Super Jazz Sunday (STR, Sadowsky, Soundclips!)

[mstott25]

Today I had a chance to spend some time with a couple of basses I really dig and make some comparisons.

I had not heard too much about the STR Jazz basses when I picked mine up and never got a chance to really A/B it a whole lot with other jazz basses but I loved the feel and sound of the bass and definitely thought it was a keeper.

Well this weekend I had a chance to compare it to my favorite jazz bass, the Sadowsky.

Here are the candidates:

Bass(es) Only (STR first, Sadowsky starts @ 1:07)

The STR is not trying to be a faithful representation of a Vintage Fender Jazz in terms of body shape, headstock etc. But as far as the sound of this bass, it sounds better than any other passive Fender style bass I've ever owned. I was really surprised by the sound. The neck is very fast, the bass itself is less than 8.5lbs so it's nearly (if not) a pound lighter than the Sadowsky and it's pretty noticeable. There is no neck dive and the body shape is obviously STR's own unique take on the jazz. They took the liberty of updating and refining the original jazz bass, downsizing the body and adding some touches to give it their own refinements and make it more comfortable, I think they did a killer job. It's light alder body, rosewood board, STR pickups and 20 fret neck all give it the components anybody would really want if they are trying to get a vintage jazz bass sound.

STR Sample


Everybody should be familiar with Sadowsky by now, this one is the MV4. The Sadowsky has a fuller neck which I noticed right away (I've had the STR now for about six months) but it felt very comfortable once I got settled in on it. I owned an MV5 about two years ago, I got rid of it only because I was trying to get an MV4 and that trade didn't happen right away so on the Merry-Go-Round I went trying out basses for a while. The Sadowsky left a lasting impression on me and I have been looking to get one since.

The main difference between the Sadowsky and the STR in terms of sound comes back to the Sadowsky pickups/preamp. The STR is passive but it has a very open sound to my ear yet the Sadowsky sounds so smoooooooth, I love it and I also like the slap sound on the Sadowsky. The STR does everything I would expect of it and really delivers, but I'm very partial to the Sadowsky sound so it's hard for me to pick a favorite. I guess I could always get an outboard Sadowsky preamp for the STR if I wanted...

Sadowsky Sample


So at this point I love everything about the Sadowsky like I thought I would but it's harder than I thought it would be parting with the STR. So I set up a poll here for kicks and giggles. I am only hanging on to one of these basses, unless I can justify keeping both.

 

[Double E]

They seem different enough to justify keeping both!

I was hangin' out at a new(er) local music store talkin' with the owner. He was a really down to earth dude and passionate about his instruments, both the ones he sells and the ones he owns. I was telling him about the revolving door of instruments that have passed through my hands. He looked at me and stated, with a deadpan delivery; "I have never sold or traded a personal instrument, I still have my first guitar."

That concept was totally foreign to me...it made me feel a bit daft.

 

[vin*tone]

I have a 5 string 70's version of the STR. It is active passive (VTC) with a bart pre.
If someone offered a straight trade for a Sadowsy I'd say no.

 

[igneo85]

keep them both!!! although the STR headstock looks pretty weird

 

[Dr. Cheese]

If you can afford both, keep both. If you can't, flip a coin. They both sound like Jazz Basses to me!

 

[Wilbyman]

You can send the STR "this a-way".

 

[mstott25]

I have a 5 string 70's version of the STR. It is active passive (VTC) with a bart pre.
If someone offered a straight trade for a Sadowsy I'd say no.

I wasn't too familiar with STR before this experience but these basses are incredible. I think Brian at the LowEnd is the only dealer in North America.

If you can afford both, keep both. If you can't, flip a coin. They both sound like Jazz Basses to me!

Ha! Careful, that's the conclusion I came to last time I had a few boutiques and whittled my collection down to a Fender Jazz! My wife always says the same thing. She was a big fan of the Fender (partly because she knew it was much less than the Sadowsky, though she won't admit that) but when I took her to a gig and played both, the Sadowsky won her over.

You can send the STR "this a-way".

Will that wouldn't even be like losing a bass, that would be like leaving it with an uncle. I think you would like this one, I wonder how it compares to the GS4. I'll send it to you for an evaluation

 

[vin*tone]

keep them both!!! although the STR headstock looks pretty weird

I kinda like the way STR are not slavishly copying ... or trying to find a deliberate variation - of the Fender standard.

IMO the overall design has been re-though out - and done very well.... and the rounded base means it sits well in a guitar stand!

I wasn't too familiar with STR before this experience but these basses are incredible. ...

No, me either. They're pretty hard to find I guess.

 

[mstott25]

I kinda like the way STR are not slavishly copying ... or trying to find a deliberate variation - of the Fender standard.

You're 100% correct. If they were just putting out another boutique jazz bass it might seem redundant but they have literally taken the jazz bass concept and set out to make the ultimate version of a jazz bass, tradition be damned! There isn't too many of these out there yet, I'm guessing only a handful.

 

[Kael]

They both sound good, but I found myself preferring the STR by a bit. The Sad sounded more polite by comparison. The STR just had more personality to my ear. Honestly though, either would make me happy and I probably wouldn't hold on to both unless I just wanted a 4 string jazz backup..... with a slightly different flavor.... plus passive and active options..... hmm... Ok, so I would hang on to both.

 

[mstott25]

They both sound good, but I found myself preferring the STR by a bit. The Sad sounded more polite by comparison.

Yeah I'm really leaning towards the Sadowsky because I dig the color, my preference has always been maple boards and I love how Sadowsky sounds in every context. But I'll pick up the STR and feel like, oh man it's going to be sad seeing this guy go!

I was telling him about the revolving door of instruments that have passed through my hands. He looked at me and stated, with a deadpan delivery; "I have never sold or traded a personal instrument, I still have my first guitar."

But there are so many great basses out there, how will we know which ones we love most when we haven't tried 'em all!

 

[puff father]

In the combined sample I preferred the Sadowsky. However in the SippityLoDee samples I really liked the STR much better. Maybe because it was louder in the mix? Thought it had a better tone which surprised me. I figured the Sad would be my clear favorite.

Keep 'em both.

 

[mstott25]

In the combined sample I preferred the Sadowsky. However in the SippityLoDee samples I really liked the STR much better. Maybe because it was louder in the mix? Thought it had a better tone which surprised me. I figured the Sad would be my clear favorite.

Keep 'em both.

Yeah I LOVE the sound of this STR but in my experience, passive jazz basses have never sounded as good on a gig as when I record/woodshed with them. There's something thin inherent in their sound that a good preamp or amp setting can compensate for, but when I gigged in the past with a Sadowsky the first thing I noticed was how full they sounded live.

I would love to keep them both because no doubt, I'm going to have a passive jazz bass in my stable again, but I gotta pay myself back for the Sadowsky now!

So thanks everybody for participating in the poll and giving me your thoughts. [DEL] I'm definitely going to miss the STR but it is for sale. Sadowsky is just the perfect bass for me.[/DEL]

Edit: The STR won after all.

The Sadowsky is just a flat out great bass, period. After week one, the Sadowsky was what I wanted, after two weeks - I was surprised, I found myself picking up the STR more and more until I totally just flat out preferred it.

I got to take both basses out, record a little, go back and forth for a few weeks and while I think Sadowsky just about makes a perfect bass for anybody (sits well within any mix, preamp sounds GREAT no matter what the genre, bass feels great, super solid and reliable) the STR called me back.

The neck on the STR is so comfortable, I can play any note on that fretboard up and down the neck with ease. I had to double check and make sure the STR was 34" scale because it's so comfortable! It's lighter than the Sadowsky by over a pound and has an organic sound with plenty of growl and is very full sounding, it doesn't sound thin like my other passive jazz basses in the past.

One big frustration I encountered was that I thought I'd prefer the Sadowsky because of the 21 fret neck but I can play all 20 frets on the STR NO PROBLEM whereas it required some major adjustments to play frets 17-21 on the Sadowsky. This might not seem like a big deal to some people but it was frustrating for me, I noticed several times as there were lines I could play much more fluidly on the STR because they were in that range that I really had to adjust my left hand for with the Sadowsky.

I knew I liked this STR bass but I've had Sadowsky GAS since I sold my MV5 a couple of years ago. It looks like that's been cured