Nordy Fat Stacks v MEC Soapbars

[bassplayershane]

Have a Lakland 5501 with an Aguilar OBP3 preamp waiting to go in. Want to change the pups and install everything at once. Have always like the Warwick Stage 1 5 string (MEC Soapbar) tone but the Fat Stacks seem to be more popular. Which do I go for? Want a fat, punchy, growly, round, warm sound that will cut through.

[Jim Carr]

Originally Posted by bassplayershane

Have a Lakland 5501 with an Aguilar OBP3 preamp waiting to go in. Want to change the pups and install everything at once. Have always like the Warwick Stage 1 5 string (MEC Soapbar) tone but the Fat Stacks seem to be more popular. Which do I go for? Want a fat, punchy, growly, round, warm sound that will cut through.

I have an OBP-3 with Fat stacks in my Valenti. I love them. I also have a 55-01 deluxe. I think the Nordy FS/Aguilar OBP-3 combination is where I would go if I were to upgrade the 55-01.

Warm, full, lots of tones, clear, never harsh. Plenty of mid control for cut-through. YMMV.

PS. I have zero experience with the MEC soapbars. If they are what give some Warwick's that super growl, and that is what you want, then the MECs may be a better choice. The Fat Stacks growl fine on my bass, though, just not as aggressively as the really growly Warwicks.

[Human Bass]

Well, people here love Nordstrand stuff, and usually dislike MEC pickups.

As for the Warwick growl, what i will say can be a bit polemic, but i believe its mainly for those very hard woods used on them.