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Sadowsky NYC VS Metro

#21
nemo said:
FWIW - Sadowsky NYC has graphite bars in the neck
Click to expand...

I wasn't aware of this. I remember a statement from Roger Sadowsky many years ago in Bass Player Magazine where he said that he wasn't sold on graphite reinforced necks. He said that he'd build a few necks with inlaid graphite rods about once a year just to remind himself that graphite reinforcement wasn't an advantage. He must've changed his mind along the way.

-Art
 
#22
I just talked to Rodger today...as I am struggling with the choice of buying a Metro over a NYC. I want a simple retro looking 5 string jazz bass in a 34" scale. My 55-94 has a quilted top and NTM the 35" scale. The quilted top looks great but in some gigs can be a little too much. Plus the 35" scale is starting to get to me. In regards to the graphite. Rodger stated that he just started installing them a couple of years ago. So, if you bought a NYC around the 03'-04' era...chances are that it doesn't have graphite in the neck. In that regards, the Metro's neck is pretty much the same as the NYC model's neck was 2-3 years ago. Additionally, the current NYC basses have chambered bodies to conserve weight where as the Metros dont. Other than that, they are supposed to be indentacle in every aspect. The wood for the bodies and necks are shipped from his shop in NYC to Japan. And the same hardware/electronics is put on the Metros as you would find on the NYC basses.
 
#24
23 posts and still open??? LOL! I will give this one a stab myself as I have had a few as well:

NYC Standard 4 Ash/Maple - This is the one that got me hooked! Nice round tone that was tight and Punchy. I played this one and the next one at a club when going to see a friends band. Awesome Bass!!

NYC Vintage 4 - Alder/Rosewood - Played this one at the same club gig as above. A bit heavier than mine because it was not chambered...Great bass and MUCH warmer tone than the Ash/Maple...

NYC Vintage 5 - Ash/Maple - Bought this bass from the instock page. Great bass but just was not "The One" and I returned it under the 7 day trial and bought my NYC Vintage 4 below. I did a few tracks in the studio with this one and returned it before the mix.....It turns out this is still one of the BEST sounding basses I have ever used in the studio!! WOW I wish I had not let it get away!

NYC Vintage 4 - Chambered Alder/Morado - The first Sadowsky I actually bought and kept after playing several!! This was a sweeeeett bass and is on a lot of stuff out there!! Played a UV70 5 (below) and decided that I was an Ash/Maple Sadowsky man!!

UV70 5 String - G R E A T Bass I highly recommend them if you want that 70's funk thing....Same neck radius as a Standard NYC 4. Very Bright and Slap sound was much better with Sadowsky Nickels!!

UV70 4 String - 10" Neck Radius!!!!!!!!! My Favorite Sadowsky neck of all! This is the SLAP Machine and it just ooooozes 70's cool and MOJO for days!! I preferred this one over the UV 5 because of the neck. Very smooth and VERY fast. Percussive attack of the maple is off da chain!!

Metro MV5- This is the one that made me realize that I preferred the Maple over the Rosewood. Just a FABULOUS playing bass and perfect in every way. The Metros I have had or played have been every bit a Sadowsky one and all!! This is one of the most interesting "feeling" basses I have ever played. GREAT B string that was as good as any of the NYC's I have played!!

NYC Vintage 4 - THIS ONE IS THE BOMB!!

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This is my current Main Player and is one of those that I can't see myself parting with! This bass is perfect!! - Ash/Maple - I Loved this bass right out of the case and have not done a thing to it since it got here. No changes to anything at all! I played it a few times with the Nickels and decided to try it with a set of flats and it ruled! Switched back to Nickels after a few weeks for about 2 hours and put the flats back on it! I want to get a Sadowsky P and a PJ5 and I am done!!

I have also Played a LOT of Sadowskys (About 35 or so with the majority of them being Metros) in my travels on "The Quest" and I can honestly say I have not played a bad one, NYC or Metro. I have come across a few that needed a good setup from being in the store for a while, but with a couple of tweaks they were fine. However, I do think the "Little Things" that are done to the NYC's make a difference, the graphite, the larger headstock, the amount of attention to detail, the "Roger factor" all add up and for me, combined with the lighter weight, the fret work, the nicer finishes, and the overall MOJO, make for an appreciable difference (again, to me!!). I have found that I am willing to pay the extra cash for the "little things" when it comes right down to it. My current player has convinced me of that!!

Everyone may have different opinions and that is OK...However, in these threads I hope that if you have an opinion and wish to voice it, you will have at least played one or 2 and make your own opinion based on having gigged one or used one in the studio. I think all of mine have been really nice basses BUT when you play them in a band context is when you realize what you spent the extra money for!!:D

Peace,

T
 
#25
HI

Kinda agree with with most of Tomixx's comments. I presently own 5, have had 14 all together. My fave are ash bodies with maple or morado boards(NYC's). Depends on what mood I'm in. The maple boards has a bit more zing. Snappier

I just got a pj4 NYC last week. Alder, braz. rosewood board. 8lbs! Wow. What a bass. Perferct for my present gig. Can get any Fender type tone I want out of it. Full P tone, bridge jazz tone. I bit warmer than my ash basses

My fave NYC is my caramel burst 4. Standard(no pickguard), awesome quilt top, morado board, black hardware, diamond control layout(like the 24 frets) Love this bass. Its "the one" Dont ever see myself selling it. Light, full of tone, neck reminds my of a mid 60's jazz. What a bass!!

My UV70 metro just plain smokes. Awesome neck radius, cool, aggressive tone, fast neck, great slap tone. It has the full size body and its my heaviest bass(8.8lbs)
Many think its my coolest looking bass(black blocks and binding)

My 5 string is a NYC. Ash body, maple top, maple board. OMG! So fat and thumpy I hardly need much bass boost. Roger thinks its simply the mass of the neck which does it.
I just had the neck reprofiled for a slimmer feel and the nut slimmed from 1 7/8ths to 1 3/4s. Love it now!!!!

I have another ash/maple metro for sale. Very light(8.35lbs) great slap bass, awesome slim neck, very cool bass

I owned NAMM #4 metro, also Alder/rosewood. Sounded and played great but the weight of the bass did me in! Over 9lbs. so I sold her

Ive had two 24 fret 5's, two other 21 fret jj's, and other ash bodied 4 strings. Some vintage, some with figured tops and no pickguard.

Overall, there are subtle things about the NYC's that I really like. Tommixx mentioned most of them. Unless you play or own many, you might not even notice. I also dont mind paying the extra for the Brooklyn basses. Thats just me..

I look forward to having more over the rest of my playing days. They work for me and they are the best plug and play basses out there, IMO.

Rob
 
#26
IMO, the Metro's are 97% of what the NYC basses are.

The remaining 3% that the NYC's have are the choice of opitons, graphite in the neck and the thicker headstock.

Regarding the graphite. From a conversation with Roger the graphite is for the reduction of dead spots and not for stability. Also the thicker headstock is supposed to help with this as well.
He still stands by the fact that the graphite for "reinforcement" does not matter that much, if any at all.

The Metro neck is pretty much what the NYC neck was prior to the graphite/headstock change.

Not like Rob with the number of Sadowsky's I've owned, but I've owned 5 now (2 Metro's & 3 NYC's) and the difference that many see between the Metro's and the NYC basses are the same you would find between a pair of NYC basses IMO.

As KJung stated in one of his posts, he had a alder body, rosewood necked "new" NYC 5. Olympic white with tort pick guard, hum cancelling pick-ups and VTC.
I had a Metro EXACTLY like it-rosewood, alder, hum cancelling p/u, VTC, Oly white, tort pickguard.

He had his strung with stainless steel strings, mine had nickle. His had a chambered body resulting in lighter weight, mine solid body, but still very very light.
To my ears, the difference was subjective at best and could be a result of the different strings. Slight difference in neck profile. Slight.
Yes, mine had issue with the neck that was taken care of in the typical awesome Sadowsky fashion.

Now the 4 string Metro I had. That thing was killin'.

I don't own a Sadowsky as of now, but when the PJ 5 Metro's come about...........
 
#27
alanbass1 said:
The NYC P Bass I have has a Brazilian Rosewood board and this does make a difference over an Indian variety, which is what was on the Metro. Brazilian tends to have more high's and upper mids and Indian rosewood sounds a little dull in comparison, so I guess that's why I went with the NYC.
Click to expand...

We do not use Indian rosewood on the Metro Line. I have never used Indian rosewood on my NYC basses either. The Metro Line uses Morado, a rosewood from Bolivia. We use Morado on many of our NYC instruments as well.

Roger
 
#29
I can't predict when we will be able to add P and P-J basses to the Metro Line. Right now we have to concentrate on training a couple of new guys for the Tokyo shop, so new models need to take a back seat for a while.

Roger
 
#31
Sadowsky said:
I can't predict when we will be able to add P and P-J basses to the Metro Line. Right now we have to concentrate on training a couple of new guys for the Tokyo shop, so new models need to take a back seat for a while.

Roger
Click to expand...

If you'd build a '51-P looking 5 with P-J pickup config, I'd buy it in a second. Metro or otheriwse.
 

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