(I don't feel bad posting this because the poor sods only have like 1k subs and it's a GREAT interview. LOTS OF DETAILS) Kyle Kim - Sire Basses - The Bass Nerds - #004 1,317 views•May 18, 2020 The Bass Nerds were super lucky to score an interview with Sire Basses founder Kyle Kim. Not only is Kyle the owner of Sire Basses but he is also a builder and musician. Kyle discusses the origins of SIre Basses, relationship with Marcus Miller, and much more. In this podcast we also feature Vuyani Wakaba and Jauqo III-X. At the end of the podcast Kyle offered to send The Bass Nerds a Bass to giveaway. SO GUESS WHAT! ruclips.net/video/8cpQyRZG_oA/видео.html
13:35 Yep, that sounds like a Sadowsky. :-) And if you look at the Marcus Miller/Sire headstock...WAIT WHAT? Naw, I doubt Kyle Kim made the offshore Sadowskys...or did he? Upon inspection if so, they reversed the smooth and the hooked curves on the headstock, honestly I thought from a distance they were much closer but they still aren't that different. I think what you did here (if anyone noticed) is that you basically made a point that if someone has okay passive J pickups they can install a 200 buck preamp and if it plays fine otherwise they have a literally legit Sadowsky sounding bass - unless their bass was already MDF then I can't help ya kid, you're stuck with the resonance and sustain of sawdust lol I guess it might make an EXTRA woofy bass platform but I bet it would sound almost like someone playing a tuba - bwomp bwomp bwomp bwah bwah bwomp bwomp bwomp latest thing I'm seeing is audio interface floods on channels so I think I'll fix that next. I am just not cool with a preamp that only samples at 24 bits/96khz and has an input sensitivity range that is capturing less broad a spectrum than I'd like (I can't find that spec and I rememebered the other one from a demo video of the Arc EVO 8, which is what got me thinking I should put tubes in these like Thomas Blug does for the AMP1)..
oh damn, had no idea that a prewired Sadowsky preamp was being offered by Warwick 😲I did not mind the stock preamp in your previous video for slap, but it otherwise was a bit dull, which is weird given the preamp's complexity. By comparison, the Sadowsky preamp sounds powerful and would be a blast to have. You really seem to be enjoying that bass! Great video 🤘
Hey 🦞, another great video! I couldn’t get here fast enough as soon as I got this notification 😆. I picked up this same bass from a local seller a couple of months ago, and have to say from the few Sire V7’s I’ve had, the V7 V is the best. Haven’t tried the V9 or V10. At that time I still had my Sadowsky UV70 5, so I was able to do side by side comparison, b/c I was thinking of doing the same swap on the Sire. IMHO they were so close, I decided not to do the swap. Now, they’re different animals in that the Sadowsky is boost only, and the Sire is boost and cut, and variable mids, 18v. The Sadowsky is voiced great, the lows don’t get muddy when you really boost them, whereas they can on the Sire, but this is where the sweepable mids come in, getting familiar with it is essential, I think newbies might be a little overwhelmed with this preamp at first, but hey there’s RUclips vids to help 😂. And Marcus had some input in the design of the preamp and uses stock Sire’s and still sounds like himself. And using the pre in the lower end models is great marketing, a gateway drug if you will. I think the Sadowsky would be great on the V5, but then you’re in VV7 $ territory. Your video just confirmed my decision and saved me 💵. Just my .02. Sorry for the long post.
Thanks Ozzie! I completely forgot the Sire was 18v.... so I guess the Sadowsky is now running 18v because I attached the stock battery harness LMAO! I appreciate the thoughtful comment my friend! Thank you :)
@@LowEndLobster i actually hate the headstock as well, put a saw in it and reshaped the “crippled” end myself in a nice round one. Easy to do. Also removed the logo and gave it a satin look. Worked out great!
Great video as always! What is your opinion about Bass Mods Phatty 5 pickups with the V7 Vintage 2nd gen Sire stock preamp instead of me changing the preamp?
Hey Lobster! Awesome video! Very Marcus-ey indeed. I hope to do this very thing to my V7 vintage . . . if I ever get it off of backorder. Can you tell me if the Sadowsky pre was a direct fit, or if some modification was necessary? Thanks.
Hi Lobster, Roger Sadowsky fitted a Bartolini TCT preamp into Marcus’s jazz bass not his own brand. Imho, the bass has lost the “Marcus” tone I had a few Sadowsky pre’s and ditch them for the TCT which I must say gives you a killin tone! Great channel as always! 👍🏾🙏🏿
Hey Lobster, sounds better then stock it's way more snappy . I do have a wondering eye though , looking at something different for Me. Sandberg, I might be trading the V7 soon (keeping the V5 :) )
I bet you would love humbuckers in that puppy with the Sadowsky preamp. I put a set of Aguilar AG 4J-HC humbuckers in my JB clone. They sound awesome but do need a bit of boost compared to my other basses.
I dont know if its my new double driver wireless ear buds Santa brought me for Christmas ..OR if its just this. BASS has ALOT of MEAT on it ..but WOW at the low register!!!!!!...i am LOVING this J bass ..man it sounds like a double P bass on steroids!!!!...but yet has PLENTY of high end as well!!!!
I keep seeing that beautiful Ibanez roadster from the 80's in the background. Any chance for a video in the near future? Your opinion on original electronics and possible upgrades if desired?
I don’t know how I just found your channel - this is an incredible upgrade. Will this work on the Sire V7 5-string? I’ve never upgraded a preamp before. Looking forward to binge watching your videos. Gotta catch up! :)
Hi Lobster. Great video. I really couldn't wait to see it :) It's a great sounding preamp on a Jazz Bass with the 70s pickup spacing. I don't know if the difference is worth the money since the stock preamp already sounded nice. But it's definitely an upgrade! You mentioned that you might change the pickups as well. What about the Aguilar 4J-HCs? Those are the same pickups that F-Bass from Canada started to use for their VF models instead of their (also very nice) stock pickups... Miller sound par excellence 🙂 Btw: Thomann sells that Sadowsky onboard preamp for the same price. I don't know if there is a difference about the shipping costs to the USA, I just wanted to mention it.
Thanks Christoph! Indeed I just saw that Thomann is carrying the preamp too, that's great! I've actually chosen Dimarzio pickups this time around. I've been doing a lot of Aguilar stuff and thought I'd mix it up :)
To hear the differences you should do a shootout between the two preamps .. Anyway I find it more useful to use the Sire in passive mode and play through the many Rack / pedal preamps available out there.. For example I use MXR Xotic Sansamp SWR Ampeg and many others , according to my tastes..some of them are Tube preamps!
Are you psychic?! I have an upcoming J bass preamp shootout using a Sire V3 as the mod platform. We'll look at the stock pre, Sadowsky, two Auderes, and a couple others. Stay tuned!
I just bought the V7 Vintage in White Blond and Swamp Ash. Paid current price for it - probably too much. But I'm almost certainly going to do the Sadowsky Pre-amp mod.
@@LowEndLobster I saw your initial review of only 2 claws after I bought the bass. Though disappointed after the 2 claw review, this mod gives me hope LOL. I just ordered the Sadowsky pre-amp and also the AlBridge Sire Replacement which looks AWSOME!!
Ok Lobster Miller! Get down with that slappity slap slap pop! That is a very nice improvement indeed. Even just the knobs on the Sadowsky pre is worth it...they look great IMO. Agreed that Sire should do SOMETHING about those HORRIBLE knobs (barfaroni!) and the headstock...since I'm sure the grapevine has informed them that nobody likes them! I really like the boost only bass/treble on the 'dowsky...it just makes sense to me. Damn, now I want one...time to get a paper route. '):bassclef
I'm lusting for a Sadowsky bass ever since I heard Jason Newsteds basstone on the Cunning Stunts DVD. Maybe a Sire with that Preamp would be the cheaper way to get a bit of that Sadowsky tone.
Thomann has a smoking good price on the sadowsky preamp pedal which is essentially the same thing, minus the bass! Easiest way to get some Sadowsky tone.
@@jonsidell3338 I just searched on Thomann for that onboard preamp and was shocked how low that price is at the moment. Last time I checked it was nearly twice as much. I'm very tempted to pull the trigger on one for 159€...
A huge improvement! I really like the tone with the Sadowski preamp! Would shielding with copper tape in the pick up and pre-amp cavities resolve the hum problem?
Thanks Dan! I think it's the single coil pickups that are the cause of the noise here. Shielding would probably help a little, but ultimately switching over to the DiMarzio Area J's (and ultimately the new SIxties J) did the trick
Thanks! Yeah I don't mind it that much either, though I did snag a set of DiMarzios to try out in this bass - also partially because I've never really messed with DiMarzio J's
Very cool! What do you think about installing one of those on a Fender Player Plus? Unnecessary or advantageous? What I really miss is having a tone control. Or, would you recommend something else?
Killer tones! I have the same exact bass, but I think I would miss the mid/mid frequency controls, as I use the mid control a lot to cut through the live mix when needed. I'm leaning towards the Audere instead.
Thanks! I see you already found the J preamp guide. I hope you enjoy it and find it helpful! The Audere stuff is really nice. I installed the Pro Z in a frankenbass for a friend after the series. It's a 5 string Warmoth fretless with a mismatched pair of Nordstrand and Aguilar pickups (both hum cancelling). It sounds GREAT when the bass is all shielded up nicely. Tons of tones.
Roger Sadowsky has the secret sauce. I have 3 of his basses, the pre amp is the best, and once you play his low weight basses, it's hard to go back to anything else. Added bonus, he couldn't be any friendlier. I brought in my 10 year old Will lee Jazz bass for a problem I thought I had. Roger came out, spoke with me, and took care of what was, no issue. Turns out it was my amp.
I forgot to ask you the other day when you did the original review, is this v7 unusually heavy. Like I said before I have the 1st gen of the V7 (swamp ash) I really like it a lot it’s just freaking heavy. And YES that preamp sounds WAY better. I just don’t think I’ll be upgrading my “anchor” it’s fun, but don’t use it enough. ....gotta double kick beat buddy or he just keeps kicking back!!! Thank you for sharing awesome lobster, cheers
Happy new year Tommy! I've heard people complain about the weight on these, especially the 5 stringers. However mine is around 9.2 lbs I think- pretty average weight wise. Thanks Tommy!
That definitely sounds like Marcus: immense! Was replacing the preamp easy given the Sadowsky has solderless connections? If I were to replace the preamp in my non-vintage V7 it would be with this, but I don't have access to a soldering kit. Presumably one would also only need one battery and not two.
The Sadowsky is prewired but not solderless, though they make it very easy. There's two notches in a PCB, one for each pickup lead. Your grounds just go to ground, and you can use the included battery harness OR wire in the Sire one.... yup, mine's running 18v. Haven't had any issues. I actually have an update video coming this Sunday for this bass and my V5 fretless showing the pickup and hardware upgrades that I've done. The J-retro is a solderless drop in from what I understand, though I haven't had one in a loooong time. We'll be doing a separate bit on 'drop-in' (some soldering may be required for some, we'll go over that) Jazz bass preamps soon :)
If you really consider switching those pickups out... Consider the Seymour Duncan Apollos noise-canceling. These are the ones that I changed on my v7 and I really like them. BR Daniel
Thanks Nick! All my videos thus far are recorded with the bass plugged into my Orange Crush 50 BXT combo amp, and the line out is going direct into my Focusrite Scarlett 4i4.
I'm right there with you Chonch! The V5 neck headstock looks better, but even then... the Sire has a moose head for a headstock. Someone said that and I can't unsee.
Hey Lobster, thanks for a great video, the tone on this thing is really nice! :) I'm a beginner bass player and I'm thinking of purchasing this bass as my 2nd instrument, since, I believe, it's relatively cheaper now than it used to be (at least where I live it's ±450$ now). I'm also thinking of making it my 1st mod project, so I've stumbled upon your vid looking for some preamp ideas. What do you think will happen if you throw some active EMGs in there along with sadowsky for even beefier sound? Is this even a good idea?
@@LowEndLobster oh, thanks! So, if I wanna go down the EMG route, I'd better use something like EMG B30/B64? Is it possible to fit them here? And how different would that sound compared to the Sadowsky + passive pickups tone? 🤔 (sorry for the dumb questions :)
that became true Marcus Miller !..wow every reviewer told that Sire has true Marcus Miller tone in stock pickup ups and not until you hear this you know what is the difference.... what is your opinion on rolled fretboards Sire heavily markets ?
Great demonstration! Thanks. I own a Sire V5 passive jb. As you pointed out in your video, I can’t use such a solution as V5 has a front jack. But I’m wondering if for those owning passive jb an alternative solution could be a sadowsky outboard preamp. Do you think I can get kind of the same result with that??
Heyo! Yes, you'd get a similar result. Another drop-in option is the John East J-Tone preamp has the same setup as the Sadowsky but can fit a Jazz w/ plate jack. Great preamp too.
Don't have a ton of experience with different preamps but the Sadowsky is my favorite so far. Simple and that bass knob is magic...you only need a little bit!
It’s confusing that you say it’s a sadowsky preamp but in the caption it’s actually a bartolini preamp which is now made by Warwick…… please clarify do I order from bartolini or from Warwick or sadowsky?
Interesting. If v5 had a battery box, that might be an upgrade path for it. (My idea is to buy v5 and then if I decided I have to have a preamp add it.) John East probably makes something that would fit. Of course, I'm not convinced that I wouldn't just be better putting the preamp on the floor.
Greetings from Phoenix, Arizona. Tomorrow I'll be driving to San Diego to pick up a used Sire v7 5 string. It has Aguilar HC pups and original preamp. After watching this video, I'm going to see or hear how the Sire sounds when I get it. I'm getting a killer deal, $450.00. Now I'm going to research on how to get a hold of a Sadowsky preamp.....good idea or not? Thank you
Greetings Isaac! Congrats on your new bass! Sadowsky pre would be a great addition to that bass, you can buy them from Thomann- www.thomannmusic.com/sadowsky_onboard_bass_preamp.htm
That'd be interesting, not sure if I could get the battery to fit. Was actually planning on using this preamp in a SUB SB4 (sterling body with rear control cavity) paired with a MEC pickup, but alas I had other ideas ;P
Great question! The BTC is a boost/cut, whereas the Sadowsky is boost only. I might include an EMG setup in my J bass preamp comparo considering how easy it is to set one up on a control plate.
when you are done with all the basses out there, you are doing reviews on bass amps and effect pedals next?!;) btw: nice that you included a part of marcus song "power":) i am not that great of a slaper. currently learning geezer butler NIB solo...
@@LowEndLobster cool! played the Aguilar before! great high quality amp! i bought a used two notes "le bass" preamp that arrived today...checking it out at our rehearsel room right now;)
Great video thanks - I was just wondering how you connected the 18v battery wires to the preamp? Are there only two wires coming from the 18v battery connectors in the Sire? so did you just use the connect the Sire 18v battery connector? Many thanks.
A 9V connector has a red and white wire, the 18v connectors just daisy chain the 9vs. So the red wire of battery 1 connects to the black wire of battery 2 if that makes sense.
Thanks Keith! Did you end up replacing them and would you be interested in seeing me replace mine on here? I think other Sire owners might be in the similar boat.
I couldn't work out whether you liked the sound of the V7 pre amp but it just had too many knobs or whether you thought the sound had improved with the Sadawsky pre amp installed and would that mean i'd only need one battery instead of two? So many questions. Thanks.
Great question! Honestly, I was very underwhelmed by the first run of the RSD basses... That being said I understand that they've had some issues with em and are making some changes for subsequent runs. Feel wise, the Sire feels a lot better. Hardware wise (tuners, bridge, knobs, etc), the RSD was superior. Tone wise, the Sire based on the issues I had with the RSD. I will be snagging another RSD from a future run to see if all the issues were addressed :).
Hi. I have music man bass, but now I prefer sire basses. I have p5 and v7. I love p7 neck, so I want buy sire jazz bass with it. New V8 is to expensive to me now. So I think about v5 and sadovsky preamp. What do you think, what is better solutions: pedal preamp or change preamp in guitar? King regards.
Okay Lobster, do you perform this specific modification for hire? In fact, even though this gives amazing “Marcus Miller” tones, how would it sound with the addition of, say, Aguilar or Seymour Duncan hum canceling single coil pickups? Yes, more money (including your installation and setup fees). However, it’s got to be less expensive than buying a real USA or German made Sadowsky, no? Or less than a Bacchus JJ77 remake of a vintage ‘77 Fender Jazz bass with an active preamp. Or is it simply more “logical” to spend over $3K to achieve the desired Miller effect? Decisions, decisions… lol. Yeah, the affordable Sire is just plain more fun!!! THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU.
Hey Vincent! Not really, though I do have a video series coming in some weeks that's the 'Ultimate Jazz Bass Preamp Guide' where we'll go over the features, installation, and tones of 5 different Jazz bass preamps including the Sadowsky here. The installation process is very straight forward IMO. Minimal soldering (the two pickup leads to the appropriate contacts, grounds to the back of the blend pot). I have another video on this bass featuring DiMarzio Area J pickups which are some of my favorite hum cancelling J's. Honestly, the total investment here if you're doing bass+pickups+preamp isn't really that substantial. The preamp is $200, pickups are $1-200, and the bass brand new is $750 but used I paid $450. Well under a German (or even Chinese) Sadowsky esp if you consider the used price I paid.
Without a "fancier" preamp than what the squiers are equipped with idk what sire's selling point would be. I wasn't a huge fan of it's tone, but it's prob for the spec sheet selling point.
Thanks James! IMO, I've never complained about the feel or quality of the neck or body of the sires. The hardware is where they cheap out. Their preamp definitely sets the V3 above the Squiers and such, but throwing that same preamp in something twice the price doesn't sit well with me.
How much is this preamp???...man got me thinking ..this preamp in the MOON KNIGHT instead of the TM ...with the Seymour Duncan Apollos already in it. .NOW THAT is the TICKET ...!!!!
So I am thinkin about to purchase this bad boy preamp and put it in my Sire V7, but Sadowsky's manual says that its not compatible with EMG and OTHER active pickups. Can I still put this preamp in Sire V7 with stock pickups?
Stock sire pickups are passive. The only active mainstream J's I can think of are EMG. Stock Sire pickups will work just fine, that's what I'm using here.
Hey Pawel! Yes, this did require some soldering. I have a multi-video series coming up where I check out 5x different drop-in Jazz bass preamps including this sadowsky. I will go over the entire install process (it's pretty easy, though not as easy as John East or Lusithand which are solderless) in that video! Should be coming in a few weeks :)
@@LowEndLobster Let me guess. You probably had to separate the input jack and battery cables and "re-solder" them again after getting them through the tiny holes?
@@pawelschlorfernandez5605 Actually no! Because I'm testing out 5 preamps and didn't want to snip and resolder 5 sets of jack cables, I used a big drill bit to make a large hole from the jack cavity to the control cavity! It's in the video too hahaha, definitely made the installs a lot easier vs doing the snip and solder approach
@@pawelschlorfernandez5605 For my V7 I used the stock battery harness (running 18v), but it looks like most of the drop ins have space for a battery in the control cavity
Question for the claw: I have a ray 34, putting in a John East 2 band. If I wanted to upgrade the pickup to go with the pre, what do you like the best or recommend?
Great question Todd! I do not have an answer for you, I'd stick with the stock pickup first and see how you like it. The stock 34 pickup is definitely no slouch! Check out my Ultimate Stingray Mod guide too, I check out 7 different aftermarket pickups (and the stock Ray24 not 34 paired with the JE 3 band). Depending on what kind of tone you're going after, you have a plethora of options. ruclips.net/video/CrGKPGOKp9M/видео.html
A Ray 35 and a J East preamp... you need nothing more (I'm writing this with all due respect). Maybe to spend more time plying and experimenting with that gear is a good idea before sending more $$$$
From the description 🙂 - "This bass and all my other basses with rounds are strung with MJC Ironworks Nickel Plated Stainless Steel 45-105(130) unless otherwise noted. Check them out at www.mjcironworks.com"
@@LowEndLobster Thanks Lobster, I installed one pair of Ultrabass in a Harley Benton JB-75, next step will be the Sadowsky preamp in this one, for sure. www.thomann.de/fr/harley_benton_jb_75mn_black_vintage_series.htm
@@barondavis5692 , at that time relentless were not available and are Neodynium. Ultrajazz are Alnico5 pole boosted with Ceramic bars and are what was labelled Sadowsky at that time as well. Since I moved the Ultras to the HB Fretless JB, very nice sound, and installed Fender Shur area (1996/97) Single pole Pickups with a Sadowsky pre in the fretted JB . Heaven.
Another great review. I have the opportunity to get a new v7 for $678. I like to compare it to a v5 and m5 but can’t find any in the Philly area to demo. I feel like, if I don’t move it’ll go. Your thoughts. Thanks.
@@LowEndLobster I’m having trouble enjoying because this RUclips guy, has now got me interested in making it sound better by modifying it. 😁 Sadowsky + DiMarzio, right?
hey Lobster I love the content! Question. If I want to make my sire v3 only passive. Should I just install passive pick ups on it? Well first of all the passive mode has never worked on my sire meaning no volume at all in passive.It’s only been on active wich I don’t like. Is there a way to make it only passive?
Great question. Your pickups are already passive. It sounds like something is wrong with the preamp if the bypass isn't working. You could swap in a passive jazz control plate and run the pickups passively. You would need a loaded control plate, not new pickups. Hope that helps
Wow, I'm definetely going to replace my pre amp in mine v7. I dont have a vintage one, but i do have a cheaper one. Could You please, do a video how to replace preamp? I totally dont know how to do this and if You have any advice for me, Id be pleased. Good video, as always :D
Thanks Mikolaj! The Sadowsky one is a drop in and they give very solid instructions. It comes with the control plate and everything, so it's simply a matter of unsoldering (or cutting and stripping the tips of the wires) of the pickups and battery connections, and adding them to the new preamp. A true "drop in"! The pickup connection areas are very well setup too, little notches that you rest the pickup wire in and solder over.
Wow! Sounds killer now Good job Lobster 💪🏿💪🏿 Now I realized that the 2 band preamp is much better than the 3 band preamp especially when you put it on a Jazz bass I think once I bought the Fender Vintera 70's jazz bass I'm gonna install this preamp 😍
It would, but you'd have an extra hole on the pickguard for the 5th control (Sadowsky only has 4 pots with one stack) and the toggle switch. Great question!
Roger installed a Star preamp in Marcus's bass and then a Bartolini TCT preamp, which he was using before his current preamp.
Thanks John! I corrected this in the description :) I appreciate it!
No problem! I'm getting this preamp installed in my Ibanez TMB105 this week! Can't wait to check it out!
As other folks have already told you, Marcus Miller never had a Sadowsky preamp in his bass although Roger Sadowsky was his tech.
Yup! Corrected in the description :)
The Sadowsky preamp has been saving basses for a few decades😃😃😃
:)
The slap tone on this one is just as good as, if not better, than my Sadowsky NYC jazz...
Perfect mod for the Sire.
Outstanding job Lobster.
Wow! Thanks Jonathan!
Yes, the REAL Sadowsky NYC’s requires too much lettuce 🥬
Oof! These are some sick grooves Lobster is bringing here! 🦞
Thanks Comrade!
That thing is a Monster! You give us to many choices, I keep changing my mind.
Thanks Johnnie!
I Noticed Lobster You Made a Bass Face and I Dig it That Sadowsky preamp is The Real Marcus miller Sound Great Review Funky indeed 💎👍🎵
Thanks Darrell :)
1:21 Nice backstory, research, and experiment. Kudos for continuing to come up with new and interesting shit.
I will reiterate yet again that you can probably get an interview with Kyle Kim.
(I don't feel bad posting this because the poor sods only have like 1k subs and it's a GREAT interview. LOTS OF DETAILS)
Kyle Kim - Sire Basses - The Bass Nerds - #004
1,317 views•May 18, 2020
The Bass Nerds were super lucky to score an interview with Sire Basses founder Kyle Kim. Not only is Kyle the owner of Sire Basses but he is also a builder and musician. Kyle discusses the origins of SIre Basses, relationship with Marcus Miller, and much more. In this podcast we also feature Vuyani Wakaba and Jauqo III-X. At the end of the podcast Kyle offered to send The Bass Nerds a Bass to giveaway. SO GUESS WHAT!
ruclips.net/video/8cpQyRZG_oA/видео.html
Hell yeah! Thanks for sharing this!
13:35 Yep, that sounds like a Sadowsky. :-) And if you look at the Marcus Miller/Sire headstock...WAIT WHAT? Naw, I doubt Kyle Kim made the offshore Sadowskys...or did he? Upon inspection if so, they reversed the smooth and the hooked curves on the headstock, honestly I thought from a distance they were much closer but they still aren't that different.
I think what you did here (if anyone noticed) is that you basically made a point that if someone has okay passive J pickups they can install a 200 buck preamp and if it plays fine otherwise they have a literally legit Sadowsky sounding bass - unless their bass was already MDF then I can't help ya kid, you're stuck with the resonance and sustain of sawdust lol I guess it might make an EXTRA woofy bass platform but I bet it would sound almost like someone playing a tuba - bwomp bwomp bwomp bwah bwah bwomp bwomp bwomp
latest thing I'm seeing is audio interface floods on channels so I think I'll fix that next. I am just not cool with a preamp that only samples at 24 bits/96khz and has an input sensitivity range that is capturing less broad a spectrum than I'd like (I can't find that spec and I rememebered the other one from a demo video of the Arc EVO 8, which is what got me thinking I should put tubes in these like Thomas Blug does for the AMP1)..
I really like those inlays, and the sound is amazing 🔥
Thanks Ruben!
Sounds really good to me! Is that one of the bass that you're planning to give in your next giveaway? Thanks for the demo LowEndLobster!!!
I have some giveaway plans coming up real soon, but not this bass ;)
That does sound awesome. I love the low end presence. It still has clarity without being muddy.
Thanks Kev!
oh damn, had no idea that a prewired Sadowsky preamp was being offered by Warwick 😲I did not mind the stock preamp in your previous video for slap, but it otherwise was a bit dull, which is weird given the preamp's complexity.
By comparison, the Sadowsky preamp sounds powerful and would be a blast to have. You really seem to be enjoying that bass! Great video 🤘
Thanks Taconeko!
Hey 🦞, another great video! I couldn’t get here fast enough as soon as I got this notification 😆. I picked up this same bass from a local seller a couple of months ago, and have to say from the few Sire V7’s I’ve had, the V7 V is the best. Haven’t tried the V9 or V10.
At that time I still had my Sadowsky UV70 5, so I was able to do side by side comparison, b/c I was thinking of doing the same swap on the Sire. IMHO they were so close, I decided not to do the swap. Now, they’re different animals in that the Sadowsky is boost only, and the Sire is boost and cut, and variable mids, 18v. The Sadowsky is voiced great, the lows don’t get muddy when you really boost them, whereas they can on the Sire, but this is where the sweepable mids come in, getting familiar with it is essential, I think newbies might be a little overwhelmed with this preamp at first, but hey there’s RUclips vids to help 😂.
And Marcus had some input in the design of the preamp and uses stock Sire’s and still sounds like himself. And using the pre in the lower end models is great marketing, a gateway drug if you will. I think the Sadowsky would be great on the V5, but then you’re in VV7 $ territory.
Your video just confirmed my decision and saved me 💵. Just my .02. Sorry for the long post.
Thanks Ozzie! I completely forgot the Sire was 18v.... so I guess the Sadowsky is now running 18v because I attached the stock battery harness LMAO! I appreciate the thoughtful comment my friend! Thank you :)
@@LowEndLobster I appreciate you doing all the work, keep it up.
MAN i love that headstock design, looks and sounds awesome
Thanks Koen! I hate the headstock hahahaha
@@LowEndLobster i actually hate the headstock as well, put a saw in it and reshaped the “crippled” end myself in a nice round one. Easy to do. Also removed the logo and gave it a satin look. Worked out great!
Ok i want this now. The white on black is so clean and it sounds great.
Thanks! :D
I really like those Sadowsky Preamps. That's definitely one of the many things on my wish list.
Thanks Bizi!
Sounds like Marcus Miller’s 77 Fender jazz bass.
Thanks Shawn!
Great video as always! What is your opinion about Bass Mods Phatty 5 pickups with the V7 Vintage 2nd gen Sire stock preamp instead of me changing the preamp?
Hey Lobster! Awesome video! Very Marcus-ey indeed. I hope to do this very thing to my V7 vintage . . . if I ever get it off of backorder. Can you tell me if the Sadowsky pre was a direct fit, or if some modification was necessary? Thanks.
Hi Lobster, Roger Sadowsky fitted a Bartolini TCT preamp into Marcus’s jazz bass not his own brand. Imho, the bass has lost the “Marcus” tone I had a few Sadowsky pre’s and ditch them for the TCT which I must say gives you a killin tone! Great channel as always! 👍🏾🙏🏿
Thanks Trevor! Yep, didn't find t his out until afterwards. Corrected in comment!
Ok, now I'm digging this one. Lots better!
Thanks Ryan!
Hey Lobster, sounds better then stock it's way more snappy . I do have a wondering eye though , looking at something different for Me. Sandberg, I might be trading the V7 soon (keeping the V5 :) )
Thanks Michael! I've been eyeing some Sandbergs for a while - we may see them in 2021 eventually!
I bet you would love humbuckers in that puppy with the Sadowsky preamp. I put a set of Aguilar AG 4J-HC humbuckers in my JB clone. They sound awesome but do need a bit of boost compared to my other basses.
Thanks Sparks! I bet this preamp would pair very nicely with the Aggies!
I dont know if its my new double driver wireless ear buds Santa brought me for Christmas ..OR if its just this. BASS has ALOT of MEAT on it ..but WOW at the low register!!!!!!...i am LOVING this J bass ..man it sounds like a double P bass on steroids!!!!...but yet has PLENTY of high end as well!!!!
It's meaty for sure!
Wow sounds great! I may end up getting one for my V7 vint now 😂 keep up the good work lobster!
Thanks Todd!
I have a Sure M3 from 2015. The preamp gave out last year. Your preamp mods have got me thinking about trying to bring her back to life.🤔
Sire M3 that is.
You should! Tons of great preamp options that could be dropped in :)
Great sound! I like that crisp bite.
Thanks B@ssiCS!
I found a good deal on a Sire P7, and I'm going to put a Sadowsky pre in it, but I'm doing a custom "Marcus" style control plate!
Oooh! NICE! Join the discord, would love to see pics of the finished result!
@@LowEndLobster I'm new to Discord. How do I find you?
I keep seeing that beautiful Ibanez roadster from the 80's in the background. Any chance for a video in the near future? Your opinion on original electronics and possible upgrades if desired?
Good eye! That is going to be a fun vid, coming in a few weeks :)
Awesome & incredible video release rate... and quality, tkx
Thanks Neeet!
I don’t know how I just found your channel - this is an incredible upgrade. Will this work on the Sire V7 5-string? I’ve never upgraded a preamp before. Looking forward to binge watching your videos. Gotta catch up! :)
Welcome! It should work. I believe they use the same size control plate.
Hi Lobster.
Great video. I really couldn't wait to see it :) It's a great sounding preamp on a Jazz Bass with the 70s pickup spacing. I don't know if the difference is worth the money since the stock preamp already sounded nice. But it's definitely an upgrade!
You mentioned that you might change the pickups as well. What about the Aguilar 4J-HCs? Those are the same pickups that F-Bass from Canada started to use for their VF models instead of their (also very nice) stock pickups... Miller sound par excellence 🙂
Btw: Thomann sells that Sadowsky onboard preamp for the same price. I don't know if there is a difference about the shipping costs to the USA, I just wanted to mention it.
Thanks Christoph! Indeed I just saw that Thomann is carrying the preamp too, that's great! I've actually chosen Dimarzio pickups this time around. I've been doing a lot of Aguilar stuff and thought I'd mix it up :)
Sounds better with the Sadowsky pre-amp! Crazy idea! Lindy Fralin jazz pick- ups with Sadowsky pre-amp in that bass!
Thanks Ralph! I love Lindys but I got Dimarzios for this (I've not spent really any time with Dimarzio pickups).
Really nailed this one...! 🔨🔨🔨
Thanks Ninja!
That so drummer has def gone rogue! Tasty sounding bass!!
Thanks Panda!
@@LowEndLobster ai drummer... autocorrect sabotages me again
To hear the differences you should do a shootout between the two preamps .. Anyway I find it more useful to use the Sire in passive mode and play through the many Rack / pedal preamps available out there.. For example I use MXR Xotic Sansamp SWR Ampeg and many others , according to my tastes..some of them are Tube preamps!
Are you psychic?! I have an upcoming J bass preamp shootout using a Sire V3 as the mod platform. We'll look at the stock pre, Sadowsky, two Auderes, and a couple others. Stay tuned!
I just bought the V7 Vintage in White Blond and Swamp Ash. Paid current price for it - probably too much. But I'm almost certainly going to do the Sadowsky Pre-amp mod.
Glad you enjoyed this! My V7 Vintage is now one of my most favorite basses with the Sadowsky preamp and DiMarzio Area J pickups.
@@LowEndLobster I saw your initial review of only 2 claws after I bought the bass. Though disappointed after the 2 claw review, this mod gives me hope LOL. I just ordered the Sadowsky pre-amp and also the AlBridge Sire Replacement which looks AWSOME!!
Love it, great job lobster
Thank you Rob!
Ok Lobster Miller! Get down with that slappity slap slap pop!
That is a very nice improvement indeed. Even just the knobs on the Sadowsky pre is worth it...they look great IMO. Agreed that Sire should do SOMETHING about those HORRIBLE knobs (barfaroni!) and the headstock...since I'm sure the grapevine has informed them that nobody likes them! I really like the boost only bass/treble on the 'dowsky...it just makes sense to me. Damn, now I want one...time to get a paper route. '):bassclef
I agree Bassclef! The cheap knobs sire uses on the V3 should not be on a bass twice the price!
I'm lusting for a Sadowsky bass ever since I heard Jason Newsteds basstone on the Cunning Stunts DVD. Maybe a Sire with that Preamp would be the cheaper way to get a bit of that Sadowsky tone.
Thomann has a smoking good price on the sadowsky preamp pedal which is essentially the same thing, minus the bass! Easiest way to get some Sadowsky tone.
@@jonsidell3338 I just searched on Thomann for that onboard preamp and was shocked how low that price is at the moment.
Last time I checked it was nearly twice as much. I'm very tempted to pull the trigger on one for 159€...
Thanks IrrSinn and Jon! I might check out that preamp pedal at some point!
Wow that bridge pu sounds great!!!!
Thanks Jeremy! I'm stoked to get some hum cancelling pickups for this and we'll really go to town!
@@LowEndLobster awesome!! I'll be there!!
Yeah baby! Power!
A huge improvement!
I really like the tone with the Sadowski preamp!
Would shielding with copper tape in the pick up and pre-amp cavities resolve the hum problem?
Thanks Dan! I think it's the single coil pickups that are the cause of the noise here. Shielding would probably help a little, but ultimately switching over to the DiMarzio Area J's (and ultimately the new SIxties J) did the trick
@@LowEndLobster Thank you for the input!
I don’t mind single coil noise too much with a Jazz Bass because that is simply part of the package.
Thanks! Yeah I don't mind it that much either, though I did snag a set of DiMarzios to try out in this bass - also partially because I've never really messed with DiMarzio J's
@@LowEndLobster Nice Choice! Been looking at some ultra j's for myself.
Very cool! What do you think about installing one of those on a Fender Player Plus? Unnecessary or advantageous? What I really miss is having a tone control. Or, would you recommend something else?
Killer tones! I have the same exact bass, but I think I would miss the mid/mid frequency controls, as I use the mid control a lot to cut through the live mix when needed. I'm leaning towards the Audere instead.
Thanks! I see you already found the J preamp guide. I hope you enjoy it and find it helpful! The Audere stuff is really nice. I installed the Pro Z in a frankenbass for a friend after the series. It's a 5 string Warmoth fretless with a mismatched pair of Nordstrand and Aguilar pickups (both hum cancelling). It sounds GREAT when the bass is all shielded up nicely. Tons of tones.
Killer tone.
Thanks Thiago!
Roger Sadowsky has the secret sauce. I have 3 of his basses, the pre amp is the best, and once you play his low weight basses, it's hard to go back to anything else. Added bonus, he couldn't be any friendlier. I brought in my 10 year old Will lee Jazz bass for a problem I thought I had. Roger came out, spoke with me, and took care of what was, no issue. Turns out it was my amp.
Can't agree with you more. When I had the issue with the RSD ME, Roger reached out to me personally.
There's a reason a metric ton of studio pros use Sadowsky basses almost exclusively.
I forgot to ask you the other day when you did the original review, is this v7 unusually heavy. Like I said before I have the 1st gen of the V7 (swamp ash) I really like it a lot it’s just freaking heavy.
And YES that preamp sounds WAY better. I just don’t think I’ll be upgrading my “anchor” it’s fun, but don’t use it enough.
....gotta double kick beat buddy or he just keeps kicking back!!!
Thank you for sharing awesome lobster, cheers
Happy new year Tommy! I've heard people complain about the weight on these, especially the 5 stringers. However mine is around 9.2 lbs I think- pretty average weight wise. Thanks Tommy!
@@LowEndLobster cheers buddy
Been throwing around the idea of replacing the preamp in my j bass deluxe with one of these. Think i just might now.
Not a bad idea, just make sure the control plate is the same size on those Deluxes.
That definitely sounds like Marcus: immense! Was replacing the preamp easy given the Sadowsky has solderless connections? If I were to replace the preamp in my non-vintage V7 it would be with this, but I don't have access to a soldering kit. Presumably one would also only need one battery and not two.
The Sadowsky is prewired but not solderless, though they make it very easy. There's two notches in a PCB, one for each pickup lead. Your grounds just go to ground, and you can use the included battery harness OR wire in the Sire one.... yup, mine's running 18v. Haven't had any issues. I actually have an update video coming this Sunday for this bass and my V5 fretless showing the pickup and hardware upgrades that I've done. The J-retro is a solderless drop in from what I understand, though I haven't had one in a loooong time. We'll be doing a separate bit on 'drop-in' (some soldering may be required for some, we'll go over that) Jazz bass preamps soon :)
@@LowEndLobster Good to know, thanks!
If you really consider switching those pickups out... Consider the Seymour Duncan Apollos noise-canceling. These are the ones that I changed on my v7 and I really like them. BR Daniel
Thanks Daniel! I already bought a set of Dimarzios for this project, but we will absolutely be checking out Apollos!
great jazz sound! what's your signal chain for these videos?
Thanks Nick! All my videos thus far are recorded with the bass plugged into my Orange Crush 50 BXT combo amp, and the line out is going direct into my Focusrite Scarlett 4i4.
Get some 🦞!🔥🔥🔥Nice upgrade bro!😊👍
Thanks Boomer!
Lobster! what a sound...your the man.💙👊😎 Third time lucky.👍
Thanks Carl! :)
@@LowEndLobster Oh Lowend apologizes for calling you Lobster all the time from now on it`s Lowend and your still the man...💙👊😎
@@cskeise Nah dude, you can call me Lobster. That's been my gaming handle for like 17+ years ;P. All good my friend!
@@LowEndLobster 🤗
Sounds fantastic, i just cant get passed that headstock! even Sx got it right.
I'm right there with you Chonch! The V5 neck headstock looks better, but even then... the Sire has a moose head for a headstock. Someone said that and I can't unsee.
You are making a serious Funk Face while slapping. I think you love this bass.🥰
Hehehe I do like it quite a bit now :)
Hey Lobster, thanks for a great video, the tone on this thing is really nice! :)
I'm a beginner bass player and I'm thinking of purchasing this bass as my 2nd instrument, since, I believe, it's relatively cheaper now than it used to be (at least where I live it's ±450$ now). I'm also thinking of making it my 1st mod project, so I've stumbled upon your vid looking for some preamp ideas. What do you think will happen if you throw some active EMGs in there along with sadowsky for even beefier sound? Is this even a good idea?
Hi! You wouldn't be able to do EMG here because the active EMGs require a different value vol/blend controls vs passive pickups.
@@LowEndLobster oh, thanks! So, if I wanna go down the EMG route, I'd better use something like EMG B30/B64? Is it possible to fit them here? And how different would that sound compared to the Sadowsky + passive pickups tone? 🤔
(sorry for the dumb questions :)
Got a great bright slap tone to it, I really like that fretboard, wish my Jazz had. Maple, the tone down reminded me of a P kinda
Thanks Jeremy!
Why is it that Warwick has basses with a stacked volume and pan pot and no one else has that?
that became true Marcus Miller !..wow every reviewer told that Sire has true Marcus Miller tone in stock pickup ups and not until you hear this you know what is the difference.... what is your opinion on rolled fretboards Sire heavily markets ?
Thank you :) I dig the rolled fretboard but to me it doesn't make that much of a difference
Great demonstration! Thanks. I own a Sire V5 passive jb. As you pointed out in your video, I can’t use such a solution as V5 has a front jack. But I’m wondering if for those owning passive jb an alternative solution could be a sadowsky outboard preamp. Do you think I can get kind of the same result with that??
Heyo! Yes, you'd get a similar result. Another drop-in option is the John East J-Tone preamp has the same setup as the Sadowsky but can fit a Jazz w/ plate jack. Great preamp too.
Don't have a ton of experience with different preamps but the Sadowsky is my favorite so far. Simple and that bass knob is magic...you only need a little bit!
Thanks Chris! Indeed, I like the boost only approach with this and you can dial it in nicely
It’s confusing that you say it’s a sadowsky preamp but in the caption it’s actually a bartolini preamp which is now made by Warwick…… please clarify do I order from bartolini or from Warwick or sadowsky?
Interesting. If v5 had a battery box, that might be an upgrade path for it. (My idea is to buy v5 and then if I decided I have to have a preamp add it.) John East probably makes something that would fit. Of course, I'm not convinced that I wouldn't just be better putting the preamp on the floor.
Thanks Matthew! What would you think about comparing this bass with the OBP to a passive J (different pickups/instrument obviously) with the pedal?
@@LowEndLobster I think that would be an interesting comparison. (Of course when I say floor preamp what springs to mind is a Tec21 Geddy Lee pedal!)
You can buy the sadowsky pre Amp outboard 299.00 from the website
@@calvinwilds46 interesting, I didn't know that. Thanks for sharing the information.
Nice! Did you change the control plate as well?
Thanks! Great question. The plate come with the preamp, literally a matter of hooking up the pickups, batteries, and ground and she's good to go
My friend you said you are able to run the pre amp at 18v with no problems . I know it’s a 9v but I would like to us the 18v to give it more punch
Lobster, is there some hiss coming from this pre amp or is it just a weird RUclips compression? I’m hearing more than average hiss on this video.
Thanks Campfires! I just rewatched and noticed it in some spots, I think I touched a pole a little bit or something.
Greetings from Phoenix, Arizona. Tomorrow I'll be driving to San Diego to pick up a used Sire v7 5 string. It has Aguilar HC pups and original preamp. After watching this video, I'm going to see or hear how the Sire sounds when I get it. I'm getting a killer deal, $450.00. Now I'm going to research on how to get a hold of a Sadowsky preamp.....good idea or not? Thank you
Greetings Isaac! Congrats on your new bass! Sadowsky pre would be a great addition to that bass, you can buy them from Thomann- www.thomannmusic.com/sadowsky_onboard_bass_preamp.htm
I saw this preamp on Thomann yesterday!
Oooh I didn't know they had it on there yet. Thanks Krodan!
Hi again Lobster, It would be nice to test the Sadowsky preamp in the Harley Benton "Stingray"
That'd be interesting, not sure if I could get the battery to fit. Was actually planning on using this preamp in a SUB SB4 (sterling body with rear control cavity) paired with a MEC pickup, but alas I had other ideas ;P
Hello Lobster, wondering how you compare the Sadowsky 2 ways control with the EMG BTC ?
Great question! The BTC is a boost/cut, whereas the Sadowsky is boost only. I might include an EMG setup in my J bass preamp comparo considering how easy it is to set one up on a control plate.
when you are done with all the basses out there, you are doing reviews on bass amps and effect pedals next?!;)
btw: nice that you included a part of marcus song "power":)
i am not that great of a slaper. currently learning geezer butler NIB solo...
Thanks Crusader! Yes, we'll be doing more amp and effects content soon. I just got an Aguilar Tone Hammer 350 that I'm excited to show you all :)
@@LowEndLobster cool! played the Aguilar before! great high quality amp! i bought a used two notes "le bass" preamp that arrived today...checking it out at our rehearsel room right now;)
@@TheCrusader1099 Enjoy :)
Great video thanks - I was just wondering how you connected the 18v battery wires to the preamp? Are there only two wires coming from the 18v battery connectors in the Sire? so did you just use the connect the Sire 18v battery connector? Many thanks.
A 9V connector has a red and white wire, the 18v connectors just daisy chain the 9vs. So the red wire of battery 1 connects to the black wire of battery 2 if that makes sense.
@@LowEndLobster that’s great thanks for the reply - does it just allow the Sadowsky preamp to have more headroom by running at 18v vs 9v?
I don't notice a difference tbh. I just did it because I was being lazy and didn't want to swap out the stock harness.
Sounds really good! However, other than replacing the tuning keys, I like my V7 5 as is!
Thanks Keith! Did you end up replacing them and would you be interested in seeing me replace mine on here? I think other Sire owners might be in the similar boat.
@@LowEndLobster Yes! I would definitely like to see you do that!
I couldn't work out whether you liked the sound of the V7 pre amp but it just had too many knobs or whether you thought the sound had improved with the Sadawsky pre amp installed and would that mean i'd only need one battery instead of two?
So many questions. Thanks.
After switching the preamp on the Sire how would this compare to the RSD metro express by sadowsky?
Great question! Honestly, I was very underwhelmed by the first run of the RSD basses... That being said I understand that they've had some issues with em and are making some changes for subsequent runs. Feel wise, the Sire feels a lot better. Hardware wise (tuners, bridge, knobs, etc), the RSD was superior. Tone wise, the Sire based on the issues I had with the RSD. I will be snagging another RSD from a future run to see if all the issues were addressed :).
Given RSD’s price point, buying an RSD in the first would be my move, especially for five string since I love Roger Sadowsky’s five string necks.
Hi. I have music man bass, but now I prefer sire basses. I have p5 and v7. I love p7 neck, so I want buy sire jazz bass with it. New V8 is to expensive to me now. So I think about v5 and sadovsky preamp. What do you think, what is better solutions: pedal preamp or change preamp in guitar? King regards.
Okay Lobster, do you perform this specific modification for hire? In fact, even though this gives amazing “Marcus Miller” tones, how would it sound with the addition of, say, Aguilar or Seymour Duncan hum canceling single coil pickups? Yes, more money (including your installation and setup fees). However, it’s got to be less expensive than buying a real USA or German made Sadowsky, no? Or less than a Bacchus JJ77 remake of a vintage ‘77 Fender Jazz bass with an active preamp. Or is it simply more “logical” to spend over $3K to achieve the desired Miller effect? Decisions, decisions… lol. Yeah, the affordable Sire is just plain more fun!!! THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU.
Hey Vincent! Not really, though I do have a video series coming in some weeks that's the 'Ultimate Jazz Bass Preamp Guide' where we'll go over the features, installation, and tones of 5 different Jazz bass preamps including the Sadowsky here. The installation process is very straight forward IMO. Minimal soldering (the two pickup leads to the appropriate contacts, grounds to the back of the blend pot). I have another video on this bass featuring DiMarzio Area J pickups which are some of my favorite hum cancelling J's. Honestly, the total investment here if you're doing bass+pickups+preamp isn't really that substantial. The preamp is $200, pickups are $1-200, and the bass brand new is $750 but used I paid $450. Well under a German (or even Chinese) Sadowsky esp if you consider the used price I paid.
@@LowEndLobster Awesome! I’ll check it out. Thanks!
It is fairly expensive considering it's a Passive Fender Tonestack sandwiched between two Fets.
Thanks De Castro. Can you elaborate?
This MM Bass sound really good with that pre amp, sound like flat wounds
Thanks Cedric!
Without a "fancier" preamp than what the squiers are equipped with idk what sire's selling point would be. I wasn't a huge fan of it's tone, but it's prob for the spec sheet selling point.
Thanks James! IMO, I've never complained about the feel or quality of the neck or body of the sires. The hardware is where they cheap out. Their preamp definitely sets the V3 above the Squiers and such, but throwing that same preamp in something twice the price doesn't sit well with me.
@@LowEndLobster totally agree, they should provide an upgrade for that at least.
My friend any updates on the Sadowsky you returned? And did you received the new one?
I ended up getting a refund. Going to wait for the next batch
@@LowEndLobster Thanks 🦞.
i want to replace the preamp too, is the plate a standard sized one?
Any issues with changing to 18v? The Sadowsky is only 9v as I understand it.
How much is this preamp???...man got me thinking ..this preamp in the MOON KNIGHT instead of the TM ...with the Seymour Duncan Apollos already in it. .NOW THAT is the TICKET ...!!!!
163 USD on thomann (plus shipping)
So I am thinkin about to purchase this bad boy preamp and put it in my Sire V7, but Sadowsky's manual says that its not compatible with EMG and OTHER active pickups. Can I still put this preamp in Sire V7 with stock pickups?
Stock sire pickups are passive. The only active mainstream J's I can think of are EMG. Stock Sire pickups will work just fine, that's what I'm using here.
@@LowEndLobster Thank you very much!
Hey Lobster, how difficult was it to install the new preamp? Did you have to do any soldering or so?
Hey Pawel! Yes, this did require some soldering. I have a multi-video series coming up where I check out 5x different drop-in Jazz bass preamps including this sadowsky. I will go over the entire install process (it's pretty easy, though not as easy as John East or Lusithand which are solderless) in that video! Should be coming in a few weeks :)
@@LowEndLobster Let me guess. You probably had to separate the input jack and battery cables and "re-solder" them again after getting them through the tiny holes?
@@pawelschlorfernandez5605 Actually no! Because I'm testing out 5 preamps and didn't want to snip and resolder 5 sets of jack cables, I used a big drill bit to make a large hole from the jack cavity to the control cavity! It's in the video too hahaha, definitely made the installs a lot easier vs doing the snip and solder approach
@@LowEndLobster Aaaaahhh that makes sense. And did you still a hole to the battery?
@@pawelschlorfernandez5605 For my V7 I used the stock battery harness (running 18v), but it looks like most of the drop ins have space for a battery in the control cavity
Question for the claw: I have a ray 34, putting in a John East 2 band. If I wanted to upgrade the pickup to go with the pre, what do you like the best or recommend?
Great question Todd! I do not have an answer for you, I'd stick with the stock pickup first and see how you like it. The stock 34 pickup is definitely no slouch! Check out my Ultimate Stingray Mod guide too, I check out 7 different aftermarket pickups (and the stock Ray24 not 34 paired with the JE 3 band). Depending on what kind of tone you're going after, you have a plethora of options.
ruclips.net/video/CrGKPGOKp9M/видео.html
A Ray 35 and a J East preamp... you need nothing more (I'm writing this with all due respect). Maybe to spend more time plying and experimenting with that gear is a good idea before sending more $$$$
Hey lobster.... dumb question I would like to know what strings are on that bass?
Hey Mister! No worries, not a dumb question. I use MJC Iron Works Nickel Plated Stainless Steel (NPSS) 45-105 gauge.
@@LowEndLobster thanks brother!
From the description 🙂 - "This bass and all my other basses with rounds are strung with MJC Ironworks Nickel Plated Stainless Steel 45-105(130) unless otherwise noted. Check them out at www.mjcironworks.com"
thank you. which bass model is this pre amp from?
A good set of DiMarzio ultra Jazz will get closer to the Sadowsky noiseless sound (same as Sadowsky pickup) and get noiseless.
Thanks Frédéric! Great suggestion! Honestly, I haven't dabbled with many DiMarzios and this might be a great opportunity for it!
@@LowEndLobster Thanks Lobster, I installed one pair of Ultrabass in a Harley Benton JB-75, next step will be the Sadowsky preamp in this one, for sure.
www.thomann.de/fr/harley_benton_jb_75mn_black_vintage_series.htm
Why the ultra jazz over the Relentless pickups? I’m trying to decide. Thanks
@@barondavis5692 , at that time relentless were not available and are Neodynium. Ultrajazz are Alnico5 pole boosted with Ceramic bars and are what was labelled Sadowsky at that time as well. Since I moved the Ultras to the HB Fretless JB, very nice sound, and installed Fender Shur area (1996/97) Single pole Pickups with a Sadowsky pre in the fretted JB . Heaven.
@@SuperFredIsa Interesting, so you like the Fender pickups with the Sadowsky over the DiMarzios. ?
Do you sale the v7 preamp?.
Mine is broken
Sorry, I don't usually hold onto stock electronics for long
Are the sire pick ups passive or active? Thanks
Passive
@@LowEndLobster Thank you! You’re still the best.
How does the v7 in passive mode compare to the passive v5? All opinions welcome. Thanks.
Another great review. I have the opportunity to get a new v7 for $678. I like to compare it to a v5 and m5 but can’t find any in the Philly area to demo. I feel like, if I don’t move it’ll go. Your thoughts. Thanks.
Got the V7; later a v5. Sent the v5 back. They had the same build and played the same, but I liked the v7 a lot more.
Very nice! Enjoy
@@LowEndLobster I’m having trouble enjoying because this RUclips guy, has now got me interested in making it sound better by modifying it. 😁
Sadowsky + DiMarzio, right?
hey Lobster I love the content! Question. If I want to make my sire v3 only passive. Should I just install passive pick ups on it? Well first of all the passive mode has never worked on my sire meaning no volume at all in passive.It’s only been on active wich I don’t like. Is there a way to make it only passive?
Great question. Your pickups are already passive. It sounds like something is wrong with the preamp if the bypass isn't working. You could swap in a passive jazz control plate and run the pickups passively. You would need a loaded control plate, not new pickups. Hope that helps
@@LowEndLobster Awesome I think that’s it! thanks a lot for helping me solve this issue. Much love and support for the channel.
Wow, I'm definetely going to replace my pre amp in mine v7. I dont have a vintage one, but i do have a cheaper one. Could You please, do a video how to replace preamp? I totally dont know how to do this and if You have any advice for me, Id be pleased. Good video, as always :D
Thanks Mikolaj! The Sadowsky one is a drop in and they give very solid instructions. It comes with the control plate and everything, so it's simply a matter of unsoldering (or cutting and stripping the tips of the wires) of the pickups and battery connections, and adding them to the new preamp. A true "drop in"! The pickup connection areas are very well setup too, little notches that you rest the pickup wire in and solder over.
@@LowEndLobster if that's so, thank You!!!
You better order a V5, if you're looking for vintage tones!
Wow! Sounds killer now
Good job Lobster 💪🏿💪🏿
Now I realized that the 2 band preamp is much better than the 3 band preamp especially when you put it on a Jazz bass
I think once I bought the Fender Vintera 70's jazz bass I'm gonna install this preamp 😍
Thank EJ! Just know that you need the battery cavity for it, which the Sire has but Fender does not.
@@LowEndLobster right! Thank you for your feedback Lobster😊
Do you think this Pre Amp could do a good job in a SIRE P7 too? Thx! 😊
It would, but you'd have an extra hole on the pickguard for the 5th control (Sadowsky only has 4 pots with one stack) and the toggle switch. Great question!