Sandberg appreciation society

[Old Horse Murphy]

So I decided to divest myself of some gear I had lying around that I wasn't using. This (surprisingly for me) included my 75 P Bass. There was absolutely nothing wrong with it, in fact it was gorgeous. The problem was every time I picked it up I just felt really underwhelmed with it. I changed the strings from rounds to flats and back again but it really wasn't doing it for me sadly. 
 

Anyway, long story short, I took it in to see Will at Bass Bros with a few other bits, left with a good wedge of money and made the mistake of turning my head to glance around the shop and my gaze happened to rest on this Masterpiece VS4. 
 

After a few plays on it and a lot of (not much really) humming and hawing I decided to buy it. It plays like a dream and feels like an old friend. The ageing is borderline vandalism but for me it works. The pickup was replaced with a Dimarzio (original included) and it just does that P Bass thing in spades. It's light too at around 8lb 4oz and I can't put it down. It matches my other Sandberg too which is nice. 
 

I wasn't meant to leave with another bass but these things happen I guess....

[Pirellithecat]

That looks great!  How does the sound compare with the VT (in terms of brightness/Old School/Modern).   I tend to use my VM4 pretty much 100% Neck pickup, but interested to know if the VS 4 sounds less "modern".   

[Lw.]

Looks awesome! I've got a real thing for relic'd natural basses at the moment, picking one up next week (from a different manufacturer) but the purchase was inspired by a hardcore aged Sandberg. 

[Old Horse Murphy]

28 minutes ago, Pirellithecat said:

That looks great!  How does the sound compare with the VT (in terms of brightness/Old School/Modern).   I tend to use my VM4 pretty much 100% Neck pickup, but interested to know if the VS 4 sounds less "modern".   

Thanks 😊 It's obviously a traditional P Bass pickup routing compared to a reverse P on Sandberg VM/VT's and this one is passive too so it's definitely less modern sounding. I was going to put flats on it but my other P Bass has them already so I decided to keep this with nickel roundwounds which adds a different dimension to the sound. 

[scrumpymike]

1 hour ago, Old Horse Murphy said:

The ageing is borderline vandalism but for me it works.

 

Ha-ha, love your choice of words! Although I just don't get his whole relic-ing thing, I'm strangely tempted by a 'lightly-aged' offering at Bass Direct that I suspect would work for me too 😊

[dmccombe7]

51 minutes ago, scrumpymike said:

 

Ha-ha, love your choice of words! Although I just don't get his whole relic-ing thing, I'm strangely tempted by a 'lightly-aged' offering at Bass Direct that I suspect would work for me too 😊

I used to be the same until i bought my MarloweDK 2nd hand and now i really like them. Strangely i dont worry so much about it at gigs as i do my VM4 which were about same price.

Was at a jam session with the Marlowe and another bassist said that was a beautiful old bass. He was so surprised when i said it was made circa 2016. It works well in my punk covers band tho.

Dave

Edited June 2, 2023 by dmccombe7

[DJ '65]

That looks awesome, I very nearly brought a similar looking beast off Mark at Classic and Cool (in fact I wonder if it’s the same one 🤔). I have some great Sandberg’s but would love that one, great buy. Play in good health!

[fretmeister]

Very nice!

 

Even better that the pickup has been changed. The stock one in the VS4 passive is not very P bass like. It has too much bass and treble and doesn’t have a lot of the traditional mid range poke that a P should have.

 

It’s the only fault of my Lionel too. But plans are underway.

[Folkesy]

Anyone know if this is the preamp that is used on the German made VS4 or if not has anyone used these?

 

https://www.thomann.de/gb/glockenklang_2band_electronic_stacked_reviews.htm

 

Thinking about upgrading the preamp on my electra. The current one sounds great but I’d like the active/passive on the volume. 
 

 

[Folkesy]

Anyone know if this is the preamp that is used on the German made VS4 or if not has anyone used these?

 

https://www.thomann.de/gb/glockenklang_2band_electronic_stacked_reviews.htm

 

Thinking about upgrading the preamp on my electra. The current one sounds great but I’d like the active/passive on the volume. 
 

 

Edited June 22, 2023 by Folkesy
Delete

[fretmeister]

1 hour ago, Folkesy said:

Anyone know if this is the preamp that is used on the German made VS4 or if not has anyone used these?

 

https://www.thomann.de/gb/glockenklang_2band_electronic_stacked_reviews.htm

 

Thinking about upgrading the preamp on my electra. The current one sounds great but I’d like the active/passive on the volume. 
 

 

 

 

That preamp has a balance control. a VS4 is a single pickup bass. so does not need a balance.

 

What configuration is your Electra?

[Folkesy]

14 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

 

 

That preamp has a balance control. a VS4 is a single pickup bass. so does not need a balance.

 

What configuration is your Electra?

 
Ah good point. Yes, I don’t need a balance/blend. It is volume, bass, treble 

[fretmeister]

I think this is the right one.

 

https://sandbergshop.gambiocloud.com/Sandberg-EL00035-2-Band-EQ-Preamp--without-Balance.html

 

 

[Folkesy]

Loo

2 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

I think this is the right one.

 

https://sandbergshop.gambiocloud.com/Sandberg-EL00035-2-Band-EQ-Preamp--without-Balance.html

 

 

looks like it, thanks for your help 👏

[fretmeister]

You're welcome.

 

 

[Pirellithecat]

Hi - Has anyone got an e-mail/facebook etc. address that "works" for Sandberg?   I need to  contact them and haven't had any response to messages on their website contact page or their e-mail address? 
Been trying for over a month now so getting a little frustrated  -  I know that some have had good and timely responses so I wonder if there's a better contact address/strategy. 

Any help much appreciated.     

[fretmeister]

[email protected]

 

Or contact Gregor via their facebook profile.

[dmccombe7]

2 hours ago, Pirellithecat said:

Hi - Has anyone got an e-mail/facebook etc. address that "works" for Sandberg?   I need to  contact them and haven't had any response to messages on their website contact page or their e-mail address? 
Been trying for over a month now so getting a little frustrated  -  I know that some have had good and timely responses so I wonder if there's a better contact address/strategy. 

Any help much appreciated.     

Pretty sure @theplumber had some spares ordered recently. Stevie ?.

Dave

[theplumber]

6 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

Pretty sure @theplumber had some spares ordered recently. Stevie ?.

Dave

Yes Dave,push pull switch to make it active/passive from Musik Produktiv in Germany.

[Pirellithecat]

Contact made .... Marc got back to me straight away.    So many thanks for the contact details!!  

[Pirellithecat]

And this morning .... Reply from Holger.   I'm impressed!

[Cuzzie]

Hölger is a dude

[warwickhunt]

I did a thing!  

 

[dmccombe7]

Have you fitted a set of Aguilars in there.

How do they sound.

Sometimes i think the standard Sandberg pick ups are a bit sterile and have no warmth like my fenders. 

I still like them but best of both worlds would be Sandberg bass with Fender pick ups.

Dave

[warwickhunt]

11 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

Have you fitted a set of Aguilars in there.

How do they sound.

Sometimes i think the standard Sandberg pick ups are a bit sterile and have no warmth like my fenders. 

I still like them but best of both worlds would be Sandberg bass with Fender pick ups.

Dave

 

Yes Aguilars and they sound sweet.  Not too aggressive (my other pups sitting in my drawer were Bartolini and DiMarzio) and very balanced... not sterile.