Sandberg appreciation society

[dmccombe7]

I'm seeing a few of the Electra version going for silly money on FB Market Place.

Dave

[Cuzzie]

Very decent bass indeed, second hand for very little money comparatively 

[DoubleOhStephan]

I did play the old model electra (I think the TT4) a few years ago and remember how disappointed with the tone or lack of, the balance was a bit divey and matt finish was a bit patchy.

I've not tried the new one but would hope they'd be better. Try before you buy 👍🏻

[CameronJ]

1 hour ago, dmccombe7 said:

I'm seeing a few of the Electra version going for silly money on FB Market Place.

Dave

I have an Electra VS4 (old shape) and can confidently say it's worth every penny and then some.

1 hour ago, StevieE said:

I did play the old model electra (I think the TT4) a few years ago and remember how disappointed with the tone or lack of, the balance was a bit divey and matt finish was a bit patchy.

I've not tried the new one but would hope they'd be better. Try before you buy 👍🏻

Mine is pretty flawless. I've recently sold my California VM5 but still have my Electra VS4 - I don't feel like the Electra is a worse bass in any way at all, hence my guilt-free sale of the VM5!

Mine also happens to be super light and sounds glorious to my ears. Ive had it modded with a passive tone knob on top of the existing stock 2 band EQ. Also had the neck finish taken down from the original gloss to a more preferable (for me) satin matte feel. It's currently my only 4 string and I can't fault it!

[DoubleOhStephan]

6 minutes ago, CameronJ said:

I have an Electra VS4 (old shape) and can confidently say it's worth every penny and then some.

Mine is pretty flawless. I've recently sold my California VM5 but still have my Electra VS4 - I don't feel like the Electra is a worse bass in any way at all, hence my guilt-free sale of the VM5!

Mine also happens to be super light and sounds glorious to my ears. Ive had it modded with a passive tone knob on top of the existing stock 2 band EQ. Also had the neck finish taken down from the original gloss to a more preferable (for me) satin matte feel. It's currently my only 4 string and I can't fault it!

Interesting! I'm glad to here that tbh, I love Sandberg and find myself fancying an Electra. As @dmccombe7 says, there are a few bargains to be had.

I've just found the Facebook Post I wrote after I tried it in March 2015 in case I'd misremembered it. I kinda had, it was the VS4 I played not the TT, but everything else is as I thought. 🤔

Is this the same one the same as yours? 

[dannybuoy]

Could it be that you’re not used to / not a fan of P basses? Muddy and no slap punch is how someone very used to J basses (or active dual pickup basses in general) might feel about a P at first listen.

[DoubleOhStephan]

Maybe, don't know really. I'm a fan a the P tone, I've got a couple in the collection. 

I'll have to give an Electra another try I think. It could be I was in the wrong frame of mind because I wanted to try a TT, which PMT said they'd get in for me, but when I got to the store they'd got the VS instead. 

[CameronJ]

11 hours ago, StevieE said:

Interesting! I'm glad to here that tbh, I love Sandberg and find myself fancying an Electra. As @dmccombe7 says, there are a few bargains to be had.

I've just found the Facebook Post I wrote after I tried it in March 2015 in case I'd misremembered it. I kinda had, it was the VS4 I played not the TT, but everything else is as I thought. 🤔

Is this the same one the same as yours? 

Yep, that’s exactly the one I’ve got.

[dmccombe7]

I like the look of that.

Dave

[DoubleOhStephan]

1 hour ago, CameronJ said:

Yep, that’s exactly the one I’ve got.

Hmmm that's the one I tested... I played it for 5 mins through an amp, without changing any settings so it's highly probable I didn't give it a full going over, which you as an owner would definitely have done. In other words, you're much more qualified than me to review the bass! 

Do you find it has any neck dive though? If I recall, the bass was really light, and that's a bit chunk of wood at the end of the neck. I don't remember if it had lightweight tuners like my Cali (which still suffers a little)? 

[CameronJ]

4 hours ago, StevieE said:

Hmmm that's the one I tested... I played it for 5 mins through an amp, without changing any settings so it's highly probable I didn't give it a full going over, which you as an owner would definitely have done. In other words, you're much more qualified than me to review the bass! 

Do you find it has any neck dive though? If I recall, the bass was really light, and that's a bit chunk of wood at the end of the neck. I don't remember if it had lightweight tuners like my Cali (which still suffers a little)? 

FWIW, they’ve slimmed down the headstock on newer Sandbergs. That said, I’ve never noticed neck dive on mine. I haven’t exactly done thorough tests on this though...I wear fairly grippy straps and never really take my left hand off the neck of the bass while playing!

Edited May 14, 2019 by CameronJ

[PatrickJ]

I (now) own both a California V4 I and V4 II.  The II is superbly balanced but can't say I have noticed a neck dive issue on the I.  Might put some light weight tuners on it all the same.

[MGB]

On 13/05/2019 at 14:08, ead said:

I commissioned this one originally.  It's a really nice bass and I regret having to sell it (had to raise some cash for a personal thing).

Hi Ead, do you by any chance remember the weight of this bass?

[ead]

7 minutes ago, MGB said:

Hi Ead, do you by any chance remember the weight of this bass?

Not exactly, but it was around 7.5 lbs deffo less than 8lbs.  Very comfy indeed.

[MGB]

Ok, thank you very much.

[dmccombe7]

where the best place to get Sandberg strings. Need to change mine since buying the bass about 4-6wks ago. They still sound nice but don't want to leave it till they're done and flat sounding. Always like a spare set anyway just in case.

I know Thomann are selling them but anywhere in UK.?

Dave

[Cuzzie]

Rumour is they are pretty much GHS steels

[dmccombe7]

1 minute ago, Cuzzie said:

Rumour is they are pretty much GHS steels

What are you using Ewan ?

 

[CameronJ]

7 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

where the best place to get Sandberg strings. Need to change mine since buying the bass about 4-6wks ago. They still sound nice but don't want to leave it till they're done and flat sounding. Always like a spare set anyway just in case.

I know Thomann are selling them but anywhere in UK.?

Dave

https://www.dv247.com/en_GB/GBP/Basses/String-Set-of-4-for-Bass/cat-BASS-BASSAIE4?SortingAttribute=MSGBEUR~~€-asc&SearchParameter=%26ContextCategoryUUID%3DCL_AqJar3hcAAAFOfKqTrXie%26Isondemand%3Dfalse%26Manufacturer%3DSandberg%26SourceReference%3DpTREZbqgU

[dmccombe7]

1 minute ago, CameronJ said:

https://www.dv247.com/en_GB/GBP/Basses/String-Set-of-4-for-Bass/cat-BASS-BASSAIE4?SortingAttribute=MSGBEUR~~€-asc&SearchParameter=%26ContextCategoryUUID%3DCL_AqJar3hcAAAFOfKqTrXie%26Isondemand%3Dfalse%26Manufacturer%3DSandberg%26SourceReference%3DpTREZbqgU

cheers CameronJ

Just saw that myself. £4.99 delivery a bit steep but would probably buy 2 or 3 sets anyway

[Cuzzie]

I am a DR Hi Beams man, prior to that DR DDT, also very good, but Hi Beams have a little extra going on in the mids to my ears I really like.

For a while I was GHS Boomers - best strings if you only want them for about a week and 2 hours of play

[dmccombe7]

Had the DR Sunbeam nickels on my Jazz bass and they were ok but not worth the extra over my D'addario nickels. This is the first bass in 10yrs i've had with steels on it and kinda like the feel but the zing disappeared after the first gig and maybe a week of playing in house which averages 1hr a day. Not sure how long they had been on the bass before i bought it tho and how many times it had been picked up and tried. Bass was new tho.

Quite fancy sticking with the Sandbergs and at £19.99 plus £4.99 postage its not too bad if they last a while.

Anyone else with info on how long their Sandberg strings last ?. Would be very helpful to know before buying couple of sets from DV247. 

Cuzzie - i might check our the DR Hi Beams tho. Just to see what DR say about them. They have audio samples of each string if i remember right.

Dave

 

[Cuzzie]

Yep they do have samples of each string, let us know where you land?!

[krispn]

Dunlops are  inexpensive and might work for you. Things like how sweaty/greasy your hands get all impact on string life/ zing

[dmccombe7]

4 minutes ago, krispn said:

Dunlops are  inexpensive and might work for you. Things like how sweaty/greasy your hands get all impact on string life/ zing

The gig was a real sweater and my stage gear was absolutely soaking. I reckon I was wiping my hands and strings after every other song. Hottest gig i've evr played but then again i was wearing all the Glam Rock gear whereas i'm usuaully a t shirt and jeans bassist. 

Typically my D'addarios last about 2 months before i start to notice them failing Max 3mths.

The Sandbergs are still sounding and playing ok. I normally feel the strings tightening up (tension) but that could just be my imagination and they start to lose their tone at same time.

Want to try a new set of Sandbergs first to see how they last plus i really love the set up on the bass and don't want to have to make any changes to it.

Dave