Active 5 string workhorse - share your opinions!

[Terry M.]

12 minutes ago, kwmlondon said:

I don't see why the Chinese ones are worse though, I had a Chinese-made Dingwall and that was an epic bass. 

I believe the Chinese made Dingwalls are set up in Canada finally. But you have a valid point still especially when considered that's where the majority of expensive iphones are manufactured. 

Edited Tuesday at 15:22 by Terry M.

[Killerfridge]

22 minutes ago, Terry M. said:

I believe Roger himself said at the time if you don't need the fancy extras that come with the USA models just get a Japanese one. I was a bit disappointed when the Japanese partnership ceased.

That was essentially the whole deal with the original Japanese line. They were built by his protégé in Japan to stock specs, so you couldn't get a fancy top, or chambering (or other custom options), but were otherwise "off the shelf", hand built stock. I haven't tried the German Metro series (and I'm sure they are excellent too) but I do feel like they've lost a bit of the small boutique magic

[Terry M.]

6 minutes ago, Killerfridge said:

I haven't tried the German Metro series (and I'm sure they are excellent too) but I do feel like they've lost a bit of the small boutique magic

Having tried the Warwick-built Sadowskys and liking them a lot I still agree with this statement. 

Edited Tuesday at 15:37 by Terry M.

[kuetsum]

58 minutes ago, kwmlondon said:

I don't see why the Chinese ones are worse though, I had a Chinese-made Dingwall and that was an epic bass. 

China made not necessary bad, but the 1st batch of mic me is really sloppy..and have  small issues here and there.. 

 

They do improved with later production after switching supply/factory..

 

And the hardware feel really cheap even the German made metro line 

 

But yea I would rather buy a sire or Lakeland 

 

 

Edited Tuesday at 16:06 by kuetsum

[TheGhostofJaco]

1 hour ago, kuetsum said:

Yea.. one of my biggest regret, was to sell my jp me..

 

It was the only model which share identical neck profile to the NYC line.

 

And they are gold for that money..

 

Yeah thats what stuck out to me, the neck is the same level as a NYC. I had a NYC 4 string so I could switch back and forth. There was really not any difference besides the string count. These Metros have pretty simple paint jobs, mine is just natural wood glossed. I wonder if that is another way they were able to cut costs a little. The body is just one piece of wood though, so it looks fantastic.

 

Anyway, yeah. I sold the NYC recently so I can put that money into a Ken Smith. I just was not playing the NYC that much, mainly because it was a 4 string and once I played that Sadowsky 5 string neck, it was all I really wanted to play. So for a year, the NYC just sat there, which is crazy.

 

If the OP can save up some more money, now and then these Japanese Metros pop up for around $2500. IMO it is well worth the extra spend. These are extremely versatile, lifetime basses.

 

When I purchased in the 1-2k range, don't get me wrong, the basses were fine and I gigged and did sessions with them. But there was a lot of swapping around because there was always something I wanted to change about the instrument. Once I went with the Sadowskys, I was pretty much done and was just scheming up a way to add a Smith, which was my white whale.

 

And yeah, the chinese made sadowsky is not going to hang with a Darryl Jones Lakland. But also there will be a preference you need to sort out between 35 and 34 inch. I really don't like 35 inch at all, the string tension is not my thing. If you want a 35, than the Lakland DJ is probably a top option in that range.

 

Edited Tuesday at 16:26 by TheGhostofJaco

[Treb]

4 hours ago, TheGhostofJaco said:

... there was always something I wanted to change about the instrument. Once I went with the Sadowskys, I was pretty much done ...

 

I have that with my Japanese MetroLine and my two Xotics. These are all 4 string basses but I don't have the urge to change anything. 

 

With the Sadowsky Tokyo/MetroLine Roger wanted to offer a more affordable Sadowsky bass without losing quality in craftmanship. So out went the luxury options. In a custom shop every instrument is a one-off, with a standard set of woods and finishes you can get a production line going and thus bring costs down. I must say that over the years MetroLine basses got more expensive and offered more choice in finishes. Nowadays a MetroLine (either Japan or Germany) isn't what I would call affordable.  

[Terry M.]

1 hour ago, Treb said:

 

I have that with my Japanese MetroLine and my two Xotics. These are all 4 string basses but I don't have the urge to change anything. 

 

With the Sadowsky Tokyo/MetroLine Roger wanted to offer a more affordable Sadowsky bass without losing quality in craftmanship. So out went the luxury options. In a custom shop every instrument is a one-off, with a standard set of woods and finishes you can get a production line going and thus bring costs down. I must say that over the years MetroLine basses got more expensive and offered more choice in finishes. Nowadays a MetroLine (either Japan or Germany) isn't what I would call affordable.  

And to add to this,the "cheaper" Japanese Metro Express that existed at the time as it was I think the machine assembled version of the more expensive and handmade Metroline now sell on the used market for basically the same as the Metroline. You're correct,neither of them are what I would call affordable either.Great alternative things come out of Japan though with the likes of Xotic that you've mentioned and Dragonfly and FGN etc...and don't rule out Japanese Fenders. 

Edited Tuesday at 22:51 by Terry M.

[crazycloud]

9 hours ago, Terry M. said:

But you have a valid point still especially when considered that's where the majority of expensive iphones are manufactured.

I've been in electronics my whole life, and made a few guitars, and there is a universe of difference between having a robotic tool pick and place all the components and have them wave soldered, than the amount of actual human input and skill in applying finish etc. Not knocking any manufacturing country*, but the two manufacturing processes are not even remotely related.

 

* All my main players are MII, except my SR256 which is MIC.

[Terry M.]

5 hours ago, crazycloud said:

I've been in electronics my whole life, and made a few guitars, and there is a universe of difference between having a robotic tool pick and place all the components and have them wave soldered, than the amount of actual human input and skill in applying finish etc. Not knocking any manufacturing country*, but the two manufacturing processes are not even remotely related.

 

* All my main players are MII, except my SR256 which is MIC.

I think I should have made my point a bit clearer. There doesn't seem to be too much of a backlash against cheaply made iphones coming out of China as opposed to some quite decent basses coming from there,at least it doesn't seem to affect the desirability too much.I've owned some really decent Chinese made basses and country of origin shouldn't really matter at the end of the day. I wasn't comparing the manufacturing processes at all just challenging concepts. 

[Sean]

@Jonrh98

 

Have you bought anything yet?