Sadowsky MV4 Metro

maple/ash 4 string with active/passive electronics. standard jazz bass clone as far as the features go.

the sound was pretty dissappointing to me. and the reason is the wood. this bass does not resonate at all in the low end. it sounds like the notes are hitting a brick wall and then they just stop. that said, this bass has the best preamp and pickups i have ever experienced, and the preamp basically provides all the low end. if it were passive you would be in big trouble. this bass also has phenomenal marcus miller type high end. but the resonance in the low end is missing noticeably.

this bass is built extremely well. the neck pocket is perfect. there are not any high frets, but the bass does perform best with higher action because it will rattle on you if you lower it too much(i know how to set up a bass very well, it is just something about this bass that makes it rattle allot- i think because the maple finger board is the hardest maple i have ever seen, it does something to accentuaute fret rattle, sort of like ebony will do sometimes). all in all, the playability of this bass is extremely dissappointing for a $2200 bass. if i had been able to play it before buying it, i would have never bought it. i guess i have been spoiled by 35" scale basses(peavey cirrus, millennium plus) which allow you to lower the action much further than a 34" scale bass. playability is overall very average, and for the price range way below average. yes it is all hype if you ask me

like i said this bass is built so well. it would never break on you unless you seriouslt abused it. one of the pots was scratchy when i bought it and it was new. i guess i've learned my lesson for buying basses not made in the USA. -2 for the scratchy pot

this bass has massive neck dive. i contacted roger to see if they made any tuners or if he knew of any that i could put on to alleviate the problem. he emailed me back and basically told me to play the bass standing up(as in they know the basses have bad neck dive, but dont bother to put light tuners on them- as long as they sell based on their name i guess they dont have to care). that was like a slap in the face to me after paying $2200 for this bass. to his credit he did answer my email in 24 hours. i am going to sell this bass, or try to trade it for a really nice peavey cirrus.

overall, i think this bass is built very nice and it looks very nice. but the woods acoustic properties are abyssmal and the playability is sub-standard for this price range. the preamp is awesome. overall i would say this is about as playable and sounds as good as a $1100 bass. somehow people keep paying twice that?

21 fret, maple neck, ash body. The Sadowsky is a little smaller and lighter than a Fender Jazz bass, though the feel in the hand is almost identical.

The pickups are Sadowsky branded stacked humbuckers, running through the Sadowsky pre-amp. The onboard electronics provide bass and treble (boost only), pick-up panning and a pre-amp bypass for pure passive tone.

I used to have a fetish for 3 band eqs and felt that I would miss not have a mid cut/boost. Frankly I don't miss it at all, changing the pick-up balance works just as well, and I find produces a more usable sound. Construction and hardware is beautiful and it gives me all the control I need.

I need a wide variety of tones and the Metro delivers every time. Whether I'm going for a fat, supportive sound or something tight to cut through a dense mix my Sadowsky means that every note is heard clear as a bell on record and in a live setting.

Stylistically (both live and in the studio) I'm playing jazzy/muso pop/dance tunes, pop,funk and rock covers as well as occasional gigs with 10 piece drum'n'bass/breakbeat band and a jazz piano trio. Since I bought this bass, about 9 months ago, I haven't gigged or recorded with either of my other instruments. This does everything I ask of it and it does it well.

(Apparently the guy from Radiohead borrowed one of these for a session and came back almost immediately to buy it.)

If you want to hear some examples of the recorded sound drop me an email.

The factory set up was good, a little low for my taste, but the guys at the Gallery changed it with no problem. (I've since decided to go back to the original lower set up, again, not a problem.) The intonation has been bang on right from day one.

I can't fault the construction anywhere. The wood looks and sounds fantastic. The transparent finish looks great. The pick-ups and electronics are whisper quiet and well fitted. The hardware appears to be fused to the wood. Perfect.

I've gigged without a backup a number of times and the only reason I ever take a spare is in case of a broken string. I would absolutely astonished if this failed on me. I have no concerns at all.

The finish still looks great and the neck is still perfect.

The hardware looks well made and is the same stuff they put on the US made models. I have no concerns at all about it.

I sent Roger Sadowsky an email to tell him what a great instrument his guys had made. Got a reply from him the next day. I have been told he answers the phone himself if you call the workshop.

The bass has a one year warranty (I think), but any work I need (set-ups etc) I have done at The Gallery in Camden, where I bought the bass. The team there are fantastic. The know their stuff, they do good work and they remember my name when I go in. I can't ask anything more.

Both The Gallery and Sadowsky get top marks, customer service is not dead.

I've been playing 9-10 years. My first bass was a Squire Jazz, which I love and still own. I also own a custom 5 string (based on a Musicman Stingray).

It took me about 18 months to buy this bass, during which time I tried a huge range of active and passive instruments including four or five Stingrays, a couple Sandbergs, several Fenders (new and vintage), a Ken Smith, three Laklands, numerous Warwicks, a Status J-type (that I almost bought) and a two of Sadowsky Metros. In the end the choice was easy.

At heart I love J-type basses so maybe that means I'm biased but objectively the construction, features etc. are fantastic. Subjectively there is clarity, warmth, punch to the tone and it responds to my touch and technique like nothing else I have played. I smile everytime I hear it on record because my producer loves the sound so it's always mixed nice and high.

If it was stolen I would definately by another one. In the longer I am planning to buy a second and convert it to fretless and a third to be set up with a low B.

I know this is a ridiculously positive review, but I have to be honest. I love my Sadowsky Metro.

2005, metro series, ash body, maple neck and fingerboard. Mine has a beautiful sunburst finish. Famous sadowsky preamp.

Trhough the years I had many basses. Currently I own a '79 P-bass, a '77 jazz bass, a '86 stingray, a'93 sterling, a '04 G&L L2000 and my latest acquisition: this sadowsky.
Telling you the truth, since I recieved this awesome sadowsky, I didn't touch any of my other basses. Sometimes I pick up my sterling, but otherwise I've grown one with this baby. PERFECT. That's it! Better than my '77 ash/maple jazzbass! I have a metro 70s ultra vintage on order. I can't wait to recieve it. I will be selling some of my basses then. Don't need them. Both tonally, soundwise, aesthesicly and from point of playabality, the sad surpasses all of the other!

Flawless.

Excellent.

Don't really know...

Throughout the years now I've come to the point, where I can say that I've settled with the ultimate bass for me! Will not need anything else. Played through my EBS amp, it's bottom-end heaven!