Coil tap for Nordstrand Fat stacks

Lazy1 · #1 02-01-2008, 11:08 PM

I"ve recently installed a set of fat stacks with a coil tap to switch between single mode and hum cancelling. I've heard the tone is supposed to be different but I've tried it out a few times and am unable to distinguish any noticeable difference in tone at all. Is the difference supposed to be very subtle? Anyone have any experience with this setup? I'm running the fat stacks into a Aguilar OBP-3 preamp with an active/passive switch as well.

MaHei · #2 02-01-2008, 11:37 PM

I have the coil taps on my Fat Stacks and there is a distinct difference. The single coil position sounds more open, bolder and has the single coil hum. Humbucking position is a bit darker and smoother.

Make sure you play through a decent amp. At higher volumes the differences are not at all subtle.

Lazy1 · #3 02-01-2008, 11:42 PM

I was playing through a decent amp tonight, really loud and didn't notice a difference at all. I better call the guy who did the install, he must've made a mistake. Thanks for the input.

MaHei · #4 02-02-2008, 05:31 AM

If you have an old TV or monitor, play next to it and listen for single coil hum. There should be an obvious difference in single coil and humbucking mode.

Lazy1 · #5 02-03-2008, 10:16 AM

Well, talked to the guitar tech the other day, he was telling me he rewired that part 9 times because he couldn't hear a difference neither, than he dropped a screwdriver across the poles and could notice the 60 cycle hum. I tried what you said, and the screwdriver thing, the difference is ever so slight, I mean really hard to notice. He was saying that if the windings on each coil are close to the same there might not be that big a difference tonally...I mean at jam the amp I'm using is pretty big, was loud, didn't really notice the hum, odd.

MaHei · #6 02-03-2008, 12:30 PM

Don't know what else you could try, except downloading a wiring diagram an checking for yourself. On my bass the single coil mode is perceivably louder and has more upper mids. Good luck.

cybersnyder · #7 02-03-2008, 01:20 PM

Is it possible that you have Big Splits instead of Fat Stacks? I'm not sure how the wiring looks on either. Did you buy these from a retailer or second hand?

Hollow Man · #8 02-03-2008, 01:29 PM

Another confirmation that the FatStack in single coil is very noticably different from a FatStack in noisecancelling mode. You WILL notice a difference when it's done correctly.

**smperry** · #9 02-03-2008, 03:40 PM

+1 to the above. If nothing else, the volume change in single coil mode is very noticeable...but you should hear a tone change too.

Marshall

NorCal Dog · #10 02-03-2008, 06:16 PM

there is a distinct difference in tone on my Fat Stacks, & i shielded all the cavities & star grounded everything & get virtually no 60cycle hum when i hit the tap

Lazy1 · #11 02-09-2008, 08:54 AM

There definitely fat stacks, bought em new off of best bass gear. I was talking to a tech about it the other day, and he was saying it would depend on whether it was a split install or a parallel install? He explained it to me but I can't remember all the details. One way would have the 60 cycle hum and the other would not....I'm going to have him look at it

maurilio · #12 02-09-2008, 02:20 PM

Hi,
I'm sorry, but for what you are saying, looks like your "tech" have no clue of how a "FatStack" works.
You have noise (hum) only if the pups are in single mode and if you dial in one of the coil (more bridge pup or neck pup). When both coil are blended they are humcan.
You should have three wires from the pups. Black is ground, White is hot and Red (or Purple) is the coil tap. When you ground the Red (purple) you are shortening to ground the bottom coil.
Hope it makes sense.
Call Carey at the shop. He'll help you out.

Best

M

azzyrazzy · #13 02-09-2008, 02:34 PM

Hey. I got them, should sound different. Get them rewired

nubs · #14 02-09-2008, 02:35 PM

i don't want to hyjack the thread but since both types were mentioned can someone give me a simple sound differance and explaination how the two differ, big singles vs. fat stacks. i am going to mod my 5501 and have decided on Nordies but not which ones. help me out here.

MaHei · #15 02-10-2008, 01:04 AM

I have both and you can't go wrong with either. For me it all boils down to single coil versus humbucker. With the FatS and a coil tap you can have your cake and eat it too, of course. However, since installing the FatS with coil tap I have discovered that I leave them in sincle coil mode all the time, so I might as well have gone with the BigS.

If you know you are a single coil person, go with the BigS, if you are uncertain or want to avoid single coil hum, go with the FatS.

I think NorCalDog has both as well, let's see if he chimes in.

Lazy1 · #16 02-10-2008, 02:04 PM

Well, brought it into the shop yesterday. Different tech than the one that did the install. Found the problem in 5 minutes. The push pull pot wasn't grounded properly. The pot was grounded but not the connection itself. He added a wire and voila, problem solved. The tap does make a noticeable difference in sound. Thanks for the input guys.

maurilio · #17 02-10-2008, 02:26 PM

Great!
I hope you don't take your instruments at the GuitarCenter for repair!

Enjoy your FatS

M