NBD: Sandberg Electra VS4

tubatodd

tubatodd

Supporting Member
Oct 31, 2004
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Birmingham, AL
#1
Even though I've bought basses and perhaps posted some pictures here and there, I haven't done a proper New Bass Day thread in a while. So....here it goes.

Two weeks ago I acquired this beauty. It's my second Sandberg Electra VS4. I now have the 2019 black w/ maple finger board and the 2021 cream with rosewood fingerboard. These are fantastic instruments. They are very light, sound great and are super comfortable.

I've never had a cream colored bass before. It has a cool retro feel to it. Something abou the color makes me feel like I'm playing something old, but it is very much brand new.
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#3
CallMeAl said:
That’s gorgeous, love the color!

How do you like the active electronics? And does that really have a 37mm nut??
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The neck is VERY comfortable. It's not skinny like a jazz neck but not fat either. The active electronics are good. I gigged my black one a few weeks ago at an outdoor venue. It was an absolute pleasure to play. Had to order another one!
 
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#9
I have that exact model. The neck is really nice and it plays very well. They are difficult to buy as I've only seen them recently advertised since I bought mine at CME about 2 years ago. The pre-amp is 2-band bass and treble. I don't care for preamp that much as the bass control is too low and the treble is very strident and brash. Mine is an early model without the passive control. About 8 1/2 lbs and plays as good as any US Fender IMO.

hyoshim said:
I have a Jazz version and I upgraded the preamp to make it passive/active. It is a great bass.
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I also have the J version. What preamp did you use as a replacement?
 
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#11
CallMeAl said:
Well, I appreciate the post. Had only ever seen the California basses and written off Sandberg as out of budget. But the Electras seem pretty affordable. Would love to check one out sometime.
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I got a great deal on mine from Music Store Live. They have a black with rosewood board model left on their site as well as the jazz version in cream.
 
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#12
Jim C said:
I have that exact model. The neck is really nice and it plays very well. They are difficult to buy as I've only seen them recently advertised since I bought mine at CME about 2 years ago. The pre-amp is 2-band bass and treble. I don't care for preamp that much as the bass control is too low and the treble is very strident and brash. Mine is an early model without the passive control. About 8 1/2 lbs and plays as good as any US Fender IMO.


I also have the J version. What preamp did you use as a replacement?
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Not too many places carry these in the US. When I bought my black one in 2019, it was the only one I saw for sale in the states. Got it from Chicago music exchange.
 
#14
Jim C said:
I have that exact model. The neck is really nice and it plays very well. They are difficult to buy as I've only seen them recently advertised since I bought mine at CME about 2 years ago. The pre-amp is 2-band bass and treble. I don't care for preamp that much as the bass control is too low and the treble is very strident and brash. Mine is an early model without the passive control. About 8 1/2 lbs and plays as good as any US Fender IMO.


I also have the J version. What preamp did you use as a replacement?
Click to expand...
I installed Glockenkland 2 band stacked bass/treble. Mine was also the active-only model which I didn't care for .
 
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#15
tubatodd said:
Not too many places carry these in the US. When I bought my black one in 2019, it was the only one I saw for sale in the states. Got it from Chicago music exchange.
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Check The Bass Place in Arizona. They’ve moved to a mostly online business model. Super cool people. I stopped by when i was in AZ recently and got to check out a GORGEOUS tobacco burst Electra VS4. I’ve been trying to justify bringing home another axe ever since.
 
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#16
I had a 2014 VS4 (the body was much closer to Fender than it is now) up until last month. Loved it to death, turned me onto zero frets... but the lack of passive tone control was neutering to say the least. I wasn't into the active sound either, played it almost exclusively passive. I do miss it, though. Probably not "the one that got away," but dang was it nice.
 
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#17
tubatodd said:
Even though I've bought basses and perhaps posted some pictures here and there, I haven't done a proper New Bass Day thread in a while. So....here it goes.

Two weeks ago I acquired this beauty. It's my second Sandberg Electra VS4. I now have the 2019 black w/ maple finger board and the 2021 cream with rosewood fingerboard. These are fantastic instruments. They are very light, sound great and are super comfortable.

I've never had a cream colored bass before. It has a cool retro feel to it. Something abou the color makes me feel like I'm playing something old, but it is very much brand new.
View attachment 4459042 View attachment 4459043 View attachment 4459044 View attachment 4459045
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I've seen the cream with maple fingerboard on sale here in the UK, a bit cheaper than the newer version with the rosewood fingerboard. When you compare the two is there much of a difference between them?
 
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