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01-15-2011, 08:57 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Charlotte, NC | | | Nordstrands or Kent Armstrongs?
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I will soon replace the J/MM pickups in my Kinal SK5. The MM has to be routed for a wider pup. I had originally wanted to go with Nordstrands, an NJ5SE and a MM5.4, but decided to contact Kent Armstrong to see if he could make a blade style pickup to replace my Barts without having to route for a wider MM. Kent confirmed that I need a wider pickup, that my MM is far too narrow for my string spacing. So now I have to decide whether to go with plan A and stick with the Nordstrands, or to have Kent custom wind something for me. The plus of the Kent Armstrong is his "SS" pickup in the J neck position. He said he can make an MM replica, but I don't think it would tame the highs in my bass as much as the Notdstrand split coil MM. So, I'm undecided now because Kent helped me and I know his SS sounds killer (I had one in the Kinal DK5 I sold). However I have Nordstrand Big Splits in my Sadowsky and they also sound amazing. It's a tough call, so I'd appreciate some input from fellow TBers. What do you think?
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01-15-2011, 09:13 PM
|  | Supporting Member | | Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Albuquerque, NM | | | Nordstrand makes their MM-style pickups in several different sizes to accommodate EBMM (17.5mm) users as well as Lakland (19mm) and OLP (16mm) users. Check into the different sizes.
I'd like to add a Nordy MM5.3 or 5.4 to my SR5 - and I might put in a J pickup in the neck position for good measure. Probably not, but I've thought about it.
Good luck. |
01-15-2011, 09:14 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Charlotte, NC | | | I should also mention that I'm using a custom John East preamp based on the 2-band MMSR EQ. It has the "Sabre" bright option as a push/pull on the treble knob, and also the Villex PRTB booster which boosts the output and affects the lows and low mids and slightly reduces the highs.
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Last edited by DaveAceofBass : 01-15-2011 at 09:16 PM.
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01-15-2011, 09:17 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Charlotte, NC | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by lowfreqgeek Nordstrand makes their MM-style pickups in several different sizes to accommodate EBMM (17.5mm) users as well as Lakland (19mm) and OLP (16mm) users. Check into the different sizes.
I'd like to add a Nordy MM5.3 or 5.4 to my SR5 - and I might put in a J pickup in the neck position for good measure. Probably not, but I've thought about it.
Good luck. | I'd have to go the Lakland size, but it still means routing on my bass.
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01-19-2011, 03:01 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Charlotte, NC | | | No one with help or comments?
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03-07-2011, 07:26 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Charlotte, NC | | Wound up going with the custom Kent Armstrongs. I am surprised that he used ceramic magnets in the MM, but I didn't tell him what kind of magnet to use, just the tone that I was after. We'll see how it turns out! 
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Professional Electric and Upright Bass Player/Middle School Band Director/Private Bass Instructor
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03-07-2011, 07:33 PM
|  | Don't give a damn about my bad reputation | | Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Oklahoma City | | | My Larkin has Kent Armstrongs and my fretless J has Nordies. I wouldn't try to compare since we are talking soapbars vs humbucking j's here, but I don't think you'd be disappointed with either. They both make topnotch stuff.
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03-07-2011, 11:03 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Shanghai,China | | | i've kent armstrong jazz pickup on my bass along with J retro deluxe, best sound ever.
kent armstrong +1!!!!
Please make sure the kent armstrong are handwound not those sold at WD music.
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03-08-2011, 06:04 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2006 Location: Hungary, EU | | Quote:
Originally Posted by warnan  Please make sure the kent armstrong are handwound not those sold at WD music. | +1
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using: ZolkoW basses and onboard preamps, Kent Armstrong handwound pickups, BFM Jack12 cabs, Prolude handmade amps. Wood Matters Club member #31
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03-08-2011, 03:13 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: St Charles County Missouri or | | | Kent has wound 2 sets of custom pick ups for me, great guy to work with. |
03-08-2011, 03:59 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Charlotte, NC | | | Did he use ceramic or alnico magnets?
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03-09-2011, 01:15 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2006 Location: Hungary, EU | | Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveAceofBass Did he use ceramic or alnico magnets? | I think, he uses mostly ceramic, but some modells are available with alnico.
My handwound K.A. ceramic P is the best P pickup I've ever heard 
you should cunsult with him directly, and tell him what sound you are after, he knows the details much better than me
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using: ZolkoW basses and onboard preamps, Kent Armstrong handwound pickups, BFM Jack12 cabs, Prolude handmade amps. Wood Matters Club member #31
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04-26-2011, 08:41 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Charlotte, NC | | | Got my Kent Armstrongs installed in my Kinal. Freaking amazing!
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Professional Electric and Upright Bass Player/Middle School Band Director/Private Bass Instructor
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04-26-2011, 09:00 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Modesto, CA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by warnan Please make sure the kent armstrong are handwound not those sold at WD music. | How do you order from him? The last time I tried to do a web search for his pickups, I kept getting the WD site.
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04-26-2011, 09:11 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Charlotte, NC | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Mofo-Kang How do you order from him? The last time I tried to do a web search for his pickups, I kept getting the WD site. | Kent Armstrong Handmade Pickups
His contact info is on that page. I call or email him directly. I can't believe how great my bass sounds now!
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Professional Electric and Upright Bass Player/Middle School Band Director/Private Bass Instructor
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