Sadowsky HC vs SC pickup sound clips?

[KJung]

Thanks for the link to the clips. I sure like the sound of your AC.

Thanks! I love my Sadowsky, that that AC LM5 is just the J Bass bomb IMO I have DR Hi Beams on it right now, which are very 'sweet and airy' sounding strings, which I really like. If I put the more upper mid present Lo Rider Steels on that bass, it REALLY sounds like a 1977 Fender J (and plays like the best boutique ever IMO).

I dig that snarl and aggressive brightness of my Sadowsky ash/maple vintage with singles also.. very aggressive, and the Sadowsky Blue Label Steels bright out that upper mid grind and big low end!

 

[danclaro]

Thanks! I love my Sadowsky, that that AC LM5 is just the J Bass bomb IMO I have DR Hi Beams on it right now, which are very 'sweet and airy' sounding strings, which I really like. If I put the more upper mid present Lo Rider Steels on that bass, it REALLY sounds like a 1977 Fender J (and plays like the best boutique ever IMO).

I dig that snarl and aggressive brightness of my Sadowsky ash/maple vintage with singles also.. very aggressive, and the Sadowsky Blue Label Steels bright out that upper mid grind and big low end!

Ken - I'm intrigued by your use of "mid present" "upper mid present" "upper mid grind" and "sweet and airy" to describe the difference between the SC and HC pickups.

I wonder, how would you describe the bass tone in this video?
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Lee Sklar used that bass on so many recordings! I'm a huge fan of his sound. Obviously it's a custom made dual P-pickup bass, not a Sadowsky... Also, a lot of his sound has to do with the way he plays... and probably the light gauge strings he uses... But I'm wondering... since the P-pickups are close to J position, if a J with HC (humbucking) pickups would get you close.

This is kind of purely academic and I know that but your ability to articulate the difference in tones is very helpful!

Thanks!
Dan

Ps. Part of this question has to do with my own Sadowsky MV5. It has the stock HCs in it, and I've been planning to swap those out for SC pickups. But I've been having a hard time trying to quantify why exactly they would sound better to me. I know that they are likely to sound more "vintage," as in pre HC... which I like.

 

[KJung]

Ken - I'm intrigued by your use of "mid present" "upper mid present" "upper mid grind" and "sweet and airy" to describe the difference between the SC and HC pickups.

I wonder, how would you describe the bass tone in this video?
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Lee Sklar used that bass on so many recordings! I'm a huge fan of his sound. Obviously it's a custom made dual P-pickup bass, not a Sadowsky... Also, a lot of his sound has to do with the way he plays... and probably the light gauge strings he uses... But I'm wondering... since the P-pickups are close to J position, if a J with HC (humbucking) pickups would get you close.

This is kind of purely academic and I know that but your ability to articulate the difference in tones is very helpful!

Thanks!
Dan

Ps. Part of this question has to do with my own Sadowsky MV5. It has the stock HCs in it, and I've been planning to swap those out for SC pickups. But I've been having a hard time trying to quantify why exactly they would sound better to me. I know that they are likely to sound more "vintage," as in pre HC... which I like.

That clip sounds like what I would call a 'modern P Bass' tone.... i.e., a good P bass with nickel roundwounds on it. I feel I get a VERY similar tone with my Nordstrand VP5, which is ash/maple with a relatively bright, articulate Nordstrand P pickup. My VP5 has been described by some of my 'P Bass loving' bass friends as almost a 'PJ' type thing, due to a bit sweeter top end than most Fender P's. So, my ash/maple VP5 with nickel wounds seems to mimic Lee's 'double P' Fender pretty nicely. Since Lee is one of my tonal and musical influences, it makes much sense that I would love my Nordy VP5 so much!

Passive helps also, since taking the buffering and the Sadowsky baked in pre voicing extends both the deep low end and the upper treble, versus the somewhat warmer, punchier passive tone.

So, I would describe that tone as round in the low end, nice low mid present push, and a nice upper mid, lower treble response. Hence, if your only choice is between the Sadowsky HC and SC pickups (speaking only of the 5 string models.... have not done this comparison on the 4 string), then the SC's will get you closer.... less deep bass extension, more low mid push, and less upper treble versus lower treble/upper mids.

A Sadowsky PJ or a Nordy VP5 will pretty much mimic that tone with the right technique and amplification IMO.

 

[gillento]

I loved my MV5 w. SCs. It came stock w. HCs and it was rather polite in the mids.
The SCs made it more present in the mid-mids which translated in a better overall band definition/sound.

 

[danclaro]

Ken - thanks so much for your response. That was helpful. I looked at your YouTube video about the Nordy VP5 and it really does sound great. I wonder, doesn't the Sadowsky 5 string P have the same pickup? I've been considering one of those as my next bass... I'm stuck trying to figure out if it should have a P or a J body style.

When you say the right amp, what do you mean? Do you mean one that doesn't color the sound too much or one that does?

gillento - thanks for your vote of confidence with regard to the MV5 + SC or HC question. I noticed that you wrote in the past tense... do you still have the bass? I like mine a lot. Never thought I'd have a maple-necked bass. Always preferred rosewood boards.

 

[pickles]

Apologies in advance if I'm missing something that's obvious to others, but why would the difference between HC and SC be significant on a 5 string but not so on a 4?

No idea, but it's what I hear from them ... Having had a large number of 5s and just the one magic 4. And lots of different pickups in them.

 

[gillento]

?...

gillento - thanks for your vote of confidence with regard to the MV5 + SC or HC question. I noticed that you wrote in the past tense... do you still have the bass? I like mine a lot. Never thought I'd have a maple-necked bass. Always preferred rosewood boards.

sadly I sold mine when I got my UV70. (which I sold as well, in the meantime). Holy GAS!!
I should have kept my MV5!!!!

In the meantime, my only active bass is a NYC Vintage 5 w. Nordstrand Big Singles PUs.

 

[KJung]

Ken - thanks so much for your response. That was helpful. I looked at your YouTube video about the Nordy VP5 and it really does sound great. I wonder, doesn't the Sadowsky 5 string P have the same pickup? I've been considering one of those as my next bass... I'm stuck trying to figure out if it should have a P or a J body style.

When you say the right amp, what do you mean? Do you mean one that doesn't color the sound too much or one that does?

gillento - thanks for your vote of confidence with regard to the MV5 + SC or HC question. I noticed that you wrote in the past tense... do you still have the bass? I like mine a lot. Never thought I'd have a maple-necked bass. Always preferred rosewood boards.

I believe the Sadowsky 5 string P uses the same pickup. So, I would assume that bass would sound similar with the preamp bypassed and identical strings. Of course, Carey and Roger build a bit differently (neck design, etc.), so there does seem to be a Nordy versus Sadowsky tone, even when playing unplugged. But, I would guess much more similar than different.

Regarding the 'right amp', I was just pointing out that Lee's tone is 'full range and clean', so more of a solid state through full range cab thing versus the many P Bass players that play through a fridge or whatever. It isn't about 'flat' as much as 'clean and transparent'... meaning little distortion, and a rig that can reproduce the full frequency range from top to bottom. IMO!

Edit: Body style is, of course, purely personal choice. I personally like the symmetrical, smaller P body style with a P pickup or a PJ. Kind of harkens back to the original (even with the PJ, since the vast majority of the original home-made PJ's were guys routing a J pickup in a P, not rerouting a J for a P pickup in the neck position). However, with the Sadowsky, it is less of an issue since Roger's J bodies are downsized. So, there is less difference in feel and mass between his P and J bodies IMO. So, the decision with the Sadowsky P or J is pure aesthetics.

 

[danclaro]

Ken - Thanks for your response. I think with my current bass, the MV5, that single coils will suit me better given how you've described them. I know that I like a vintage Jazz bass sound, too, and I am not too concerned with hum.

There is a P-bass in my future, though... The two big questions is whether it will be a 5-string and if it will have 2 P-pickups. I'm really interested to know if in a 2 P-pickup situation with the neck pickup positioned closer to the neck (like Sklar's bass), if the neck P-pickup soloed would sound like a traditional P-bass. Or, if one could stick a J-bass pickup in that closer-to-the-neck position for more versatility... Might get ugly...

Also, it's not surprising that the conversation turned to amps. The Lee Sklar sound in the video may be a blend of amp and DI, although it could just be DI. I've been working with an Aguilar AG500 and 2 DB 112s, which I like... Sometimes it seems to boom, but I'm experimenting with the Gain knob and also cabinet placement. Although the AG500 is plenty light, I'm tempted by the new Genz Benz 6.2 because I like the tube pre option plus the small form factor, although the Aguilar TH500 also looks great. I used to have an Ampeg V4B, which sounded great until I tried to play REALLY LOUD. At that point (with a 4x10), it was all mushy distortion. Bear to move too. All that is to say I think that smaller "full range" rig (like Lee's little GK in that video) seems about right - as long as there's PA support.