• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Sadowsky soundclips and question about pickups...

Ari

Ari

Dec 6, 2001
832
5
#1
I just got this second-hand Metro recently, I wonder if Roger changed his pickups lately? I mean, I don't know if my tastes changed or what but man this bass sounds terrific... it has tons of growl! :bassist:

Fingerstyle when favoring the bridge pickup it just kills! :hyper: Makes me wish I didn't sell my old Sadowsky basses a few years ago... maybe it was the amp & cabs I was using at the time that sucked... :confused:

So, what are the pickups on this Metro and are they different from the ones Roger used to put on his NYC line a few years ago? To my ear they growl more... but they don't seem to be single coils since they don't hum? Or maybe it's just the wood combo of this metro? I suppose it's alder underneath the paint, since the bass weighs at 4.1kg on my bathroom scale...

Here are short soundclips recorded straight into a Boss RC50 (I didn't put enough gain when recording so you'll probably need to turn up your speakers):

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
#2
HI

They should just be the humcancelling pickups that are standard on all metro and NYC models. DiMarzio makes them for him, wound to his specs. Im not sure if he's tweaked them over the years. Maybe u like the morado board plus your amp and cab mate better with this bass. Who knows? All that matters is that you are rockin' it and feelin' good about your gear. Thats all that matters, in my opinion. Beautiful bass, BTW

Rob
 
#5
Ari said:
No, they don't have the sandblasted finish... they appear to be the humcancelling ones
Click to expand...

+1. While I prefer the single coils on the ash/maple versions of Roger's basses, the alder/RW or Morado models sound great to me with the standard split coils, and they do growl quite a bit. It seems that wood combination moves the midrange response of those bassed down a touch, from the very bright upper mids of the ash/maple that can be a bit much for me (at least with the rigs that I use) with the standard split coils, to a more mid-mid growl that seems to balance out the somewhat modern and a touch 'scooped sounding' split coils.

I really like those standard pickups with the model of bass that you have! I've been thinking about swapping the pickups for the single coils for a long time, but never have taken the plunge because my RV sounds so good the way it is. It would be cool to get a little more warmth and grit in the treble response (the split coils are pretty darn clean and almost hi fi up there), but it works very well in the mix for me.

That's a nice bass!
 
#6
I am not an expert but a I read in BP mag that a few years ago Sadowsky was using single coils (made for him by Seymour Duncan?) standard in NYCs. Now the standard pickup choice is HC (made by DiMarzio as Bike mentioned). Unless the original owner swapped them, that's what you have.

The body is alder for sure; that comes with Morado fingerboard, and not an option with Metros.
 
#7
basadam said:
I am not an expert but a I read in BP mag that a few years ago Sadowsky was using single coils (made for him by Seymour Duncan?) standard in NYCs. Now the standard pickup choice is HC (made by DiMarzio as Bike mentioned). Unless the original owner swapped them, that's what you have.

The body is alder for sure; that comes with Morado fingerboard, and not an option with Metros.
Click to expand...

I believe that standard pickup change happened long before the truss rod adjustment system was changed to the 'wheel' type, so I would be pretty sure that his bass has the split coils.

The simplest way to find out is to solo one of the pickups and listen.... if the noise level doesn't change, they are splits... if the noise level increases, they are singles:smug:
 
#8
KJung said:
The simplest way to find out is to solo one of the pickups and listen.... if the noise level doesn't change, they are splits... if the noise level increases, they are singles:smug:
Click to expand...

Ken,
I thought that maybe mine were the HC's because the soloed pickups were nearly silent. Then I played at Fast Eddies and became certain they were SC's.:) Sadowsky's shielding must be great because in most places there is almost no hum.
 
#9
maconbass said:
Ken,
I thought that maybe mine were the HC's because the soloed pickups were nearly silent. Then I played at Fast Eddies and became certain they were SC's.:) Sadowsky's shielding must be great because in most places there is almost no hum.
Click to expand...

Hmmm... I always considered the Sadowsky's quite noisy, even with split coils. Even my split coils can get a little noisy in some rooms (so your Fast Eddie's test might not really tell you what is going on). I guess maybe that isn't the obvious test I thought! There are some rooms where my Sadowsky is MUCH noisier than my single coil Alleva, which is REALLY silent for a single coil loaded instrument.
 
#11
maconbass said:
Mine have the sandblasted finish so I guess they are the SC's but it really is a very quiet bass. I got more noise out of my MTD in some venues than I get from the Sadowsky.
Click to expand...

I do love those singles with the maple/ash models... grindy and warm!!!! Yeah, the MTD's can have trouble in some rooms also. I guess every circuit and pickup design can have troubles in some rooms. I have one outlet in my basement (it's a nice grounded outlet on a separate circuit) that results in a huge buzz from my Sadowsky but no other bass I own. Electronics can make you nuts!
 
#13
Ari said:
I just got this second-hand Metro recently, I wonder if Roger changed his pickups lately? I mean, I don't know if my tastes changed or what but man this bass sounds terrific... it has tons of growl! :bassist:

Fingerstyle when favoring the bridge pickup it just kills! :hyper: Makes me wish I didn't sell my old Sadowsky basses a few years ago... maybe it was the amp & cabs I was using at the time that sucked... :confused:

So, what are the pickups on this Metro and are they different from the ones Roger used to put on his NYC line a few years ago? To my ear they growl more... but they don't seem to be single coils since they don't hum? Or maybe it's just the wood combo of this metro? I suppose it's alder underneath the paint, since the bass weighs at 4.1kg on my bathroom scale...

Here are short soundclips recorded straight into a Boss RC50 (I didn't put enough gain when recording so you'll probably need to turn up your speakers):

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Click to expand...


I love that color!:cool:
 
#14
KJung said:
Hmmm... I always considered the Sadowsky's quite noisy, even with split coils. Even my split coils can get a little noisy in some rooms (so your Fast Eddie's test might not really tell you what is going on). I guess maybe that isn't the obvious test I thought! There are some rooms where my Sadowsky is MUCH noisier than my single coil Alleva, which is REALLY silent for a single coil loaded instrument.
Click to expand...

No, it is true. I have single coils and with the bass and treble controls left unboosted, sometimes there is practically no hum when soloing one pick-up, at least on my ultra vintage. In other situations, you know that single coils are installed on my bass, but not bad at all.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back