Sandberg California 2....TT4/TM4.. opinions

[Shiveringbass]

The TM bridge humbucker is realy stunning when soloed with trebbles rolled off. A kind of ultra powerful Jaco thing, maybe more Richard Bona type of bridge pickup sound.

[Shiveringbass]

On 24/10/2022 at 18:07, Shiveringbass said:

As far as I am concerned (two ultra light) with the same "issue", the fingerboard of my TM5 (norway maple) has expended a bit making the thing more noticable.

I don't live in a particularly humid region. Should it be the case, a wood specialiste told me one day taht a fingerboard that shrink or extend usualy mean a wood that has not been dried enough. This problem can't be put on buyer's responsability like Sandberg try to do it.

The shop where I bought my bass, Music Store, simply refused to take it into warranty arguing that Sandberg will not take it and that it was probably my fault, storing the instrument in bad conditions.

 

 

Correction to be fair with Sandberg. I finaly succeeded in contacting them via service department. Actualy, Sandberg have no objection about taking my bass into warranty to check it.

 

In fact, it's Music Store that refused that warranty claim without even asking to Sandberg if it could be done. The worse is that they told me that they asked for a warranty and that Sandberg refused it. Shame on them.

 

Now the question is, will those fret slots felt from the side of the fingerboard be seen as a problem or just standard manufactoring by the company ?

 

 

[Cuzzie]

That sounds more like Sandberg service

 

we’ll see the outcome

[Ralf1e]

On 24/10/2022 at 17:07, Shiveringbass said:

As far as I am concerned (two ultra light) with the same "issue", the fingerboard of my TM5 (norway maple) has expended a bit making the thing more noticable.

I don't live in a particularly humid region. Should it be the case, a wood specialiste told me one day taht a fingerboard that shrink or extend usualy mean a wood that has not been dried enough. This problem can't be put on buyer's responsability like Sandberg try to do it.

The shop where I bought my bass, Music Store, simply refused to take it into warranty arguing that Sandberg will not take it and that it was probably my fault, storing the instrument in bad conditions.

 

How can they try to say that if it arrived like it from new.

Modern kiln drying takes something of the quality out of the timber and if not done correctly can still leave timber being more inclined to move. There is a reason timber seasoned naturally takes years and is better and yes it costs more as well if you are lucky enough to find it.

I have seen badly back bowed necks and burst bodies on what are considered higher than average priced instruments. Builders should not take short cuts when they claim something is built to a high standard neither should they bury their heads in the sand over problems. It's only when you face your mistakes you live on to correct them.

That should have been filled on the production line not left to fosters you off of from buying another one.

[ead]

On 08/11/2022 at 16:49, ebenezer said:

Listening to the clips on YouTube I feel I prefer the TT rather than the TM.... even with the humbucker in single coil mode, it doesn't quite get lovely tone of the TT 4, near, but no cigar!

 

I would also agree.  I much prefer my TT to the TM and Darkhawk.  It fits in better with the music I play.

[Cuzzie]

3 hours ago, Ralf1e said:

How can they try to say that if it arrived like it from new.

Modern kiln drying takes something of the quality out of the timber and if not done correctly can still leave timber being more inclined to move. There is a reason timber seasoned naturally takes years and is better and yes it costs more as well if you are lucky enough to find it.

I have seen badly back bowed necks and burst bodies on what are considered higher than average priced instruments. Builders should not take short cuts when they claim something is built to a high standard neither should they bury their heads in the sand over problems. It's only when you face your mistakes you live on to correct them.

That should have been filled on the production line not left to fosters you off of from buying another one.

No one is perfect and wood certainly is not perfect being an organic material which can change.

Kiln treatment and storages seasoning are separate things.

Sandberg teamed up with a university to properly research and pinpoint their thermo treatment, after wood has been seasoned to look at cellular stability, water content etc same as with Vibration treatment.

 

Having been to the Sandberg factory and seen the process, how they store wood, treat it, realising how much Hölger cares and his knowledge after being a piano builder prior to Sandberg which has now been running nearly 40 years and how staff take care, it won’t be for lack of love, but they will rectify any situation once they are aware and the merchant hasn’t fobbed a customer off

[Vanheusen77]

Just got a California TT4. It’s wonderful. Perfectly set up and it seems very well built. It sounds amazing passive, haven’t really tried it much in active mode yet.

[SimBass]

A bit late to this post but just want to point you in the direction of my Sandberg customer service experience. Admittedly 4 years ago but the fix they did for me has lasted the test of time and this California TMII 5 is still my main bass and favourite I've ever owned.

https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/329476-credit-where-credit-is-due-sandberg-customer-service-experience/

 

 

[bdplaid]

On 21/10/2022 at 10:08, ebenezer said:

Thanks for the replies guys, the only fly in the ointment is adjusting the bridge, seems a bit tricky!  

 

I also agree that Sandberg basses are awesome. I have two SLs, and they're the shizz. 

 

The bridge is indeed complicated, and I don't think it's the best design.  However, I tried replacing mine with bridges of brass and aluminum, and the Sandberg bridge sounded the best, by quite a bit. 

 

Sandberg publishes instructions on how to adjust it. It's useful.

 

 

[Obra]

Love my TM4 Hardcore Reserved Custom Order

[Quilly]

I've a 2010 old model California VS (p bass) and a 2020 Basic (Stingray basically). I've owned an actual stingray and I prefer the Basic. Better balanced, not too heavy, and generally a warmer sounding bass, with more comfortable neck dimensions and overall better features. The 2010 California VS is also a great bass, my only slight fault is that the bass was a little sterile sounding to begin with. Those big polepiece pickups work great for an MM or bridge pickup, I just found that as a precision bass i wasn't able to get that punk p bass growl and it seemed a little bit too clean. I replaced the pickup with a Lollar Pbass90 and its a different beast now. I tried to get a replacement pickguard but Sandberg have washed their hands of the old model Californians. 

 

Overall the Sandberg basses I've owned are rock solid instruments, but be aware that sometimes they dont have the same tonal characteristics of the instruments they were based on. I know this thread was for TT4 , TM4 basses but I suspect my experiences are the same or similar across the range of instruments.  

Edited December 20, 2022 by Quilly

[cocco]

I got a second hand TT4 passive recently. I've had Jazzes and Jazz adjacents before and always moved them on for one reason or another. I was looking for a J type equivalent to my Maruszsczyk Jake. 

 

This is easily the best example of a Jazz I've ever had. The body shape is much more ergonomic without looking out of proportion like the Lakland DJ, the balance is impeccable. 

 

Mine has the black label pickups which I really like, they have all the attitude in the world if you play them hard but mellow out nicely when played softly. 

 

Fit and finish seem basically perfect. I really like the flatter profile fingerboard. It feels really solid too, also the quality of the in house hardware is amazing. The machine heads feel incredibly smooth. 

 

Long story short, I think it's a keeper. 

[fretmeister]

22 hours ago, Quilly said:

I've a 2010 old model California VS (p bass) and a 2020 Basic (Stingray basically). I've owned an actual stingray and I prefer the Basic. Better balanced, not too heavy, and generally a warmer sounding bass, with more comfortable neck dimensions and overall better features. The 2010 California VS is also a great bass, my only slight fault is that the bass was a little sterile sounding to begin with. Those big polepiece pickups work great for an MM or bridge pickup, I just found that as a precision bass i wasn't able to get that punk p bass growl and it seemed a little bit too clean. I replaced the pickup with a Lollar Pbass90 and its a different beast now. I tried to get a replacement pickguard but Sandberg have washed their hands of the old model Californians. 

 

Overall the Sandberg basses I've owned are rock solid instruments, but be aware that sometimes they dont have the same tonal characteristics of the instruments they were based on. I know this thread was for TT4 , TM4 basses but I suspect my experiences are the same or similar across the range of instruments.  

 

 

I think that's very fair - especially the P types where there is an active circuit with it. I'm not a fan of the pickups they use for that.

Mind you, I have a suspicion it's more about the preamp. When I got my TT4 i swapped the Black Label pickups for EMGs and an EMG preamp. I just didn't like the stock sound. The EMGs sound great.

 

When I bought a used TT5 it already had the East J-Retro Deluxe fitted but had the stock Black Labels. I expected to put EMGs in again, but the Black Labels with the East works very well indeed.

 

My incoming Lionel will be passive and I notice the pictures all have small pole piece traditional looking P pickups for those. It might be fine, but if not, there will be an Aguilar AG-4P 60s wind ready to go in it.

[Shiveringbass]

My main bass is a TT5 but I recently spent a bit of time with my TM5.

 

And I must say that I realy like it. Both pickups full on, humbucker in single coil mode is a tone that realy kill for slap and percussive styles.

 

I don't realy care for both pickups with humbucker in dual coil mode tone, a bit steril to my ears.

 

The humbucker alone is in the MM family but not realy fat enough but I guess it would be undistingable in a mix.

 

Humbucker with tone completly rolled off is just killing for jazz fusion, Jaco style playing... fat, warm, bitting tone.

 

Originaly, I should have sold this bass when I received my TT but finaly, I kept both and I'm very glad I did.