I dislike the tone and output of th EMG-HZs on my Schecter Stiletto Elite. Right now, I'm looking at Nordstrand Dual Coils or Fatstacks, but both of those are pretty expensive. I'm also looking at a pair of Delano SBC4 HE/Ss, but I can't find pricing for them. Also, I'm looking at some Kent Armstrong soapbars, some Seymour Duncan Phase II soapbars (The cheapest of them all) and some EMG 35Js. Everywhere I go, the tone description of these has been annoyingly vague and I was wondering if you guys could suggest a pair.

I've ordered a pair of the ssb phase 2 passive pickups but they haven't arrived .. SD emailed me saying that their most literal description is a hot warm jazz pickup

there are heaps of descriptions and sound clips around for the nordstrands go look on their forum (I was going to get fat stacks but decided against as I woud have zero chance of on selling as my bass has such narrow string spacing ..

good luck

If it helps, I want a tone similar to an MM Sterling.

If it helps, I want a tone similar to an MM Sterling.

IMHO a big part of the sterling sound is the bass itself, the woods, the neck and the construction.
It is very hard to get a sterling sound by just replacing the pickups.

The Sterling, Stingray and the Rickenbacker are example of basses that are very hard to recreate the sound of in other bodies by just replacing the pickups.

Of the six I mentioned, I'm leaning towards the Nordstrand Dual coils, the Kent Armstrongs and the EMG 35Js. Anyone have any experience with these?

I too am unhappy with the EMG HZ pups in my Shecter. I am considering the Nordy's but that investment won't happen til next year if I dont sell the guitar. One wonders if it is the pups or the mahogany body wings that suck the soul out of the tone. The way this bass is constructed, I cant believe how the tone is so souless. SD SSB's are also of interest to me and far cheaper. I love the SD's in my P-Bass. I cant say I have ever liked any EMG pup's.