Sandberg Basses Black Forty Eight

Sandberg Black Forty Eight

Sandberg’s Forty Eight

This is the Forty Eight from Sandberg, out of Braunschweig, Germany. It weighs 4.1 kilos, and I would say you notice it on stage before you play a single note.

For example, you get black high gloss with cream binding and an Explorer-meets-Thunderbird shape. In addition, it has a pair of Sandberg’s most aggressive pickups. Therefore, if you’re tired of blending in, start here.

Born from a collaboration

The Forty Eight came out of a collaboration between Sandberg founder Holger Stonjek and Marc Najjar from Chicago Music Exchange. The idea was simple. Basically, take the look of Gibson’s classic ’50s and ’60s designs and fix everything that made them frustrating to actually play.

For instance, think neck dive, poor upper-fret access and inconsistent build quality. In other words, all the things that made vintage Thunderbirds as annoying as they were cool, right?

Sandberg took that blueprint back to their workshop in Braunschweig. As a result, they built something that looks just as rebellious but plays like a proper modern bass.

Alder and Rosewood - A Powerful Combination

Alder body

The alder body gives you the balanced, full-range foundation that’s made it the go-to tone wood for decades. Moreover, there’s a natural sweetness in the midrange, which keeps things musical when you push hard.

At the same time, the low end is solid without being overbearing. In fact, alder doesn’t colour the sound too much in any direction. Instead, it lets the pickups and the player define the character.

Rosewood fretboard

The rosewood fretboard adds warmth and depth. Specifically, rosewood naturally rounds off the high end. Furthermore, it softens the attack just enough to keep things musical, even when you dig in hard.

Indeed, it’s a classic pairing with alder. Whereas the body gives you a balanced, clear foundation, the fretboard adds that rich, woody character on top. As a result, this bass can growl and bark, but it never sounds harsh or brittle. For me personally, on a bass that looks this loud, that’s a welcome balance.

Six-bolt maple neck

The Canadian Hard Rock maple neck is bolted on with six bolts for stability and sustain. Furthermore, Sandberg use the same neck profile and construction across the California and Forty Eight series.

Therefore, if you’ve played any Sandberg, you know how good this feels. In short, it’s slim, fast and consistent from the first fret to the twenty-second.

Pickups That Hit Hard

Reverse split-coil

Under the metal covers you have a Sandberg reverse split-coil in the neck position and a Sandberg Power Humbucker at the bridge.

The split-coil is mounted in reverse. Consequently, the lower strings get their poles closer to the bridge, which means a tighter, more defined bottom end. Meanwhile, the higher strings get a fuller, rounder sound closer to the neck.

It’s the same clever design you find in Sandberg’s California VM series. Moreover, it solves the muddy B-string problem that so many basses have.

Power Humbucker

The Power Humbucker at the bridge is the aggressive one. For example, solo it and you get a barky, growling midrange that cuts through a loud band mix. In contrast, blend both pickups and you get a focused, slightly scooped tone with serious punch.

2-band preamp

The Sandberg 2-band EQ preamp gives you boost and cut on bass and treble. However, pull up the volume knob and you’re in passive mode.

In other words, you get instant vintage warmth, with the treble knob working as a traditional tone control. Basically, it’s a lot more versatile than it looks. Consequently, it covers everything from old-school thump to modern, hi-fi clarity.

Built to Play, Built to Last

No neck dive

Despite the wild shape, the Forty Eight balances really well. In fact, Sandberg solved the neck dive problem of the vintage designs it draws from. Who hasn’t struggled with that?

For example, the lightweight aluminium tuners, redesigned body contours and deeper neck pocket all work together. As a result, the bass stays stable whether you’re standing or sitting.

Cream binding, black gloss

Meanwhile, the cream binding along the body edges and headstock adds a touch of class to the rock-and-roll attitude. Likewise, the black high gloss finish is deep and flawless.

What’s not to like?

This is a bass for players who want to stand out. For instance, maybe you’re fronting a rock band, playing in a metal act, or you just want a bass that gets noticed. Either way, the Forty Eight delivers, both in looks and in sound. Finally, it’s handmade in Germany with the build quality and attention to detail Sandberg is known for. So, what’s not to like?