Nordstrand MM 5.2 in a MTD Kingston 5 Holy crap

Doug Parent · #1 02-20-2008, 04:33 PM

Nordstrand MM 5.2 in a MTD Kingston 5 report.

Just got a used MTD Korean made Kingston (Stingray knock-off)
Basswood body, maple board. passive. $300 Cha-ching !

Anyway, after much deliberation and researching TB threads on the subject I ordered, received and installed a Norstrand MM 5.2 pickup to replace the Korean MM stock pickup that came with this bass.

Comparison: The stock pickup was pretty dull with a very rolled off high end response. (read NO high end, no zing, no zip, nada.)

The Nordstrand MM 5.2 in the same bass was night and day. The overall dynamics, response and tonal range was greatly increased. Lots of high end. Very crisp, clear and clean sounding. Slap tone to die for.

I checked out bass tasters and listened to the MM.2 (4 string) compared to a stock Stingray MM pickup in a Stingray bass. Compared to the stingray the Nordstand was lacking in the high end. However, one can only guess what other factors were present in the recording process.

My suggestion is do not go by that recording on basstasters at all regarding the Nordie MM.

The Nordstrand I installed today is quite bright indeed. I'm a fan of bright basses and this knocked me out. The bass is passive. My amp head is a GK1001Rb-2 through two Aguilar GS112's.

My radical tone settings that I had made on my amp (for the Korean stock pickup) were completely unnecessary for the new pickup. I had to completely re-set the tone controls on the GK head at 12:00. The presence control and contour OFF. LOTS of high end!

Full fat clean snappy crisp.

Just thought I'd set the record straight on this pickup. Glad I decided against the Bartolini. I would have had to install a preamp with the Bart to get anywhere near the tone of this passive setup I now have.

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

grace & groove · #2 02-20-2008, 04:38 PM

Umm soundclips!!! Now.

maconbass · #3 02-20-2008, 05:08 PM

Thanks for posting this. I'm also ready to mod a Kingston. After listening to the BassTasters clip of that Nordstrand, I completely decided against it and got something else. Now I wish I would have waited!

santucci218 · #4 02-20-2008, 05:28 PM

i want nordys for my MTD Z6 =[

kesslari · #5 02-20-2008, 05:30 PM

Paul - go for it, man. I feel bad that you sprung for such a beautiful bass and that it disappoints. Put some e-lec-tronica into it and make it sing...

Lorenzini · #6 02-21-2008, 01:03 AM

Doug, that's awesome. Soundclips would be awesome!

When I get another 55-02 or 55-94 I'll be putting a 5.2 in there. The Barts were always too fluffy, and while the Lakland pickups sounded good, have some design flaws (unbalanced string to string volume).

Of course, I'll need to get one first.. ORRRRRRRR I could get a Kingston cheap and route my own J pickup, whatcha think? A good experiment?

ecufunk · #7 02-21-2008, 02:07 PM

i agreed the sound clips on basstasters are too dark my nordstrand is claer bright and punchy i love it in combination with the nj4se and the u-retro pre get´s me an amazing sound...between vintage and modern

maconbass · #8 02-22-2008, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorenzini

ORRRRRRRR I could get a Kingston cheap and route my own J pickup, whatcha think? A good experiment?

I think that's a great idea. The Lakland 55-02 is awsome. I had one and loved it. BUT, so are the Kingstons. I recently picked up a Kingston Artist (active without pickguard, stained body) in brand new condition with the MTD gig bag for $335.

It's unfortunate that the BassTasters clip is so awful. I wonder how many others, in addition to me, have been swayed from purchasing the Nordstand MM because of that. I ended up finding a Seymour Duncan from a Lakland that fits right into the Kingston but I have not installed it yet. They were supposed to nail the StingRay tone when in the Lakland 55-76 (single pickup) so it should still work out.

richnota · #9 02-22-2008, 08:41 PM

I put a Nordstrand in my StringRay 4. To me it sounds like a StingRay, only more so. Great pickup.

Doug Parent · #10 02-26-2008, 01:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorenzini

Doug, that's awesome. Soundclips would be awesome!

When I get another 55-02 or 55-94 I'll be putting a 5.2 in there. The Barts were always too fluffy, and while the Lakland pickups sounded good, have some design flaws (unbalanced string to string volume).

Of course, I'll need to get one first.. ORRRRRRRR I could get a Kingston cheap and route my own J pickup, whatcha think? A good experiment?

Matt, I never told you, but I used to have a Lakland 55-94. NICE ASS bass. BUT, I decided that for my ear, the trade-off in the design in that bass means moving that MM pickup further back towards the bridge, thus losing some low end. It just never quite "made it" for me. And I thought that when both the MM and J bass pickup were on together, that it was just too weird and kinda nasally. Those pickups don't match up well in my opinion. I used to have the MTD Heir as well, same pickup configuration....sold it. After I dumped $500 into it with custom shop Seymour Duncan electronics into it!!! ARRGH! Oh well. Just my two cents. I like the classic single stingray pickup position the best. I'm sure others will disagree.

BuffaloBass · #11 02-26-2008, 08:00 AM

THNX tonenazi. I bought one ( Kingston) as a backup 5'er, and slap practice bass, and the sound was horrible. Better since i tore the EMG preamp out and went passive, but still , must scoop trhe mids right out. Now i know the deal. I liked my Nordy J pups.

OR, I might have AERO make me one, once I get their J pups installed this weekend and see.

Tonenazi, what size is the MM5.2, as I see various ones, Lakland, MM, OLP, etc.

THNX!