Sadowsky users - Your amps?

[jokerjkny]

ahhh, much better...

 

[Eggman]

The Metro's don't come with the VTC as standard equipment. I use mine a lot., even on the RW model... and I'm a sizzly treble lover! If you find that the Metro's you play have too much treble response (especially the maple ones) when set flat (since the pre is boost only), you will find that the VTC will help a lot... I believe it's a $150 option on the Metro's.

Let us know how you like them.

Thanks - I have VTC on my RV5 and I love it. I am thinking of a 4 in Candy Apple Red - rosewood board. Any other color suggestions - anyone??

 

[Mr_Dave]

Hi,

i also think that sadowsky and eden are a realy good match... i've said this in a few other threads recently too but i really think that the sadowsky clank and treble is different when you use the single coil pickups, however on my uv70s metro i don't boost the treble much and never for slap...

im using my old gk400rbIII with my sadowsky till i can afford to upgrade (upgraded my bass first ) and that is bright as anything and punchy like crazy... too much. i think the eden is the best balance of warmth and the right amount of punch, the gk makes everything feel way too touchy...

my problem... to hijack a bit here, is that i own a passive fender mij 62 reissue jazz and i haven't enjoyed that through edens i've tried because im now used to the punch of the sadowsky... so now not only do i have to finish saving for a new amp, i have to save to get a nice matching Sadowsky Metro RV4 to match my Ash/Maple so that i'm happy....

 

[albass111]

I have a bass with VTC and without VTC. Although I'd recommend installing the VTC, I definitely wouldn't call it essential but is handy in various situations.

My rig is an Ashodwn ABM500 and I change the cabinet configuration depending on the type of gig. SVT810 for rock, Goliath and Goliath Jr for funk, R&B, and Gospel, and Bag End 15 and Goliath Jr for top 40. I had a 750 for a while and liked it a lot. I'm with whoever said that our basses sound great through almost anything though.

I got to try the Sadowsky AMP at NAMM and all I can say is Wow!! Roger said that in the first two days, NO ONE CHANGED THE EQ settings from flat. Hey Bowlus, how much do you mess with the EQ?

 

[rogerjeep]

I plug my Sadowsky NYC Standard 5 into a Demeter HBP-1. No speakers I use all in-ear monitors. I am currently using Westone UM2 dual driver ear buds.

 

[rayzak]

Thanks - I have VTC on my RV5 and I love it. I am thinking of a 4 in Candy Apple Red - rosewood board. Any other color suggestions - anyone??

Nope CAR sounds perfect

 

[tombowlus]

I'm in no real rush to grab up a head/cab combination, doing research more than anything, hopefully to a point I can find one store in austin or dallas that carries the heads I'm interested in and take vacation time to ride over and do the true shakedown.

Well, then be sure to stop by Bass Emporium and listen to the IP series powered cabs from Bergantino (preferably using Jim's line driver). This will tell you what your Sadowsky really sounds like! These cabs are mucho addicting, and the best sounding solid state amplification system that I have come across (just as the SA200 is the best tube tone I have encountered).

Tom.

 

[JansenW]

Sounds like the hammer of the gods.

Mine too, but a vintage hammer!

V(Reverse)PJ5 Alder/Maple VTC with Braz. Rosewood and Sad. 105 flats.
Demeter HBP-1
Stewart World 2.1
Accugroove El Wappo

 

[Munjibunga]

My 5-24 likes DB750 through either HT322 or D-410XLT.

 

[svtb15]

1972 Ampeg SVT with 2 Aguilar GS112 cabs or Ashdown ABM500 EVOII C115.. they sound rock n roll and the sadowsky punches through all the time... sometimes I will bring my 3rd rig 1972 Alembic F2B pre>Crown MA1200>Bagend S15B-D + Eden 2X10... Loud Clean and Sweet

 

[Fran Diaz]

ash/maple Vintage 4 -> Read Purity -> QSC PLX1602 -> Aguiar GS112.

The eq on the Purity is bypassed 99% of the time. The tone is deep, warm and defined. Sometimes I play a note and let it die only to enjoy its tone.

I play through a 1x12 Warwick combo in the rehearsal room, eq flat, no limiter, no boost switches and it sounds great (although not as good as my rig)

Some people find the ash/maple combo too bright, but I think that it has to do more with the way you play than anything else. Sure it can be bright if you want it to be, but I play with a drummer and two guitars (one acoustic and one classical or electric) and the music we play is classic rock, country and some blues, keeping it always soft and clean and my Sadowsky fits in with the flat eq. I sometimes roll off a little bit of treble on the VTC, but I can play without the VTC and the eq flat on the amp and it sounds great, not too bright or harsh.

 

[Lowfader]

MV4 - COUNTRYMAN DI -AMPEG SVT3 PRO,tube gain & volume all the way up & input pad off,-SVT 15E-210HE. Thick Tone. I'm also working on separates,Yamaha PB1,amp? BERGANTINO HT112.

 

[JohnThomasson]

Well, then be sure to stop by Bass Emporium and listen to the IP series powered cabs from Bergantino (preferably using Jim's line driver). This will tell you what your Sadowsky really sounds like! These cabs are mucho addicting, and the best sounding solid state amplification system that I have come across (just as the SA200 is the best tube tone I have encountered).

Tom.

I thought the IPs sounded good through the Bergantino line driver, but I really came to love them when I used the Millennia TD-1 that John has at Bass Emporium. The IP 310 was nice and clean and punchy and the IP 212 was the ROCK.

I use a DB750 & Berg NV610 with my Rosewood/Alder 4 string metro, but I've used an Ashdown EVO 500 and 410 in the studio and for backline on fly out shows and it sounds awesome with my Sadowsky.

 

[KJung]

I thought the IPs sounded good through the Bergantino line driver, but I really came to love them when I used the Millennia TD-1 that John has at Bass Emporium. The IP 310 was nice and clean and punchy and the IP 212 was the ROCK.

I use a DB750 & Berg NV610 with my Rosewood/Alder 4 string metro, but I've used an Ashdown EVO 500 and 410 in the studio and for backline on fly out shows and it sounds awesome with my Sadowsky.

I'm very interested in doing a 'true experiment' to really evaluate the impact of the IP portion of the cab. Hopefully, we can do this at Tom's house this weekend. By a 'true experiment', I mean isolate the impact of the DSP and internal power amp. To do that, you could, for example, take the preamp of the Walter Woods into the IP112, and then compare to the full Walter Woods into the HT112.... that way, you could hear the impact of the internal amp and DSP versus the Walter's power amp, with everything else being equal (assuming the HT112 is pretty much the same cab as the IP112).

I'm just wonderding how close you could get to the pre DSP setting with regular EQ in a standard head.

We will have to try to make that happen this weekend.

 

[RudeMood]

Aguilar GS112 (one or two, depending on size of room, and Ampeg B2R.

The Aguilars sound great with my Sadowsky and are much more portable than some.

 

[alotabass]

I was lucky enough to spend an entire day at Roger Sadowsky's shop and played at least 30 of his basses before I picked and bought my ultimate winner. While the Sadowsky preamp is the same in all his basses I do find 4 different basic Sadowsky tone differences.

The 24fret Modern Metro (more modern hi-fi sounding than the Jazz series)

The 24fret Modern NYC (chambered) (more modern hi-fi sounding than the Jazz series and the chambering adds fullness to upper neck range playing)

The Jazz Metro (more traditional and vintage sounding than the Modern 24 but with the preamp much fuller than a stock Fender Jazz)

The Jazz NYC (chambered) (more traditional and vintage sounding than the Modern 24 but with the preamp much fuller than a stock Fender Jazz and the chambering adds fullness to upper neck range playing)

I played thry many amps but my Sadowsky sounds best with my Eden Navigator Preamp/ WT1550 Poweramp

I have also goten some good sounds thru Aguilar Amps but find the EQ to sound mushy at some points.

Here is a link to a photo of my Sadowsky Bass and Eden amp
Link Removed

Good point(s), Ken. My bass is a 24F 5, 25th Anniversary model, with mahogany body, flamed koa top, and ebony board. And you are right on about it being yet another flavor of "Sadowsky tone."

But, my comments on the consistency of tone, bass to bass, was meant to apply to all of Rogers bass which I have played (including different "Jazz Bass" variations, both Metro and NYC).

 

[Andy Brown]

Mine is very simple:

Sadowsky Standard 5 > GK 1001RB-II > Boss VF-1 > Schroeder 1210

I love it. However, I am intrigued with the new lightweight (3lb) Eden head coming out at NAMM.

 

[cheezewiz]

Here's another vote for Eden.

Sadowsky Metro R5/24 ---- Eden WT550-----Sadowsky SA410.

 

[Dan Knowlton]

With a sadowsky you just want a clean and natural sounding amp, no hype, scoop, or tubification needed.

I agree - I use a Glockenklang HeartCore into two Aggie GS112's with mine (or a SWR Baby Blue II).

Dan K.

 

[20db pad]

I agree with the idea that a Sadowsky doesn't need an amp's help to sound great live. If I had it my way all the time, I'd just go direct into the PA with the help of a Radial Labs Bassbone. Honestly speaking with no intention of sullying anyone, I quit paying a lot of attention to all the new, hot amplification gear years ago because a Sadowsky bass sounds fabulous through anything. FWIW, I'm one of those "tone is in your hands" guys.

In the spirit of the question asked I use a GK 400RB II and a pair of matching GK Neo 112 cabs. After playing a Sadowsky for over 15 years on the job, this rig seems to deliver the both the true essence of what I'm after tonally as well as what the bass really sounds like.