Sandberg California TM2 5-string Bass in Matt Blackburst

Only the best is good enough for Sandberg, so when it comes to their guitars and basses you know that you're not paying for "just another instrument", you're actually making a sound financial investment in something that has been painstakingly handcrafted and so exclusively unique that you will likely never see anyone else play the same one.

Don't believe me? Head on over to the Sandberg website and play around with their "Configurator" - this allows you to see just how many different configurations that you can come up with, and that's not even including the highly personalised custom services they offer!

Sonically Versatile and Supremely Comfortable to Play

Now that I've waxed lyrical about how wonderful Sandberg is as a company, let's take a look at this bass in particular. The Sandberg California TM2 series borrows elements from a few classic bass guitars: the general body shape is instantly recognisable to anyone familiar with a certain Jazz Bass, the pickups are reminiscent of a twin-humbucker Stingray, etc., but whilst this might be the case the guitar still manages to retain an air of uniqueness.

High-Grade Electronics

Featuring Sandberg's very own Powerhumbucker double coil pickups, the California TM2 range is a veritable powerhouse on stage. The incredible split-coil technology housed in these humbuckers allows you to change their functionality to Single Coil mode at the push of a button, with the three way selector switch granting you even more versatility - cause the ground to shake with those deep, throaty humbucker sounds, or break out the funk with bright, twangy spank in single coil mode.

Sandberg 2-band Preamp

The preamp circuitry on the California TM5 is simply perfect for the modern bassplayer. What initially looks like a standard setup has a clever little surprise in store, in the shape of a push/pull Volume control knob that allows you to set the preamp to Active or Passive.

Next to the Volume control you have the Balance control, which acts as a nice pickup selector "Blend" option, where you can determine the level of each pickup in the mix (centre position has both pickups running at 100%, or turn the control in the direction of the pickup you want to be at the forefront to make it so).

The Treble control allows you to e3ither boost the Treble or cut the tone, which works even in passive mode! And finally there's the Bass control, which works in the same way as the Treble control (without the passive cut) but for your low-end frequencies. Exciting stuff!

That 5th String

With versatility being the key factor of choice for most modern-day bassists, the addition of an extra string adds a whole new layer of desire to an instrument. The extra string - a Low B, tuned a 4th lower than the E string - adds an extra dimension to your playing and allows you to easily reach notes that you'd otherwise have to downtune to access.

Play it for hours, and hours, and hours...

With the ergonomic and solidly constructed chassis, this guitar is most certainly one that you could grace a stage with. The curvature of this relatively lightweight body rests comfortably against you as you play, making even the longest of shows and studio sessions pass by that bit quicker. Add that to the perfect sounding tonal spectrum supplied by the solid wood body and awesome electronics system, and you will fast be running out of reasons NOT to buy it.

Having been lucky enough to have played Sandberg basses in the past, I can honestly say that you will be pushed to find anything better within the same price range. They're comfortable to play, produce incredible tones, and feel every inch the professional instrument.

Contact our sales team directly if you have any questions regarding out range of delivery options available.

Technical Specs

• Neck: 6 x Bolted, Canadian Hardrock Maple
• Fretboard: Ebony, 22 Frets, Abalone Dot Inlays
• Scale: 35"
• # of Strings: 5
• Body: European Ash
• Finish: Matt, Blackburst, Matching Headstock
• Hardware: Sandberg, Black
• Pickups: 2 x Sandberg Powerhumbuckers (with Split Coil Function)
• Preamp: Sandberg 2-band EQ, Active/Passive Switch