2013 Sadowsky RV4 Bass Review

Aloha!

There are not many boutique bass builders whose basses I crave, and one of the few is Roger Sadowsky. His staff builds incredible basses (and guitars too) out of his New York City shop, and they are the most playable and best-sounding bolt neck instruments you can buy. Unfortunately, the popularity of these custom instruments results in a minimum entry of $4500, and a lengthy waiting to get one made to your specifications.

Fortunately for all of us, there is a more cost effective solution to getting out hands on a new Sadowsky. This would be the Sadowsky Metroline series of basses.

Back in the early 2000s, Mr. Sadowsky decided to have a line of basses built overseas. Not by shoeless starving children in Indonesia, but by the best luthiers in Japan. These were originally called the Tokyo line of basses, but were later renamed the Metro series, and now the Metroline series. The idea was to use the same electronics and hardware, but with less pretty (and light) woods and with lower labor costs.

The bass we are looking at today is a Sadowsky Metro MV4 that was built in 2013. This is essentially a Fender Jazz bass copy with the familiar offset waist body and pickguard shape. It is drop-dead gorgeous with the ’59 Burst finish over the alder body. This is a solid body, not chambered like a NYC bass. The sparkly clean neck is topped with a rosewood (or is that morado?) fretboard that has 21 gorgeous frets sunk into it. The hardware is the same as on a NYC bass, with open-gear tuners and a high-mass bridge.

Sadowsky says that these use the same electronics as the New York City basses, so it has Sadowsky humcancelling pickups, and the much-copied Sadowsky pre-amplifier with Vintage Tone Control. The knobs are: master volume, pickup blend, treble roll-off (Vintage Tone Control) with pre-amp bypass push/pull, and stacked bass boost/treble boost. I have had the opportunity to compare these basses to real NYC basses, and they do not sound quite the same, but are still very good. Maybe it is the wood they use for the bodies that makes them sound differently.

One noticeable thing you do not get with the Metro series is the predictably light weight of a New York City Sadowsky. Generally the Metros will weigh a pound or two more. This one weighs in at more than 9 pounds, instead of the usually 8 pounds for a NYC Jazz Bass. This is still pretty light, and if you are going to save $1800, you are going to have to give something up.

This Metro is a fantastic bass. It sounds great, and plays like a dream. The construction is very good, and the neck and fretwork are perfect. In my opinion, it is better quality than anything Fender or their Custom Shop is producing today.

Metro basses come in a Sadowsky semi-hard case and a new Metroline RV4 sells for $2590 new; Sadowsky does not allow their dealers to discount these at all. Nice used ones seem to run a tad over $2000 at this point in time.

So, if you do not need a fancy top, a custom color, a left-handed or a fretless bass (none of these options are available) this is a viable alternative to a NYC Sadowsky. They are definitely worth the money.

Mahalo!

2006 Sadowsky Metro MV5 Electric Bass Review

Aloha!

Today we are looking at my latest futile effort at integrating a 5-string bass into my collection, a 2006 Sadowsky Metro MV5. This is certainly one of the best sounding and easiest playing fivers I have ever owned, and there have been quite a few that I have experimented with over the years.

In case you are not familiar with the brand, Roger Sadowsky builds the best bolt-neck basses in the business out of his Long Island shop. Of course, you pay a premium to get your hands on one of them, with prices of most of them around $4000, and a six-month wait for custom orders. His Metro line is a little more accessible for us common folks.

About a decade ago, Roger set up a production facility in Tokyo, which is the land of craftsmen. Originally called the Tokyo line, they are now called the Metro series, and these are some ridiculously good instruments. The idea was to produce basses with the same electronics, but with no custom options so they can benefit from economies of scale. They also use less expensive bodies and necks, as well as cheaper labor to bring the prices down a bit, but don’t get the idea that these are cheap instruments, in any sense of the word.

So, Sadowsky Metro basses come in four or five string models with traditional precision and jazz bass profiles, rosewood or maple fretboards, and an assortment of pickup configurations. As I said earlier, there are no custom options, and if you are looking for a left-handed or fretless bass you will have to keep on looking. Generally they weigh a pound or two more than their New York-produced instruments due to wood selection and the lack of body chambering.

The only visual distinction between Metro and New York basses is that the Metro basses do not have the NYC letters on the headstock. That is it.

As I said earlier, we are looking at a Sadowsky Metro MV5 that was built in 2006. It is in great condition, unmolested and unmodified, with the exception of a new pickguard.

The MV5 has a jazz bass body profile, in this case ash covered with a glossy black poly finish (RV5 basses get rosewood fretboards and alder bodies). It originally came with a 3-ply black pickguard, but along the way someone though that faux tortoiseshell would be the way to go. It looks nice, and no new holes were drilled in the body to mount it, so it is a double win.

The maple neck is dreamy, with It has 21 frets, simple black plastic dot markers, and a square heel. The square heel is not aesthetically pleasing to me, but that is what you get when they put that extra fret on. It has a truss rod adjustment wheel at the heel, so set-ups are easy. The entire neck is finished in nitrocellulose lacquer (like all Sadowsky basses). No neck plate is used for mounting this to the body, so there are four ferrules set into the body to hold the neck screws.

Metro basses some with the same pre-amplifiers electronics as Sadowsky New York basses. As this is an early production bass, it has single-coil instead of humbucking pickups, and it does not have Vintage Tone Control. The controls are volume, pan, treble boost and bass boost. This bass still sounds incredible and the tone is way better than any bass that Fender or any other maker is building today.

The craftsmanship is befitting the price, with a perfect neck pocket, fretwork and nut. The frets show no wear and are still level as can seven years after it was built. The finish is even and the inlays and binding are perfectly flush. The chrome high-mass bridge and open-back Hipshot tuners are still shiny and clean. This is a real beast!

It plays just as nicely as it looks, and it is set-up with a tasty low action and a fresh set of Sadowsky Blue Label Strings. This MV5 is not terribly heavy for a Metro, coming in at 9 pounds, 12 ounces. I have seen these pushing 11 pounds before. Ask the weight before you buy…

Metro basses come in the same Sadowsky ultralite semi-hard case that the New York basses used to come in (they have since changed to a deluxe hard case for their domestically produced basses).

What will all of this goodness cost you? The list price of a new Sadowsky Metro MV5 is $2625 and Sadowsky does not allow their dealers to discount these at all. This is about the price of a used NYC bass, and used MV5 basses usually sell for around $2000.

So, if you are looking for a Sadowsky, but just can’t pull the trigger for a New York model, this might be the bass for you. You will have a hard time finding a better bass, regardless of price.

Mahalo!

Sadowsky Metro UV70-MB-ASH-4 Electric Bass Review

Greetings!

All of a sudden it seems like July got to be Sadowsky month! Today we are looking at my current favorite jazz bass, a 2006 Sadowsky Metro UV70 (Ultra Vintage 70’s). This is one of the best sounding and easiest playing jazz basses I have ever owned, and there have been quite a few that have been through here over the years.

In case you are not familiar with the brand, Roger Sadowsky builds the best bolt-neck basses in the business out of his Long Island shop. Of course, you pay a premium to get your hands on one of them, with prices of most of them around $4000, and a six-month wait for custom orders. His Metro line is a little more accessible for the common man.

About a decade ago, Roger set up a production facility in Tokyo, which is the land of meticulous luthiers. Originally called the Tokyo line, they are now called the Metro series, and these are some seriously good instruments. The idea was to produce basses with the same electronics, but with no custom options so they can benefit from economies of scale. They also use less expensive bodies and necks, as well as cheaper labor to bring the prices down a bit, but don’t get the idea that these are cheap instruments, in any sense of the word.

So, Sadowsky Metro basses come in four or five string models with traditional precision and jazz bass profiles, rosewood or maple fretboards, and an assortment of pickup configurations. As I said earlier, there are no custom options, and if you are looking for a left-handed or fretless bass you will have to keep on looking. Generally they weigh a pound or two more than their New York-produced instruments due to wood selection and the lack of body chambering.

The only visual distinction between Metro and New York basses is that the Metro basses do not have the NYC letters on the headstock. That is it.

As I said earlier, we are looking at a Sadowsky Metro UV70 that was built in 2006. I am not the original owner, having bought it from a terrific guy through Talkbass. It is in great condition, unmolested and unmodified.

The UV70 is a jazz bass with a copy of Fender’s bound and blocked neck. There is no better looking fretboard on the planet, if you ask me. It has 20 frets and a curved heel, which is the only way to go, in my book. It has a truss rod adjustment wheel at the heel, so set-ups are easy. The neck is finished in nitrocellulose lacquer (like all Sadowsky basses).

This bass has a 2-piece ash body with a gorgeous grain, and it is sprayed with clear poly (again, like all Sadowsky basses). It has a 3-ply black pickguard, which is not my first choice, but it matches the fretboard inlays and binding, so I cannot complain too much. If I remember correctly, Fender guards will not fit these basses, so if I want to go tortoise shell, I will have to get one from Sadowsky.

Sadowsky says that these use the same electronics as their New York basses, so it has Sadowsky humcancelling coil pickups, and the much-copied Sadowsky pre-amplifier. As this is an older Metro bass, it does not have Vintage Tone Control, so the controls are volume, pan, treble boost and bass boost. Since this is a 70’s model bass, the bridge pickup is about ½-inch closer to the bridge.

I have owned and played both Metro and NYC basses, and in the real world they just do not sound quite the same. It probably has something to do with the wood they select, but the Metro basses generally do not sound quite as sharp. Don’t get me wrong, though, this bass still sounds incredible and the tone is way better than any bass that Fender or any other maker is building today.

The craftsmanship is befitting the price, with a perfect neck pocket, fretwork and nut. The frets show no wear and are still level as can seven years after it was built. The finish is even and the inlays and binding are perfectly flush. The chrome high-mass bridge and open-back tuners are still shiny and clean. This is a real cream-puff!

It plays just as nicely as it looks, and it is set-up with a tasty low action and a fresh set of D’Addarios. This bass is everything that the Fender Marcus Miller bass tries to be, but it is not. It looks better, sounds better and plays better.

Oh yeah, and this UV70 is quite light for a Metro, coming in at a bit under 9 pounds. I have seen these weighing in at up to 10 ½ pounds before. Ask the weight before you buy…

Metro basses come in the same Sadowsky ultralite semi-hard case that the New York basses used to come in (they have since changed to a deluxe hard case for their domestically produced basses).

So what is the final damage? The list price of a new ash-bodied Sadowsky Metro UV70 is $2975 and Sadowsky does not allow their dealers to discount these at all. This is about the price of a used NYC bass, and used Metros usually sell for a bit under $2000.

So, if you are looking for a Sadowsky, but just can’t pull the trigger for a New York model, this might be just the ticket for you. You will have a hard time finding a better bass, regardless of price.

Mahalo!

Sadowsky Metro MV4-HPJ Bass Guitar Review

Greetings!

It is hard to find better-made basses than the ones that Roger Sadowsky’s crew builds in his New York City shop. These instrument s are beautifully constructed, play like a dream and sound like the thunder of the gods. But, they are super expensive ($3500 and up) and if you want something built to your specification it will surely cost more and it will take at least six months to get one. Who has that kind of patience?

There are ways us mortal men to get our hands on a Sadowsky for a more reasonable price, and that would by with his Metro series of basses. These beauties are built overseas by some of the best luthiers in Japan, the land of the finest craftsmen on the planet. These basses use the same electronics and hardware as the NYC basses, but with cheaper bodies and necks. I imagine that there are some advantages to getting away from onerous American bureaucratic policies, too.

The bass we are looking at today is a Sadowsky Metro MV4-HPJ. This instrument combines the best of all bass features, with a Precision Bass body shape, a Jazz Bass profile neck, and my favorite pickup combination: a P and a J. It is a lovely lass gorgeous with a crystal clear ’59 Burst finish showing off the fat grain on the ash body. This is a solid body, not chambered like a NYC bass so it comes in at around 10 pounds, which is a couple of pounds more than an NYC bass. You do get something for your money.

The blindingly-white maple neck does not have graphite reinforcement strips, so that is another difference between these and Sadowsky’s recent US-production basses, which have two. There are 21 jewel-like frets lovingly settled into the fretboard.

Sadowsky says that these use the same electronics as the New York City basses, so it has Sadowsky humcancelling coil pickups, and the much-copied Sadowsky pre-amplifier with Vintage Tone Control. The knobs are: volume / pickup pan / vintage tone and preamp bypass / stacked treble and bass boost. I have had the opportunity to compare these basses to real NYC basses, and they do not sound quite the same, but are still very good. Maybe it is the wood they use for the bodies that make them sound different. Maybe it is just psychological.

This made in Japan Sadowsky MV4-HPJ is just a lovely bass. It sounds, looks and plays like a high-dollar custom bass. The construction is flawless, and the neck and fretwork are perfect. It is better quality than anything Fender or their Custom Shop is producing today.

Metro basses come in the same Sadowsky semi-hard case that the New York City basses used to come in. The MV4-HPJ sells for $2425 new, and Sadowsky does not allow their dealers to discount these at all (but one dealer sells them for $2100 anyway). Nice used ones run around $1700 to $1800.

I will probably be selling this one or my Sadowsky MV4 (the Jazz Bass clone), so shoot me a line if you are interested…

Mahalo!

Sadowsky Metro UV 70 Bass

Roger Sadowsky builds the best bolt-neck guitars on the planet in his New York City factory. Period. The only downside is that they cost a metric ton of cash. They can easily run $4000, and the lucky buyer gets to wait 6 months if they special order it.

Fortunately, for the gigging man (or woman), there is a more cost effective solution to getting their hands on a new Sadowsky.

Back in the early 2000s, Roger came up with the idea of having a line of basses built overseas (gasp!). No, not by shoeless starving kids in China, but by the best luthiers in Japan. These were originally called the Tokyo line of basses, but have since been renamed the Metro series. The idea was to use the same electronics and hardware, but cheaper bodies and necks and have lower labor costs.

The subject bass today is a Sadowsky Metro UV70. It is a doppelganger of Geddy Lee’s legendary 1970s Fender Jazz Bass. It has the look nailed with the black finish and the maple fretboard with black block inlays.

This is a fantastic bass. It sounds great, and plays like a dream. The construction is very good, and the neck and fretwork are perfect. It is better quality than anything Fender or their Custom Shop is producing today.

Sadowsky says that these use the same electronics as the New York City basses, so it has Sadowsky humcancelling coil pickups, and the much-copied Sadowsky pre-amplifier with Vintage Tone Control. But, I have had the opportunity to compare these basses to real NYC basses, and they do not sound quite the same. Maybe it is the wood they use for the bodies, but the Metro basses generally do not sound quite as sharp.

Another noticeable thing you do not get with the Metro series is the amazingly light weight of a New York City Sadowsky. Generally Metros will weigh a pound or two more. This one weighs in at 9 pounds, instead of the usually 8 pounds for a NYC Jazz Bass.

Perhaps I am coming off as a whiny turd. These are still great basses, but there are trade-offs in everything. If you are going to save $1500, you are going to have to give something up.

Metro basses come in the same Sadowsky semi-hard case that the New York City basses used to come in (they have since changed to a deluxe hard case for NYC basses).

The UV70 bass sells for $2775 new, and Sadowsky does not allow their dealers to discount these at all. I guess I do not understand what price-fixing is.

Anyway, if you do not need a fancy top, a left-handed bass or a fretless bass (none of the options are available) this is a viable alternative to a NYC Sadowsky. Buy one. I would.