"Sadowsky" Metro Express Basses

[Paddy777]

9 hours ago, BassAgent said:

That's what I thought, but the DJ control plate is slightly curved. Mine is straight. It was fitted to my USA Joe Osborn when I bought it.

It’s certainly the DJ control knobs - what I would do is buy a standard jazz control plate (they’re only a Couple of quid) and transfer all the pots etc onto it, should be easy enough I think 

[BassAgent]

You'd think, right? It's so weird that the knobs indicate the DJ-retro, but the control plate itself is straight. Transferring to a new control plate isn't as easy as you'd expect: you'd need to drill 2 extra holes for the switches (and drilling into chromed metal isn't my speciality).

[Paddy777]

I hadn’t thought of that 😬 Looks like you’re gonna have to buy a Lakland DJ4 or DJ5 😂😂

[BassAgent]

Well, to be honest, I don't think it'll fit one because it's a straight control plate😁

 

But anyway, I re-installed the original preamp on the Sadowsky, plugged it in and thought: why would I want another preamp? It sounds brilliant already.

[Paddy777]

TBH one of the main things that makes Sadowsky’s what they are is the very recognisable Marcus Miller-esque sound you can get from the preamp, on paper the Aguilar OBP-2 is voiced the same but it doesn’t quite have the same mojo a Safowsky pre does. John East pre’s are a different kettle of fish altogether tho!

[asingardenof]

On 11/09/2024 at 14:25, BassAgent said:

The PCB is too big for the cavity. I can't move the control plate forward enough.

 

So now I'm reinstalling the original preamp but I can't remember how the ground wires were connected😅

Solder to the back of the pickup blend pot I think, but they were an absolute see you next Tuesday to get to stick from what I can remember.

[jd56hawk]

 

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Edited September 13 by jd56hawk

[Paddy777]

52 minutes ago, jd56hawk said:

 

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I’m not quite sure what the difference is bar an extra fret, however it does mean that they’re now selling the Will Lee preamp as a standalone item, where u can boost the mids at 500hz or 800hz (a frequency I generally only like to cut). The Red one looks absolutely lovely, but I’m being disciplined - for £900-1000 on a good day on here you can pick up a Dragonfly or an SEi etc - something that cost £2k+ new, so there’s no way I’m splashing almost a grand on one. However I really like them, I fancy the M 5-string  (MM pickup only) or the MM/J 5 string, and I could happily have a PJ5 and JJ5, but I’ll be waiting till they come up second hand - if I have £900-1000 to spend on a bass I’ll not be buying new

WILL LEE PREAMP (£219):

 

https://www.bassdirect.co.uk/product/sadowsky-parts-active-will-lee-electronic-w-rfip-vol-bal-tone-p-p-tb-assembled-on-control-plate-w-mini-switch/

 

 

Edited September 13 by Paddy777

[lonestar]

https://shop.warwick.de/en/instruments/electric-basses/sadowsky-metroexpress/24-fret-modern-bass/38977/sadowsky-metroexpress-24-fret-modern-bass-roasted-maple-fingerboard-5-string?number=D0444556001717328263A1-D0890850001700158009A5506

 

Anyone tried one of these?

I’m intrigued to know how it compares with the JJ 5string

Edited October 6 by lonestar

[Bigwan]

21 hours ago, lonestar said:

https://shop.warwick.de/en/instruments/electric-basses/sadowsky-metroexpress/24-fret-modern-bass/38977/sadowsky-metroexpress-24-fret-modern-bass-roasted-maple-fingerboard-5-string?number=D0444556001717328263A1-D0890850001700158009A5506

 

Anyone tried one of these?

I’m intrigued to know how it compares with the JJ 5string

I don't think they've actually been released yet

[whynot]

21 hours ago, lonestar said:

https://shop.warwick.de/en/instruments/electric-basses/sadowsky-metroexpress/24-fret-modern-bass/38977/sadowsky-metroexpress-24-fret-modern-bass-roasted-maple-fingerboard-5-string?number=D0444556001717328263A1-D0890850001700158009A5506

 

Anyone tried one of these?

I’m intrigued to know how it compares with the JJ 5string

Andy Irvine has done a recent demo vid on these, 4 and 5 string

[BassAgent]

Doesn't necessarily mean they've been released. I've reviewed basses pre-release too.

[LeftyJ]

I was just browsing Thomann's "Cyberweek" deals, and a lefty MetroExpress Hybrid 5 fretless popped up for €299... (the old RSD version obviously).

 

So to cut a long story short, their stock is now down by 1. 

 

I've been wanting to give fretless another try, and I've been curious about these basses for a while. At this price, I really couldn't resist anymore. I'm really curious! Oddly enough, this was the only version I came across in the deals section. The same bass in the lefty Vintage (JJ) version is still priced at €429. 

[King Tut]

I’ve just pulled the trigger on a 4 string PJ for £251 at Thomann - couldn’t resist! Hopefully it’ll arrive tomorrow. If I get on with it, I might mod it with one of Sadowsky’s VTC circuits. Are the kits where you can mod the electronics easy to install or would it be better to pay more and buy the more expensive complete unit? I’m ok with a soldering iron!!

[LeftyJ]

Mine arrived yesterday. The serial number dates it to 2021, which is after the most glaring QC issues of the first batch had been resolved. It's nice, sounds good, but there are still some QC issues. Nothing too big, and at €299 I'm a little more willing to look away from them than I would have been at the original price - it would surely have gone straight back to Thomann. Still, I'm not sure yet if it's a keeper:

• The A-string is clearly louder than the other 4 when using the splitcoil - assumably because both halves of the splitcoil pick it up;
• The preamp is fairly quiet, so that issue has been resolved on mine - until you turn up the treble boost to halfway or more. Then the noise soon becomes unbearable. Active mode is also considerably louder than passive, even with both EQ knobs set to 0;
• The side dot at the 7th position is missing. Not just missing from the hole: there IS no hole. Nobody bothered to drill one and they just went with it;
• The adjustable Just-a-nut is a nice feature, but the nut slot wasn't routed deep enough and it doesn't adjust low enough to my liking for a fretless. Would have been fine if this had had frets, but not here, so I'd need to cut the nut slots;
• I had to adjust the saddles WAY down to make it playable. The G-string saddle is almost maxed down;
• The height adjustment screws in the saddles all have varying lengths, in random order. After adjusting the action some of them now stick out ridiculously far;
• String alignment over the pickups could have been slightly better - but it doesn't seem to affect the tone or playability as there's still plenty of fingerboard width left on either side.

There's some good stuff too though: it sounds really good, the hardware is great, it plays well (even despite the nut height not being to my liking), the included gigbag is pretty impressive even if it's not exactly identical to the original Sadowsky Portabag, and the ebony fingerboard - if a little pale - appears to be sealed really well and smoothly, almost to a polish. Looks and feels really nice. 

 

For €800 this would have gone straight back, but for €299... I haven't really made my mind up yet. I'll need to play it a little more 

 

Again, note that this is a 2021 model. The early batches of the MetroExpress series were known to exhibit several QC issues, many of which have since been attended to. The one that Thomann shipped to me was obviously marked down for a reason: they need to get rid of their old stock, because these old basses are making the new and more expensive models look bad. 

Edited Thursday at 11:32 by LeftyJ

[Brian18242]

21 hours ago, King Tut said:

I’ve just pulled the trigger on a 4 string PJ for £251 at Thomann - couldn’t resist! Hopefully it’ll arrive tomorrow. If I get on with it, I might mod it with one of Sadowsky’s VTC circuits. Are the kits where you can mod the electronics easy to install or would it be better to pay more and buy the more expensive complete unit? I’m ok with a soldering iron!!

Mines just arrived today, same deal from thomann for the sunburst finish. Just requires a set up, but all good. I plan to strip out the pickups and EQ and replace with EMG

[martthebass]

1 hour ago, Brian18242 said:

Mines just arrived today, same deal from thomann for the sunburst finish. Just requires a set up, but all good. I plan to strip out the pickups and EQ and replace with EMG

The pickups on mine are fine but the EQ was swapped out for a J Retro. Sounds lovely on the fretless - the pups are pretty good.

[King Tut]

Well mines just arrived. SN dates it to 2020 but surprisingly the fretwork is great. Action was really high but it’s adjusted down fine. I’ll report back when ive had more time with it but seems good so far!

[carlsim]

How do you date the metro express basses? I have two and would be keen to know what batch they are from.

[carlsim]

Is it the last two digits are the year of manufacture?

[LeftyJ]

15 minutes ago, carlsim said:

Is it the last two digits are the year of manufacture?

 

It is! The serial numbers follow the Warwick logic.

[King Tut]

Anyone know what year the earliest Chinese ones (with fret sprout and noisy electrics) were made?

[LeftyJ]

I believe they were announced in late 2020 and entered the market in early 2021. Not sure what the deal is with the updates and when they were done. I just looked up on YouTube when LowEndLobster's first unboxing video was posted (including his complaints of very noisy electronics), and that was November 22, 2020. 

[chris_b]

Calling all the Metro Express owners. . . . have you weighed your basses?

 

I've seen a couple of examples that were about 10lbs. Is that the average or are there any in the 7-8lb range?

 

Cheers.

 

ps  I should have said 5 string basses. . .

Edited Friday at 15:11 by chris_b

[martthebass]

1 hour ago, chris_b said:

Calling all the Metro Express owners. . . . have you weighed your basses?

 

I've seen a couple of examples that were about 10lbs. Is that the average or are there any in the 7-8lb range?

 

Cheers.

Mine’s one of the light ones - 7.5lb. 4str Fretless.