonardo Amuedo | Ivan Lins
Al Anderson
Alex Aponte | The Almost
Keith Axelson | In Focus Church, Burgundy Curtain
Charles Baldwin | Emeril Live
Tamas Barabas | Bassist and Composer
David Barard | Dr. John
Wayne Batchelor | Rhian Ayanna, Nnenna Freelon, Ronny Jordan
Roscoe Beck | Robben Ford
Walter Becker | Steely Dan
Steve Beskrone | Ray Charles, Pat Martino, Horace Silver
Steve Billman | LA Music Academy
Edie Brickell
Mike Brignardello | Nashville Session Ace, Giant
Victor Broden | Nashville Touring & Sessions
Uli Brodersen
Dave Bronze | Eric Clapton
Jordan Brooks | NYC Bassist with Yost
Jimmy Bruno
Steve Byczek
Chris Campbell | Bob Seger
John Carey
Sekou Bunch | Marc Anthony, The Winans
Oscar Cartaya | Jennifer Lopez, Dave Valentin, Spyro Gyra
Saturnino Celani | Jovanotti, Solo Artist
Francisco Centeno | Aretha Franklin
Chris Chaney | Alanis Morissette, Jane's Addiction
Dave Chow | Bass Playing and Audio Mixing
Jeff Ciampa
Adam Clayton | U2
Lon Cohen | Lon Cohen Studio Rentals
Stu Cook | Creedence Clearwater Revival
Duncan Coutts | Our Lady Peace
Bob Cranshaw | Sonny Rollins
Carmine D'Amico
Lizzy Daymont | Half Zaftig and Charlie Drown
Rob DeSantis | LifeChurch
Kim Davis
Robert DiBlanco | Todd Fritsch / TheBassLab
Paulo Roberto Diniz, Jr. (P.J.) | Jota Quest
Djavan
Kermit Driscoll | Bill Frisell
Anthony "Woodchuck" Durham | El Pus
Nathan East | Eric Clapton, Fourplay
Bernard Edwards (1952–1996) | Chic
Dennis Edwards | Lady Antebellum
Mike Elizondo | Dr. Dre, Eminem, 50 Cent, Fiona Apple, Pink
Jörg Enz
Mark Epstein | Joe Bonamassa
Luis Espaillat | Nashville Sessions and Hot Action Cop
Matt Evans | Sara Evans
Frank Fabsits | The Shawna Lynn Band
Señor Flavio
John Fogerty
Darrell Freeman | Donnie McClurkin, Flow
Chazz Frichtel | Michael McDonald
Fuji Fujimoto | Atlanta Falcons House Band
Enrico Galetta
David Garcia | Beto Hale
Craig Garfinkel | The Matt Zeiner Band
Matt Garrison
Michael Gerry
Douglas Giorgiani | Susie Matos and Question Band
Gilberto Gil
Malcolm Gold | Days of the New, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Sheryl Crow, India.Arie
John Goldsby | WDR Big Band, Bass Player Magazine, The Jazz Bass Book
Noel "Kiko" Gonzalez | Kim Sozzi, Rick Anthony and Creations, Hot Funn and Tony Traina
Mick Goodrick
Mark "Kevin" Grantt | Nashville
Bryan Grassmeyer
Juraj Griglák
Jim Hall
Randy Hall
Tom Hamilton | Aerosmith
Stefan Held
Naif Herin
Luico Hopper
Bob Hurst | The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
Hutch Hutchinson | Bonnie Raitt
Dann Huff
David Hungate
Janis Ian
LaMarquis Jefferson | Usher, OutKast, TLC
Jeff Jenkins | Eric Durrance
Ron Jenkins | Cher, Cyndi Lauper, Gato Barbieri
Darryl Jones | The Rolling Stones
Walter Jones | Gladys Knight
Zev Katz | Roxy Music, Yellowjackets, Dolly Parton
Tully Kennedy | Jason Aldean and Nashville Sessions
Alison Keslow
Bryan Kessler
Earl Klugh
Laurence Knight
Conrad Korsch | Rod Stewart, Carole King, Joan Osborne
Scott Koziol
Wayne Krantz | Steely Dan
Lenny Kravitz
Randy Landau | NYC Session/Broadway Bassist
Russ Landau | Composer and Bassist
Will Lee | CBS Orchestra, The Fab Faux, Hiram Bullock Band
Tim Lefebvre | Saturday Night Live, Wayne Krantz Trio, Boomish, Uri Caine Bedrock, MZ
Battista Lena
Jay Leonhart
Chris Leuzinger | Garth Brooks
Steve Lewinson
Chuck Loeb
Nick Lowe
Lage Lund | David Sanchez
Bruno Macedo
Lawrie Macmillan | Ray Wilson, Stiltskin
Mickey Madden | Maroon 5
Luis Javier Maldonado | Jannette Chao
Matt Malley | Counting Crows
Russell Malone
Brian Marshall | Alter Bridge
Wolf Marshall | Guitarist, Musicologist and Author
Taka Masuzaki | Dimension
Lawrence Matshiza | Hugh Masakela
Aaron Maxwell | God Street Wine
Johnny Mennonna | Jose Feliciano
Coleman Mellett (1974–2009) | Chuck Mangione Group
Juan Carlos Mendoza | Spain
Mike Merritt | Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Pat Metheny
Marcus Miller
Rickey Minor | Bassist and Musical Director for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
Charles Mishalany | Atlanta Bassist and Bass Instructor
Rea Mochiach | Gogol Bordello
Lanice Morrison | Michael McDonald
"Perky" Dave Mullins | The Roys
Derrick Murdock | The Jay Leno Show
Steven Newby | Conversation Pieces
Jason Newsted | Ozzy Osbourne, Voivod
Irio O'Farrill | Freelance NYC Bassist
Chuck Panozzo | Styx
John Patitucci
Gene Perez
Joe Pettengill | Captured, The Journey Show
Pat Phillips
Ray Phiri | Paul Simon
Sven Pipien | Black Crowes
Vernon Porter | Pastor of Worship
Kirk Powers
Alison Prestwood | Shawn Colvin
Prince
Brad Rabuchin | Ray Charles
Chuck Rainey
Mike Rathke | Lou Reed
Oliver Ray | Patti Smith
Sean Michael Ray | John Waite, Eric Essix
Joe Reda
Lou Reed
Michael Rhodes
Keith Richards
Jeff Richman
Lee Ritenour
Steve Rodby | Pat Metheny
Ruben Rodriguez | NYC Sessions, Roberta Flack, Grover Washington Jr., Tito Puente, Marc Anthony
Carmine Rojas | Rod Stewart, David Bowie
Hasse Rosbach | Superfamily
Kurt Rosenwinkel
Bob Roth | Silver Dollar City
B. Russ | Tamia, Kelly Price, India.Arie, Juvenile, Young Buck, Cece Winans, Stacie Orrico, Coko
Armand Sabal-Lecco | Paul Simon
Ben Sargeant | The Script
Angeline Saris | Flametal, The Greg Scott Band
Jean Savoie | Devin Townsend Project, The Bobcats
Jason Scheff | Chicago
Hank Schroy | Vernon Reid
John Scofield
Gene Segal
Nikola Sekulovic | Dan D
Jason Sellers | Ricky Skaggs
John Selowane | Paul Simon
Tony Shanahan | Patti Smith
Ricardo Silveira
Tommy Simms | Bruce Springsteen
Paul Simon
Scott Simpson | Travis Tritt
Leland Sklar
Richard Smith
Craig Snyder
Fabrizio Sotti
David Spinozza
Bruce Springsteen
Larry Steen
Mike Sterling | Otis Rush Band, Slave
Mike Stern
Neil Stubenhaus
Daryl Stuermer | Genesis, Phil Collins, Solo Artist
Patricia Tamburello | Aubrey Parasolle
Carlo Tanori | Suave
Darren Theriault | Phil Vassar
Allan Thomas
Jan Inge Tjørhom | Hollywood Scandal
Wayman Tisdale (1964–2009)
Yuji Toriyama
John Tropea
Calvin Turner | Marc Broussard Band
Eddie Van Halen
Roly Veitch
Torben Waldorff
Malcolm-Jamal Warner
Don Was
Jeffrey Wash
Simon Watkins
Jerry Watts
Willie Weeks | Wynona Judd
Shea Welsh | L.A. Session Guitarist
Garry West
Verdine White | Earth Wind & Fire
Tal Wilkenfeld
Darryl Williams | Chaka Kahn, Chico Freeman, Tevin Campbell, Angela Bofill, Lou Rawls
Anthony Wilson | Diana Krall
Robby Wilson | Nashville
Matt Winter | Rooney
T-Bone Wolk (1951–2010) | Hall & Oates, Saturday Night Live, Billy Joel
Glenn Worf
Josh Workman | Lynda Carter, Larry Vuckovich and Connie Evingson
Tracy Wormworth | B-52's, Sting
Rik Wright
Brian Yale | Matchbox 20
Owen Yost | Tommy James and Freelance Broadway Shows
Jack Zucker | Sheets of Sound for Guitar

....not sure why this is supposed to be a conclusive retort to the mids/lack thereof argument? Many of the players here really DON'T emphasize the mids with their tone (not saying that as a bad thing, just saying...)

 

[sps500]

That is one long list!!!

 

[Chef]

Not really.
Play whatever suits you; it makes no diff to me.

Its so hard for the "Troops"
to accept a difference in taste and opinion.

 

[Matt Dean]

I'm a Nordy fan...

I would have to agree with the above. Both are amazing instruments, but I would say Carey's basses capture the vintage vibe a bit better, while the Sadowsky's offer a slightly more modern take on the Jazz sound. The Nordy's will typically be a little heavier, but that extra weight helps contribute to the tone, IMO. Both basses playability is as good as it gets. The compound radius necks on the Nordy's just feel amazing. I've owned both and you can't go wrong with either one. Both are absolutely world class instruments!

If it were my money and I had to choose between the two, I'd choose the Nordy in a heartbeat.

+1

 

[JimS]

I'm just playing with you guys.

They are all great basses. And it's just a bass. Not a spouse or a kidney transplant.

Have fun...and not anger.

 

[engedi1]

I haven't played a Nordy J bass, but I have played 2 Sadowskys; one NYC and one Metro; both were great basses that just didn't have the tone I like. Very smooth, very clean.... rather neutered for a jazz bass. Maybe if I was doing adult contemporary or smooth r&b it would be fitting, but not for anything livelier. Hell, tons of people find them fitting for all types of music though.

Check out the Xotic jazz basses too - I played one back to back with the Metro and fell in love with the playability, tone and massive tonal variety.

Also disagree. They don't really sound like a vintage jazz bass, because they usually have stacked humbuckers like the Dimarzio ultra jazz. however, If they are aggressive enough for Jason Newsted, who owns 10 I believe, then that is good enough for me. I love my M5-24, but I really want a Will Lee because of the true single coils. Also, when you play a 3 or 4 hour cover gig, the weight of your 5 string becomes more important than the subtle differences in tone only us bass players care about and no one in the audience even notices. I will take a chambered Sadowsky that weights 8 lbs any day of the week over an 11 lb 70's jazz bass that gives my back such knots I can't sleep without 4 advil.
ALSOOOOO, Sadowsky's sit amazing in a mix, live or tape, which is why so many nashville kats use them on recordings. They don't sound as impressive in the practice room. The exact opposite of most basses...
Also, I find the Nordy headstock really ugly, the only uglier one being the Mike Lull, just not MY taste, others may not mind it. Sadowsky and Alleva have the best Fendery headstock.

 

[Lackey]

Also disagree. They don't really sound like a vintage jazz bass, because they usually have stacked humbuckers like the Dimarzio ultra jazz. however, If they are aggressive enough for Jason Newsted, who owns 10 I believe, then that is good enough for me. I love my M5-24, but I really want a Will Lee because of the true single coils. Also, when you play a 3 or 4 hour cover gig, the weight of your 5 string becomes more important than the subtle differences in tone only us bass players care about and no one in the audience even notices. I will take a chambered Sadowsky that weights 8 lbs any day of the week over an 11 lb 70's jazz bass that gives my back such knots I can't sleep without 4 advil.
ALSOOOOO, Sadowsky's sit amazing in a mix, live or tape, which is why so many nashville kats use them on recordings. They don't sound as impressive in the practice room. The exact opposite of most basses...
Also, I find the Nordy headstock really ugly, the only uglier one being the Mike Lull, just not MY taste, others may not mind it. Sadowsky and Alleva have the best Fendery headstock.

Hehe, funny you should mention this - Newsted has talked about how he shapes his tone to be mid-scooped to fit around the mid heavy guitars.... How effective this approach is could be debated for hours, as quite a few people seem to think he is completely inaudible in the mix. And apart from him I don't know of any other metal bassists using Sadowskys...

Personally, my point was... that for me at least... I like a jazz tone that isn't so clean sounding. Tons and tons of people do however, and I appreciate that. I dig Marcus and Tal's tones, I'm just not looking to replicate them.

And, since somebody is looking to plunk down 3k or more on a bass and is asking for opinions, I feel its worth trotting out a detailed list of the characteristics of these basses. I would appreciate full disclosure from people with different experiences if I was in his shoes. I was excited the first time I played a Sadowsky, and was disappointed to find it didn't match the expectations in my head. But for others, it might exceed them..

Anyways, just my (relentlessly anecdotal yet shamelessly stubborn) experience..

 

[jnammy]

I've played both and I prefer Sadowskys because:

1) Better looking headstock.
2) 1.875" nut width versus Nordy's narrower 1.771" nut, which is important to me.
3) 34" versus Nordy's standard 34.5" for 5 strings.
3) You can make a Sadowsky sound similar to a Nordy, but not the other way around.
4) Sadowsky offers a smaller J body option, while I don't think Nordy does.
5) NYCs are lighter than Nordys.

 

[Dephect]

When it's meal time, it would be nice to have both a spoon(Sadowsky) and fork (Nordstrand). I guess you can call the PJ5 a spork.

 

[Chef]

I believe both builders will do a PJ.

 

[Hollow Man]

I've played both and I prefer Sadowskys because:

3) 34" versus Nordy's standard 34.5" for 5 strings.

No longer true. Carey's original Nordys were 34.5", but now he offers both scales (Modern is 34.5", and Classic is 34").

3) You can make a Sadowsky sound similar to a Nordy, but not the other way around.

I don't think there's any truth to this at all, in the general sense. Perhaps it is easier for you to do this based on your own EQ/tonal preferences, but I would argue that it's easier for me to boost bass and treble a bit on my Nordy to capture what I hear in a Sadowsky than to add mids to a Sadowsky (with HC pickups) to try to recreate the vintage feel I get from a Nordy (again, based on my EQ habits and tonal preferences). Bottom line, it's all about how we individually hear the basses, and I don't think there's any real argument to say that one of these basses is "better" at emulating the other.

 

[CTC564]

I'd like to thank everyone for their replies and opinions...

I'm pretty intrigued by the "firestorm" that was inadvertently created for a short time...but apparently people feel passionately about owning these instruments...

I have visited Sadowsky's shop MANY years ago and plan to do it again soon

I live in NJ and was wondering if anyone could recommend somewhere that I could demo a Nordstrand VJ5

 

[engedi1]

I've played both and I prefer Sadowskys because:

1) Better looking headstock.
2) 1.875" nut width versus Nordy's narrower 1.771" nut, which is important to me.
3) 34" versus Nordy's standard 34.5" for 5 strings.
3) You can make a Sadowsky sound similar to a Nordy, but not the other way around.
4) Sadowsky offers a smaller J body option, while I don't think Nordy does.
5) NYCs are lighter than Nordys.

+1 to all the above except #2. If Sadowsky's had a slightly narrower neck they would suit my smallish hands a little better.

 

[Sadowsky]

+1 to all the above except #2. If Sadowsky's had a slightly narrower neck they would suit my smallish hands a little better.

We offer a 1.75" nut option on 5 strings.

Roger

 

[engedi1]

We offer a 1.75" nut option on 5 strings.

Roger

Awesome!But not on Metro's right? It is my dream to own a custom ordered NYC Sadowsky...just need to find the capital!

 

[CTC564]

Roger...I appreciate your input in this thread...I am impressed with your clarifying all the facts on your instruments

Hope to see you soon to learn more...

With all the choices, it can be a little overwhelming...

 

[Sadowsky]

Roger...I appreciate your input in this thread...I am impressed with your clarifying all the facts on your instruments

Hope to see you soon to learn more...

With all the choices, it can be a little overwhelming...

You are most welcome. I think a lot of posters are not aware of all the options we do offer. We will walk you through all of the options and narrow down the ones that will work best for you.

Roger

 

[Carey]

I've played both and I prefer Sadowskys because:

1) Better looking headstock.
2) 1.875" nut width versus Nordy's narrower 1.771" nut, which is important to me.
3) 34" versus Nordy's standard 34.5" for 5 strings.
3) You can make a Sadowsky sound similar to a Nordy, but not the other way around.
4) Sadowsky offers a smaller J body option, while I don't think Nordy does.
5) NYCs are lighter than Nordys.

Out nuts are actually 1.871" wide. Same as a Lakland and pretty middle of the road for a J5 style bass. We do also 1.75" nut that we do on a 17mm spaced bridge. Just started that recently.

And, as Aaron pointed out, we also offer a 34" scale classically styled bass now.

Correct, we only do full size bodies. For now...

Roger's basses are almost always lighter than ours. But I did start to do weight reduction (especially on alder) because I like to have a bass on the light end of medium weight. We really try to keep everything under 9.5 pounds now, and they usually hit around 9. I just like the way this works tonally.

Man, these threads always bug me. I consider Roger to be a good friend and I get uncomfortable when there gets to be an "us and them" mentality that develops in situations like this. But I do understand that players want to know what is different about our products. Hopefully we can stay away from absolutes like "X is better than Y". And go more with "X is better for ME than Y". And maybe find some valuable data somewhere in there.

Also, I gotta say, I consider Roger's work to be THE reference standard for build quality. I am honored to be considered in the same company. His basses always sound great too. We have slightly different ideas about specs and tone, and that's what makes choosing one of our basses (or anyone elses for that matter) so great. There's really two different flavors to start with and shades of those flavors within the brands.

Best of luck picking a bass that moves you and makes you play better.

 

[Fuzzbass]

Man, these threads always bug me. I consider Roger to be a good friend and I get uncomfortable when there gets to be an "us and them" mentality that develops in situations like this.

That's a sad reflection of the hyper-partisan society in which we now live. Moving along....

Both you and Roger provide outstanding products and customer support. As has been said a number of times here, Sadowsky/Nordstrand is a win-win choice.

 

[CTC564]

Thanks Carey...very well stated!!!

I appreciate your input on this thread as well and look forward to learning more about your work as well...