NYC Sadowsky at Guitar Guitar!!!

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='CHRISDABASS' post='966832' date='Sep 24 2010, 03:55 PM']Just reading about how well made they are, the customer service, the sounds ive heard online, the fact that his fret work is some of the best around etc inspired me and gave me the confidence to just go for it![/quote]

Funnily enough, one of the worst basses for poor fretwork I have ever tried was the black modern Sadowsky Metro in Guitar, Guitar, Birmingham. It played OK, but the sides of those frets certainly needed some attention!

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='risingson' post='966840' date='Sep 24 2010, 03:57 PM']I think it balances out quite well. It's not cheap, sure, but neither is the bass you're hoping to buy. The point being it is certainly something that I and many other musicians I know would consider doing if I was going to spend that sort of money on an instrument.[/quote]

Not sure I agree but I'm ok to differ on that viewpoint. We've seem the sample maths and I've been there and done that... albeit with guitars not basses. You say you'd consider it, perhaps you should actually do it and tell us how you get on.

In response to your earlier assumption, I don't own and have never ever owned a Sadowsky. I have played a fair few and a few of those in anger. They are OK for what they are but they just don't do it for me, which is fine because I am sure my basses dont do it for other people.

Edited September 24, 2010 by EBS_freak

[Musicman20]

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='966844' date='Sep 24 2010, 03:59 PM']Funnily enough, one of the worst basses for poor fretwork I have ever tried was the black modern Sadowsky Metro in Guitar, Guitar, Birmingham. It played OK, but the sides of those frets certainly needed some attention![/quote]

Oh heck! Quick, get it on talkbass Im sure this would be a rare occurance with Sadowsky.

I think if I bought a Metro, id expect it to be FLAWLESS. Not one issue. I agree that its hards to get a Fender like that....takes patience and a bit of searching even with the improvements.

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='Musicman20' post='966871' date='Sep 24 2010, 04:13 PM']Oh heck! Quick, get it on talkbass Im sure this would be a rare occurance with Sadowsky.[/quote]

I don't care if it is or it isn't and I certainly wouldn't throw myself into the lion's den over there. To be fair, out of the three Sadowskys that I tried in GG, it was the only one that had that fault.

Edited September 24, 2010 by EBS_freak

[CHRISDABASS]

i think we all have way too much time on our hands!

im off to actually play bass for a change :ph34r:

[molan]

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='966707' date='Sep 24 2010, 02:07 PM']..or pretty any J bass with the Sadowsky electronics in it. Don't get bogged down in the mythical Sadowsky snake oil thing. There is no real secret ingredients in getting the Sadowsky tone - it's pretty much down to the pickups/circuit... it certainly doesn't come from the woods or construction (afterall, it's the same as pretty much every bolt on jazz type bass)[/quote]

I must admit that I agree with this in principle - however I did once try a stock Fender USA J with Sadowsky electronics fitted (that's what i was told anyway) and it didn't capture the sound I associate with Sads all that well.

It was a pretty heavy beast though and every Sad i've played has been very light so maybe it's those good old natural wood resonance effects making the difference.

Edited September 24, 2010 by molan

[Musicman20]

I do agree they have a good sense of low-medium weight!

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='molan' post='967029' date='Sep 24 2010, 06:56 PM']I must admit that I agree with this in principle - however I did once try a stock Fender USA J with Sadowsky electronics fitted (that's what i was told anyway) and it didn't capture the sound I associate with Sads all that well.[/quote]

"Stock" Fender with Sadowsky electronics. Now there's an oxymoron. I would wager a guess that it wasn't loaded with Sad electronics, or only loaded with just the circuit or just the pickup... All the Sadowsky loaded jazz type basses I've heard are pretty good Sadowsky imposters.

As for the woods, maybe the Sadowsky guys think about weight more than Fender. Fender may just stick any old wood in the machine, perhaps Sadowsky have weight limits.

Must admit, I've never tried anything but a medium light Sadowsky.

[velvetkevorkian]

The NYCs are chambered for weight, aren't they?

[risingson]

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='966869' date='Sep 24 2010, 04:12 PM']Not sure I agree but I'm ok to differ on that viewpoint. We've seem the sample maths and I've been there and done that... albeit with guitars not basses. You say you'd consider it, perhaps you should actually do it and tell us how you get on.[/quote]

I did, although not quite in the same manner. Went on holiday a few months ago for my 21st to NYC with enough money to get a decent bass but nothing really took my fancy so I left it.

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='risingson' post='967240' date='Sep 24 2010, 11:36 PM']I did, although not quite in the same manner. Went on holiday a few months ago for my 21st to NYC with enough money to get a decent bass but nothing really took my fancy so I left it.[/quote]

....so the point of your previous posts is...?

[molan]

[quote name='velvetkevorkian' post='967074' date='Sep 24 2010, 07:43 PM']The NYCs are chambered for weight, aren't they?[/quote]

I think a lot of the newer ones are. I read somewhere (maybe TB) that Sadowsky had said it was getting increasingly hard to find high quality woods with a consistently light weight and that's why they use chambers a lot now.

[JTUK]

If it is true you could pick up a nice metro SH for £1000 or thereabouts that suited your hands, re the neck etc .., I'd be tempted to put in a heavyweight pre. I am not too sure about VTC myself, but something like a Retro would defintely be on my mind and then I think you could have a stonking bass for not so much money. To my mind that could likely put it some distance from some Fenders and Lakland JO/DJ's

That would be my thinking, anyway.

[CHRISDABASS]

unless you request a solid body all NYC's are chambered

[funkyspuke]

I got my metro for £1000 (pretty much new and un-used). since then I have hardly played or considered any other bass at all and will be on the luck out for a similar deal if I am lucky!

so, anyone out ther that is not 100% happy with their Sadowsky (from this thread it seems that there could be) .. sell it to me

[BigRedX]

[quote name='JTUK' post='967375' date='Sep 25 2010, 10:33 AM']If it is true you could pick up a nice metro SH for £1000 or thereabouts that suited your hands, re the neck etc .., I'd be tempted to put in a heavyweight pre. I am not too sure about VTC myself, but something like a Retro would defintely be on my mind and then I think you could have a stonking bass for not so much money. To my mind that could likely put it some distance from some Fenders and Lakland JO/DJ's

That would be my thinking, anyway.[/quote]
I haven't played any Metros, but all the NYC Sadowskys I've played sounded better with the pre-amp off.

[funkyspuke]

[quote name='BigRedX' post='967429' date='Sep 25 2010, 11:50 AM']I haven't played any Metros, but all the NYC Sadowskys I've played sounded better with the pre-amp off.[/quote]

interesting you should say that, as I have just been playing my Metro in passive mode for the first time ... wow, very interesting indeed. added to the fact that I was switching between pick ups with the VTC turned nearly off .. I got some amazings sounds that made me wonder why I haven't been doing this sooner!

[alanbass1]

[quote name='funkyspuke' post='967382' date='Sep 25 2010, 10:45 AM']I got my metro for £1000 (pretty much new and un-used). since then I have hardly played or considered any other bass at all and will be on the luck out for a similar deal if I am lucky!

so, anyone out ther that is not 100% happy with their Sadowsky (from this thread it seems that there could be) .. sell it to me [/quote]

I have owned a NYC and Metro and traded them both on. Very well put together and played beautifully, but the sound was a little bright/soul-less for my tastes. They do sit well in a mix, which is a great plus. I can see why a lot of people buy and swear by Sadowsky but at the end of the day everyone is different. Yes, it's a lot of money - but so is a Fender Custom Shop, Mike Lull, US Lakland etc, etc. If you can afford one they are certainly worth trying as it may well be the bass for you, but as with all basses each one is a little different - I would rather have the opportunity to try the very bass I was going to buy rather than order one and hope it will be 'the one'. In that respect it's good to see a dealer stocking them.

[Busterrabbit]

[quote name='Musicman20' post='962269' date='Sep 20 2010, 02:15 PM']Man, those prices....jees. Actually, the Metro prices (some of them) arent far off.

Thats one serious investment. If im honest Id buy direct for a NYC model.[/quote]


I'd buy an NYC direct, then you can get exactly what you want. The NYCs are lighter than the Metros as they have the chambered body.

I was lucky with the exchange rate when I bought my NYC a few years ago; I got 2 dollars to the £, so at $4,400 mine cost just over £2,200 including duty and shipping. Mine is a standard NYC 5 string (no scratchplate) in transparent black over quilted maple. It has an ebony fingerboard with no face nots and chrome hardware, I also have a spare set of black hardware to fit should the mood take me.


Would I spend £3,300 on one? I don't think I would to be honest, but then I have one! My next bass will have humbuckers/twin coil pickups to give me a different sound, Dingwall Afterburner II and Roscoe LG3005 are favourite at the moment. I prefer the sound of the Roscoe but much prefer the slim neck of the Dingwall which has a similar profile to my Sadowsky.

[runforcover]

I was interested to read the comments concerning Sadowsky basses.
During the 80,s and 90,s I earned a living playing bass in the clubs of the North East.
I had to cover a lot of different styles and genres of music. At that time I was using Fender Basses. I also tried JD, s Status basses etc. I found that the fender basses worked in all situations better than the above. I am a big fan of Will Lee and what he does as a musician, which is cover ring a lot of styles of music. His tone always sounded great to me. I saw a picture of Will in a bass magazine with his Sadowsky bass and thought it looked great and sounded great when he used it on the Letterman show.

I decided to save up the cash and go for buying a Sadowsky bass the same as Will’s at the time.
I found the that dealing with Rodger Sadowsky over my bass was a most pleasurable and professional experience.
The bass arrived exactly as planned and sounded incredible. I gigged the bass the very same night that it landed and the whole band was blown away by look, and more especially the tone.

I am lucky enough to still get compliments on the tone of the bass from musicians and members of the audience.
To me that’s why Sadowsky basses are worth the money. As for being an expensive fender jazz copy, they are not. I also have a 1970 Custom shop limited edition Fender jazz bass, fitted with a Sadowsky pre-amp. The Fender and my 4 String Sadowsky bass sound totally different. I also have a 2009 NYC Sadowsky 5 string with an AAAA Burl Maple top and Ebony fingerboard. This bass sounds totally different from the other two.

To sum up for me Fender Jazz style basses work well in a situations. Sadowsky Basses just kill in a live situation.

Here are my 3 basses

[Chris2112]

I have to say, I did play a Sadowsky Metro the other day that struck me as being really good for a jazz bass.

[OutToPlayJazz]

Never played a bad Sadowsky bass, but the Will Lee model that Barrie (Molan) had in the summer was the best bass I've played this year that didn't hve "Status" written on it!