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Anyone try the Nordstrand Big Split Pups.

#21
Roscoe5 said:
Just found this thread. After seeing and hearing the sound clips of Adrian's Nordy, I am in the process of deciding whether to order a VJ5. So I am faced with choosing Fat Stacks or Big Splits. I am leaning to the Big Splits since I always play in Single Coil mode on my F Bass. So I favor a more agressive, punchy, brighter tone. I'm thinking the Big splits are the way to go.

Are the Fat Stacks and Big Splits the same physical size so I could swap to other ones if I want to try something different? Gary
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not entirely sure, Gary, but i think they are swappable
 
#25
I'm thinking about getting a set of Big Splits for my Karl Hoyt, and was following this thread until it died a couple of months ago. At the time there seemed to be a lot of interest in them, but they were still so new on the market that very few people had any experience with them yet. I'd really like to hear more about them from anybody who has tried them more recently, as well as from those who commented previously but might have more to say now after having used them for awhile.

Also, if anyone has experience with both these and the Big Splits, I'd especially like to hear about the comparison. Thanks!
 
#26
My Ramirez is done, with Big Splits and an Audere. I don't have it in my hands...yet...Friday.

Here's a clip that wilser posted. He did comment to me in an email that the Big Split Audere combo was "EXTREMELY versatile." And sounded great.

wilser said:
Here's a sound clip. I'll post pics when I get some light outside to shoot them.

Invalid Link Removed

If it doesn't work, try here


Please pardon the sloppy playing ...I just picked up the tune by ear prior to recording the clip.
Click to expand...
 
#27
been a while and I have to say that I am still just salivating at the tone of my Nordy with the big splits. With the Audere it's just killin'. I have herd a LOT of fine basses in my life and recently with a house guest I had who is a great player with a top gun arsenal. When i pick up my Nordy afterwards, it's like " ahhhhh.... i'm home... "
 
#28
adrian garcia said:
been a while and I have to say that I am still just salivating at the tone of my Nordy with the big splits. With the Audere it's just killin'.
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Adrian, is that your white maple 5-string? I checked that out at NAMM, and WOW! Incredible!

I have a question... Have you compared the Big Splits against the Big Singles? Other than hum, is there a discernable difference in the aggressiveness/growl/high end?
 
#29
smeet said:
Adrian, is that your white maple 5-string? I checked that out at NAMM, and WOW! Incredible!

I have a question... Have you compared the Big Splits against the Big Singles? Other than hum, is there a discernable difference in the aggressiveness/growl/high end?
Click to expand...

Can't comment on the big singles, but I have heard the standard singles and they are IN YOUR FACE. Very nice pickups with everything i want but the hum. In spite of the 60cycle hum inherent to singlecoil design, I ordered the singlecoils on a Lull that will be done shortly. The is tons of growl in the big singles, though- it is one of the most amazing things about an amazing bass ( thanks for the kind words ) the amount of growl I am getting. Zero complaints.
 
#30
I just installed the Big Splits in a "Mule" bass of mine (routed out for any pickup combination you can dream up).

Just playing through my little practice amp vs. a Mexican Jazz bass setup I can say there is MORE of everything. Like 15% more sound, it's like the difference between slightly overcooked fish vs. fish that has been cooked just long enough.

Maybe that's a bad analogy.

Anyway, my only complaint is they are really bright and zingy/modern even with the tone knob zeroed out, so if you want old school, I think these are the wrong pickups. They are Hi-Fi. They have a very nice grind to them. If you want to punch out of the mix these pickups are nice. They remind me of a jazz bass with an active preamp - except you don't need the preamp to get the sound.

I've read that the big singles are even more zingy (highs, high mids), personally I don't think I'd dig it, this is about as much zing as I would like to hear out of a bass. I am more into low mids and mids.

I've got a Fender preamp I'll install shortly and see what happens then... first I need to take this to the studio and try it through the SVT/Berg rig. The Fender Rumble 25 is not exactly the warmest sounding piece of kit. :D
 
#31
troyus said:
Just playing through my little practice amp vs. a Mexican Jazz bass setup I can say there is MORE of everything. Like 15% more sound, it's like the difference between slightly overcooked fish vs. fish that has been cooked just long enough.

Maybe that's a bad analogy.
Click to expand...

Are you saying the Big Splits are the fish that were cooked just right or the fish that were overcooked?:)


troyus said:
Anyway, my only complaint is they are really bright and zingy/modern even with the tone knob zeroed out, so if you want old school, I think these are the wrong pickups. They are Hi-Fi. They have a very nice grind to them.
Click to expand...

I'm not crazy about bright or zingy. I intentionally didn't use the term 'modern' because I consider a bright and zingy tone to be very 80's. I'd probably consider some of the older conventional pickups to be hi-fi because they're easy to listen to. Smooth and round with plenty of detail for a bass instrument.
What do you mean by grind? I'm primarily a guitarist and I associate grind with overdriven mids.


troyus said:
...this is about as much zing as I would like to hear out of a bass. I am more into low mids and mids.
Click to expand...

How are the low mids and lows on the Big Splits? Are they overshadowed by the upper mids & highs? If so, one might need an active setup to do some balancing of the eq. What are some pickups you really dig? Let us know how the Big Splits shape up in your other rig.
 
#32
troyus said:
I've read that the big singles are even more zingy (highs, high mids), personally I don't think I'd dig it, this is about as much zing as I would like to hear out of a bass. I am more into low mids and mids.
Click to expand...

I haven't tried the Big Splits, but I have a set of Big Singles, and I don't consider them zingy. Things to me sound zingy if there is a scoop between the mids and highs. The Big Singles don't have the scoop (lots of mids), so while they have a lot of upper mid and high content, they don't have a "zing" like for instance, an EMG or a Sadowsky.
 
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#33
GRoberts said:
Just found this thread. After seeing and hearing the sound clips of Adrian's Nordy, I am in the process of deciding whether to order a VJ5. So I am faced with choosing Fat Stacks or Big Splits. I am leaning to the Big Splits since I always play in Single Coil mode on my F Bass. So I favor a more agressive, punchy, brighter tone. I'm thinking the Big splits are the way to go.

Are the Fat Stacks and Big Splits the same physical size so I could swap to other ones if I want to try something different? Gary
Click to expand...
Are these big splits the same diameters as the big singles?
I also heard that the big splits are very hot output, are the big singles about the same output?
thanx, p
edit, sorry i see question already answered..
 
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#34
The Big Singles are not really high output, at least not in comparison to the PFR (Passive Full Range) humbuckers in my Ibáñez SRX (SR eXtreme).

s-l300.jpg
 
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#37
smeet said:
I haven't tried the Big Splits, but I have a set of Big Singles, and I don't consider them zingy. Things to me sound zingy if there is a scoop between the mids and highs. The Big Singles don't have the scoop (lots of mids), so while they have a lot of upper mid and high content, they don't have a "zing" like for instance, an EMG or a Sadowsky.
Click to expand...
Funny, I forgot I wrote this 8 years ago... I have since found that Big Splits are my favorite pickups. A sweeter sound than Big Singles, a little less honky in the upper mids, a bit more of a low mid bump.
 
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