Bart CBs vs Nordstrand DC5s?

[Jim Nazium]

Anybody compared them? How would you describe the difference in sound?

[Gard]

Very similar, frankly.

I like 'em both....

[JoelFT]

Originally Posted by Gard

Very similar, frankly.

I like 'em both....

Really? I always thought that my Nords sounded a little thinner than the Barts when in dual coil mode. However, single coil mode sounds better than most single coil pups, even Big Singles and Fat Stacks IMHO.

Now, could the reason why my Nords sound thin to me be because they are wired in parallel? Since I'm going to be popping the hood anyway can I rewire them in series?

[Gard]

Originally Posted by JoelFT

Really? I always thought that my Nords sounded a little thinner than the Barts when in dual coil mode. However, single coil mode sounds better than most single coil pups, even Big Singles and Fat Stacks IMHO.

Now, could the reason why my Nords sound thin to me be because they are wired in parallel? Since I'm going to be popping the hood anyway can I rewire them in series?

Yup, the ones we've always used were series, not parallel, so that's what I'm familiar with. As for rewiring, I would have to defer to the Nordie guys on that - not my department!

[JoelFT]

Ok, so mine are in series then. I always figured they were parallel due to the much lower output of DC verses SC modes.

[Gard]

Originally Posted by JoelFT

Ok, so mine are in series then. I always figured they were parallel due to the much lower output of DC verses SC modes.

Something is amiss - my DC's are louder in humbucking mode than they are in SC, significantly so, as a matter of fact.

Is this the "radio" bass?

...curiouser and curiouser...

[JoelFT]

Yep, same bass. I have three basses with coil tap switches in fact: SKB 3005, LG Standard JM and, a Simonetti with custom made DC's.

Both the SKB and Simonetti have lower output in DC mode than SC. I know for a fact that the Simonetti is wired parallel and, since the SKB sounded similar I just assumed that it was wired the same way.

The LG is the only one that SC mode is quieter than DC since the JM has that wonderful three way switch.

BTW, I feel I need to include some more acronyms and abbreviations because it doesn't look like I used enough so: HSI, ADI, RNAV RNP, LNAV, VNAV, ATTCS, FADEC and lastly GPWS.

[VroomVroom]

FWIW, on the Nord-equipped Roscoe SKB I owned for a brief while, the output was significantly louder in DC mode than in SC. Which was a drag, as I came to really enjoy the tone of the bass in SC-mode, just not all the noise.

APA FAA GNR TOP YYZ

[JoelFT]

Alright, I'm extremely embarrassed. Like I said before I always figured the higher output mode would be SC since that was the way my other custom built bass was. Nope, not with this one. Y'all are right and I'm wrong. The Nords have a higher output in DC mode. It took me poking the individual poles with a pocket knife to finally figure it out. I've owned this bass for six months and I'm just now figuring this out. Doh!!!

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by VroomVroom

FWIW, on the Nord-equipped Roscoe SKB I owned for a brief while, the output was significantly louder in DC mode than in SC. Which was a drag, as I came to really enjoy the tone of the bass in SC-mode, just not all the noise.

APA FAA GNR TOP YYZ

I have a similar issue with the dual coils (Duncans) in my MGS. I prefer the SC sound but don't like the buzz. Thankfully they are wired such that they noise cancel when running 50/50 mix and they sound great and are dead silent. But soloing a pup, not so much.

[maurilio]

Nordstrand has two different DC basic winding, a series and a parallel.

This is a good comprehensive write up:

http://nordstrandpickups.com/bass-pickups/signature/


M

[Ryan L.]

Originally Posted by Gard

Very similar, frankly.

I like 'em both....

That was my finding as well. So similar, in fact, that I wouldn't spend the extra $$ getting Nordstrands over the Bart CB's......