Its time to order one of these two P-style basses. Obviously they are both high quality instruments (both USA). Any comments from the TBers that would tip the scale on this decision?
For sure take a look at the Lull P Basses! I have a P-4 and I'd never sell it. I'm sure the Laklands and Sadowsky's are super basses also but I just happened to end up with a Lull and it's without a doubt a keeper Here's a pic......
I have a Lakland P and it is awesome. Mine is customized in a few unusual respects (micarta nut, large neck, ash body). Dan Lakin is one of the nicest most professional people I have ever done business with. The Fralin P pickup nails the vintage sound better than any other P pickup I have heard. Willie Kent, the world's greatest blues bass player just switched to Lakland after playing his 1958 Fender Precision for 45 years. I have never heard or played a Sadowsky P but it is difficult for me to imagine a P getting any better than a Lakland.
I have heard very good reviews of the Lull and I had a chance to noodle on one a while ago at BNW (nice bass), but I admit my GAS has become very focused on either Lakland or Sadowsky.
Hands down The Sadowsky, there beautiful basses high quility good's and im thinking about getting one as my next bass
hI! I have a Sadowsky pj4 and love it. I'd highly recommend the Sadowsky over the other two mentioned. I've owned all mentioned and have found the Sadowsky build quality, customer service, and preamp to be superior to the others. Rob
Hi, I own two of Roger Sadowsky's basses and they are the finest I've ever laid my hands and eyes on. Besides, his customer service is the best out there, I would go for a Sadowsky...I am going to order an ultra-vintage P bass later this year myself.
i don't know that i would want the sadowsky preamp in this application. i suppose it would be nice to have for variety, but are you looking for that passive grind type of thing, or something hifi? i would probably choose the lakland myself. i think in the jazz bass realm though the sadowsky would be the favorite.
That PJ4 config is exactly what I'm after. The Lakland is passive only, which I sort of believe in for the P-style vintage vibe. But if the passive sound of the Sadowsky gets it done correctly, then having the pre-amp option would be a nice bonus.
My sadowsky basses nails the passive old-school tone when the pre-amp is bypassed and a small tweak on the passive tone control, I've gigged in passive mode a couple of times and it sounds awesome!!! If you want the best of both worlds Sadowsky is IT!!!
Those Sadowsky Ultra-Vintage's look really sweet. Too bad I'm not even remotely close to anywhere that I could try one out/too poor to be able to ever afford one.
How about Warmoth? You can really make some beautiful instruments with their stuff, plus you get a wider range of woods, finishes, specs, and options. Sadowsky sells his pickups and electronics kits on his website if you want to use those. With a minimal amount of mechanical ability, some patience, and perhaps a little assistance from a luthier to do the final set up, you'll have a beautiful instrument, and save a huge amount of dough in the process. It just won't have the headstock logo.
The Lakland Glaub fingerboard is flatter than that on a vintage Fender Precision (10" radius vs. 7.25" radius respectively). Also Lakland uses quarter-sawn maple necks with graphite rods. Most Fender necks are flat-sawn and graphite free, and I believe Sadowsky uses flat-sawn necks on his basses as well. Neck radius and construction may be minor considerations to some, but they definitely affect the tone and feel of a bass in my experience. I owned a Lakland Glaub PJ for a short period of time. Build quality was top notch and the bass sounded wonderful. However it didn't quite nail the Precision sound/feel/vibe.
I tried that with a "P" style bass and even though I had great electronics and I like the quality of Warmoth part, it was no where near the quality or tone of my Sadowskys. You do get what you pay for. Jeff
Sometimes. But, for example, I've had gourmet pizza and Pizza Hut sometimes I think the latter is great and former overpriced.
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