TheGhostofJaco

Yeah on his J Basses, the even volumes no matter which pickup is favored makes such a difference. Also no hum either makes it a great studio tool. Makes it easier to get that mid forward bridge tone without needing to engage an EQ to get the lows back.

Well this discussion certainly took a turn!

If are taking the non skylines or tributes it is tough to go wrong here. The L2000 is a complete beast. Powered all the old helmet records. I would pick that if you are playing aggressive or heavy music. It does more than that but really shines there. The L2500 was nice. Strings are fairly close together and I didn’t love the preamp. But the slap sound was killer and the wal-like tone can work well, but shines on the heavy stuff. Lakland is the more versatile bass imo. Just make sure you are good with 35inch scale. I’m personally not a fan.

Yes like I said, bass players are influencers now and have a stable full of instruments. Doesn’t change the fact that she played that solo on a sadowsky. That was all I was saying there. It’s going to be tough to find many artists who only use one instrument or brand anymore. Not like the older days where that was more common.

Yes but thats the case now for almost every known bass player. They almost have to be influencers as well and have multiple brands they work with. Before IG/YT influencing really took off, it was more about visibility - live shows, crowd sizes, TV appearances..etc would get you the free stuff or artist discounts.

A fellow named Jason Newsted played a Sadowsky during the peak of his bands fame. That band was named Metallica. Also Tal Wilkenfeld, who took one of the most famous bass solos in the past 15 years with Jeff Beck, and also has played with Incubus. Darryl Jones, Marcus Miller, Verdine White, Roscoe Beck.

Yeah for sure, although I have seen a lot of Warwick love from them recently - Dirk Lance..etc. True, they just have so many basses it seems like they almost like everything sometimes. I saw a video where IMA pulled out an headless steinberg just for once specific reggae tone, lol.

Ok this was a parody title because I have been watching his channel and all the titles are super clickbaity, so I could not resist. I think the guy is great and him and Ian would be very fun to hang out with. But I was surprised that they have been covering all these 90s and active fusion basses and really never give the Sadowsky any love. In fact the one time he mentioned Sadowsky was when he was giving one away! There is a chance I have missed something but I feel like I did a fairly thorough search. So what is about the Sadowsky that doesn’t do it for him that an Fbass does? Probably just a personal preference but I thought it could make a decent discussion. Fbass or Sadowsky is crossroads I went up against myself when looking for an active J but I ended up choosing Roger. Also would be cool to see them have Roger on. He’s such a an interesting guy. Maybe get Ken Smith and Fedora on as well for a quorum. Imagine the drama between those last 2. Would be quite the entertaining podcast.

Jad freer capo for me. I’ve been using one since it came out. Just beautiful saturation. The eq is very forgiving so you can really pump the low end up on a p bass. Has a b side so you can have a drive tone when you need it. Incredible build quality. I can’t say enough good things about it in the studio or live.

Ok here it is. 20 years old and plays fantastic.

Flats are the reason I got into pbasses. It’s such an incredible sound and a joy to play. That said I am using it on neo soul and fusion music. If I was playing more heavy rock, I’d go rounds too. But I just love the flats so much.

Yep for sure, I am replacing the input jack and restringing it, and then pics will be posted.

Snagged a BR6. It’s 20 years old. Plays like butter. Has the old 9v preamp. I just love it. It’s so articulate and has the sound I have been wanting. Super easy to punch through a mix with miss and not sizzle highs. Spent some time cleaning it, getting the neck and bridge tweaked and it’s singing now. Feeling pretty spoiled with a sadowsky 5 and a smith 6 but I’ve been playing most of my life and wanted these instruments since i started as a kid. was considering an F bass or fedora but I just prefer the smith tone at the end of the day.

I like the simplicity too. Just read that this compressor is basically the dbx160 which is going to react faster or slower to the level hitting it. So it should be perfect for taming slap bass and evening out the sound. I have studio compressors too that are far more complex, but this is a better solution to me for tracking in. It’s tough to ruin a take with bad settings on a dbx.

Does it tame peaks when slapping without squashing the sound? There is no attack or release knob so I was curious about that. Really looking for that type of transient control when recording before hitting the interface and also something to even things out a little so I can keep a light touch on fast phrases. Essentially a transparent and clean version of the boss compressor/sustainer is what I’m hoping this can provide.

Yeah thats what stuck out to me, the neck is the same level as a NYC. I had a NYC 4 string so I could switch back and forth. There was really not any difference besides the string count. These Metros have pretty simple paint jobs, mine is just natural wood glossed. I wonder if that is another way they were able to cut costs a little. The body is just one piece of wood though, so it looks fantastic. Anyway, yeah. I sold the NYC recently so I can put that money into a Ken Smith. I just was not playing the NYC that much, mainly because it was a 4 string and once I played that Sadowsky 5 string neck, it was all I really wanted to play. So for a year, the NYC just sat there, which is crazy. If the OP can save up some more money, now and then these Japanese Metros pop up for around $2500. IMO it is well worth the extra spend. These are extremely versatile, lifetime basses. When I purchased in the 1-2k range, don't get me wrong, the basses were fine and I gigged and did sessions with them. But there was a lot of swapping around because there was always something I wanted to change about the instrument. Once I went with the Sadowskys, I was pretty much done and was just scheming up a way to add a Smith, which was my white whale. And yeah, the chinese made sadowsky is not going to hang with a Darryl Jones Lakland. But also there will be a preference you need to sort out between 35 and 34 inch. I really don't like 35 inch at all, the string tension is not my thing. If you want a 35, than the Lakland DJ is probably a top option in that range.

I've had a Japanese Sadowsky Metro 5 for over a year now and it basically can do everything. In the past I had the Lakland 5502, and it was ok, but the tone was not nearly as open as the Sadowsky. Plus I learned from that experience that I prefer a 34 inch scale. May be out of your range, but those new Metro Expresses that go for 1150 are a steal, imo. I prefer them to Lakland Skylines. I played one before buying the Japanese Metro and was impressed that it was only that much.

For me the Sadowsky Verdine White. It really just feels like its own instrument and not a signature model.

I ended up going with a sub 9 pound 5er. I went and played a Sadowsky 5 (got lucky there, a local shop happened to have one.) and I really loved the neck on it. Plus I love having the low B when I am playing in the upper registers or want to play in that E-A range. Something about the Sadowsky 5s just feel right. And since I have a Sadowsky 4 already it just seemed to make sense. Anyway, should have it next week, I am looking forward to it.

Appreciate it everyone, that was really helpful. And yes, I definitely don't assume the Metro japans are all light. I know they can weigh in close to 10 pounds, so I always ask about that to sellers. It may boil down to economics, I have a pretty nice deal I can get on a 4 that would save me $500 compared to what someone is asking for the 5. I figure I can take that savings plus other sales I will be making put that $$ towards a Ken Smith 6 or an Fbass BN5 so I get that extended range.

Hi all, I have a NYC 4 string Sadowsky PJ that is easily the best playing bass I have ever owned. The neck and the action on it are absolutely perfect. I'm looking for a Jazz and don't have the cash for another NYC so I'm checking out older 2010-2013 Japanese Metrolines like MS4 and MS5. Ran across a 5 string metro that weighs maybe 8 pounds and a 4 that weighs the same. So they are both plenty light which is great. My issue is that I am pretty torn on getting another 4 string or going 5. I played a Sadowsky 5 a long time ago and remember loving it but I can't remember how the neck played. Its a 19mm spacing I think, and I believe it is easy to slap cleanly on? I am going to use this bass for a lot of slap and fusion style playing. Going for that more modern clean sound. I can slap on my G&L L2500 and that has a narrower spacing. The narrow spacing is nice, but it almost feels like the strings are too close together. Anyway for you all who have played both, did you encounter any technical issues playing the 5 (upper register notes easy to grab, hand fatigue, issues slapping...etc)? I am pretty torn because a 4 is of course easier to play but when I think of that hi fi fusion sound, I feel like the low B is a big factor there and can really hold its own among electronic instruments as well. Would love to hear any pros and cons you all can think of. I read the metro versus NYC posts too and I feel like the Japanese Metrolines are a pretty good value. Just have to decide on the 5 v 4 thing.

I have a Sadowsky NYC model. It is very light (J Body), so similar to what you are looking at - just the high end version. I wanted something Roger made in his shop before he retires.

I won't sell mine, but I much prefer it to the Serek, which is nice too. When I bought the Wilcock the bass was pretty unknown (I think I posted about it here) and I got a good deal on a Mullarkey made for me. I found the build quality and tone superior to Serek, but the Serek I played felt more like a rocker's short scale bass and the Mullarkey screams R&B/Funk/Deep house/Jazz fusion. The best way to explain it, is that it is a deeper, richer P Bass. I just did a session yesterday and recorded both (both have flats btw). The P Bass has that classic woody sound we all know, but the interesting part is the closest I can get to it on the Mullarkey is the back pickup. That's how insanely deep the bass sounds. The back pickup is probably my favorite of all time for getting that clarity plus rich depth. The front pickup is just a monster so if you play Reggae/R&B style and want a giant huge thud - it is the king there. Its just a fantastic bass and I am really glad I got mine before they got more popular, as I imagine the wait times are pretty long now with more and more famous bassists using them. So yeah, if you like really deep sounds and notes that still have good definition and a nice sophistication to them - go Mullarkey. If you are more of a rocker who likes to turn up the grind a bit, I think the Serek makes more sense.

I have a Sadowsky P/j and it sounds glorious. No phasing with both pickups engaged. In fact that attack is pointier, more pronounced. Also like that the bridge pickup stands on it's own, volume and tonewise. Sadowsky explained how he did it, but I can't remember. I think the key is have an active bass that lets you put a little more bass into the back pickup. I have also owned some P/Js that didn't really have this magic and the back pickup was useless on it's own. With the Sadowsky I have a legit 3 tone bass, so I am very happy with it. Owned mine 4 years now.

I prefer the build of the wilcock as well.again, my preference and opinion based on a pretty long career as a bassist. Enjoy the serek, im not attacking your instrument.