Strange Sadowsky test...

[Toasted]

It could be a bad setup - it could have got a knock in shipping or been on the wall too long. OTOH, a Sadowsky might not be the bass for you.

[Musicman20]

[quote name='Toasted' post='579396' date='Aug 24 2009, 07:01 PM']It could be a bad setup - it could have got a knock in shipping or been on the wall too long. OTOH, a Sadowsky might not be the bass for you. [/quote]

Too true! I will add, not that im sure it matters, but all the Sadowskys were right near the window, and im pretty sure the sun was on them quite a lot whilst i was testing. Bit worrying...not sure it would damage the finish, but you never know.

[Captain Bassman]

Just to add my tuppence-worth...

I bought a UV-70 Metro from GuitarGuitar last November. It was perfectly set-up straight out of the case and has been my main gigging bass since. It's lived up to everything I'd read and heard about Sadowskys - first class build quality, great tone and certainly no dead spots. But there will always be duds, even with Sadowsky's 'legendary' QC!!

I don't rate the VTC though, in fact I never use it since it just doesn't cut through a live mix. I agree that Sadowskys are fantastic for cutting through live but don't expect to get a vintage J-bass tone from one, even with the VTC. It's a bit dull and soulless IMO, especially once you've blasted it with the actives switched on!. They are a modern 'active' take on a classic sound.

Mine growls nicely too, even with the pick-up selector half way and my amp set flat...

[OutToPlayJazz]

Funny to sit and read this thread today... I was at the Gallery in Camden at the weekend visiting Alex & played a few new Sadowskys amongst other jazzes. I was also disappointed with the Sadowskys. The sound was pretty good (the Sado preamp is the same one as I use in pedal form with my jazz) but not as good as my 09 Am.Std jazz through the same preamp. The necks are too thick fingers to thumb for my personal liking & feel half finished, much like the old S1 Fenders did. So I was disappointed in Sadowsky as well.

All in all, my 09 Fender sounds and feels so much nicer.

Best bass of the day at the Gallery? Squier Classic Vibe jazz. Storming sound, great to play and amazing value.

[JTUK]

gotta say that my pref is for a slim laquered neck...so it all starts from there for me...

[XB26354]

I've had 2 Metros - an MV5 a couple of years ago and an RV5 I bought here a couple of months ago. The MV5 had a lovely satin neck and sounded wicked. I got rid of it on a whim and have regretted it ever since. The RV5, although finished to a scarily high standard (2-piece body and finished under the pickguard with no routing - Fender take note!), it didn't do it for me I'm afraid. B string sounded dull to my ears with Sadowsky strings (which I found out were duds anyway) and even the prized DRs, which sound fab on every bass I've played and owned for years. Im now happily using a lovely Spector 6 (thanks CrazyKiwi) and a quite literally awesome American Standard P 5-string - light as a feather, fantastic neck and a tone to die for even on the B.

[rjb]

The Sadowskys I've tried have been lovely, but in my opinion they are definitely more "polite" sounding to me than Fenders. If you're looking for a silky smooth tone then that's great, but the Fenders do seem to have more "attitude". This is possibly down to their more basic electronics.

I also agree with Fender upping their game in recent years, having been underwhelmed in the past . I have my eyes out for a nice P Bass to go with my Warwicks and have been impressed by the latest MIM/MIA models.

Edited August 26, 2009 by rjb

[phagor]

I agree with rjb - my Sadowsky Metro UV70 5 string is fairly polite sounding. That's why it's my main gigging bass - it suits pretty much every musical situation and always sounds consistent and smooth. I'd like to have a characterful growly vintage Fender, but not sure it would actually be as useful in a real musical situation.

The pickup blend knob definitely works the wrong way round, but I've got used to it now. Also, moving it makes a huge difference in tone. On my other basses, I often whack the pickup knob all the way to the bridge pickup. On the Sadowsky, I only need to turn it a little off centre to get a burpy bridge or wooley neck pickup sound. Don't know if that's a 70's pickup placement thing or a Sadowsky thing...

The active / VTC combination takes a little getting used to. It's easy to overdo it with the active treble and bass. I usually set them for a bright slap/pick sound, then use the VTC to take the top off for fingers.

I am thinking about getting a Fender (after years of not liking any I've played). Possibly a 4 string PJ to complement the Sadowsky. Any opinions on the various artist PJs? Frank Bello, Tony Franklin fretted, Reggie Hamilton.

[OutToPlayJazz]

[quote]I am thinking about getting a Fender (after years of not liking any I've played). Possibly a 4 string PJ to complement the Sadowsky. Any opinions on the various artist PJs? Frank Bello, Tony Franklin fretted, Reggie Hamilton.[/quote]

Golchen has the Reggie Hamilton 5 & seems to like it so much that he sold his Status S2!

[Aussiephoenix]

[quote name='Toasted' post='578786' date='Aug 24 2009, 09:16 AM']Overly bright, clanky and [b]unforgiving to poor technique[/b].

Playing with the band, which is what I personally play bass for - I don't think there are many better sounding instruments.[/quote]

you know, I hated Sadowskies when I first tried them exactly because of that (though I either didnt realise it at the time or wouldnt accept it).
they are VERY unforgiving if you're used to a Passive Jazz and play with a lot of attack. I've had to mellow and control my attack in order to adjust to my sadowsky.

I wouldnt say that theres that huge a diference in playing in or out of a band setting, but comparing a passive jazz to a Sadowsky is like comparing oranges and watermellons.

[Musicman20]

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='580195' date='Aug 25 2009, 01:49 PM']Funny to sit and read this thread today... I was at the Gallery in Camden at the weekend visiting Alex & played a few new Sadowskys amongst other jazzes. I was also disappointed with the Sadowskys. The sound was pretty good (the Sado preamp is the same one as I use in pedal form with my jazz) but not as good as my 09 Am.Std jazz through the same preamp. The necks are too thick fingers to thumb for my personal liking & feel half finished, much like the old S1 Fenders did. So I was disappointed in Sadowsky as well.

All in all, my 09 Fender sounds and feels so much nicer.

Best bass of the day at the Gallery? Squier Classic Vibe jazz. Storming sound, great to play and amazing value.[/quote]

I am off to the Gallery on Saturday, so I might try the same one's out. That exactly what I thought, the 09 Fender just had a better sound, to me anyway.


[quote name='XB26354' post='580746' date='Aug 25 2009, 10:22 PM']I've had 2 Metros - an MV5 a couple of years ago and an RV5 I bought here a couple of months ago. The MV5 had a lovely satin neck and sounded wicked. I got rid of it on a whim and have regretted it ever since. The RV5, although finished to a scarily high standard (2-piece body and finished under the pickguard with no routing - Fender take note!), it didn't do it for me I'm afraid. B string sounded dull to my ears with Sadowsky strings (which I found out were duds anyway) and even the prized DRs, which sound fab on every bass I've played and owned for years. Im now happily using a lovely Spector 6 (thanks CrazyKiwi) and a quite literally awesome American Standard P 5-string - light as a feather, fantastic neck and a tone to die for even on the B.[/quote]

Can I ask, how good are the Fender 5's? I hear silly rumours that their B doesnt really cut it....but I also hear the new ones are REALLY good for their money.

Thanks

[JTUK]

Can't say what the Fenders are like with a low B... but Sadowsky reckons the bolt-on is the way to go for B strings...
Others swear by neck-thru...

All I'll say is that you want and should be able to hear clarity of a fretted note on a B consistant with a fretted note on the E string.
It should pick up the nuances of the tone you are using..
if it doesn't, then this doesn't cut it, IMV

So, tone and sustain on the fretted B string will out any duffers, IMV and the last time I looked this is a flaw more prevalent than you would hope for in lot of name basses..

[warwickhunt]

I have to say that I just did some demo recordings (to produce a CD to get gigs) and the Sadowsky was as growly as any of my Warwicks and needed NO tweaking or EQing to sound full and superb!

[quote name='phagor' post='581276' date='Aug 26 2009, 12:44 PM']I am thinking about getting a Fender (after years of not liking any I've played). Possibly a 4 string PJ to complement the Sadowsky. Any opinions on the various artist PJs? Frank Bello, Tony Franklin fretted, Reggie Hamilton.[/quote]

Why not get a Sadowsky PJ?

[Musicman20]

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='581682' date='Aug 26 2009, 06:10 PM']I have to say that I just did some demo recordings (to produce a CD to get gigs) and the Sadowsky was as growly as any of my Warwicks and needed NO tweaking or EQing to sound full and superb!



Why not get a Sadowsky PJ? [/quote]

Ive got to say, I really like the style and sound of your Sadowsky PJ....it really works for me!

[warwickhunt]

[quote name='Musicman20' post='581683' date='Aug 26 2009, 06:11 PM']Ive got to say, I really like the style and sound of your Sadowsky PJ....it really works for me![/quote]

Cheers. I loved the NYC model that I had with the 'Big Singles' in but tbh in my band contexts, the PJ does it for me! It's been said before but the Metro range are 'almost' if not as well put together as the NYC basses you just don't get the fancy tops etc.

[Aussiephoenix]

[quote name='Musicman20' post='581659' date='Aug 26 2009, 05:34 PM']Can I ask, how good are the Fender 5's? I hear silly rumours that their B doesnt really cut it....but I also hear the new ones are REALLY good for their money.[/quote]

I was a firm believer in that until I tried 2 SQUIERS (a mate's precision Deluxe and my own Jazz deluxe) which have no trouble whatsoever with the 5th string, nice and tight as you'd want it to be.

If "certain" squiers can have that, why cant normal fenders?

[XB26354]

[quote name='Musicman20' post='581659' date='Aug 26 2009, 05:34 PM']I am off to the Gallery on Saturday, so I might try the same one's out. That exactly what I thought, the 09 Fender just had a better sound, to me anyway.




Can I ask, how good are the Fender 5's? I hear silly rumours that their B doesnt really cut it....but I also hear the new ones are REALLY good for their money.

Thanks[/quote]

I think it is Jazz 5's that seem to have the problem. The US standard P-bass 5 I tried has an excellent B (as long as you change the stock Fender strings, and play around with pickup height). I've moved on a US Deluxe Jazz 5 and the aforementioned Sado RV5 primarily because I wasn't happy with the B (or the circuit tbh). Then again I tried a 1996 US Standard (with the 5-in-a-line tuners) that was on commission sale at the Gallery a few months ago and that had a great B, so maybe it is pot luck?

[phagor]

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='581682' date='Aug 26 2009, 06:10 PM']Why not get a Sadowsky PJ? [/quote]
I'd be very interested in a Sadowsky PJ. Guess I'm just curious about all the Fender-love that's been going around lately... that and the Fenders are a fair bit cheaper than another Sad

[warwickhunt]

[quote name='phagor' post='581938' date='Aug 26 2009, 09:53 PM']Guess I'm just curious about all the Fender-love that's been going around lately... that and the Fenders are a fair bit cheaper than another Sad [/quote]

Some brands will wax, some will wane but there'll always be Fender!

However, you are right about cost.