Nordstrand NJ4SE Pickup Height?

[neptune]

I'm installing a set of NJ4SE's in my jazz bass. I bought the pickups online and didn't receive wiring diagram or recommended setup info..Tried to call Nordstrand - no answer currently.

Any Nordstrand players know the recommended distance between the strings and the top of the pickups?

I searched and couldn't find any applicable posts...

Thanks for your help!

[joelb79]

From Stew @ Nordstrand;

"The starting point for string height above the pickups (which you'll
need to adjust according to your technique) is as follows:

Neck 1/4"
Bridge 3/16"

as far as wiring, the gray wire is just for grounding the pole pieces for reduction of noise. Ground that to where your bridge ground wire is. The rest is pretty simple and standard. Are you wiring passive or active?

[neptune]

Thanks Joel -really appreciate the help. I talked to someone at Nordstrand yesterday concerning the wires. Mine have thin black wires in addition to the normal black/white leads. He explained that some have gray, some black. I'n my case I'm wiring it passive and I asked him about connecting the thin black ground wires to the bridge (which was my assumption). His recommendation was to tie the two black grounds together and solder 'em to the bottom of their respective pots.

Thanks again!

[maurilio]

Both solutions are perfect.

W= +
B= -
G (b)= ground

Nordstrand pups have separate ground wires for using with preamp like Audere, Demeter...when there is an "active" blend.

M

[maurilio]

btw, I usually set the pups around 4/64th both pups treble side, 5/64th bridge bass side, 6/64th neck side, holding down the string at the last fret.
These are just starting points.
Depending on the bass (radius, action...) and the player (remember most of your sound comes from your right hand technique) it can vary.
Use your ears....

Go practice, now

M

[Kael]

I've always set my pickups as high as I can get them without getting in the way of my playing. Well that or interfering with the strings vibrations via magentic mischeif. Never really bothered measuring.

Just grabbed a rule, looks like I am at around 3/16th an inch or so with minor expected variances.

Incidentally, I just put a set of these (nj4se's) on my fretless MIA J. That bridge pickup rocks. Not quite sure how much I'm digging the neck yet. Doesn't really sound bad, just not wowing me like the bridge is doing. Need a little more time messing with the pickups to nail that hollow solo'd neck pickup tone.