The NYC Modern 5-String Bass by Sadowsky

The Sadowsky NYC Modern 5-String Bass by Sadowsky Guitars is a high-end, custom-built instrument crafted in New York for professional players. It combines a sleek, ergonomic body with lightweight tonewoods, offering excellent balance and comfort during long performances. Tonally, it is known for its hi-fi clarity, tight low end, and smooth highs, enhanced by Sadowsky’s renowned onboard preamp system. The bass features modern appointments like hum-cancelling pickups and active EQ, making it extremely versatile across genres from jazz to funk and pop. Each instrument is typically built to order, allowing for extensive customization in woods, finishes, and electronics. Overall, it represents boutique-level craftsmanship and is widely regarded as a studio and stage standard among top-tier bassists.

Specs:

• Body: Swamp Ash, Alder, or Okoume (often chambered)
• Neck: Maple (often with graphite reinforcement rods)
• Fingerboard: Maple, Rosewood, or Ebony
• Scale Length: 34"
• Nut Width (5-string): ~1.75"–1.875" (44.5–47.6 mm)
• Fingerboard Radius: ~12"
• Frets: 21 (nickel/silver)
• Pickups: Sadowsky Single Coil or Hum-Cancelling J / Soapbar options
• Electronics: Active Sadowsky preamp (bass & treble boost) + passive tone (VTC) with bypass
• Controls: Master Volume, Pickup Blend, Tone (VTC), Bass Boost, Treble Boost
• Bridge: Sadowsky custom quick-release bridge
• Tuners: Hipshot or Gotoh lightweight tuners
• String Spacing: ~19 mm (5-string)
• Made in: New York City, USA (custom shop)