Sadowsky Releases 3-Knob Onboard Bass Preamp

TalkBass

TalkBass

News Poster
Mar 12, 2004
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#1
Long Island City, NY— It's never been easier to get that Sadowsky sound!

For the first time, our preamp is available as a prewired drop-in for J style basses WITHOUT a side jack. No soldering required for installation.

The Sadowsky 3-knob Onboard Bass Preamp is a completely prewired system offering the same preamp as all Sadowsky Basses.

It has been designed for minimally invasive installation on most J-bass style instruments. The only modification required is a battery compartment, which can be hidden under a pickguard or routed in the back of the instrument.

Sadowsky Onboard 3-Knob Preamp.jpg


The 3-knob Onboard Bass Preamp can be installed with the included control plate or easily transferred to another control plate or pickguard or installed in a rear control cavity.

Controls are vol/pan/treble-bass. Pulling up on the volume control bypasses the preamp for passive operation.

The Sadowsky 3-knob Onboard Bass Preamp is available now direct for $259.

For more info, check out the Sadowsky Website: https://sadowsky.com/product/sadowsky-onboard-bass-preamp-3-knob/

Watch a video of Roger Sadowsky explain the preamp:

Sadowsky Onboard Bass Preamp Specs:

  • Frequency Response: 5Hz-20.9kHz
  • Power Source: 9V Batter
  • Battery Life: 870 Hours
  • Bass Control: +/- 13dB Boost @ 40Hz
  • Treble Control: +/- 13dB Boost @ 4kHz
  • Total Harmonic Distortion: 0.18% @ 1kHz
  • Output Impedance: 1K Ohm
 
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#2
Here's the thing: I put a set of SD Active EQ pups into a Jazz back in '93. That also required a rout for a 9V battery (or cell, if you want to be pedantic). Why is the 9V the same size as it was when it was invented back in the lat '60s, FFS??
 
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#3
stacker said:
Here's the thing: I put a set of SD Active EQ pups into a Jazz back in '93. That also required a rout for a 9V battery (or cell, if you want to be pedantic). Why is the 9V the same size as it was when it was invented back in the lat '60s, FFS??
Click to expand...

Backward compatibility and a huge installed base. Plus, it seems to do its job well enough that there's little incentive to change?
 
#4
Hmmmm.....I think I might be saving up for one of these. I have a three-hole rear routed Jazz that would probably be amazing with this pre-amp. I'm not sure right now of the spacing of my controls. How much slack is there between pots if they were removed from the control plate?
 
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#5
ThudThudThud said:
Hmmmm.....I think I might be saving up for one of these. I have a three-hole rear routed Jazz that would probably be amazing with this pre-amp. I'm not sure right now of the spacing of my controls. How much slack is there between pots if they were removed from the control plate?
Click to expand...

There's probably not much room to mess around, if your bass doesn't have long shaft pots then you should be just fine taking the control plate off, but if it does then don't bother with this.
 
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#6
Jake Kinsch said:
There's probably not much room to mess around, if your bass doesn't have long shaft pots then you should be just fine taking the control plate off, but if it does then don't bother with this.
Click to expand...
The shaft length isn't an issue. The distance between the pots is. I don't have a standard layout on my pots as they are parallel to the strings, and slightly farther apart than standard. If I'm removing from the provided control plate I want to be sure there's some slack there to bridge the gap.
 
#8
IMG_2326.JPG
ThudThudThud said:
Hmmmm.....I think I might be saving up for one of these. I have a three-hole rear routed Jazz that would probably be amazing with this pre-amp. I'm not sure right now of the spacing of my controls. How much slack is there between pots if they were removed from the control plate?
Click to expand...

There is enough slack to accommodate most jazz type basses if you take the preamp off of the plate.
 
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#10
I have a 77 jazz I'd be interested in installing if it would fit with no routing.
Is there an option to add the vintage tone control?
Is the dual coil 60/70 bridge pickup going to be available to install in my UV70 5 bass?

Nice work Roger!
 
#11
kerrycares said:
I have a 77 jazz I'd be interested in installing if it would fit with no routing.
Is there an option to add the vintage tone control?
Is the dual coil 60/70 bridge pickup going to be available to install in my UV70 5 bass?

Nice work Roger!
Click to expand...

You most likely need to route for a battery box or for a battery under the pickguard. The 60/70 pickup is. It available for retrofit, only new basses. It's narrower than a standard pickup and won't cover the route.
 
#12
deepestend said:
You most likely need to route for a battery box or for a battery under the pickguard. The 60/70 pickup is. It available for retrofit, only new basses. It's narrower than a standard pickup and won't cover the route.
Click to expand...

I think a few words were omitted.
Is the preamp available with a vintage tone maybe in a stack knob?
It sounds like the 60/70 pickup is available but only on new basses.
Not trying to be funny, just accurate.
I may be tempted to order a 60/70 5 string.
 
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