Sandberg appreciation society

[TrevorR]

On 27/08/2025 at 19:57, Lozz196 said:

Loving my Sandberg TT Superlight, have now used it in both my classic rock band and my street punk band, radically different sounds for each and it delivers for both really well. And being a Superlight it’s so easy on my back & shoulders too.

@Lozz196 I would like to make it clear that I entirely hold you to blame with all this enthusing about how great your SL is to play, and how good it sounds… so with the years  advancing and all my long term basses being heavy (if wonderful) lumps I’ve been eyeing up Sandberg SLs given how much I love my new VM4. I think your posts were what finally pushed me over the edge. So there was a rather nice TT SL in Blackburst on the Musicstore (AKA DV247 or Digital Village if you’re old) and I’ve pulled the trigger on it. Should be here around April next year or hopefully a bit sooner. I had been looking at the red sunburst one on Thomann, which is very pretty, but being a VM4 that seemed a bit redundant. The bass should look a bit like the following but with ordinary pickups rather than Delanos. Can’t wait…

Of course this means I ought to get rid of one of my other boat anchor basses. I suspect the time may be right to realise the capital in my Mk1 Wal Custom since I’ve just not been using it in the last year or so. Gulp. Still, that will pay for the Sandberg and also bolster the retirement fund!

 

Edited August 31 by TrevorR
Configurator error…

[dmccombe7]

3 minutes ago, TrevorR said:

@Lozz196 I would like to make it clear that I entirely hold you to blame with all this enthusing about how great your SL is to play, and how good it sounds… so with the years  advancing and all my long term basses being heavy (if wonderful) lumps I’ve been eyeing up Sandberg SLs given how much I love my new VM4. I think your posts were what finally pushed me over the edge. So there was a rather nice TT SL in Blackburst on the Musicstore (AKA DV247 or Digital Village if you’re old) and I’ve pulled the trigger on it. Should be here around April next year or hopefully a bit sooner. I had been looking at the red sunburst one on Thomann, which is very pretty, but being a VM4 that seemed a bit redundant. The bass should look a bit like the following but with ordinary pickups rather than Delanos. Can’t wait…

 

Of course this means I ought to get rid of one of my other boat anchor basses. I suspect the time may be right to realise the capital in my Mk1 Wal Custom since I’ve just not been using it in the last year or so. Gulp. Still, that will pay for the Sandberg and also bolster the retirement fund!

Nice one.

Your Mk1 WAL should be worth a pretty penny these days too. Wish i had kept mine from early 80's.

Dave

[Lozz196]

8 minutes ago, TrevorR said:

@Lozz196 I would like to make it clear that I entirely hold you to blame with all this enthusing about how great your SL is to play, and how good it sounds… so with the years  advancing and all my long term basses being heavy (if wonderful) lumps I’ve been eyeing up Sandberg SLs given how much I love my new VM4. I think your posts were what finally pushed me over the edge. So there was a rather nice TT SL in Blackburst on the Musicstore (AKA DV247 or Digital Village if you’re old) and I’ve pulled the trigger on it. Should be here around April next year or hopefully a bit sooner. I had been looking at the red sunburst one on Thomann, which is very pretty, but being a VM4 that seemed a bit redundant. The bass should look a bit like the following but with ordinary pickups rather than Delanos. Can’t wait…

 

Of course this means I ought to get rid of one of my other boat anchor basses. I suspect the time may be right to realise the capital in my Mk1 Wal Custom since I’ve just not been using it in the last year or so. Gulp. Still, that will pay for the Sandberg and also bolster the retirement fund!

I’m sure you’ll be more than happy with it Trevor, good score methinks 

[Quilly]

Anyone out there own an Electra jazz bass ? I’ve already got a Cal VS (p) and a basic (mm) was considering the electra to finish the trio, not really a jazz bass guy but like the tone occasionally. Seems like a great instrument 

Edited September 10 by Quilly

[Sweenyrod]

I have the Cal TT SL, and an Electra VS4. Then added a Lionel and an Electra VM4 (P + MM). The last one has started to really grow on me, mixing growl and thump. The cheaper ones got some enthusiastic upgrades but they were really excellent instruments already. There's not a bad one amongst them, always a joy to play. 

Edited September 12 by Sweenyrod

[Sean]

[pineweasel]

Spotted on Instagram. The Superlight bodies are now being built with a swamp ash centre and paulownia wings to increase sustain and bass response. It will be interesting to hear how they sound. 
https://www.instagram.com/p/DPqvTr0AqZm/?igsh=ZDlrbjR0cXRnMzc0

[dmccombe7]

1 hour ago, pineweasel said:

Spotted on Instagram. The Superlight bodies are now being built with a swamp ash centre and paulownia wings to increase sustain and bass response. It will be interesting to hear how they sound. 
https://www.instagram.com/p/DPqvTr0AqZm/?igsh=ZDlrbjR0cXRnMzc0

Afraid i'm not on Instagram and it wants me to set up an account. 

Dave

[warwickhunt]

2 hours ago, pineweasel said:

Spotted on Instagram. The Superlight bodies are now being built with a swamp ash centre and paulownia wings to increase sustain and bass response. It will be interesting to hear how they sound. 
https://www.instagram.com/p/DPqvTr0AqZm/?igsh=ZDlrbjR0cXRnMzc0

 

So what they are effectively saying is that if your bass is made solely from Paulownia (as some basses were) it isn't very good and lacks 'bass'!  LOL

 

Sorry but the tonewood thing is a minefield and while interesting, isn't the be all and end all.  Some basses sound good despite being made of (what is considered) inferior types of material and some basses made of top quality materials can sound conversely poor.  Personally if a bass body is made of wood it should be well seasoned and resonant... though it doesn't have to be so resonant (for me) that it rings too much. 

[martthebass]

50 minutes ago, warwickhunt said:

 

So what they are effectively saying is that if your bass is made solely from Paulownia (as some basses were) it isn't very good and lacks 'bass'!  LOL

 

Sorry but the tonewood thing is a minefield and while interesting, isn't the be all and end all.  Some basses sound good despite being made of (what is considered) inferior types of material and some basses made of top quality materials can sound conversely poor.  Personally if a bass body is made of wood it should be well seasoned and resonant... though it doesn't have to be so resonant (for me) that it rings too much. 

Personally I've always considered that the electronics package and construction has more bearing than the tonewood.  I generally look for something reasonably lightweight but not so lightweight that blowing on it causes a dent.

[dmccombe7]

My favoured toned basses tend to be from mahogany type woods altho it may well be its the combination of woods and electronics that give me that particular tone.

Harder woods tend to be heavier in my experience and as i've grown older not so practical in longer gigs. Its a bit of a trade off these days.

My Warwick Thumb is gorgeous to play and has a wonderful tone but not sure i could wear it for a full gig these days.

My Sandbergs are my compromise. Reasonably light and the tone is OK.

I guess i could replace the pick ups and pre-amp for EMG actives but for me its not really worth the money.

Sometimes I would prefer my Sandberg VM4 to have a slightly warmer and fuller tone but not enough to make changes and other times the tone is just sublime in certain venues.

I think amps and cabs have a big say in how my basses sound too.

Having heard myself with different basses thru the same rig i have noted that they generally all sound quite similar in tone so maybe that old saying of "its all in the fingers" is possibly true. I just sound like me. 😂

Dave

[Lozz196]

Makes sense Dave, no matter what bass I play I sound like me.

 

I`ve been more than happy with the amount of low-end from my all-Paulownia Superlight TT, I did think I might have to use the actives to add in more lows/depth but have found I prefer it in passive mode.

 

Only just over a year til I get my Superlight Lionel...................