I've put in an order for a custom Sandberg.
I'm going for a 30 inch shortscale - the VS4 Lionel, but as per my obsession with weight it's going to be made to Superlight specs with a paulownia body and Norwegian maple neck. Rosewood board with abalone dots
Should end up a bit like this
Sandberg P pickups tend to be on the bright side so I am anticipating swapping the pickup to an Aguilar 60s wind with 250K pots. It's a lot cheaper if I do that rather than getting Sandberg to do it. And there's a chance I may like the stock ones when it gets here.
Over the last few years Sandberg have really had their sales numbers go through the roof so the waiting time is now about 12 months.
I'm looking forward to it!
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I can say in all honesty though that I couldn't wait that long for an instrument ....
The colour choices in the shops are the choice of the shops. They put in orders for stock and never seem to want to take the risk.
Sandberg will do any colour you like, but the online configurator is a bit more limited. But any dealer can get a full quote.
Bass Direct and Classic & Cool Guitars seem to get the most in the UK.
Thomann get quite a few too.
Bass Direct do seem to re-order pretty much the same thing over and over again so I suspect that's what they think sells.
Classic & Cool have a bit more variety - their guy seems to take a few more risks.
https://soundcertified.com/speaker-ohms-calculator/
They've not built a Superlight Lionel before so it was a custom order or not have one! Delivery should match up with my 50th birthday so that will be cool.
I agree about the relics - Sandberg do it better than anyone else. When the mighty Fodera wanted to duplicate Victor Wooten's Monarch bass complete with all the wear on it, they went to Sandberg for the relic process. That's a great endorsement for a £25,000 instrument!
https://soundcertified.com/speaker-ohms-calculator/
https://configurator.sandberg-guitars.de/
https://soundcertified.com/speaker-ohms-calculator/
I don't want to ask for a custom-ordered one because:
a) Most importantly, I'm not sure I even want one just yet- they're a bit dear considering I haven't tried them, and I'm not really sure what spec I would want anyway!
b) Like you, I'm a bit wary about weight... but I'm also not sure about those superlight ones. Based on the ones I've seen weighed, it does seem possible to get one which (I think!) would be light enough for me without having to go down the superlight route, but to be sure I'd need to take a stock one which had already been weighed.
c) The wait... I'm kind of thinking I'd like to try a 5-string, and getting one sooner rather than later will presumably be a better idea in terms of getting to practise it etc..
https://bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/Sandberg_TM5_Superlight_Black.html
I already have a Superlight - a TT4 (jazz) and it's lovely. It's my main bass. I wasn't a fan of the original pickups so I swapped them. It's a very articulate sounding bass. Very clear piano type tone. Balance is perfect. I'm very happy with it. It's currently got Ti flats on it as the last thing I need in a Big Band is any zing!
BD have also got a couple of other normal 5 strings in. Always take BD's weights with a pinch of salt and ask them to check. They are a bit wrong sometimes. Or they swap the bass image for a new one and forget to update the description. They really need a website update.
Sandberg's IG account has far more interesting colours and specs than Bass Direct ever stock! They'll even do 32 inch scale versions of all their basses. That's not on the configurator either. The additional money is the same as wanting 35 inch instead of 34.
I love them. If I had more money I'd order the new California Central bass too - their 'tribute' to the stingray.... and a 32 inch 5 string... and....
https://soundcertified.com/speaker-ohms-calculator/
The ones I play are no heavier than 7.5lb. The others are on sale!
https://soundcertified.com/speaker-ohms-calculator/
That looks killer.
Yeah I saw that TM5 superlight, but it's another variation on black! I'm just not sure about the superlights... I'm a bit worried about the tone if it's so light. Also, being superficial, I don't think it looks as good as ash! But they are seriously lightweight... like, lighter than most of my guitars!
What pickups did your TT have?
It had Sandberg Black Label stacked humbuckers.
It now has EMG-J and an EMG preamp.
https://soundcertified.com/speaker-ohms-calculator/
For J pickups I fell in love with the EMGs when I say that Bobby Vega put some in his 1960s jazz and I thought it sounded amazing. The original J EMG versions were designed to sound like Leo's originals, just without the hum. So the output is actually a little lower than the Black Labels but I like the tone more.
https://soundcertified.com/speaker-ohms-calculator/
https://soundcertified.com/speaker-ohms-calculator/
GuitarGuitar will sometimes.
Andertons refuse completely even for very expensive basses and just say it can be returned if it's not right.
https://soundcertified.com/speaker-ohms-calculator/