Busterrabbit

It's all very personal. I don't like basses with scratchplates so I went for a standard NYC 5. I also prefer the slightly smaller body of the standard, being an NYC it's also chambered so much lighter than a Metro, mine weighs less than 8 1/2lbs. My bass # 4841 (Apologies for the crap photo) is transparent black over quilted maple. I chose an ebony fingerboard as, for this jazz style bass it has the tonal characteristics I was looking for*. I went with no face dots and chrome hardware. I later ordered a set of black hardware, but having seen it in the metal, feel the chrome finish looks classier. So it's all very subjective, both in looks and in the case of fingerboards, tone. My wife recently bought me a Dingwall Z2 as a wedding present, it has the dual density ash body with an ash top and a maple neck/fingerboard. Combine that with the position and series/parallel wiring of the pickups and it sounds totally different to my Sadowsky, far more "modern" and punchy compared to the still punchy, but smoother, Sadowsky. What type of music are you playing? Jazz? Rock? So, I'd say the looks are entirely subjective, look through the "previously sold" section of the Sadowsky website for ideas. However the models are physically different, the Vintage models are "full size" so are heavier than the standard models and have a scratchplates. The Ultra Vintage models have a smaller 9" radius fingerboard, closer to a Fender, whereas the standard has a flatter 12" radius. The fingerboard wood will have an influence on the instrument's tone, it's NOT just an aesthetic choice. So, which do you prefer? flatter or more radiused fingerboards, scratchplates or no scratchplates, full size or slightly undersize, what tone are you looking for, brighter or smoother? They are expensive instruments, worth every penny in my opinion, but have a clear idea of what you want the bass to sound and feel like as well as look like. Good luck! Kev

[quote name='Cygnus x-1' post='1284067' date='Jun 27 2011, 01:29 PM']It was a black Jazz with no pickguard, you could just see the rout between the bridge pickup and control plate, I wondered about the tape over the make, maybe it was a Squier????[/quote] It's not a standard Jazz, it didn't have the exposed polepiece pickups. The top of the pickups had distinct rounded edges, I was watching in HD! The headstock looked like an old Fender, as did the small radius rosewood/pau ferro fingerboard. There was no scratchplate, leaving the pickup routing exposed, but couldn't see any screwholes for the scratchplate either. He was using an Ashdown amp. I was also listening closely as I thought he was a very tasty player with lovely melodic basslines..

[quote name='ThomBassmonkey' post='1282919' date='Jun 26 2011, 12:04 PM']I'm considering investing in a new tuner, currently I have a Korg DTR1000 which is great, but since I'm not taking my rack to gigs any more, it's not with me most of the time and I'm relying on the guitarist's tuner pre-gig and staying in tune for the whole set (which hasn't been an issue yet, there's been one or two times I'd like to double check my tuning though that I've not been able to). I also do set ups and having to move around my rack (complete with GK 2001RB head) and plug in is a pain when I think about the days I used a small tuner. With those in mind, I'm looking for a floor tuner I can use live and easily move around during setups. I don't often use FX so I'd like a true bypass one so there's nothing happening to my signal (and it will be in my signal chain for muting purposes) and I'd also want it to be as accurate as possible for setups (though I've always managed fine without tuners being uber accurate). I dunno what my budget would be yet, as cheap as possible but I won't skimp out on paying up if I feel the extra money is worth paying. Some that have popped up are: Boss TU2, though I think it's not true bypass. Peterson Strobostomp 2, brilliant tuner, built in DI and incredibly expensive. TC Electronics Polytune, seems like a good contender. Any others that I should be thinking about or recommendations for the above? Thanks[/quote] I'd go with the TC Polytune, but be prepared for every guitarist to borrow it! It's got a great display, easy to see and unlike most battery powered tuners it responds quickly. It's not cheap but it is well made and is true bypass, and it's far from the most expensive!

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='1032791' date='Nov 22 2010, 04:03 PM']I prefer the look and feel of a Jazz, but i also like the tone from a P. Both my Jazz and P have Jazz necks so playability is pretty even. i find i get more varied tones out of the Jazz, but fill out our sound more with a P. I'll just take whatever im in to on the day to gigs. Its only me that notices any difference.[/quote] You've hit the nail on the head there Dave, 99% of the audience won't notice the difference, and probably 99% of the band won't either!! lol Just play what you're happy with.

[quote name='Count Bassie' post='1032611' date='Nov 22 2010, 01:52 PM']Just interested in hearing what might be chimed in, if it lines up with Why I've swapped my Precision for a Jazz. I'm happy with my decision as the Jazz feels smoother to play, sounds more effectual with my present context, and just has that more articulate, complex quality I like to hear. I love a good thud, but I am more a detail-oriented person when it comes to sound, so the Jazz makes that happen. But if you're a Fender player and prefer the Jazz Bass, why?[/quote] I've had a few Precisions and Jazzes over the years, including some really appalling '70's basses which although new at the time, were crap (build, tone, weight) but are apparently now vintage and desirable?? I personally prefer the J neck to the P necks I've tried, but actually feel that the original J neck is too narrow up near the headstock. Most J bass copies, including my Blade have a neck width somewhere between a P and J and that's my ideal. I prefer the slightly more complex tone of J type basses over the P bass which I think sits better with rockier music, but there are exceptions of course. Both of my basses have Sadowsky pickups and preamp so, in my view, sound better than Fender Js anyway. It's always horses for courses, but with so many quality basses from other builders available I wouldn't touch a Fender anything now, you can get far better elsewhere. Basically Fender lived off their name for years building basses (and guitars) of dubious quality, now they've seen Lakland, Sadowsky, Sandberg, Yamaha, and many others selling top quality lookalike instruments for £000's they have jumped on the bandwagon with Customshop. For me it's too late I can't imagine buying a Fender again.

[quote name='Musicman20' post='962269' date='Sep 20 2010, 02:15 PM']Man, those prices....jees. Actually, the Metro prices (some of them) arent far off. Thats one serious investment. If im honest Id buy direct for a NYC model.[/quote] I'd buy an NYC direct, then you can get exactly what you want. The NYCs are lighter than the Metros as they have the chambered body. I was lucky with the exchange rate when I bought my NYC a few years ago; I got 2 dollars to the £, so at $4,400 mine cost just over £2,200 including duty and shipping. Mine is a standard NYC 5 string (no scratchplate) in transparent black over quilted maple. It has an ebony fingerboard with no face nots and chrome hardware, I also have a spare set of black hardware to fit should the mood take me. Would I spend £3,300 on one? I don't think I would to be honest, but then I have one! My next bass will have humbuckers/twin coil pickups to give me a different sound, Dingwall Afterburner II and Roscoe LG3005 are favourite at the moment. I prefer the sound of the Roscoe but much prefer the slim neck of the Dingwall which has a similar profile to my Sadowsky.

It looks from the quilted maple top that it's not a standard Metroline bass for sure. The price is similar to an NYC bass so you might as well order an NYC to that spec. RG says the only difference between an NYC and a Metroline is the choice of woods and finishes for the body/fingerboard/hardware, that's not actually correct. There is another difference between the NYC basses and Metroline which isn't mentioned on the website or in any other literature, but is in Roger's interview on Youtube. You can't see it but you can feel and here it; the NYC basses are chambered which makes them lighter, better balanced and sound better. You pays your money and takes your choice, if you have £3000, then order an NYC how you want it. Mine is transparent black over quilted maple with an ebony fingerboard with no face dots. I have chrome hardware, but also a set of black hardware ready to swap over when the mood takes me. It's a great bass, and as I bought it a few years back when the exchange rate was better, it only cost me £2200!

Roger Sadowsky made a refinement of a preamp used by Marcus Miller which later became the "standard" Sadowsky preamp. Of course Marcus has probably changed his setup since then, and there is no doubt that he will get bespoke basses and electronics which will probably never be available to the public. He used to endorse EBS until last year and now he's endorsing SWR, has anyone noticed a huge difference in his sound? I haven't heard him live on anything other than Youtube so have no idea, and you simply can't tell by listening to a recording. Most of his sound comes from his fingers and talent, get a bass you're happy with, feels right and sounds right, [i]to you[/i]. I had a couple of Wal basses back in the 80's (sold them for £500 each, ouch!!) they sounded great, once I'd mastered the dreaded paramatric tone controls, BUT, the whole thing was two frets too far to the left and is was a pain to reach octaves on the F and F#. I bought a Levinson Blade which I thought was fantastic, it still is the best feeling/playing bass I've ever owned. When the pickups started playing up I fitted a Sadowsky preamp and my sound immediately became clearer and really stood out in the mix. The original question basically compares basses with single coils with humbuckers/twin coils, they are different and will always be different. I have a couple of the best single coil basses ever made, and I'm now looking for one of the best with twin coils for a fatter sound, not better, just different. Rossoe or Dingwall are on the shortlist, I love the playability of the Dingwall, with it's slim neck, but the cleaner tighter sound of the Roscoe, although I'm not impressed by the feel of the neck. Try them both, Bass Direct will usually have them in stock, and take your pick you won't be disappointed with either, but I bet you'd love both!!

[quote name='malcolm.mcintyre' date='Nov 18 2010, 09:40 AM' post='1027646'] There's nothing wrong with Mark Bass cabs. Like you I was getting fed up with lugging heavy gear around: I have an EBS HD350 amp with EBS 1x15" and 4x10" cabs. The 4x10" on it's own is 40kgs/88lbs! yes I use a folding sack truck, but it's not always possible and I still have to lift the thing onto the 1x15"! I went to Bass Direct with a rather sceptical mindset about amps the size of a box of chocolates and little cabs producing real bass. I also had a real dislike of the yellow/black Mark Bass colour scheme. Over a few hours I auditioned a number of amps from Mark Bass/EA/Genz Benz, and cabs including Bergantino 1x12"s, and settled on a Little Mark Tube 800 and a pair of the new Club 121s. The rig sounded great in as close to gig volumes as I could realistically duplicate, so I took the plunge. Well my back is thanking me for it! With my amp/lead/tuner in a "man bag" and a cab (less than 13kgs or 30lbs) in each hand I'm unloaded in one trip. The sound is great too, it more than holds it's own in my 5 piece covers band, reproducing the low B without protest, and sounds equally good with my electric upright in a jazz/swing outfit. I've also had a number of comments from other bassplayers on how clear my sound cuts through really clearly further back in the audience. In short I'd try the latest generation of small and/or lighweight gear. Certainly in my opinion the good stuff: Mark Bass/Bergantino/EA/Genz Benz actually lives up to the hype, it's just a question of auditioning to get the gear that has the sound you want. I went for the Mark Bass cabs, but the Bergantinos were a very close second, that was down to personal choice, I don't feel either are better than the other they just have different tonal characteristics.