Sadowsky vs. Fujigen

[Cowboy in Latvia]

If you don’t agree with what I said in my OP, just say so. It’s not like I will catch a plane to Latvia and challenge you to a boxing match!

No worries. It's just that the same phrasing is often used to mean more what I wrote in my post, usually by people who can't hear tonal differences between players much less basses.

 

[luciens]

The Sadowsky sounds a little more trebly, but the Fujigen sounds like it has comparatively slightly overwound (hotter) pickups in it (slightly reduced highs with a eensy bit more oomf in the lows and low mids).

But, put me in a blind A/B test between em, and will I be able to tell which is which? I betcha I couldn't. Would anyone be able to tell the difference between them, especially in a mix? I doubt it.

Both of em sound really good to me, but then again I'm deef as a post too. Kind of a slightly suped up fretted Jazz bass kind of sound. I like em both.

L

 

[MultiScaleMale]

They both sound great, I'd give a slight nod to the Sadowsky.

 

[Turnaround]

What do you think? Personally, I think it shows that the same guy playing two Jazz Basses sounds like himself on either one.

Sounds like both basses need a proper setup. Yuck! I don't know how you are supposed to judge a bass with that much noise in the lower half of the neck.

 

[cxc]

I’d take either. Both would rise sufficiently to my mediocre level of playing.

 

[2cooltoolz]

I like the one that weighs less. (and is a precision bass

)

 

[Rib 13]

They both sound like Jazz basses, each with different personal characteristics......in a blindfold test, they each couldve said Fender or Sire on the headstock and I wouldve been none the wiser (shrug)

 

[JW56789]

From experience, a Fuji Gen and an offshore Sadowsky would be a toss-up, pretty close in most every way. To me, it's a shame the 'other' Sadowskys aren't farmed out to Fuji Gen.

For me these comparisons are problems, I don't know how they were recorded, and playback off my phone or computer speakers doesn't really tell me anything.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

From experience, a Fuji Gen and an offshore Sadowsky would be a toss-up, pretty close in most every way. To me, it's a shame the 'other' Sadowskys aren't farmed out to Fuji Gen.

For me these comparisons are problems, I don't know how they were recorded, and playback off my phone or computer speakers doesn't really tell me anything.

Use some decent headphones if you can. The tonal contrast is readily apparent.

 

[JW56789]

Dr. C., I'm hopeless: Until I'm in a room with them strapped on and pumping through a stack, it's all 'what if' to me. Recorded skillfully, anything can sound far better (or worse) than it really is. I still want to feel it pin my ears back in a room with me. Rarely possible, but real.

 

[JW56789]

And honestly, I'm just not into uber-fine gradations in tone. If it's in my ballpark tone-wise and it's an instrument I like that feels right and is built well, I'll make up the difference and get it to walk and talk.

It took a while, but I learned 90% is good enough, and you'll sweat a lifetime of worry about that other 10% to get to the supposed 'perfect'. I chased that 10%, got the lines on my face to show for it, and learned I can get by just fine without it.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

And honestly, I'm just not into uber-fine gradations in tone. If it's in my ballpark tone-wise and it's an instrument I like that feels right and is built well, I'll make up the difference and get it to walk and talk.

It took a while, but I learned 90% is good enough, and you'll sweat a lifetime of worry about that other 10% to get to the supposed 'perfect'. I chased that 10%, got the lines on my face to show for it, and learned I can get by just fine without it.

You are right. We can split hairs and not make any real world difference.

 

[JW56789]

I've just been at this long enough to know all I really need is a bass that feels right (overall weight, a shape that doesn't fight me, a neck that feels right), good keys and bridge so I'm not constantly fighting tuning, stability in construction where it holds a setup for a reasonable length of time, and electronics that are quiet and has a basic identity tone I can use.

I find these are not price dependent, and available in a lot of very different axes from around the world. Then give me an amp that also falls into the above mindset, and I'm good to go.

After that, it's all up to me, and in any combination of the things listed above, I'll sound like me.

This frees a lot of mental real estate after so many years of 'geez, if I don't get a _____________bass and play it through a _____________amp, I'll just be screwed and useless'. As I look back, I realize this came about because there was so much junk around when I started out, equipment-wise, and I swore I'd steer clear of it. But I never let go as things improved. The many great and easily available choices we have today were a crazy dream in the 70's.

It was so pointless to waste so many years under that spell, and I hate it took me so long to walk out from under it and enjoy playing, not killing myself to attain a profile as a 'serious musician via serious equipment'.

I was just TOO serious to enjoy it. These days, the only GAS I need is at Chevron or Shell. Good Riddance.

 

[Old Blastard]

Dr. C: I voted FGN because I've never played a Sadowski and I've owned three FGN-made Fenders and have a FGN Mighty Jazz Expert that I love. It has all the sounds and is great to play. Different than the Fender, but definitely a jazz. So I'm going with what I know. I watched the video and they all sounded close to me, so personal experience won out.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I've just been at this long enough to know all I really need is a bass that feels right (overall weight, a shape that doesn't fight me, a neck that feels right), good keys and bridge so I'm not constantly fighting tuning, stability in construction where it holds a setup for a reasonable length of time, and electronics that are quiet and has a basic identity tone I can use.

I find these are not price dependent, and available in a lot of very different axes from around the world. Then give me an amp that also falls into the above mindset, and I'm good to go.

After that, it's all up to me, and in any combination of the things listed above, I'll sound like me.

This frees a lot of mental real estate after so many years of 'geez, if I don't get a _____________bass and play it through a _____________amp, I'll just be screwed and useless'. As I look back, I realize this came about because there was so much junk around when I started out, equipment-wise, and I swore I'd steer clear of it. But I never let go as things improved. The many great and easily available choices we have today were a crazy dream in the 70's.

It was so pointless to waste so many years under that spell, and I hate it took me so long to walk out from under it and enjoy playing, not killing myself to attain a profile as a 'serious musician via serious equipment'.

I was just TOO serious to enjoy it. These days, the only GAS I need is at Chevron or Shell. Good Riddance.

I know GAS is never ending and it always the case that a bass will be lacking somewhere. It is also the case for me that stuff let go always looks better in hindsight. I will say that my experience with my Super 5 has been an eye opener. It has really exploded what I thought would work for me. I cannot say it is it for me, but it is likely that my Super 5 works for me as well as any bass I have ever owned.

 

[Spidey2112]

I had both US and Japanese Sadowsky basses and the build quality and sound of both were top notch.

Yep.

 

[JT Foster]

The Sadowsky sounded better, and has 24 frets.

Could be the setup, it just has more bite.

 

[TyBo]

Ironically, when it comes to actual Jazz tone ('All of Me'), the Sadowsky didn't sound as good. Overly compressed and synthetic. I personally wouldn't use that tone on that song.

Funny, I actually liked the Sadowsky better on "All of Me", the one place where I really heard a considerable difference - felt like more of a "singing" tone (which might equate to compressed, perhaps, idk ... ). So I liked the singing tone on the ... song .

 

[HardNHeavy]

never tried either bass unfortunately. but the sadowsky had more bite, from that vid, while the Fujigen had more clarity imo..does that make sense?..could be my old ears at 6am and not enuf coffee coursing thru my veins yet. Are they made with the same wood? If i were in the market for one of these, of course I'd need to actually play them myself, to make a solid decision. I dig your "comparison" posts tho

 

[bucephylus]

Same here - I used the outboard Sadowsky outboard preamp with a Lakland 44-60 and a Fender CS '62 Jazz bass - then I bought this Sadowsky NYC 5-20 ultra vintage I have now. Had a very different experience as I hear totally different tone. But, I think the feel of each bass plays a role as well. I still have the outboard preamp too. Thanks for your insight/opinion.

FWIW, IME with all NYC Sadowsky, JPN Metro Sadowsky, Fender Jazz Deluxe with Sadowsky preamp, and Fender Jazz Bass with Sadowsky Outboard: the first three all sound identical, IF they have the same pickups; while the latter is somewhere in the neighborhood, but much more in the standard Jazz Bass realm.

Of course, different wood constructions also contribute to what is going on.