Sadowsky Metroline Will Lee 22-5 thoughts?

[JuliusGroove]

Hey all, 

 

Anybody had any experience with these basses? It seems to tick the boxes for things I want, can’t find one to have a bash on anywhere though!

 

Considering a blind order.. I currently play a Fender Pro V jazz which is great but just looking for something with a few more frets and a slightly better build quality. Had a Mayones Hadrien sig for a while but couldn’t get on with the 18mm spacing at the bridge.

 

any horror or love stories welcome! 

[FDC484950]

I had a look at this model. It has 22 frets, so not much different to what you have now?

One key point to consider is that it comes with regular single coils, not the humcancelling versions. The mid switch is also controlled from dip switches on the back of the control cavity, which I’m not sure is as useful as having the adjustment to hand with th controls. It also has a significantly narrower nut than a regular bass (a regular one is 47.5mm, which I find very comfortable; the Will Lee is 44.5mm, which is pretty tight for a 5). Finally, whilst the weight for these models is typically very good (<4Kg) they have a decently large headstock and a chambered body, so can suffer from a bit of neck dive seated. In terms of build quality the German Metrolines as as good as NYC models and as good as anything I’ve owned.

 

Edited August 25, 2022 by FDC484950

[fretmeister]

2 hours ago, FDC484950 said:

I had a look at this model. It has 22 frets, so not much different to what you have now?

One key point to consider is that it comes with regular single coils, not the humcancelling versions. The mid switch is also controlled from dip switches on the back of the control cavity, which I’m not sure is as useful as having the adjustment to hand with th controls. It also has a significantly narrower nut than a regular bass (a regular one is 47.5mm, which I find very comfortable; the Will Lee is 44.5mm, which is pretty tight for a 5). Finally, whilst the weight for these models is typically very good (<4Kg) they have a decently large headstock and a chambered body, so can suffer from a bit of neck dive seated. In terms of build quality the German Metrolines as as good as NYC models and as good as anything I’ve owned.

 

 

 

There's a huge number of 45mm nuts on 5 strings. I think 47.5mm is less common these days.

 

Anyway - I'd recommend trying a Sandberg TT5 either the regular or the Superlight version if you like a really low weight. My own Superlight 5 is under 7lb / 3.2 kg and it sounds amazing and is perfectly balanced.

[jazzmanb]

7 hours ago, JuliusGroove said:

Hey all, 

 

Anybody had any experience with these basses? It seems to tick the boxes for things I want, can’t find one to have a bash on anywhere though!

 

Considering a blind order.. I currently play a Fender Pro V jazz which is great but just looking for something with a few more frets and a slightly better build quality. Had a Mayones Hadrien sig for a while but couldn’t get on with the 18mm spacing at the bridge.

 

any horror or love stories welcome! 

Sadowsky owners have a good Facebook page and Roger himself runs it and often comments . Plenty worldwide owners on there 

Edited August 25, 2022 by jazzmanb
spelling

[FDC484950]

1 hour ago, fretmeister said:

 

 

There's a huge number of 45mm nuts on 5 strings. I think 47.5mm is less common these days.

 

Anyway - I'd recommend trying a Sandberg TT5 either the regular or the Superlight version if you like a really low weight. My own Superlight 5 is under 7lb / 3.2 kg and it sounds amazing and is perfectly balanced.

I meant compared to a regular Sadowsky Bass… the Will Lee is the same width nut as a regular MM SR5, which I would class as reasonably tightly spaced.

[thodrik]

A regular Sadowsky 5 string comes with either a 1 3/4 inch (essentially 45mm) inch or a 1 7/8 inch (essentially 47.5). The Will Lee five string basses come with the thinner neck but so do some of the other Sadowsky five strings (not sure about the modern German made Metros though)

My 2009 NYC has the 45mm width neck which actually seems pretty wide to me, as my other five string is a Vigier Arpege which has a 42.5mm width nut! Both are very easy to play.
 

[Chopthebass]

I bought one a couple months back. It’s the sunburst one in the pic. I bought this after I sold my Fender Elite Jazz, and I much prefer the tone. The mid switch is pretty cool, but you are restricted to the dip switches frequencies, so I found the one I like, set the gain, and usually leave it on most of the time. The build quality is as good or better than NYC. I think the IFT fretting technique is a big plus over NYC basses. 
I really can’t fault the bass in any way.