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Sadowsky (RSD) MetroExpress was a heartache

T

Tom Doran

Feb 5, 2015
49
38
77
#1
I bought one through Reverb. After the initial excitement wore off I realized it hadn’t been set up. Knobs falling off, fret buzzing, and so on. After I raised a fuss it was repaired but by then I didn’t want it. As it came it was just a cheap Chinese bass with some good components. Roger Sadowsky told me this first production run in China was unsupervised due to Covid-19. “The next batch should be better” . Here’s what was wrong:
  • Nut way too high

  • boost and blend knobs were loose

  • it was not adjusted for intonation. The E & A are out by a lot

  • String height: Action ok but was just medium (again like my cheapies;this should be better)

  • String buzz noise 4th through 15th fret on A string(it needed a fret leveling.)

  • Something out, maybe fret, around 15th fret, (frets were leveled)

  • Fret ends need work - all of them - they’re sharp but not terrible.

  • Pickup blend pot not secured to metal plate

  • Tons of noise and digital noise when the back of the bass faces my amp (but this is your standard onboard amp, right? I can’t imagine this is ok with your high end customers.) this was not fixed .....
Ok. Hate to be the bearer of bad news for those of you who always wanted a Sadowsky but couldn’t or wouldn’t pony up the bucks. I’m so done with buying without trying first (Reverb) I’ve gone back to my 75 Jazz and appreciate it all the more!
 
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#3
I know the Lobster did not like his, but I have a Squier ContemporaryJazz. The preamp on the Contemporary functions just like a Sadowsky except it does not have a passive bypass (although it does have a passive tone pot.) Even better, it has humbuckers, so there is no noise. Finally, Sire is more expensive, but the bugs in its production have been worked out already.
 
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#4
Same experience here when i compare both China Metro Express J and Cort GB74JJ(half the price tag) side by side in past.
The Cort just smoke the China ME in overall QC, fret work and noisy electronic.
I rate this Overprice China ME below Indonesian made Squier CV line and Sterling SUB line even Cort Low price Action PJ plus.

Looking for affortable and nice quality Asian made Active Jazz bass ? It belong to Sire V series. Or , underating Cort GB64JJ or GB74JJ.
 
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#5
The brand name is one of the selling point on this bass, but, unbelievable this 1K bass has no Sadowsky brand name on the headstock . Honestly, the "custom stamping” like logo on headstock just look like -= "Hey, I approve this china made Sadowsky can sell in our land” thing.....

Even cheap Universal Bacchus still has big family name prints infront the headstock
 
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#6
Yahboy said:
The brand name is one of the selling point on this bass, but, unbelievable this 1K bass has no Sadowsky brand name on the headstock . Honestly, the "custom stamping” like logo on headstock just look like -= "Hey, I approve this china made Sadowsky can sell in our land” thing.....

Even cheap Universal Bacchus still has big family name prints infront the headstock
Click to expand...
That was beyond Roger Sadowsky’s control. Someone in China had trademarked Sadowsky, and he has been in court to get his name back.
 
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#8
Tom Doran said:
I bought one through Reverb. After the initial excitement wore off I realized it hadn’t been set up. Knobs falling off, fret buzzing, and so on. After I raised a fuss it was repaired but by then I didn’t want it. As it came it was just a cheap Chinese bass with some good components. Roger Sadowsky told me this first production run in China was unsupervised due to Covid-19. “The next batch should be better” . Here’s what was wrong:
  • Nut way too high

  • boost and blend knobs were loose

  • it was not adjusted for intonation. The E & A are out by a lot

  • String height: Action ok but was just medium (again like my cheapies;this should be better)

  • String buzz noise 4th through 15th fret on A string(it needed a fret leveling.)

  • Something out, maybe fret, around 15th fret, (frets were leveled)

  • Fret ends need work - all of them - they’re sharp but not terrible.

  • Pickup blend pot not secured to metal plate

  • Tons of noise and digital noise when the back of the bass faces my amp (but this is your standard onboard amp, right? I can’t imagine this is ok with your high end customers.) this was not fixed .....
Ok. Hate to be the bearer of bad news for those of you who always wanted a Sadowsky but couldn’t or wouldn’t pony up the bucks. I’m so done with buying without trying first (Reverb) I’ve gone back to my 75 Jazz and appreciate it all the more!
Click to expand...
Sorry hear that
Tom Doran said:
I bought one through Reverb. After the initial excitement wore off I realized it hadn’t been set up. Knobs falling off, fret buzzing, and so on. After I raised a fuss it was repaired but by then I didn’t want it. As it came it was just a cheap Chinese bass with some good components. Roger Sadowsky told me this first production run in China was unsupervised due to Covid-19. “The next batch should be better” . Here’s what was wrong:
  • Nut way too high

  • boost and blend knobs were loose

  • it was not adjusted for intonation. The E & A are out by a lot

  • String height: Action ok but was just medium (again like my cheapies;this should be better)

  • String buzz noise 4th through 15th fret on A string(it needed a fret leveling.)

  • Something out, maybe fret, around 15th fret, (frets were leveled)

  • Fret ends need work - all of them - they’re sharp but not terrible.

  • Pickup blend pot not secured to metal plate

  • Tons of noise and digital noise when the back of the bass faces my amp (but this is your standard onboard amp, right? I can’t imagine this is ok with your high end customers.) this was not fixed .....
Ok. Hate to be the bearer of bad news for those of you who always wanted a Sadowsky but couldn’t or wouldn’t pony up the bucks. I’m so done with buying without trying first (Reverb) I’ve gone back to my 75 Jazz and appreciate it all the more!
Click to expand...

Sorry hear that cause is the Roger's name
I hope the next batch do honor to the prestigious name Sadowsky.
 
#11
bikeplate said:
Cheap bass, cheap build. Makes sense
Click to expand...
My $300 Squier didn’t have the best finish job in the world but it had no issues when I bought it. Frets, hardware, neck, electronics: everything worked the way it should. For a bass that costs almost a thousand dollars the issues described by the OP are unacceptable. And for a bass carrying the Sadowsky name? :confused:
 
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#14
Sorry for your disappointment. I played a ME5 the other day at local music store and it felt and played nice. I don't know if it was a 1st or 2nd batch, but I would've purchased with no issue.
 
#15
Tom Doran said:
I bought one through Reverb. After the initial excitement wore off I realized it hadn’t been set up. Knobs falling off, fret buzzing, and so on. After I raised a fuss it was repaired but by then I didn’t want it. As it came it was just a cheap Chinese bass with some good components. Roger Sadowsky told me this first production run in China was unsupervised due to Covid-19. “The next batch should be better” . Here’s what was wrong:
  • Nut way too high

  • boost and blend knobs were loose

  • it was not adjusted for intonation. The E & A are out by a lot

  • String height: Action ok but was just medium (again like my cheapies;this should be better)

  • String buzz noise 4th through 15th fret on A string(it needed a fret leveling.)

  • Something out, maybe fret, around 15th fret, (frets were leveled)

  • Fret ends need work - all of them - they’re sharp but not terrible.

  • Pickup blend pot not secured to metal plate

  • Tons of noise and digital noise when the back of the bass faces my amp (but this is your standard onboard amp, right? I can’t imagine this is ok with your high end customers.) this was not fixed .....
Ok. Hate to be the bearer of bad news for those of you who always wanted a Sadowsky but couldn’t or wouldn’t pony up the bucks. I’m so done with buying without trying first (Reverb) I’ve gone back to my 75 Jazz and appreciate it all the more!
Click to expand...
Sorry hear that
 
#16
LowEndLobster said:
This was my experience as well. Waiting on the second batch, was not going to do a full review on the first one and ended up returning it (and got the Spector Pulse instead!).
Click to expand...
And I LOVE my Pulse, it honestly feels as well built as my MIA Fenders, Lakland Skyline, and Kiesel (to name a few).

I was seriously considering the RSD PJ 5, but I’m glad I didn’t. I’ve been waiting for your re-review of the RSD but now it makes sense that you’re just waiting for batch 2.
 
#18
jpeck02 said:
What a shame. I own an NYC, a MetroLine and a Japanese MetroExpress. They are all exceptional instruments and Roger Sadowsky is a class act. Hope this gets resolved.
Click to expand...

Totally agree, I own 1 NYC and another that is on the way, I had 2 excellent metro line japan, but the most that surprised me was the metro express japan because it showed that there was good quality control. I'm sure
that Roger will resolve this issue of control quality with the china metro RSD. When Roger solve it and after I see many but many reviews , yes , i buy one metro china, it would not be bad for that price to have the Sadowsky tone and if the bass is of quality
 
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#19
jpeck02 said:
What a shame. I own an NYC, a MetroLine and a Japanese MetroExpress. They are all exceptional instruments and Roger Sadowsky is a class act. . . .
Click to expand...

They are and he is.

Shame that Warwick didn't care enough to pull these sub standard basses. Surely Roger has clauses in his licence deal which covers QC? He needs to exercise some control over Warwick and what they are doing in his name.
 
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#20
I own one Sadowsky bass it being a Japanese MetroExpress. It is an superb instrument. That said i will purchase another Sadowsky bass in the future but...it will have to go through Rodgers hands FIRST for final inspection & set-up, no matter where it is made.
 
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