Nordstrand Big Singles and Audere Classic 4-Band - it's a beautiful thing!

fourstringbliss · #1 12-01-2009, 09:27 AM

I've got an Ibanez BTB510E 4-string and I recently replaced the Bartolini USA dual coil pups and NTMB preamp with Nordstrand Big Singles and an Audere Classic 4-Band. The Barts sounded good but they were hardwired in series and the top end was too muted for me. The Bartolini NTMB's treble EQ point was too high to add clarity without adding harshness and the bass EQ point was too low to add girth without adding boom.

Big Singles definitely have an aggressive sounding single-coil tone. In passive they sound a lot like a 50's Precision Bass single coil - definitely thicker sounding than a Jazz Bass single coil, with less top and thicker mids. The genius EQ points on the Audere allow me to get a VERY similar tone, though, by diming the treble (1.92 KHz), fuly cutting the high mids (800 Hz), half cutting the low mids (200 Hz), and half boosting the bass (172 Hz). I A/B'd my bass against a Fender 60's RI and I got an almost identical tone out of it with the neck soloed and both pickups on. The bridge tone isn't the same, but then my bridge pup is close to 70's Fender location.

The nicest thing about the Audere preamp for me is the treble EQ point. I like clarity in my tone and they chose an EQ point that gives clarity without any harshness or icepickiness.

Envincibal · #2 12-04-2009, 05:46 AM

I have become a big fan of both Audere and Nordstrand: I recently upgraded my Carvin LB75 from the stock pre & bart pickups (the barts certainly helped over the stock Carvin J/J) to the Audere 3z & Nordy NJ5s, and WOW! This is sickest sounding Carvin I have every heard/played (and I have owned about 8 Carvins; still have 4 of them). The tone on this bass is really alive, and talk about the ability to cut through - very serious stuff! I'm even considering changing out the pre & p/u in one of my Pedulla's... need to get some more funding for that.

Gab124 · #3 12-05-2009, 03:42 PM

i have the bigsplits in my jazz and have been considering the audere 3 band. Sounds like nordys/audere are a good match. Though, it looks as though the audere site is out of jazz plates right now, will be 2-3 weeks out for more

fourstringbliss · #4 12-05-2009, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gab124

i have the bigsplits in my jazz and have been considering the audere 3 band. Sounds like nordys/audere are a good match. Though, it looks as though the audere site is out of jazz plates right now, will be 2-3 weeks out for more

I think it's a good sound. With the EQ set flat these things sounded really nice and growly through my friend's SVTpro4/610 rig. They don't really need a preamp but it sure is nice to be able to adjust the sound right at the bass.

4StringTheorist · #5 12-05-2009, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fourstringbliss

The nicest thing about the Audere preamp for me is the treble EQ point. I like clarity in my tone and they chose an EQ point that gives clarity without any harshness or icepickiness.

I can relate!

I've got the 4-band EQ model 3ZB, which has the same EQ as the Classic. Nice zing to the boosted treble without it sounding like my eardrum just ruptured.

Being able to adjust the low and high mids simultaneously is great too. A few months ago as I was noodling around with the EQ and slapping, my wife laughed and said "Marcus."

(Note: she was commenting on sound, definitely not on my playing.)

Oh, and +1 to the Nordstrand/Audere combo.

My favorite tone (and my wife's too) on this bass remains flat-EQ. The pickups (and the bass) are just phenomenal. The EQ is nice for adjusting to suit a peculiar tone.

fourstringbliss · #6 12-06-2009, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4StringTheorist

I can relate!

I've got the 4-band EQ model 3ZB, which has the same EQ as the Classic. Nice zing to the boosted treble without it sounding like my eardrum just ruptured.

Being able to adjust the low and high mids simultaneously is great too. A few months ago as I was noodling around with the EQ and slapping, my wife laughed and said "Marcus."

(Note: she was commenting on sound, definitely not on my playing.)

Oh, and +1 to the Nordstrand/Audere combo.

My favorite tone (and my wife's too) on this bass remains flat-EQ. The pickups (and the bass) are just phenomenal. The EQ is nice for adjusting to suit a peculiar tone.

It would be really interesting to hear my bass with Big Singles next to another bass with Big Singles. I wonder how the body and neck wood affect the tone. With everything set flat on the bass and the amp these pickups are pretty aggressive! I prefer the smoother sound I get on my amp and on the Markbass combo I used at GC by scooping the sound. It's really going to have to depend on what amp I'm playing through. On my friend's SVT/610 setup I ended up cutting the bass, leaving the low mids alone and boosting the high mids and treble - not a smooth sound but a very good sound. Granted, the EQ on the SVT wasn't flat, so I don't know how I would have adjusted things if it was flat.

datsaxguy · #7 05-22-2010, 05:42 PM

I had the same Audere classic/Big singles set up in my ash maple Lakland 5501. I was dissapointed. It had a "modified vintage" type sound.Really nice if u like a passive type sound. I was looking for someting way more modern and switched to the Bartolini MK5's.That was all she wrote!!

GruntSplatter · #8 02-05-2013, 10:37 PM

Not to hash an old thread, but Bart Mk5's? From the Classic Series? - Modern tone?

I have an Audere Classic 4/ Bart Mk5 combo. The Mk5 is the darkest sounding pickup I have ever heard... ...And they are not aggressive, at all...

Good luck with that modern sound

mmbongo · #9 02-06-2013, 06:33 AM

I did the same thing in my 5501..went from big singles to Bart MK5's. The MK5's are very bright and very aggressive, quite modern sounding. I liked the big singles, but liked the modern, aggressive sound of the Bart MK5's better. Plus, they can be wired for tons of coil combinations! Anybody who says they are dark and not aggressive did not install them right.