Sandberg Basses TM4 SL Matt Red Burst (Super Light Weight)

Sandberg TM4 SL Matt Red Burst ( Super Light Weight)

Under three kilos. Let that sink in. At just 2.89 kg, the Sandberg California TM4 SuperLight in Matt Red Burst weighs less than most laptop bags – and it sounds like a full-sized, full-bodied bass. If you’ve ever suffered through a four-hour gig with a nine-pound slab hanging off your shoulder, this is the bass that fixes that problem without compromising on tone.

The SuperLight Concept

Sandberg’s SuperLight series was built around a simple question: how light can a bass be before it stops sounding like a proper instrument? The answer turned out to be surprisingly light. By swapping the traditional alder or ash body for Paulownia – one of the lightest tonewoods available – Sandberg created a bass that redefines what’s possible in terms of weight-to-tone ratio.

Paulownia is not just “cheap light wood.” It’s a tonewood with a character all its own – often described as sitting somewhere between basswood and alder in terms of frequency response. It delivers a balanced, full-range sound with excellent sustain and a natural warmth that belies its featherweight construction. When you pick up this bass, your brain tells you it can’t possibly sound serious. Then you plug it in, and it does.

Pau Ferro Fretboard – The Balanced Middle Ground

The maple neck paired with a Pau Ferro fretboard brings clarity and definition to the Paulownia body’s warm foundation. Pau Ferro sits tonally between maple and rosewood – brighter and more articulate than rosewood, warmer and smoother than maple. On a SuperLight bass, that balanced character is ideal. It adds enough top-end definition and attack to keep notes sharp and present, without adding brightness that could sound thin on a lighter body.

The matte finish on the Red Burst body and neck means zero lacquer grab – just smooth, fast wood under your hands. The Red Burst coloring transitions beautifully from dark edges to a warm red center, giving the bass a vintage-inspired look that’s understated and classy.

Don’t let the light weight fool you into thinking this is a compromise instrument. The TM4 SL carries Sandberg’s Black Label pickup set – a T-style single-coil in the middle position and an M-style humbucker at the bridge. These are the same aggressive, articulate pickups found in Sandberg’s Nighthawk and signature models.

The single-coil delivers a transparent, focused tone with classic jazz bass character. The bridge humbucker adds thickness, grunt, and power. Blend them together for a wide range of voices, and use the split switch to tap the humbucker into single-coil mode for even more tonal options. The Sandberg 2-band EQ preamp with push-pull active/passive switching gives you all the tone-shaping tools you need – from vintage passive warmth to modern active precision.

Your Back Will Thank You

This is a bass for players who take playing comfort seriously. Whether you’re a gigging musician who does three-hour sets, a session player who spends all day in the studio, a player with back or shoulder issues, or a guitarist who doubles on bass and wants something that doesn’t feel like strapping on a boat anchor – the SuperLight delivers everything you need at a fraction of the weight.

At Bass Buddha, we believe the SuperLight series is one of Sandberg’s great offerings. It’s not a toy, it’s not a travel bass. It’s a legitimate, professional-grade instrument that happens to weigh almost nothing. German craftsmanship, Black Label electronics, and the freedom to play all night without fatigue.