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Thinking about a Sadowsky MV5

#21
Ron Plichta said:
I played an M5-24 and MV5 today and I must say that I must be in the minority when it comes to Sadowsky. I thought the electronics sounded artificial and the necks too chunky for me. I prefer my Lulls and may end up keeping them (or at least 2 of them).
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Hey Ron. The 'Lull versus Sadowsky' thing seems to be correlated with how much of a more classic 'Fender' tone a player enjoys (of course, the Modern-24 has nothing to do with a J bass tone at all). As you found out, especially with the ash/maple models, the Sadowsky tone is very aggressive and very modern, especially with the stock hum canceling pickups. I greatly prefer the alder/RW Sadowsky J's... it does seem to mellow and fatten the tone versus the ash/maple (at least compared to the lighter ash/maple basses), and there is an upper mid thing going on in the lighter ash/maple MV models that I don't dig at all.

Regarding the pre, another +1 to some of the comments above. I have an Alder/RW model... I LOVE a bright, sizzly tone, and I've never, ever, ever used the treble boost, and actually roll back the upper sizzle a bit with the VTC. And, the bass boost is wonderful, but I don't think I've ever used it at more than about a 20% level, if that.

So, the Sadowsky J is really a different beast than some of the other boutique J's that are designed to mimic a more 'traditional' Fender type tone. I personally love the Sadowsky in the mix, but most of the maple/ash versions were just too ganky sounding in the upper mids for my taste, and also with the more modern rigs that I use. I would think that the brighter, more aggressive sound of the ash/maple would meld well with a more vintage voiced rig.. maybe sound tubes... no tweeter.

IMO... nothing wrong with stickin' with the Lull:)
 
#23
bugbass said:
KJung, so that means that you can get a fine slap sound with an alder Sad? Normally I prefer ash/maple for slap
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+1 in a huge way. I'm a total fan of 70's pickup placement, ash body, single coil pickups, maple board... BUT, that configuration in the Sadowsky (the Metro UV70) has never floated my boat (at least with the stock HC pickups).

The Alder/RW Sadowsky I have (it's an NYC with a true madagascar RW board.. not the harder Morado used on the Metro's) is just a funk machine with the stock pickups. Since the pickups and the Sadowksy pre are SO aggressive, sizzly and deep, the slightly more mellow upper end and mid voicing that I assume comes from the RW board and Alder body just smooths it a touch and makes it fat sounding. Again, I've never even had to use the treble boost ever, and the slight 'scoop' that I hear in the alder/RW/HC pickup Sadowsky basses is in just the right place IMO (upper mids... maybe 1K/2K... whatever) to result in a very pleasing, punchy slap tone with no gorp or gank to it.

I like it a lot!!!!! It's surely not as aggressive as the ash/maple Celinder Update, and it's not as growly and grindy as the Alleva ash/maple... both with 70's pickup placement... but it just sounds really good.... plenty of snap, and enough growl down low to sound natural and musical to me.

IME!

Edit: My buddy and fellow TBer Mikebass has an older Ash/maple MV5 with single coils. It's a little on the heavier side, and it KILLS.... so the ash/maple with single coils and a body that has a little meat to it also sounds great to me. The lighter ones with the HC pickups are not my thing at all.
 
#26
KJung said:
Edit: My buddy and fellow TBer Mikebass has an older Ash/maple MV5 with single coils. It's a little on the heavier side, and it KILLS.... so the ash/maple with single coils and a body that has a little meat to it also sounds great to me. The lighter ones with the HC pickups are not my thing at all.
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+1, I dig the sadowsky singles in my Ash/Maple NYC jazz 5. I don't hear the upper midrange stuff that Kjung mentions, and I am usually pretty sensive to that. My bass is a in the 9 pound range, closer to 10 pounds.

I played a Lull at Jive Sound awhile ago and I was pretty impressed. I thought it played great, and had that fender vibe.
 
#27
If I would have tried my MS5 out in a store I would not have bought it. Luckily I bought it online and didn't plug it in until soundcheck at a gig. It KILLs with a live band but, for some reason, sounds pretty bland at home (or in a store). Other basses that I loved in the store (or at home) didn't cut it at the gig.

Mine, a 9.2 pound ASH/MAPLE with single coils, is perfect. I actually DO boost treble a bit when slapping and rarely cut it with the VTC even for fingerstyle. Just a tad of bass boost is all that's needed.
 
#28
maconbass said:
If I would have tried my MS5 out in a store I would not have bought it. Luckily I bought it online and didn't plug it in until soundcheck at a gig. It KILLs with a live band but, for some reason, sounds pretty bland at home (or in a store). Other basses that I loved in the store (or at home) didn't cut it at the gig.

Mine, a 9.2 pound ASH/MAPLE with single coils, is perfect. I actually DO boost treble a bit when slapping and rarely cut it with the VTC even for fingerstyle. Just a tad of bass boost is all that's needed.
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+1... that's the same spec as Mike's... a touch on the heavy side within the Sadowsky range, and single coils... hmmmmm!
 
#30
Ron Plichta said:
I was there yesterday as Jong was pulling them out of the cases, so I tried both of his. Neither did anything for me.

However, he has a used Matt Pulcinella Level 5 JJ that I'm really considering :)
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I'm an idiot I just realized we were there at the same time. That's what I get for posting at 3am.

Personally I think I like the Lakland 55-02 more than the Sads, and for $1k less it would be a no brainer for me.
 
#31
No fault in coming to that decision:I prefer my Lull M5 to Sadowskys based on a number of factors including body size/style, electronics & pickups, string-spacing (Sadowskys are just too wide under my right hand) and most importantly, tone. My Lull simply slays.

I'm also glad to see the love for Jong and Jive Sound - he gave me an amazing deal on my fretted Spector ReBop after reading about the horror story I was having attempting to order one from a certain unnamed Big-Box "Friend" online. ;) 3 thumbs up for his service! :D
 
#32
rodneyat said:
I did exactly as you did the other day. I sat down at the Atlanta Bass Gallery and brought my Mike Lull and my F Bass. Then, I played a number of the basses there including a number of Sadowskys, other Lulls, Fodera etc. I really did not like the Sadowsky tone as much as my Lull or my F Bass. BTW: my Lull has a tone control tha Mike added recently. Now, the Fodera NYC Empire did give them a run for the money. I thought I may walk out of there with a Sadowsky in my hand but I did not. Great basses, well made and comfortable. Just not exactly the sound for me.
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+1

I considered a Lull. Gelb music in Redwood City, CA carries them, and I played 3 there. They are fine basses. I ended up getting a Sadowsky P/J, and a major part of that was that I just couldn't find exactly what I what I wanted in the Lulls. However, that is just MY preference. I repeat they are really fine instruments.

I think you should play some Metro's back to back with your Lull. Try some hybrid (P/J) Metros, too. It is just a matter of your own preferences, IMHO. :bassist:
 
#39
Maybe it's a hit or miss thing but, I think my MS5 sounds great. It is a little brighter than my NYC 4 Ash/Maple w/Maple top however, I have the VTC installed and the B kills! I use a Radial ToneBone BassBone since I use both live. I can dial in the same tone as my NYC 4 with that. I tend to grab the MS5 more these days. I just updated the hardware to all black too! Check it out!

DSC00692.jpg
 

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