Nordstrand Dual Coil pickups - growly?

fourstringbliss · #1 05-07-2010, 10:16 PM

I'm interested in replacing the Nordstrand Big Splits in my bass with Nordy Dual Coils because I want to be able to split the coils for parallel/single coil/series switching. The Big Splits I've got have pretty good growl in my bass - will the DC's have growl as well?

Kwesi · #2 05-08-2010, 02:40 AM

Based on the Roscoe LG3005 I had for a while I'd say the answer is a HUGE yes. It may help to post a clip of what you consider growly because it seems as though there are quite a few definitions for it around TB. Here are my two:

1) http://vimeo.com/7050892

2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QajxOihDWT0

The Nordstrands did do #1 easy-peasy and #2 with a the bass cut back a bit in my Roscoe. A lot of the sound depends on pickup placement and where around the pickups you play though.

fourstringbliss · #3 05-08-2010, 02:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kwesi

Based on the Roscoe LG3005 I had for a while I'd say the answer is a HUGE yes. It may help to post a clip of what you consider growly because it seems as though there are quite a few definitions for it around TB. Here are my two:

1) http://vimeo.com/7050892

2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QajxOihDWT0

The Nordstrands did do #1 easy-peasy and #2 with a the bass cut back a bit in my Roscoe. A lot of the sound depends on pickup placement and where around the pickups you play though.

Thanks! I think a lot of the growl I get comes from the body of my bass. It's made of mahogany but it's a fairly heavy piece and growls well acoustically unplugged. I'm sure the DC's will do just fine. I think with the inner coils selected I'll have pretty close to 60's Jazz Bass placement.

Kwesi · #4 05-08-2010, 02:48 AM

I'm of the opinion that wood plays a decent role in the amplified tone a bass guitar and mahogany basses seem to growl like no other so it sounds like you're on the right track. The bass in the first vid has a Mahogany body and you can hear how that sounds

woaheasylang · #5 05-08-2010, 07:29 PM

@fourstringbliss : for that parallel/single coil/series configuration.. did you get the series or parallel nordstrand dual coils? im planning on getting the same thing and doing the same configuration also.

fourstringbliss · #6 05-08-2010, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by woaheasylang

@fourstringbliss : for that parallel/single coil/series configuration.. did you get the series or parallel nordstrand dual coils? im planning on getting the same thing and doing the same configuration also.

I emailed Nordstrand and Carey himself suggested getting the parallel wound DC's for this so that there wouldn't be a drastic volume difference between parallel and series. He also emailed a wiring diagram for the switches.

Here is the wiring diagram:

If you'd rather have the inside coils then swap the switches. That's what I'm doing.

pin_head_47 · #7 05-09-2010, 11:32 AM

Just curious, but how much sound difference would there be running the single coil setting from the inside or the outside, and how would each sound by comparison to each other? Why did you decide to go to the inside?

jeremyr · #8 05-09-2010, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pin_head_47

Just curious, but how much sound difference would there be running the single coil setting from the inside or the outside, and how would each sound by comparison to each other? Why did you decide to go to the inside?

there's not that much difference at all.

I had them in my callowHill, but swapped them out.

pin_head_47 · #9 05-09-2010, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kwesi

Based on the Roscoe LG3005 I had for a while I'd say the answer is a HUGE yes. It may help to post a clip of what you consider growly because it seems as though there are quite a few definitions for it around TB. Here are my two:

1) http://vimeo.com/7050892

2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QajxOihDWT0

The Nordstrands did do #1 easy-peasy and #2 with a the bass cut back a bit in my Roscoe. A lot of the sound depends on pickup placement and where around the pickups you play though.

What pickup setting did you use for clip #1? Sounds very good to me. Do you have the single coil switching option on your Roscoe, and does it compare at all to a 'vintage' single coil tone that you would expect from a standard jazz bass?

fourstringbliss · #10 05-09-2010, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pin_head_47

Just curious, but how much sound difference would there be running the single coil setting from the inside or the outside, and how would each sound by comparison to each other? Why did you decide to go to the inside?

I know when I did it on a G&L L2500 I once owned there was a definite difference between the settings, but nothing that would really be heard in the mix.

The reason I'd go with the inner coils on my bass is that the bridge pickup is pretty close to the bridge:

and outer coils would give more of a 70's jazz placement, while inner coils would give more of a 60's jazz placement.

fourstringbliss · #11 05-09-2010, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeremyr

there's not that much difference at all.

I had them in my callowHill, but swapped them out.

What didn't you like about them and what did you replace them with?

jeremyr · #12 05-09-2010, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fourstringbliss

What didn't you like about them and what did you replace them with?

the magnetic pull was way too strong the low strings in the upper register. Also they just kind of sounded like a super Jazz and well..i already have that..lol, so I went with some Kent Armstrongs to get some tonal variety in my stable.

fourstringbliss · #13 05-09-2010, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeremyr

the magnetic pull was way too strong the low strings in the upper register. Also they just kind of sounded like a super Jazz and well..i already have that..lol, so I went with some Kent Armstrongs to get some tonal variety in my stable.

Gotcha!