Fender Am Std P5 Nordy P & Big Split

[BFunk]

I have a 2012 Fender American Std Precision V with a Nordstrand P pup. I am getting a Nordstrand Big Split 5 in a couple of days. (It was shipped a lot sooner than I expected. Yeah!!) I will be installing it in the bridge position. My intention is to set up the controls like on a Fender Tony Franklin Precision bass. In other words volume, tone, and a 3-way switch that selects P/P+J/J. As you can see this configuration offers no blending options. I have found blending on a P/J configuration to be less than ideal. IMO, because of the way the pickups interact, you don't as much variation as expected. Plus I find the switch is better for quick changes between song parts, or the occasional solo.

First question: Where should the pickup be located? The 60's jazz position? The 70's position? Something else?

Second question: Do the issues I describe for a P/J setup apply to the Big Split? I realize that I am comparing a single coil to a humbucker, so my assumptions may be off balance.

[Stone Soup]

Why don't you do VVT with the switch? That's the way I would handle it. Now you have additional options that do make a difference (I like the addition of some bite to the P without having the J at equal volume). You're going to route for the big split, anyway. Have the tech drill to reposition the jack on the side of the body.

Pickup position whould depend on whether you want more bite or more body, I suppose.

["Q"]

Originally Posted by BFunk

First question: Where should the pickup be located? The 60's jazz position? The 70's position? Something else?

Second question: Do the issues I describe for a P/J setup apply to the Big Split? I realize that I am comparing a single coil to a humbucker, so my assumptions may be off balance.

If you're a fan of mids at all I would go with the 60's position. Mids near the bridge can be really "cranky" sounding.

Even different Jazz pickups can be wildly different in a P/J setup. I'd route and install the pickup and just use the standard two vols and a master tone and see what it does. That way you have a better idea of what's going on if you still need to change things.

[BFunk]

I would love to get more feedback from folks that are familiar with these pickups please.

[Alivefor5]

I have put the Nordstrand P5 and the Nordstrand Bigsplit 5 in my 2012 P5. I used the 70's J bridge placement. The pickups are well matched in output. I used V/V/T for the controls and added a side jack. I used a mini 250K pot with .022mf cap for tone and did not have to route the control cavity.

I was after an aggressive "in your face" tone for a classic rock band and this bass delivers. It has it's own sound somewhere between a stingray and an 18v J deluxe.
I use mostly the J pup with a little of the P for more bottom. Lots of variation with the
two pups and with right hand placement.

Notes: I've had two of these basses and been unhappy with both. Bland non-P sound and B string that I could not intonate well with the bridge. I traded the first one quickly but this one has a great neck and I like the color. The Nordstrand P versus the stock P helped alot but things still were not right. I ended up moving the bridge back 5/32" and
get much better intonation and the super strong Nordstrand bridge got the sound.
I did this work myself.

[BFunk]

Thanks for the input.

[BFunk]

How well did the pickups blend? Did you find a wide variety of sounds or was it more like an on-off switch?

[Alivefor5]

They blend really well together. No on and off, lots of variation. Pups are well
matched for this application.

I can't get my photobucket pic to come up. What am I doing wrong?