Sandberg appreciation society

[ead]

Congratulations.

[scrumpymike]

As already posted, I'm in danger of turning into a Sandberg fan-boy.  Must say I don't find their website too easy to navigate though.  As far as I can see (which isn't very far nowadays), no mention anywhere of a short-scale bass, even though I've got one!!  A strange omission as it's one of the best shorties I've ever played.  A super-light cedar-bodied s-s would be something.  You'd have to hold on tight at outdoor gigs to stop it blowing away.

[ead]

39 minutes ago, scrumpymike said:

As already posted, I'm in danger of turning into a Sandberg fan-boy.  Must say I don't find their website too easy to navigate though.  As far as I can see (which isn't very far nowadays), no mention anywhere of a short-scale bass, even though I've got one!!  A strange omission as it's one of the best shorties I've ever played.  A super-light cedar-bodied s-s would be something.  You'd have to hold on tight at outdoor gigs to stop it blowing away.

Probably not the place to mention it but I have a 32" scale ACG at just over 7lbs that is great for gigging.  Not quite as light as the Sandbergs but very manageable.

[Cuzzie]

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CM4oSyunmjt/?igshid=1si5mpnjr7cqe
 

Holger being a dude again

[petebassist]

Anyone rate the Delano or black label pickups that you get on the recent TT, TM, VS, VMs, or Californias? Particularly, can they cut it live? I hear about people having to swap out the stock pickups but I don't know whether that's on earlier models from years back with different pickups or still an issue with the latest basses. Advice welcome. Thanks.

[dmccombe7]

2 minutes ago, petebassist said:

Anyone rate the Delano or black label pickups that you get on the recent TT, TM, VS, VMs, or Californias? Particularly, can they cut it live? I hear about people having to swap out the stock pickups but I don't know whether that's on earlier models from years back with different pickups or still an issue with the latest basses. Advice welcome. Thanks.

My VM has Sandberg's own pick ups and they are pretty good IMO

[petebassist]

23 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

My VM has Sandberg's own pick ups and they are pretty good IMO

Is that what the Black Labels are? Thanks

[ead]

I have Black Label p/ups on my new TT but can't comment yet on live performance.  Band practice not far away now so that will be the first test.  From what I hear so far in practice I can't see there being any issues.

[dmccombe7]

54 minutes ago, petebassist said:

Is that what the Black Labels are? Thanks

I know our resident expert @Cuzzie will be along shortly and answer all things Sandberg but from what i know they do Delanos which have that name on them and then Sandbergs own with the 4 dots on them. They also do Black Labels and a couple of others but i'd need to go back thru this thread for names and details and its vino time so my focus is fading. 

Seems quite a few people aren't keen on the Delanos but i have no exxperience myself of anything other than Sandbergs version with the 4 dots.

Dave

[Opticaleye]

19 hours ago, petebassist said:

Anyone rate the Delano or black label pickups that you get on the recent TT, TM, VS, VMs, or Californias? Particularly, can they cut it live? I hear about people having to swap out the stock pickups but I don't know whether that's on earlier models from years back with different pickups or still an issue with the latest basses. Advice welcome. Thanks.

I don't think anyone has had to swap out pickups for any other reason than getting a different sound. The large pole pickups have a particular modern sound and are ceramic like the Black Labels.

If you wanted a more vintage sound then an Alnico set might be to your taste. My TT4 passive has the exceptional Sandberg Alnicos and they are my favourite jazz pickup. I replaced the large pole Sandberg in my VS4 with EMG Geezer Butlers, My Sandberg Umbos have the stock Haussels in.

[fretmeister]

I wasn’t a fan of the black label J pickups.

They were loud and clear but not very jazz like.

I swapped mine for EMG J set. Always loved that Bobby Vega sound. Now I’ll die with that bass. 

[fretmeister]

Anyone played one of the updated Classic Booster basses yet? With the twin soapbars near the bridge?

Demos sound very promising. 

[Cuzzie]

22 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

I know our resident expert @Cuzzie will be along shortly and answer all things Sandberg but from what i know they do Delanos which have that name on them and then Sandbergs own with the 4 dots on them. They also do Black Labels and a couple of others but i'd need to go back thru this thread for names and details and its vino time so my focus is fading. 

Seems quite a few people aren't keen on the Delanos but i have no exxperience myself of anything other than Sandbergs version with the 4 dots.

Dave

 

On 03/04/2021 at 17:27, petebassist said:

Anyone rate the Delano or black label pickups that you get on the recent TT, TM, VS, VMs, or Californias? Particularly, can they cut it live? I hear about people having to swap out the stock pickups but I don't know whether that's on earlier models from years back with different pickups or still an issue with the latest basses. Advice welcome. Thanks.

A few pages back, actually a few times in this thread I have given overviews on the pick ups (I should save the long reviews!)

very Broadly speaking 

Delano - Modern and hi-fi, but not sterile

Sandberg - More vintage, lower output

Haussel - vintage with higher output, quite hot esp large pole ones

Sandberg Black labels - slightly More modern than the Sandberg originals, punchy as hell

The key to this is what do you want and what is in your chain?

Do you want it active or passive? -  On Board Pre-amps the Glockenklang 2 band is most common but the 3 band is out there on basses. Noll’s are used and are slightly more aggressive and of course there is the Darkglass Tone Capsule

Next question is what else are you using?

Pre-amps, pedals, amps, effects.

All of these pick ups play differently with everything.

They are all really good pick ups, When you get your cocktail together then you will get it right for you.

[ead]

Should probably have mentioned that the Black Labels fitted to my TT accompany a passive VVT electronics set up.  They sound much like my Fender J but just a bit punchier.  I have them screwed down into the body about 1-2mm lower than the std Jazz seup to get the tone I like.

[deadline]

I am getting a Sandberg California VS passive built for me this year. Have gotten a quote on a specimen with an Electra neck shape (37 mm), and the upcharge for that wasn't too bad. Thing is, Thomann has quoted me two different prices when it comes to choice of wood. Alder and European Ash, with ash being more expensive. I want the bass to be as light as possible, but which wood should I choose?

Thanks!

[jrixn1]

1 hour ago, deadline said:

I want the bass to be as light as possible

Request "Superlight": paulownia body, norwegian maple neck.  It'll be under 3kg.

[deadline]

2 hours ago, jrixn1 said:

Request "Superlight": paulownia body, norwegian maple neck.  It'll be under 3kg.

Thx, but isn't that wood only used in the TT models?

[jrixn1]

I asked Sandberg a while back if they could make me a passive Superlight VT5, and they said yes, although they didn't specify the wood.  I didn't order it in the end, so can't say for certain, but the best thing would be clarify with them directly.  The email address which worked for me was: [email protected] .

Edited April 5, 2021 by jrixn1

[deadline]

Much appreciated, thank you!

[Ian McFly]

On 25/03/2021 at 11:37, scrumpymike said:

As already posted, I'm in danger of turning into a Sandberg fan-boy.  Must say I don't find their website too easy to navigate though.  As far as I can see (which isn't very far nowadays), no mention anywhere of a short-scale bass, even though I've got one!!  A strange omission as it's one of the best shorties I've ever played.  A super-light cedar-bodied s-s would be something.  You'd have to hold on tight at outdoor gigs to stop it blowing away.

Sandberg’s website is an absolute disaster. Not all models are there, the layout is horrible, and even the configurator only shows a limited amount of options, when Sandberg actually offers more. 

[dmccombe7]

2 hours ago, Ian McFly said:

Sandberg’s website is an absolute disaster. Not all models are there, the layout is horrible, and even the configurator only shows a limited amount of options, when Sandberg actually offers more. 

Must admit i only used it once few yrs back and found it ok. I managed to get exactly what i was looking for in a bass but i accidently found the VM4 i have elsewhere and loved the look of it.

Can't say i've tried any other manufacturers configurators ?

Dave

[pineweasel]

2 hours ago, Ian McFly said:

Sandberg’s website is an absolute disaster. Not all models are there, the layout is horrible, and even the configurator only shows a limited amount of options, when Sandberg actually offers more. 

I like their website. It has decent info on the main model ranges, and the configurator does a great job of showing most of the options without being over complicated. They could make it clearer that extra choices are available, but I bet they find a lot of interest is coming from Facebook and Instagram these days, so the perhaps the website takes a back seat. 

[Ian McFly]

Maruszczyk's is second to none.

[Supernaut]

10 minutes ago, Ian McFly said:

Maruszczyk's is second to none.

Just love their decorative screws! 

[scrumpymike]

52 minutes ago, Ian McFly said:

Maruszczyk's is second to none.

I've had 6 Maru basses and agree that it certainly is.  However, in my experience the quality of their basses was somewhat variable.  They might have decorative screws but some of the ones on my basses were made of a material similar to cheese - and screwed in freehand by someone with a gap in their hand/eye coordination where perpendicular should be.