Sadowsky/Valenti questions.........

[steve21]

5) Nino, makes a great boutique jazz. Roger makes Sadowskys. The amazing thing about Rogers basses is how consistent they sound from instrument to instrument. They sound like Saowskys. If I was looking at Mike Lulls, Low End Jazzs, Sandbergs, and Fender Custom Shop, I would definitely consider Nino's work, with the right pickups and pre, he offers some killer basses (especially that blueburst with Nordstroms). But If I wanted a Sadowsky, I would buy a Sadowsky.

Does Nino grab the pickups while his wife looks for blouses?

You can get Sad pups/pre's put onto a Valenti, to further stir your pot.

 

[Jim Carr]

...My questions are,

1. I have done a lot of searches and have come to the conclusion that the only real diff between the NYC and Metro series are the wood choices, a few options and the lack of a chambered body. Is this correct?

I think so, but fingerboard wood choice can make a significant difference in the sound, IMHO.

2. I would expect a NYC to have an awesome setup due to coming straight from Rogers shop. How do the Metro setups compare?

Very well, however, any bass that has crossed the country and landed in a different climate might need a tweak, whether it is an NYC or a Metro.

3. I love the Jazz sound but the PJ is interesting for the tonal variety. Do you loose a lot of the jazz bass "flavor" with the PJ?

It is not a Jazz, but does some of it. The P/J nails P-bass quite well, and does the bridge pickup Jazz burp. I have Sadowsky hum-canceling pickups--I like the fact that I don't have any hum issues, no matter what blend I am set at. My favorite tone for the broadcast gigs I do, is blended pretty 50/50 between P and J with a little bass boost.
The VTC is nice, and helps to take the edge off, when I need to.

4. The biggest draw to the sound was the even volume and tone throughout the entire range of the instrument, it actually got louder when he went to slapping. Is this as consistent on the Metros as well?

I don't slap much anymore, so I pass on that part of your question. My experience with my NYC right out of the box was that it was the most even and resonant electric bass I had ever played, but still possessed an organic complexity to the basic tone. The top-quality carbon-fiber necked basses have this eveness, but their tone is different, perhaps less complex, to me. The P/J has clarity and warm punch galore!

5. I know Nino Valenti has just left Roger's shop to do his basses full time. How do his basses compare tonally to a Sadowsky? ...do his basses have the same response and tone? Are they similar? Has anyone A/Bed them?

I have a wonderful Valenti fretless 5er. It has an ebony fingerboard, alder body, Nordie FatStacks, and an OBP-3. I have kept it strung E-C with TI flats. As you might imagine, an A/B between it and my P/J 4-string (chambered alder with brazilian rosewood fingerboard, Sadowsky P/J H/C p-ups and electronics, strung with Sadowsky roundwounds), would be kind of pointless, as they are both great at doing very different jobs.

 

[Ryan L.]

Since Nino offers a wide variety of options for pickups and preamps, I think it's pretty tough to generalize his basses in a comparison to Sadowsky basses.

 

[joelb79]

Since Nino offers a wide variety of options for pickups and preamps, I think it's pretty tough to generalize his basses in a comparison to Sadowsky basses.

+1.

I might add that every Valenti I played was top notch stuff. May I even say I preferred them to the Sadowsky's that I played at Tom Bowlus' GTG.

 

[cheezewiz]

My questions are,

?

4. The biggest draw to the sound was the even volume and tone throughout the entire range of the instrument, it actually got louder when he went to slapping. Is this as consistent on the Metros as well?

[QUOTE/]

Sure that's not just a technique issue? I'm a really bad slapper, and anytime I do it, it's WAY louder than if I play fingerstyle, no matter what the bass is. I've owned three Metros now, and without a doubt, they are the most "Even, balanced" bass up and down the fretboard I've ever played.

Nino's stuff is also top notch. I REALLY wanted the black P he had at the Bowlus Bass Borg and I'm still entertaining the thought of ordering something from him when I can afford to do so.

 

[jazzbo58]

Get both a Sad AND a Valenti!!

That's what I've done! I love them both. Two very different instruments.

Cheers,
Jim

 

[82Daion]

+1.

I might add that every Valenti I played was top notch stuff. May I even say I preferred them to the Sadowsky's that I played at Tom Bowlus' GTG.

+1

The blue bass with the Nordstrand DC's was orgasmic.