Cherry on the cake (NP4 content)!

**michele** · #1 07-02-2007, 07:50 AM

Guys,
since I came back from Japan with a brand new vintage white CIJ 62RI Precision bass I knew I was sold to P basses forever. Great bass at an incredible price but, you know, I had to do some upgrading.
For the eye's pleasure I changed the stock bridge, knobs and tuning machines with vintage nickel ones. I also changed the brownish tort pickguard it came with a red tort one.
As concerning sound it was OK but I experienced some hum expecially noticeable with the tone full open (I didn’t notice it through the Markbass amp at the shop BUT my Thunderfunk & Accugroove rig ... eh, that’s another story). So I upgraded the stock pots to CTS, gave the baby a full shielding treatment (control and pickup cavity) and put a Nordstrand NP4 pickup on it.
Let me say that I bought this pickup from Jay at Blueberryhill. Jay had just run out of Nordstrand pickups when I asked for a NP4 and he was clear about the fact that it would take one month to have his stock refilled. Since he was nice with me on another affair, no matter of the wait I decided to order from him.
After one month I received the pickup (perfectly packed) and let me say that this NP4 is a bomb!!!
First, the bass is dead quiet now and the sound, oh guys .... the sound... I remember a very nice ’75 P-bass I tried at a rehearsal many years ago ... you know, those blessed pieces that popped up once in a while. Well, now I have that sound again at my fingertips!
Full and deep, I could feel every plucked note in my guts. This pickup responds extremely well to different tecniques and hand positions. The thing that impress me the most is its definition (a godsend for the notes below A) and its eveness all along the entire fingerboard.
It’s not my first experience with Nordstrand pickups as I have a pair of NJ4SE in my CB, and those are nice too, but this NP4 is very, very impressive. So, thanks to Jay (and to Carey Nordstrand of course) I’ve found happiness on a 500 dollars bass!

nemo · #2 07-02-2007, 12:58 PM

Congrats to your new sound! I have seen a pics of your vintage white one, very classy.
I have a month new CIJ 62RI Precision too (in sunburst) and I am debating between NP4 and Fender Original. These Nordies seem to get very positive reviews from everybody who installed them. Very tempting..

Quote:

I’ve found happiness on a 500 dollars bass!

Yes, I think we are onto something.. can't wait to upgrade mine..

::::BASSIST:::: · #3 07-02-2007, 01:19 PM

I just got a set of NP4s I'm waiting to install on a project P. Never heard them. Dont know what to expect. I bought them on the sheer extreme positive reaction TBers have given it.

We shall see.

PilbaraBass · #4 07-02-2007, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VEGANBASS

I just got a set of NP4s I'm waiting to install on a project P. Never heard them. Dont know what to expect. I bought them on the sheer extreme positive reaction TBers have given it.

We shall see.

dude,

there's a thread on here where Remo is showing off his new NP4 and NJ4SE P/J mod...some really great clips of the NP4 on here from two different basses...

check it out:

Nordstrand NP4 and NJ4SE Fender Hwy1 PJ -=with soundclips=-