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Big Splits vs Fat Stacks: Who's tried both? Or either?

rojo412

rojo412

Sit down, Danny...
Supporting Member
Feb 26, 2000
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Cleveland, OH.
#1
I just acquired a bass (Lakland 55-01) with the intent to equip it with some Nordstrand pickups, as I've heard SO many good things about them, but haven't had the opportunity to try them.

So, my narrowed selections are these two options.
The Big Split is a side by side humbucker...
The Fat Stack is a whole 'nuther beast apparently...

What's the essential difference you'd notice between the 2?
Has anyone mixed these with each other (ie., Fat Stack in neck and Big Split in bridge)? Did that work?
 
#2
I love the Big Singles, but as far as I know in the Nordstrand Sig section there are Big Singles, Fat Stacks and DC's (parallel, series, sc tapped).

Are you talking about the DC's when you refer to the Big Split?

rojo412 said:
I just acquired a bass (Lakland 55-01) with the intent to equip it with some Nordstrand pickups, as I've heard SO many good things about them, but haven't had the opportunity to try them.

So, my narrowed selections are these two options.
The Big Split is a side by side humbucker...
The Fat Stack is a whole 'nuther beast apparently...

What's the essential difference you'd notice between the 2?
Has anyone mixed these with each other (ie., Fat Stack in neck and Big Split in bridge)? Did that work?
Click to expand...
 
#4
I think it depends on what you want.

If you want that single coil tone without hum, go with the splits. If you're wanting a "fatter" or "thicker" sound than the single coil tone go with the Fat stacks.
 
#7
As others said, Big Splits are a split coil single coil (not a humbucker) that is designed to eliminate 60 cycle hum when soloed.

I had a Big Split as part of a Lakland P/J setup (with an NP5) and it absolutely killed. Quiet as a tomb as well.

My understanding is that Nordstrand recommends a Pre with the Fatstacks and the Big Splits are good to go as passive. One is going to sound like a humbucker, the other more like a single coil.
 
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#8
I think I'm really leaning towards the Splits now... sounds like my cup of beer ;)

I'd be using the OBP-3 for the moment anyway and will wire it with a bypass (and a passive tone in the future). I figure that should be a formidable bass!
 
#9
it really depends on what sound are you looking for... all of the pups mentioned are good in their own way (fatstacks have a lower output, tho).

If you want more fine tuning from the pre I would consider a Nordstrand pre (a better match and more controllable pre)...
 
#11
I played a Mike Lull bass in a music store recently that had Nordstrand Fat Stacks in it. Amazingly full yet articulate in the way you expect good J pickups to be, very present yet not harsh - great sound. The bass had an Aguilar OBP3 preamp - not my favorite - but was wired so you could bypass the pre and run passive. I spent most of the time playing it in passive.

The Fat Stacks are excellent; I just ordered a pair yesterday, planning to install in a bass along with a John East preamp. I'll try and remember to post back after it all comes together...
 
#12
madbassplaya said:
If you want that single coil tone without hum, go with the splits. If you're wanting a "fatter" or "thicker" sound than the single coil tone go with the Fat stacks.
Click to expand...
it's more likely the other way around, the stacks (which, like the splits, are humbuckers) will sound like weaker single coils, while the splits will be stronger and maybe not quite as "single coil-y".
Grateful said:
My understanding is that Nordstrand recommends a Pre with the Fatstacks and the Big Splits are good to go as passive.
Click to expand...
typical for these designs, stacks by their nature lose output as the two coils "fight" each other, while side-by-side split coils don't.
 
#13
rojo412 said:
Nope... they make a humcancelling version of the Big Single, called the Big Split.
Invalid Link Removed
Click to expand...

Mmm, the Big Splits aren't on the Nordular site.

Must investigate further as I'm looking for something similar to the Big Singles.

If they're split you should be able to switch between series and parallel. Bridge in series and neck in parallel can be a very cool sounding option.

Maybe someone from Nordstrand will clear this up for us.
 
#18
as I said, we really need to update the pickup webpage....

anyway, the bigsplits are officially in production and better than ever (just installed a set on my Nordy and I'm very happy)...

M
 

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