Tone Hammer and Sadowsky - I have both and here are my thoughts

I posted about this in the amps section, which probably is not the right place.

Anyway, the short story on these 2 pres - get both. They are incredible.

I use the TH500 as my DI in post mode. This tone pretty much is all you need for rock and about any style you play with your fingers or pick.

I use passive jazz basses and these pres are tailor made for them.

I have recorded about 10 tracks for various clients through the tone hammer post pre with multiple EQ settings. It specializes in more of a mid range heavy sound that really sounds great in a mix. To me this pre sounds low passed, since I can boost the treble pretty hard and it never gets glassy up there. This is a major advantage if you play fingerstyle most of the time and want to punch through a mix.

My jazz bass tone is almost always all knobs maxed. The tone hammer adds some mids back in even with a neutral setting, so it is a perfect fit.

Now - the sadowksy. My tone for my projects is more scooped and wide open. I want to be able to slap and also play fingerstyle without having to change settings. The Sadowksy is an amazing setup for this.

For my own project, I am send the Sadowsky pre into the TH with the TH pre bypassed. I found that this sound is magic for what I am looking to do. I crank the treble pretty high and have the bass boosted about 60%.

If you are playing in a mix that has low end freed up for the bass (most fusion, jazz, dance, R&B), than this sound is a perfect fit. It boils down to if you want to punch through a mix (tonehammer) or have a big bottom with a glassy top.

I personally like both options depending on the project I am doing.

What impresses me a ton about the sadowsky is that the frequencies are nailed so when I pop strings, they just slice through the mix, but they do not sound harsh. The slap tone also cuts through so cleanly. The sadowsky pre could easily be a gateway drug to getting a sadowsky bass, so it is very smart of them to have made this pedal. I also love the fat fingerstyle tone that this bass gives. It is exceptional for upper register soloing. I needed something that sounded bigger and more full for that in your face jazz tone, and this is more than perfect.

Finally, I recorded a song last night for a rock client that used a clean guitar. I sent the sadowsky into the tonehammer post and used both pres. I am interested in hearing the final mix. My initial impressions were that the tonehammer tamed the glassiness of the highs and thickened up the tone. It added some nice midrange punch while allowing the sadowsky to boost the lows and highs. Very cool tone.

If you are a session player, or a hired gun and need versatility, the combo of both of these pres with a passive bass is unbeatable. Lets not forgot at any time, I can by pass both for a true passive tone as well. I basically can fit into any mix I want with these 2 pres, and I'd strongly suggest both.

 

Thanks, I am really impressed with how well both of the pres can enhance your bass tone while fitting it in a mix better.

If you describe the Sadowsky sound on paper it sounds like it would not work for many applications, but when you hear it in a mix, it is money. It really is the sound of modern jazz and funk.

 

No hiss at all with the Aguilar. The Sadowsky hisses a little when the treble is cranked, but it is minimal.

 

Tonehammers don't hiss unless they are defective or your signal chain has an issue.