ON HOLD * Sandberg California VM4 - F/S * Excellent Condition * £800 - *SOLD* £900 Welsh Borders

[retro]

Here is my last offering from my retirement, collection slimdown. A lovely Sandberg VM4 mk1 in excellent condition. Home studio use only.

Spec:

Ash body - natural high gloss.

Rosewood fretboard with 22 frets and pearl dots.

Maple tinted neck.

34" scale

Mint pickguard.

Controls - Volume with active/passive pull switch, Pickup blend, Treble boost/cut and Bass boost/cut + passive tone. Coil tap switch for humbucker.

4.3kgs

Sandberg Gig Bag and tools.

 

This bass gives great P bass tones as well as J style bridge pickup tones in single coil mode. In full humbucker it gives a much fuller aggressive sound.

These Mk 1 California's have a richer sound than the Mk 2's. I have both, so can compare. Also this bass seems to have matured in sound since I had it new.

As with all Sandberg's, exceptional quality comes as standard and the slim neck plays really well. A great sounding bass.

Excellent condition with only one tiny ding on the headstock between second and third tuner. So slight its very hard to see in the headstock picture. 

Collect, or can ship (very well packed and with full insurance at buyers expense). A meet up possible within a reasonable distance.

Any questions, please ask.

 

Thanks for looking.

Edited February 23 by retro
SOLD

[kevosborne2010]

Must say i'm very tempted......whereabouts are you ?

[retro]

Hi, I'm in Presteigne which is on the welsh border of Herefordshire/Shropshire. So if a meet up were required can travel to Birmingham, Bristol or Chester areas.

 

Cheers,

David

[TRBboy]

So nice, and a great price! I wish you hadn't stated your location, I'm in Hereford....  😬🥵

[retro]

7 minutes ago, TRBboy said:

So nice, and a great price! I wish you hadn't stated your location, I'm in Hereford....  😬🥵

Yes, just up the road. You're welcome to come and try it out. Lovely bass, plays really well. Good as new. Only moving it on as I have another and no longer need two. 

 

Cheers,

David

[stewblack]

Lovely lovely basses. Very good price.

[retro]

Cheers. A quality bargain. Plays so well.

[dmccombe7]

Gorgeous looking VM4. I've never seen one with a coil tap switch before. Like the idea of the coil tap. Gives another tone mode for a wonderful bass.

If i didn't already have a VM4 i'd jump at this. 

VM4 is my goto bass for most gigs. Its so comfortable to play and has a huge variety of tones.

At this price its almost being given away. Why is this still here ?

GLWTS

Dave

[TRBboy]

31 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

Gorgeous looking VM4. I've never seen one with a coil tap switch before. Like the idea of the coil tap. Gives another tone mode for a wonderful bass.

If i didn't already have a VM4 i'd jump at this. 

VM4 is my goto bass for most gigs. Its so comfortable to play and has a huge variety of tones.

At this price its almost being given away. Why is this still here ?

GLWTS

Dave

For some reason the coil switch is standard on the TMs but not the VMs, although if you're ordering one to spec you can ask for it. I've never understood why it's not standard on both.

 

I went a step further on one of my Sandberg Basics, and installed a 3-way series/single/parallel mini toggle to get the most flexibility out of that single humbucker. Very easy to do! 

[retro]

2 hours ago, TRBboy said:

For some reason the coil switch is standard on the TMs but not the VMs, although if you're ordering one to spec you can ask for it. I've never understood why it's not standard on both.

 

I went a step further on one of my Sandberg Basics, and installed a 3-way series/single/parallel mini toggle to get the most flexibility out of that single humbucker. Very easy to do! 

Yes. I've put a 3 way on my other VM4, only need one now I'm retired. Had one with flats and this one with round wounds.

[dmccombe7]

5 hours ago, TRBboy said:

For some reason the coil switch is standard on the TMs but not the VMs, although if you're ordering one to spec you can ask for it. I've never understood why it's not standard on both.

 

I went a step further on one of my Sandberg Basics, and installed a 3-way series/single/parallel mini toggle to get the most flexibility out of that single humbucker. Very easy to do! 

If you have any details on how to install one i'd appreciate it.  Not sure if its something i would do on my white VM4 as i really like the way it currently sounds but if its an easy mod it will add another range of tones to it if needed.

Dave

[TRBboy]

11 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

If you have any details on how to install one i'd appreciate it.  Not sure if its something i would do on my white VM4 as i really like the way it currently sounds but if its an easy mod it will add another range of tones to it if needed.

Dave

Will try to find a schematic, it's dead easy. You need a DPDT on/on/on mini toggle. You can actually wire it in and give it a try before you drill a hole for the switch, to see if you like it. Easy to reverse if not.

[dmccombe7]

19 minutes ago, TRBboy said:

Will try to find a schematic, it's dead easy. You need a DPDT on/on/on mini toggle. You can actually wire it in and give it a try before you drill a hole for the switch, to see if you like it. Easy to reverse if not.

PM me rather than derail the sale thread. 

Dave

[retro]

49 minutes ago, TRBboy said:

Will try to find a schematic, it's dead easy. You need a DPDT on/on/on mini toggle. You can actually wire it in and give it a try before you drill a hole for the switch, to see if you like it. Easy to reverse if not.

Here' a link to a schematic page which shows the various setups very clearly. As TRBboy says, Its very easy and totally reversible, although you've nothing to lose as in one position the bass will just play as it did which is with the humbucker in series giving it a fat sound. The other two positions give you single coil thinner sound like a jazz bridge pick up, and the third position gives you both coils in parallel which sound somewhere in between. So what you gain a subtler sound when you need it.

Have fun.  https://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/latest-updates/on-on-on-switch

 

 

Edited February 13 by retro