Birdsong Guitars Sadhana Bass

This is a 2007 Sadhana #17 of it's kind hand made in Wimberly, TX. The Sadhana is a 24 fret, 31" short scale bolt-on neck bass. You can pick from an array of woods all hand rubbed, mine has a body of Walnut with an ebony stripe. The neck is made of maple with a rosewood fret board. Tuners are made of Hipshot hardware. This bass has two passive pickups and volume controls: a Puckbucker pickup next to the string through body bridge and a Lace Gold pickup by the neck. Instead of a conventional tone knob the standard Sadhana comes with a varitone switch with contains different filters designed to bring the tone of the wood, and what a job it does!
Comes with a hard shell case and tools.

The pickups are pretty loud for being passive and on some settings even tend to overdrive when you're playing hard. Pretty cool if you're not a pedal type of person. I like to play a lot of chords and tap so the shorter scale length does wonders to my ability to get around the fret board. The sound is really rich and warm. With certain settings on the varitone sometimes it can give off a low pass filter type of sound which I really like. I typically use an Electro Harmonix Holy Grail reverb and Poly-Chorus with a Fulltone distortion pedal. I play out of an Ampeg SVT-350 head with a Peavy Black Widow cabinet. Sometimes I feel like I need a better amp just to compliment this beautiful sounding bass.

I must say that there was more attention to detail than you'll ever get in a mass production, foreign factory. Scott (the head hancho) does all the adjusting himself and he's a real person who plays a bass! When the bass came I did have to do a little adjusting to complement my style such as raise the action and tighten the truss rod. In Birdsongs' defense I never asked them to set up the bass a certain way and I do play quite dynamically. In addition to that the bass moved from a very humid climate to a very dry climate and we all know what that can to to wood! Also the natural wood finish is stunning, I couldn't ask for more.

This bass is made with only the best hardware and I think could live through many a gig. The strap buttons are solid. All the Birdsong brands come with a 7 day complete refund plus a five year warranty on hardware. The only thing I notice is that I find myself tunning the strings a lot more than on my old bass, but that could be that there is less tension on short scale basses than on a long scale and that the strings are bran new. Yes,I would us this on a gig without a backup.

Before I even considered buying a Birdsong I spent about 2 hours talking to Scott plus countless emails about short scale basses and what I was looking for in a bass. Being a small company they are almost always available and are glad to help you. You don't feel like a number with these people.

I'm a 12 year drummer and have been a bass side person for about 5-7 years. The bass I owned before this was an Ibanez so of course the difference is dramatic. I've been trying out various basses to decide what I wanted next like Warwick, Washburn, and even checking ebay for used Alembic basses. I would surely buy another Birdsong if mine were lost. I like the flexibility, quality, and approach that went into building this short scale. I also really like the varitone switch, which can make a vast amount of tone.

My bass is Sadhana 6S-011, like all the others hand built in Wimberly, TX. It is a four-string two octave fretted instrument. The body is two piece maple, rather plain, not highly flamed or figured with a rosewood stringer. The fretboard is rosewood. The neck is maple. The electronics are passive. My instrument has one DiMarzio pick-up that was wired (parallel)for clarity and comes with a simple volume and optional voiced tone control. The volume control also has a treble bypass circuit, which from what I understand thins tone as the volume is rolled back. The finish of the instrument is a hand rubbed oil finish that is as smooth as a baby's butt. Body style? Unique, sexy but most of all functional. Check out the website as a picture is worth a thousand words. All hardware is hip shot, style A bridge (gold) offering both string through and bridge loaded stringing options. The tuners, also gold are hip shot mini's. I have three different instruments with these tuner and can say that I have never had a problem with them. The neck is unique in that one: The beautiful headstock is reminiscent of what one might see on an archtop jazz box. An hommage perhaps to the master D'Angelico. It adds to the asthetic of the instrument. Rosewood nut, zero fret and perhaps one of the finest fret jobs I have seen, right up there with Roger Sadowsky. That's pretty good company. The profile of the neck is quasi V shaped yet it is "chunky" That is the best description I can give it. My hands are small but I easily had no problems fingering a full G Maj triad from the third fret (low to high GDGB) or the opening D9 chord from Bach Cello Suite 1 (low to high DAEF#) The neck shape, 31" scale and narrowish spacing all helped to make this possible. The one thing I'd like to see is for the overall shape of the neck to remain consistent all the way up to the heel block. Currently the neck flattens out beyond its' connection point, while not a huge problem it should be addressed in the future. The bass did come with a hard shell case. A standard case that my tele fit in perfectly. This is where there is room for improvement. My suggestion is for Scott and Jamie to start utilizing soft codura cases, same dimesions but interiors spec'd to fit the bass. The cost differential would be minimal and it would be a definite upgrade.

When I ordered my Sadhana I wanted an instrument that I could play my chord melody arrangement on. I am a straight ahead jazz player. I expressed my needs to Scott and right away he was into the project. Maple for clarity, single p/u (DiMarzio, not Lace)specially wired for even more clarity. I have run the bass through both a Walter Woods single channel (circa '84) 100 watt run through an Epifani 1x12 and an Acoustic Image Focus 2R with a Raezers Edge twin 6. I like the former combination better. A little reverb through a EH Holy Grail and voila. We have all heard the proverbial clear as a piano analogy. Folks, this instrument wired as it was for me is as clear as crystal, so clear that I have found myself using a little bass boost from the WW. Played unamplifed, the instrument produces a clear sound but more importantly a nice resounding vibration. I had to take a peek into the body cavity, copper shielded and a top notch job soldering job really rounds things off. The sound across all strings is consistent, very consistent. NO dead spots. As mentioned earlier play a G Maj triad across all four strings from the third fret and it is clear as a bell. Play a Db Maj7 from the 4th fret A string or 9th fret E string and there is little discernible difference. I am using this instrument for a very specific purpose, however with the right combination of player and rig I think one would be very comfortable in any imaginable rock, gospel, blues, pop setting. Would I take it to wedding gig? Absolutely. Drive a big band? Maybe, it would depend on the material being played. Would I use it in a jazz duo or trio? Yes, but I would also bring a fretless at the very least. As far as slapping....hmmm I am not a slapper but personally I think I would want greater spacing and a maple fingerboard, which is not an option.

Organic. This is the best way to describe the overall sensation when you look at the instrument closely. Nothing glossy about it. No plastic to be found. All the sanding is perfect from the nut, thumb rest, rear cover plate to the fingerboard, neck and body. The bass is chunky at 7 lb. 10 oz. but it balances perfectly on the leg. Oh yeah, when I ordered the instrument I told Scott that I rarely if ever played with a strap and he tweaked the lower bout a bit to satisfy this requirement. Again all of the hardware is top notch. It is a very, very solid instrument. As far as P/U adjustment, refer to the paragraph above. Personally I love the oil finish and I couldn't see a Birdsong bass any other way. It would be a contradiction to what these fine folk are all about.

Will this bass withstand live playing? Absolutely. As mentioned earlier I have three basses with hipshot mini tuners and they are great. Gripper T strap buttons should hold the bass securely, though I won't use them much. The finish will wear, make no bones about it but with wash your hands before you play, keep polish away from the instrument and you should be fine. I wouldn't take another fretted instrument with me to a gig, but then again for my purposes this instrument is filling a very specific role.

This may sound redundant, but Scott and Jamie are the real deal. All of my emails were returned promptly. The hardest part of the whole deal was opening the bass. The bass was packed with the idea of "only the worthy can open it." Seriously the bass was packed liked for Knox. 7 lb. 10 oz. of instrument and another 8 for the case and that left roughly 8 lbs of packing material. A nice touch was a semi-custom letter of thanks from Scott and Jamie along with a certificate of authenticity, a spec sheet a letter of valuation for insurance purposes and the written 5 year warranty, which will probably never be used. It's the little things folks that make it a pleasure to deal with Scott and Jamie.

I have been playing for over 25 years now. I currently own a double bass, Rob Allen fretless, Fender Jazz, custom piccolo, Stingray 5 and an assortment of guitars. I guess I would have liked the supremo headstock option, but the custom Uncle Johnny feather overlay is a nice touch nonetheless. If the bass were lost or stolen I would be devastated. It is one of a kind and irreplaceable. Would I buy another one? Oh hell yeah, in a heart beat but alas it wouldn't be the same...or would it? Loves? In order, playability, sound and looks. Dislikes? the case. Scott and Jamie need to go with a codura fitted case. Favorite feature? This instrument is a one of a kind built specifically for me to allow me to express myself musically in a very specific manner. I cannot compare this instrument to anything other than maybe an Alembic Stanley model, but then again it really is apples and oranges. The only similarity is the short scale two octave neck. For the money cannot buy a better instrument.

The Sadhana S06-10 Lives up to its #10 on all categories !!! This is my 3rd sadhana (so you must know I love them)..But they keep getting better and better !! Builted in Wimberley,Tx. and received in oct, 06...Weight.7lbs.11oz., 4-strings,24 frets,..Materials...Body-7 piece-Swamp ash center,purpleheart & ebony stringers,Texas mesquite wings (BREATHTAKINGLY BEAUTIFULL!!!) NECK IS Maple with rosewood fretboard, truss cover is ebony with "Garnet", NUT is purpleheart, Tuners are Hipshot ultralight, Strap buttons are Gripper T, the Bridge is hipshot Style A,Milled brass, Strings areFender 9120 M tapewounds .058-.110, pickups are "hot"lace Humbucker, wiring is volume and varitone, KNOBS are Ebony, and this comes with a Plush lined hardshell case......SPECIAL-HAND WOODBURNED LOGO AND FEATHER...."super-ulta"supremo headstock with scorpion on feather and scorpio symbol,use of gold and purple, custom designed abd carved large Ebony thumbrest,Named 'classy judy"..........I consider this bass a " little piece of heaven.."

Played thru Acoustic Corp. (originals from 70s)..2 words..KICK A$$..and I dont curse !!! also PUNCH and GROWL !!! just what I wanted from this Bass..with the varitone, I get a veratile range of sounds and I LOVE IT !!!!!!

Perfect set up as usual from Scott and the rest of the group at Birdsong....well constructed all the way to the hand rubbed oil/poly FINISH, rear routed cavity w/Ebony coverplate to the Gold plated with black accent hardware............PERFECT 10 !!!!!!

NEED I EVEN DISCUSS THIS ?? IM A REPEAT CUSTOMER --5 TIMES "NUFF SAID"

THEY ARE TOPS IN THIS CATEGORY ....if I could score them a 20 here, I WOULD,,,,From start to finish ,you could not ask for a better customer support...just give them a call and you will instantly you are going to get something very special...Just read all the other reviews of Birdsongs !!!!! PS ..there is NO finish to their customer support...when you get a birdsong...you're find out what I mean !!!!!You become part of a Birdsong Family !!!

You can read my other reviews for this info !! All I want to do is get back to "Classy Judy" and enjoy my "little piece of heaven...."

The sadhana S6-004 was completed 5/14/06, abd was desined and built in wimberly,texas,.It weighs 6Lbs.15oz. It is the 1st fretless sadhana,1st sadhana of mahogany and the 2nd fretlss birdsong bass.nech is maple,fretboard is ebony as is the nut.the turning keys are hipshot. Strap buttons are dunlop straplocks-countersunk.The bridge is hipshot,style a,brass. Strings are D'Addario XL.05-.105.ih has Lace pickup.Wiring is vol.-vol.-varitone..knobs are ebony..The finish ias a beautiful mild blackwash,oil,hand rubbed..Control and hardware are black..This is a fabulous short scale bass and comes with a plush lined hardshell case.

I play a assortment os styles but primarily jazz and use a variety of acoustic amps(370,136,122). with the varitone i get a large variety of sounds(18),, butt my favorite is the one that sounds like a upright acoustic bass,,,,i love the sound and am still exploying all the possibilities

The bass was set up at the co. by Scott theowanrand not the first thing had to be adjusted. I could not find the first flaw on this instrument which i named 'hippie ben' the finish is breathtaken

the bass feels like it will last forever

The company gives a 5 year warrenty as well as a 7day approval...this is my second sadhana with more to come in the upcoming year and the main reason is not just the quality of the instrument but also the customer support given by the entire group...Just talk to Scott and Jamie(the owners) and you know you are going to get a very special instrument,,,CAN I GIVE THIS CATEGORY A 20 !!!!!!!

I have been playing since 72 and have amassed a large bass family which includes 2 carl thompsons,2 clarke spellbinders,punisher,2 spectors,2 fenders,alembic,warrior,warrick,rick.and others along with my 2 birdsongs which are my primary playing instrumemts.YOU NEED TO GET YOU HANDS ON ONE OF THESE AND ENJOY THE EXPERIENCE !

this 4string was comlpeted 12/18/05 and created in Wimberly,Texas is a short scale fretted bass. the body is walnut W/ebony stringer,neck is maple,fretboard is rosewood,truss rod cover is walnut,tuners hipshot ultralites,pickup is lace hot,wiring is vol./varitone, finish is handrubbed oil/poly blend,control plate-black,hardware black..weighs 7lbs. 12 oz. and comes with a plush lined hardshell. This was kept at Scotts(owner/builder) shop and used in the ads in Bass Players Magazine. I convinced him to sell it to me in april of this year !

I play alot of jazz and blues and the tone is amazing that I get out of this bass. I play it thru a Acoustic 370 which I have owned since 1972.I get a beautiful warm sound that just gives me goosebumps. I play strictly for relaxation and fun and it exceeds all my expectations.

When I opened the case,it took my breath away ,the finish and overall appearance was fantastic !the action was lower than i was used to but was great!This was the first short scale bass i have purchased ,ive have always had 34" scale ( currently own 12 Basses), but ater playing this Sadhana for about a hour (Im 6"2") i was convinced this was now going to be my primary bass ! My left hand felt like it was part of the bass and was so natural feeling!

The bass seems to be extremely well made and seems to be able to take all I can throw at it. the strap buttons are gripper Ts and all the hardware looks solid.

The owner Scott Beckwith is the BEST concerning customer servive. He is a rare person that really listens and cares about his customers and his guitars...Speak with him and immediately you will know he cares for you as much as he cares for the guitars he creates..everyone one of them are to be played and loved...Also included is a 5 year warranty !

Ive been playing since 1972,some of my other basses include a carl thompson,clarke spellbinder, 2fenders,alembic,punisher,acoustic corp. bass,2 spectors and 2 other sustom basses.....I LOVE the Sadhana so much I have already put an order in for 2 more Sadhana from Scott at Birdsong Guitars..

All I have to say is that these basses are the shiznit! The body style is off the wall, the sound these babies can make is phenominal, and the feel of the bass is great. I play an eclectic form of jazz/funk/punk/prog rock and this lil' beauty sounds perfect! Read the other review for an in-depth 'look' at the bass. Sorry, but I'd rather be playing the bass right now.

Words cannot describe it.

Again, language is the only barrier.

This is my review of the Sadhana Bass, the latest creation from Birdsong Guitars. Mine is #001 - a custom built bass, and was completed in February, 2006. Birdsong is located in Wimberley, TX.
The Sadhana is a 24 fret, 4-string short-scale bass. The standard configuration of the bass has one pickup, a volume knob, and a "Varitone" switch, but I had mine built with two pickups and a "voiced" tone control knob. Both pickups in mine are by Lace, the tuners and bridge are by Hipshot, and the electronics are all CTS. No shortcuts at all.
The body of a standard Sadhana is Walnut with a stringer down the middle with your choice of many woods. I opted to have mine be made with 9 pieces of wood, using Ebony, Maple, Purpleheart, and Walnut. The finish is oil, so you can see the beauty of the wood and appreciate it and all the details. I think this helps the sound immensely as well. I describe the body style as a cross blend between an organic Rickenbacker, a Carl Thompson, and a LOT of Birdsong influence!
The neck is a bolt-on, but do not let that scare you. This thing out-sustains every bass I ever played - and I have played some of the "best" out there in my 26 years of playing. The bridge allows for stringing through the body or only through the bridge.
As mentioned, the tuners are Hipshot, and you can get a drop tuner on the E string if you wish.
The neck is pretty much the cornerstone of the bass (aside from the sound). The necks Birdsong uses are all CNC made, so there is NO variance from the original design. The roughest thing to do is describe just how GOOD it feels. I was informed that it has elements of three different bass necks to it, but at the same time, it never feels like you're moving from one style to another. I can play on it for hours with no fatigue in my left hand at all. The learning curve to get used to this bass (after 26 years on 34" scale) was about 2 hours to feel "good" and then after two days I could not stand my three other basses. Yes, it is that good.
The bass comes with a hardshell case (it fits in a guitar case!), and I can't forget the 5 year warranty.

I play a multitude of diferent styles and this bass is able to handle all of them with ease. matter of fact, it is replacing a custom built Mike Rowan Bass, a Rickenbacker 4001, and a Fender Jazz.
Something that is shocking everyone I let try it out is that the bass is NOT using active electronics. It does not need to! It has all of the versatility of the Bartolini's in my Rowan, it has the growl of my Fender, and the zing of the Rick - and I can dial in any of these sounds. It is NOT a one-trick pony by any means.
I run the bass direct into a Phil Jones M-500 amp with a 9B and 6T for the speaker cabinets.
The bass makes no noise at all. None. The electronics compartment is sheilded with copper on all sides with NO open seams. You can hold a fluorescent light right up to the thing and get no hum or buzz at all.
For this category, it is almost impossible to talk about what I'm supposed to - the sound. Rich and full? Yes. Dark? Yes, if you want. Warm? Yes. Bright? Yes, if you want. This is the first bass I have owned that does it all. I credit that not only to the brilliant design and making the best use of the components, but also to the fact that everything just WORKS so well on the bass. This is most apparent with the "voiced tone control" On almost every bass, you seem to get 90% of the effect of a tone knob in the last 10% of the turn - making it basically an on-or-off deal. With the voiced tone control, the knob changes the tone all the way through the cycle. Combine that with two very sensitive volume knobs and you're in heaven. You may think it might be "too much" variety, but I found myself at ease making adjustments to the tone on the fly between songs (or during) to be very easy. It is almost like the bass knows what you want to do.
I have not used this in the studio yet, but it will definitely be used next time I go in. It is my primary bass now. I love everything about it. All of the pro musicians I'm showing it to here in St. Louis are in disbelief with it. They love the feel, the sound, the craftsmanship - the whole deal. Again, yes - it is that good!

I went to pick the bass up directly from Birdsong - something I HIGHLY advise just because these are great people! Besides, if you're having something so special created just for you, it's worth the time and effort. You'll make some incredible friends as well. The bass was set up perfectly right off the bat, but that did not stop the question of "Do you need ANYTHING changed?" from coming up a million times! These people love what they do and do what they love, and take more pride in their basses than any other independant builder out there. Through the entire process, emails with pictures flew back and forth. Phone calls on changes and personal preferences. It was unreal. I literally felt like I completely designed and made the bass! How awesome is that!?
Don't misunderstand me - this was serious stuff. To give you an idea of the lengths these wonderful people go to, my first picture was of the raw pieces of wood for my approval! I made a zillion little requests along the way with things I wanted done (some major, some minor) and they took care of everything. When I had an "idea" that was not really too good, I was not told "no" but rather had it explained to me just WHY my idea might not be so good. Then again, that is why THEY build the instrument.
Anyway, this is supposed to be about action, fit & finish. The pickups were adjusted to perfection and the bass was flawless in every possible way. The action is exactly how I wanted it. I'm moving to the next catagory!

The bass will definitely withstand live playing. I intend to play it as my primary bass - having backups only in the event of a string breaking or something REALLY serious happening to the instrument.
The hardware is all Hipshot, so I have no worries about any of that giving out. The finish (as mentioned) is oil, and I expect it to wear over time. That's how it is supposed to happen. This is not a showpiece for a glass display case. Sure, it looks like a piece of art, but it is playable art - and the bass just begs to be played. I'm going to take care of it the best I can, but over time, anything that is used regularly will show wear. That's life. I think it adds character to the instrument, anyway.
The strap buttons are solid. I had Dunlop locks installed just to be on the safe side.
This is totally a dependable bass. Living in St. Louis usually means adjusting truss rods a LOT with our crazy weather and humidity changes, but this bass has a Rock Maple neck with a very thick fretboard and I do not anticipate having to do much in that regard. It may be needless to say, but it does not go out of tune. Actually, it was in perfect tune after a 900 mile trip from Texas to Missouri with an overnight stop (and playing). Two hour sessions of hard playing do not effect the tuning one bit, either.

Scott and Jamie from Birdsong are by FAR the best people in the world I have ever dealt with in regard to ANY product! They bent over backwards a million times to make sure I got exaclty what I wanted, and succeeded. You do not see this kind of attention to the customer's needs anymore. It is really not the "big picture" when I look back at my experience of having this bass made -- it is all of the small things that were done for me along the way that added up to the most positive experience one could ever dream of having.
Lastly, I ought to mention that a lot of people fear short scale basses. They think they sound bad or have some other inherent problems. That is false. Some people also think that short-scale is only for short people. Well, I'm almost 6 feet tall and I obviously went with this on purpose. Why? Nobody ever said that 34" scale length was the only way to do things. It is just what the industry makes and pretty much gives us no other choice. Don't even think of comparing one of these with a Bronco or a Hamer Slammer, either. Totally different ballgame.
Oh, back to what I was saying...I have not taken it anywhere for repairs, but did take it to a real guitar store (not a supercenter) to have some pros check it out and the verdict was unanimous: Best feeling neck on a bass, ever. Incredible variety of sounds. Best made instrument they have ever seen. -- the complments go on.

I have been playing for 26 years and this is my second custom built instrument. This surpasses everything I have ever owned or played, and I have played almost everything out there over the years. Yes, it blows away basses that cost $5K and $7K. (Isn't that just too much for a bass, anyway?)
There is nothing I wish I asked before buying this bass. I did my homework beforehand and the end result is the best bass I could imagine owning.
If it were stolen or lost, I'd pay double to have another made ASAP.
I love everything about the instrument - that ought to be obvious by now. I can't pick a favorite feature. I love the sounds, the neck, the overall playability, the quality...but also love the way it LOOKS. It just commands attention.
The only basses I could compare it to were sub $200 short scales, and it does not even merit any words to talk about how badly those compare. I have played a short-scale Alembic. I'd rather have what I bought.
There is nothing else I wish it had; there is nothing that I think could be done to improve upon it.
You guessed it....yes, it's that good.