Sanderberg bass question

[John Cellario]

Anyone ever tried or owned a Sanderberg bass? I'm thinking of buying one, so am wondering what the difference in the bridge double humbucker pick-up versus the standard J Bass pick-up is likely to be in terms of tone. (I know the humbuckers are noise cancelling but personally I've never noticed any excessive hum anyway.)

[JapanAxe]

Hi John

I recently bought a Sandberg California VM4 (i.e. reverse P-bass p/u and bridge humbucker. You can read the full story [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/194520-nbd-sandberg-vm4-in-candy-apple-red/"]here[/url], but briefly, yep, much fatter sounding than standard J-types. I think someone on here was selling a tasty TM4 (i.e. J-type p/u and bridge humbucker), which would save you a lot over the new price.

[Pinball]

All of the Sandberg's I have tried sound great but my advice would be to try before you buy. The double humbuckers definitely add more sound options so it all depends if you would use those options.
There are also different makes of pickups to consider and also 2 or 3 band EQ options.

Note: I found I got the sounds I wanted from the JJ's and am lucky enough to own a 2 band EQ JJ Panther (now called TT) and a Umbo passive bass.

I hope that helps

[pietruszka]

I have a fretless sandberg basic with 3 band active eq. I'm in Newcastle and you're welcome to come and try it.
They sound great and I've used mine for nearly all genres and works brilliantly!


Dan

[ezbass]

Probably worth asking your question here http://basschat.co.uk/topic/168961-sandberg-love/

[Prime_BASS]

A local shop used to stock some JMs and PMs (whatever they are called now, TM and PM?) and they all sounded pretty nice, very fat compared to single coils but I prefer the sound from singles anyway. And I own a basic which has a single humbucker in the middle.

I find it easy to get Jazz type and P type sounds out of it you just have to change where you pluck. Sounds like everything if you want it too.

[Captain Codpiece]

i have a PM5 (now called VM5), amazing bass, it really is.

as for added tones, the bucker adds a stronger tone than a typical J style , its like a cross between a MM and a J, as the MM and P sweet spots physically cross over, the MM in the PM5 is set back a bit more, giving a more honky response rather than typical fat MM tone. the combo of MM and just a tiny bit of P is very MM like. if you want the best of three worlds get the delano hybrid set installed (sandberg offer it as an option) as it is a MM/J combo allowing splitting of the J part so you can have P J/P MM, P,MM or J if you want.

some people are not keen on the sandberg eq, it is actually a glokenklang made for sandberg. and i think its quite transparent and subtle in its variance (bass and treble manipulation is not as OTT as my simillarly equipped frankenstein with SDBasslines pickups and 3 band EQ)

also if you go 5 string and rosewood board, you can get a 35" scale neck mine is 34" only (not an issue) as i have maple board.

[franzbassist]

I have a VT5, which is the PJ configuration California.

I have to say that the J pickup in the bridge position isn't lacking at all, it has penty of output, although naturally due to the positioning it sounds different to the P pickup in the neck position. I would image the MM pickup there sounds huge.

I agree with the Captain's comments about the EQ: it is pretty subtle compared to a lot of active eq systems, but very useable.

Edited February 15, 2013 by walbassist

[Captain Codpiece]

ooohhh thats a beauty you have there i love those new knobs and the guys have their relic system down to an art!

it really does amaze me at times, and i have only had it with sandbergs. sometimes you dont even notice its a 5 when you first look at it (unless you see the head).

[jjay69]

I have Pinballs old California Supreme and it's really grown on me.

I've always considered myself a humbucker fan hence i went for this model, however these days i find myself using it in Single coil mode more often, it's slightly less powerful and somehow a bit more "toneful" with more "voice" to the sound, if that makes sense?. The humbuckers great too, you'll get more bass out of it and a lot more grunt, flicking the switch between one and the other is very noticeable in the volume. Either way it's very versatile, just what i need. Oh and there's a p style pickup too, useful too blend the 2 pups but that's about it for me, i'd rarely use it alone.

On another note i find the bridge adjustment a slight disappointment, there's a limit to how much you can lower the action due to the design of the bridge. Don't get me wrong it's totally playable, but if you wanted to take it stupidly low to buzz and beyond, you can't without getting into the world of truss rods.

Otherwise it's a do all bass.

[Pinball]

[quote name='jjay69' timestamp='1360934499' post='1978559']
I have Pinballs old California Supreme and it's really grown on me.
[/quote]

Good glad that your getting on with it. I agree with you as I found it a do all bass. I was really happy with it but I had two Sandbergs at the time and I bonded with the other one I owned.

The single coil pickups are great on Sandbergs and not to be underestimated. There is loads of sound options with them, especially with the active passive options. Try an Umbo sometime, it hits the spot for me.

[ashevans09]

I have a VM-5 with the 2 band eq, but with the Haussel pickups and honestly it sounds absolutely phenomenal. One thing I would say is definitely try one before buying - the neck profile is certainly different to other basses I've played and while I personally love it I do know some on here who've said they really didn't.