Sadowsky MetroExpress 5-21 Hybrid BK 4-stars Reviews

My Thoughts

Well, there’s a reason this RSD Metroexpress bass is some £2000 cheaper that a Metroline but after a month of owning one I find it an absolute joy to play. Apart from the headstock decal it looks every bit a standard Sadowsky. It’s very light compared to my Fender Jazz and so I don’t get any shoulder fatigue, the neck though quite wide is not thick so my short sausage fingers have no issues reaching all the notes on every string and with the body being a fraction smaller than a fender it just seems to fit against my body so much nicer weather I’m sitting or standing.

There are some issues though, which is where the cost difference lies. I found that the fret ends throughout the whole neck needed to be dressed they were just to sharp really to play comfortably so additional cost there to address. There’s a big difference in volume between active and passive function which I believe the Sadowsky pre-amp upgrade addresses this but again at additional cost. The neck is finished in a very smooth satin lacquer which allows for effortless movement up and down the neck but the face of the fretboard it’s self is completely untreated so after time I can see dirt and grime bedding in. The pickguard doesn’t fit the shape of the lower horn. It’s a miner thing to be honest but once you’ve seen it, you’ll always see it along with the Adjuster Nut, it doesn’t line up properly so sticks out a tiny bit (mm or so) one side and inset the other and the dots on fret’s 3, 5 & 7 don’t fully line up with the middle “A” string.

Every time I pick this Bass up, I have a big grin on my face I just can’t stop playing it. I’ve had the frets dressed so there’s no issue with them now. I feel right at home with it and it’s so effortless to play. I do plan to make a pre-amp and pick-up upgrade so if you are like me and can overlook the minor cosmetic issues and willing to spend a bit extra you could also have a Metroexpress that plays and sounds just like a Metroline at less than half the price.