JAUQO III-X
Inactive
You cant really compare these to brands. They are two totally different basses in their own right.
Exactly.
Exactly.
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Skyline vs. Metro
- Thread starter emblymouse
- Start date
Funny that a few have mentioned being less than impressed with the skyline JO 4. I've only played a few Laklands, and the DJ 4s I played stood out as superb J style basses in every way, with a very versatile and quite aggressive singing tone. The JOs didn't impress me that much either, even though I love a good '60s J. My Fender CS '64 Jazz sounds way better to me than the JOs i tried.
But the Skyline DJ and HB are simply amazing basses at any price point and real bargains at their selling price.
I would like to try a few more US Laklands, though. I owned a 55-95 briefly and it was such a finely crafted bass, was very responsive, and sounded incredible in with hugely variable tonal possibilities.
But the Skyline DJ and HB are simply amazing basses at any price point and real bargains at their selling price.
I would like to try a few more US Laklands, though. I owned a 55-95 briefly and it was such a finely crafted bass, was very responsive, and sounded incredible in with hugely variable tonal possibilities.
You can compare anything. Since these both are boutique J's (even though they are at different price points), the comparisons make sense. Both are priced significantly under the upper end boutique J models, and both are the lower priced line of a high end boutique builder.I again find the DJ to stack up in EVERY way to the Sadowsky Metro J's, even though the price point is different. If the OP is looking for an aggressive but very 'Fender true' instrument, a 4 string Skyline DJ is close to as 'good as it gets' IMO and IME. If the OP is looking for the Sadowsky tone, but doesn't quite have the scratch to go all the way for the full NYC deal, the Metro is a very nice option!
IMO!
JAUQO III-X
Inactive
Of course they can be compared but they really don't compare
mainly because they are two different price point target areas and it shows.To the op. Just play some Metro's and some Skylines and take it from there.
Ken -- I'm curious how many DJ4s you've played? Was it just a couple of great ones or have you seen a consistent stream of awesome ones? I think skylines are just not super consistent in quality as you'd expect with mass production.
The Metros vary in personality, and so do NYC Sadowskys and USA Laklands, but are very consistent in quality. As good as any bass I've seen on the criteria that matters to me. I've never played a Skyline that was on par with those (though I had a DJ5 that was pretty close!).
The Metros vary in personality, and so do NYC Sadowskys and USA Laklands, but are very consistent in quality. As good as any bass I've seen on the criteria that matters to me. I've never played a Skyline that was on par with those (though I had a DJ5 that was pretty close!).
Chef
In Memoriam
Lakland Skyline=~$1400 pricepoint
Sadowsky Metro=~$2500 pricepoint.
That people are considering comparing them says a lot for the Lakland I think.
Sadowsky Metro=~$2500 pricepoint.
That people are considering comparing them says a lot for the Lakland I think.
Comparing a Metro to a Skyline is not a fair comparison. Metro > Skyline... However, thats not to say, Skylines arent nice. They are! Its just that Metro's are SICK!
I've only owned one, but have played 5 or 6 as they came through Low Down Sound. All were very consistent and similar to me (although I prefer the 4's to the chunky neck 5's, per Burk's comment). That's actually the only reason I don't own one. I really like the 4's a LOT, but I only play 5's (I'm just comfortable with the 5 strings at this point after playing nothing else since the mid 80's).
I'm one who is less impressed with the Metro's in general and feel, even with a base model, that the extra money for the NYC is worth every penny. I've played a ton of those also... some very good, but very, very few at the NYC level IMO. Of course, you are talking a LOT of scratch for an NYC Sadowsky though.
Edit: Put another way... I feel the UPGRADE from the Metro to the NYC is worth every penny, since it's not that much, given the Metro's relatively high price. With the Skyline DJ, I can't see paying thousands more for the US model, given how good that bass is at that very low price.
IMO to all the above.... really IMO.
Of course they can be compared but they really don't compare
To the op. Just play some Metro's and some Skylines and take it from there.
+1, but to me, that's the amazing thing. The DJ's really do 'compare' to the much higher priced Metro's as far as I'm concerned.
I understand your point though, (and Mike's also)
I agree, it is kind of a tough comparison... If we are talking strictly Jazz style instruments, the Skylines are a bit more of the classic Fender style. The Sadowskys don't really sound like a Fender to me. I recently traded in a JO for my MV4. The Sadowsky necks are superb. Easily up there in feel and quality with any high end bass I have played. It really depends on what you are going for. Personally, I have always gone the vintage style route, but the Sadowsky sits in the mix as good or better than all the vintage Fenders I have owned, and plays perfectly for me. Big fat sounding low end with out being muddy. The Lakland Skylines are along the lines of a passive Fender(although the JO has an Ash body regardless of fingerboard which doesn't really scream 60's Jazz to me....). They are different basses, at different price points, with different(for the most part) sounds. Depends on what you want!
Interesting ... I've had 6 metros and they've all been killer. The one NYC I had didn't seem much different/better, and definitely not worth almost $2000 more to me, other than the fact that you could not get that config in a Metro at the time. Base price on an NYC is like $4000
To me, the difference between a Skyline and USA lakland is much much bigger. I've played one DJ4 and while it was definitely a nice bass, it didn't stand apart from other Skylines IMO. On the 5s there is a huge difference IMHO/IME.
Interesting ... I've had 6 metros and they've all been killer. The one NYC I had didn't seem much different/better, and definitely not worth almost $2000 more to me, other than the fact that you could not get that config in a Metro at the time. Base price on an NYC is like $4000
To me, the difference between a Skyline and USA lakland is much much bigger. I've played one DJ4 and while it was definitely a nice bass, it didn't stand apart from other Skylines IMO. On the 5s there is a huge difference IMHO/IME.
As my buddy Vic correctly points out, the Metro/NYC discussion is almost impossible to have. The Metro guys, who have paid boutique dollars for their bass, are motivated to feel 'they are just as good' as the NYC's, and the NYC guys who have paid even bigger dollars for their basses are motivated to feel they are 'much better'
Never will the two sides meet!I agree totally that there is NO comparison between, for example, a 55-94 and a 55-02. I'm totally with you there. I'm strictly talking about the almost 'magical for the price' DJ model. I'm less than impressed with every other Skyline model I've played, and agree, except for the DJ, the Metro's are a step above in both quality and price!
I just stopped by Atlanta Bass Gallery on Monday as I travel across the good ol' USA.
They had a Daryl Jones 4 string and a Sadowsky MV5 Metro. I've played a handful of the Sadowsky basses over the past few years and in my past experience I preferred other basses over the Sadowsky (then again I only played 4 strings in the past...this was my first 5). I pulled this one off the rack to mess around and.... What an incredible bass. I had no idea it was a Metro. I won't forget that Sadowsky and as far as I'm concerned all the guys raving about these basses and from what I've seen of Roger and his shop - these basses deserve all the hype! What an incredible bass.
The Darryl Jones was a great bass too. It was probably $900 bucks cheaper but I was impressed with that bass. For this guy, on that day, in that setting - if I had to pick one I would have picked the Sadowsky because it had a sound I greatly prefer. Somebody searching for a more passive vibe might have made the exact opposite conclusion.
How do they compare?? I read through Ken's post and he nailed it on the head. He's far more articulate than I so I'll leave good enough alone.
They had a Daryl Jones 4 string and a Sadowsky MV5 Metro. I've played a handful of the Sadowsky basses over the past few years and in my past experience I preferred other basses over the Sadowsky (then again I only played 4 strings in the past...this was my first 5). I pulled this one off the rack to mess around and....
What an incredible bass. I had no idea it was a Metro. I won't forget that Sadowsky and as far as I'm concerned all the guys raving about these basses and from what I've seen of Roger and his shop - these basses deserve all the hype! What an incredible bass.The Darryl Jones was a great bass too. It was probably $900 bucks cheaper but I was impressed with that bass. For this guy, on that day, in that setting - if I had to pick one I would have picked the Sadowsky because it had a sound I greatly prefer. Somebody searching for a more passive vibe might have made the exact opposite conclusion.
How do they compare?? I read through Ken's post and he nailed it on the head. He's far more articulate than I so I'll leave good enough alone.
Yeah, my maple/maple metro neck didn't even need a trussrod. It had a tiny bit of relief built in. I would loosen the trussrod completely looking for more relief and the neck wouldn't move a bit. Now that's a stiff neck.
Mike
I've owned several Skylines and a couple of Metros. I don't want to get into which is "better"...as many people have already said, it is an apple to oranges comparison.
That being said, one of the most important things for me is how the neck feels...I much prefer the Lakland necks. That doesn't make it better, it's just a preference.
That being said, one of the most important things for me is how the neck feels...I much prefer the Lakland necks. That doesn't make it better, it's just a preference.
davec
Supporting Member
- May 4, 2006
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I don't think you can make a bad choice With those two. That said I think the better question is Pre-owned USA Lakland or New Metro because of the $, If I was making that big of a $ question I would include Lull, Pensa, and Valenti as well. When your in that company, The bass will tell you which one picked you.
That said I think skylines are imposible to beat. The Karl will tell you. "you can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear, but you can make a better sows ear"
That said I think skylines are imposible to beat. The Karl will tell you. "you can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear, but you can make a better sows ear"
The Skyline DJ's seem nicer I think because of the blocks and binding, which require more attention to detail and make them look more ornate when you hold them. I'm not sure if the quality is greater in them versus the other models. I personally wouldn't pay the difference in going from the Skyline to USA series in any Lakland model if I were buying brand new. I don't think it's worth it myself. Same goes for the Metro/NYC difference. The 55-02, 44-02 and DJ5 I've owned have all been great instruments and wonderful players. There are some very minor, nitpicky things that keep them from feeling like boutique instruments, but the DJ5 was defintely the more like one than the other two. Something about it just made it "feel" expensive. Again, I think it was the ornate neck more than anything. It didn't play any better than the other two, nor was the fretwork any better. IME.
IMO!
IMO they are not boutique, DJ are cheaper than Fender MIA and Sadowsky Metro did not offer you any option.
I have own both DJ and Sadowsky PJ, I like both, DJ is $1000 cheaper and honestly the only difference I noticed was the sadowsky pre amp, its worth $1000 , hell not
its a bit of an unfair comparison like stated earlier the metros are quite a bit more expensive, for the price id take a used u.s. lakland or 2 skylines any day over a metro.
I own/owned two Metro's (24 fret Modern and MS5 with single coil J pu's) and and a Skyline 55-02. Both were top notch in terms of construction and playability and were all right in the 9lb. range. IMO, the 55-02 and MS5 are the two best overall basses that I have owned. You can't go wrong with either. I ended up keeping the Metro J because it's tone is the best I've ever heard.
