Sadowsky HSH Strat

2008 NYC Sadowsky Strat with HSH configuration, '59 Burst Burl top over Mahogony body, ebony fingerboard with dots, black hardware, Sperzel tuners, Lindy Fralin Zebra Humbuckers (Gibson configuration @ 8.5k neck, 9.5k bridge) and Sadowsky custom wound single coil in black, Sadowsky electronics with 5-way switching, volume, tone, and boost/gain knob working in conjunction with passive/boost/gain mini-toggle switch.

I was looking for a real do-it-all electric solid body, and put this together with Roger's help from one of his original designs. My only changes to Roger's creation were (1) to throw on a set of custom gauge Ernie Ball Slinky nickel wound strings (gauges 11 - 56) and (2) to swap out the original custom wound Sadowsky humbuckers for the Lindy Fralin Zebras. The originals were terrific, but had a much more modern sound to my ears - great for more aggressive metal styles, but less effective for traditional Gibson classic rock or jazz. The Fralins changed this dramatically, and really helped me nail Gibson tone in a Strat body, which I prefer. I love Les Pauls and ES-335s, but the Strat body and scale length has always been much more comfortable to me. And there's nobody out there who can beat Roger's fit, finish, setup, attention to detail, and just plain old excellent customer service. Sadowsky sets the standard across the board.

Although my HSH Strat is an absolute work of art to look at, it's the tone that makes it a keeper. I mentioned above that I was looking for a do-it-all guitar - except for a Piezo bridge for acoustic-like tones, this HSH nails just about every guitar tone I enjoy.

The HSH configuration allows for the best of all worlds. For most of my playing, I dial in a near perfect Gibson jazz archtop sound through the neck pup only, with a little fattening via the Sadowsky boost control, and the tone control dialed down about 95%. It's not a hollowbody, but through my Fender Custom 15 Twin and a little reverb, it's more than close enough. These settings allow me to perform fast jazz licks and runs, and grab tough chords, on a neck that's so much faster and more comfortable than any other archtop I've ever played. And for chords - the note separation is just pristine, every chord ringing out so clearly that it's simply to die for.

And for classic Strat sounds, both clean and dirty, this guitar just nails it. From Eric Johnson to David Gilmour to SRV, I can get this guitar to sound like the best of the best. And the boost and gain controls have dramatically increased how versatile my effects pedals are - especially chorus, flanger, and phase effects.

The above just scratches the surface - this guitar is capable of classic Gibson/Marshall crunch, Telecaster twang, and even Rickenbacker chime. You can spend hours dialing in the nearly endless array of interesting and useful tones this guitar is capable of. I've never owned a more versatile or enjoyable guitar.

The attention to detail is spot on. The instrument arrives in flawless condition, ready to play and perfectly setup out of the case. Frets are perfect. Pups, string height, trem bar are all adjusted to perfection. The Sadowsky setup is famous for good reason - you'll be hard pressed to find another new instrument that is as easy or as enjoyable to play.

I've never had anything go wrong with any of my Sadowsky instruments. They are built to play and last a lifetime and then some.

One word - peerless. I've purchased several guitars and basses from Sadowsky, and it's always a one-of-a-kind enjoyable experience. From start to finish, Roger's shop excels at getting you exactly what you want. They bend over backwards to make it as easy as possible for you to get the instrument of your dreams. Time and again, they have exceeded my expectations. With this instrument, they've done it again and then some. I count Roger and Kevin Drexler as friends, and look forward to my next purchase from them. That kind of loyalty is earned over years of excellent and satisfying transactions. They are simply the best!

Been playing about 28 years. I've owned guitars and basses from just about every major manufacturer out there, and quite a few boutique instruments. My Sadowskys are at the top of my list of instruments I love and play. For recording, live gigs, or just playing in my home studio, they are go-to instruments, one and all. If lost or stolen, I'd be heartbroken and be on the phone to Kevin with a new order the same day. While expensive, you really get what you pay for. With a Sadowsky, you are getting a luxury experience and instrument that will last a lifetime. To me, it's worth it!

I bought this guitar 10 years ago in 1990 from Sadowsky Guitars, Ltd. in NYC:

25-1/2" scale solidbody alder guitar with perfectly bookmatched AA quilt maple top [I didn't pay extra for
a superb top but this as nice as a PRS 10 and many Artist upgrade tops but not as figured as a Private
Stock)finished in translucent emerald traffic light green, medium thick feeling quartersawn neck, morado
(pau ferro or Bolivian rosewood)fingerboard moderate profile (flatter than classic Fender), Sperzel custom
staggered locking tuners, vintage style two point tremelo, passive Sadowsky HSH pickups, 5-way pickup
selector w/positions 2&4 splitting the bridge and neck humbuckers to single coils paired with middle
single coil pickup respectively, Sadowsky 3 position onboard preamp (1. off 2.variable mid boost
3.variable mid boost and preset gain boost), felt washers interpositioned between straplocks and the body
of the guitar, black hardware.

Pickups are wound to Sadowsky specs by Dimarzio:
Neck HB is like an Al Dimeola neck. Think PAF but with much more clarity and definition.
Bridge HB is like a Double Whammy: powerful, clear with strong mids and treble and bass rolloffs; VERY
punchy.

The guitar is wonderful for any style: metal, rock, blues, funk, country, jazz. I play predominantly all of the
above except country and jazz and love this guitar. From super clean to crunch to white-hot molten liquid
metal leads this guitar does it all. It's a bolt-on Fender style instrument on megadoses of steroids and
attention to detail. It sustains as well as my set-neck PRSs and I can get classic great AC/DC-Free tones
from the bridge humbucker w/ my amp set to crunch. The guitar has an incredible and unusually rich
sound and harmonic content and is very sensitive to picking nuances and pick placement over the strings
and two handed tapping. The sustain is for days: unreal and not typical for a bolt-on style guitar. The
humbucking sounds are a dream come true: full, defined, punchy, musical, singing. The single coil sounds
have incredible cluck and much better than most Stratocastes in positions 2 & 4: think SRV "Wall of
Denial" on "In Step". The middle single coil pickup is also great for soloing in a high gain or crunch
setting. Leads and rhythms are equally beautiful sounding.

I've been in bands playing origingals and covers from ZZ Top, Romantics,SRV, Van Halen, Santana, Police,
Offspring, Nirvana, Stones and I never need a second instrument to get the tones. (I've only switched
during a set because I needed an alternate tuning and it's quicker to change guitars than tune back forth
from standard to open E,D,G, or C and back again.)

I gigged w/ a band who had a lead singer/guitarist and the members were blown away by my tone. "Wow,
that tone is incredible!" The lead guitarist asked them if I sounded much better than him (tonewise not
style) and without hesitation plastered him with a resounding "OH YEAH!" Fortunately we're friends so it
didn't get ugly.)

The guitar and preamp are quiet; the controls very effective and even throughout their range. The tremelo
has a great feel and response.

My set up is a Soldano x99 preamp, Soldano SLO-100, Soldano 4x12 w/ Soldano Power speakers and
Daedelus 2x10 EV half-open cab. I rarely use FX, occcasional wah and rarely my Alesis Quadraverb live.

Perfect. No flaws. This is the benchmark for which all luthiers should strive.

I've had this for 10 years and during that time played in Long Island, NYC, Baltimore (humid as hell in the
summers; makes NYC seem arid), and Florida and have never had to adjust it. The finish and hardware
have held up remarkably well with only trace flaking of the black finish on a couple of the sperzel tuners. I
have the tremelo set flush with the body so even if I break a string I can get through a song playing 5ths
and solos.

Roger Sadowsky gave me undivided sincere attention when I ordered and bought this guitar. When it
comes to attitude, honesty, customer service and going the extra mile, he is without peers. This was my 1st
of four Sadowsky instruments. That should speak for itself.

I think the warranty is 2 years. I never had a problem and only called Sadowsky for questions and advice.
He usually answers the phone himself and responds to e-mails often the same day you send it.

I've had this guitar for 10 years and love it like it was a brand new one: the thrill of the great and varied
tones and easy of playability continue to impress and satisfy me. It is one of-- if not the most-- versatile
guitars I have ever played (see my review for my Sadowsky vintage strat). Since I have my two Sadowsky
guitars, I have sold two of my four PRSs and the remaining two get picked up maybe 2% of the time I play
guitar; the Sadowskys get the 98% balance.

I've been playing for around 20 years. If this guitar was lost or stolen I would be on the phone the next
nanosecond with Sadowsky and order another one.

Since 1990 Sadowsky has an even better tremelo system that easily rivals the PRS tremelo. I have it on my
newer 2000 strat set up to float and it is the best! He now has a great two position pull tone pot too(see
reviews for Sadowsky vintage strat).

I checked out Tyler, Pensa-Suhr (Suhr wasn't solo at the time), PRS, Gibson, ESP, 48th St. Custom,
Jackson, Ibanez, Fender, Hamer. This guitar played and sounded as good if not better and was definitely
more versatile than the Pensa-Suhrs (which cost 2x as much) and Tyler. Also, Roger Sadowsky is very
accessible, easy going, and the antithesis of the generally encountered attitude in musical instrument sales
where people have an attitude rivaled by their ignorance and desire for commission. A true diamond in the
rough.