I'm going to guess VERY snarly. No offense to anyone, especially Roger, but IMHO, while it probably sounds amazing in its own right, that's a really big disconnect for that theme.
Now, move that neck pickup forward a chunk, and we can talk....
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Now, move that neck pickup forward a chunk, and we can talk....
I'm going to guess VERY snarly. No offense to anyone, especially Roger, but IMHO, while it probably sounds amazing in its own right, that's a really big disconnect for that theme.
Now, move that neck pickup forward a chunk, and we can talk....
I'm with you...I am not sure I would like it but you never know. I have been surprised in the past.
I'm going to guess VERY snarly. No offense to anyone, especially Roger, but IMHO, while it probably sounds amazing in its own right, that's a really big disconnect for that theme.
Now, move that neck pickup forward a chunk, and we can talk....
I would actually guess just the opposite... more like a Modern 24 with the Big Singles in it... warm, mid fat, but not particularly agressive (versus the Sadowsky soapbars).
That's a strange spec and a strange looking bass to me
+1 strange spec to me also.
IMHO, bottom line, way too "bridge oriented" overall for that theme. I still maintain that's the case.I would actually guess just the opposite... more like a Modern 24 with the Big Singles in it... warm, mid fat, but not particularly agressive (versus the Sadowsky soapbars).
That's a strange spec and a strange looking bass to me
Don't you like the Big Singles? I'm just asking 'cause I'm going to get them in my bass-on-order. I have a ash-with-maple-top and brazilian jazz 4-string with singles in the 60s position and although I love the sound of the bass, I figured I wanted something barpy that would cut through the mix nicely for a 5-banger, so I ordered the bass with Nordy Big Singles in the 70s position... Do they hum loud?
Hi
I think the big singles are awesome. LOUD, punchy, sound great. Ive owned two Sadowsky's with them installed and NJ4's in another
Rob
I think the big singles are awesome. LOUD, punchy, sound great. Ive owned two Sadowsky's with them installed and NJ4's in another
Rob
Yeah, I was referring strictly to pickup placement, not type. That's where we disconnected.+1 And those Big Singles just look weird in a PBody... especially with a 4 string model.
I was just commenting on the 'aggressive' part. The Big Single's are in no way 'more aggressive single coils' (which is how, unfortunately Nordstrand has described them in the past)... they are very warm, fat, soapbar pickups that hum when solo'd
TOO NICE!!!!
- Feb 2, 2001
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HAHA. I disagree.I was just commenting on the 'aggressive' part. The Big Single's are in no way 'more aggressive single coils' (which is how, unfortunately Nordstrand has described them in the past)... they are very warm, fat, soapbar pickups that hum when solo'd
HI
Hey all. Look what I just drove home with? OMG. It looks even better in person. Playability and tone? WOW.
Hope you like.
Rob
I'm usually not a fan of that colour but this time I must admit that's one HOT bass!!!! The black hardware and the figured fingerboard really add something to it! Congrats!
- Feb 2, 2001
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I've played a lot of basses with Bart Soaps. I don't comprehend in what way they will be similar to Big Singles. LOL That sure is one loose example.If you play through a more transparent rig.... not so muchThese pickups sound MUCH close to Bartolini Soapbars than they do to a true single coil J pickup (as a loose example... they of course have their own tone). To me, all the disadvantages of a single coil pickup (hum when solo'd... and a bit more hum that typical due to all that wire), and none of the advantages (classic, single coil grind).
I had Bart soapbars in a Warwick SS1 that I replaced with Big Singles and can confirm they sound totally different.
- Feb 2, 2001
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I don't think you're dogging them and I hope you don't think I'm busting your chops. I just don't hear what you're hearing.
I'm usually playing maple boarded basses (either swamp ash or alder) w/stainless steel strings and (to me) they sound like a J style p/u.
I'm usually playing maple boarded basses (either swamp ash or alder) w/stainless steel strings and (to me) they sound like a J style p/u.
I'm really hesitant to do this, but I have to take exception to what Ken is saying here. I have a LOT of experience with Big Singles and I truly believe he is mis characterizing them. He's welcome to his opinion of course, but here on TB his opinion tends to take up a lot of space.
To me, and almost everyone I've had evaluate and play the Big Singles, they are indeed J like but bigger, and not any where near Bart soapbars, which admittedly I do not have a lot of experience with. The Big Singles are "like" a J single coil, but bigger. They somehow have more of everything. They are not dark sounding at all. (As a matter of fact I recently had a customer return a Big Single equipped bass because he thought it was too bright.) They are really quite well balanced across the whole range of their response. They have a lot of information in the signal because of the wider aperture. This tends to lead to a thicker, fuller and more complex sound than a J single coil. Hence the "Big" part of the name. They are also very dynamic because of the way the poles are angled. They can be very subtle or get very agressive, all depending on the way the bass is played.
I have had many players tell me they like the way these pickups have J like tone, but somehow more of it. I can't even say how many times I've heard that. I lost track a while ago.
J singles by comparison sound a bit narrower and more pure and simple than the Big Singles. Which is great. I love J single coils too!
So, I really don't mean to disparage Ken here, but I think he's doing Big Singles a disservice with the way he's talking about them. The bulk of my experience is almost polar opposite to what he's saying.
Anyway, I hope everyone that is interested in them gives them a chance and is able to judge for themselves how J like or Bart like they are (or are not, IMHO).
Thanks.
To me, and almost everyone I've had evaluate and play the Big Singles, they are indeed J like but bigger, and not any where near Bart soapbars, which admittedly I do not have a lot of experience with. The Big Singles are "like" a J single coil, but bigger. They somehow have more of everything. They are not dark sounding at all. (As a matter of fact I recently had a customer return a Big Single equipped bass because he thought it was too bright.) They are really quite well balanced across the whole range of their response. They have a lot of information in the signal because of the wider aperture. This tends to lead to a thicker, fuller and more complex sound than a J single coil. Hence the "Big" part of the name. They are also very dynamic because of the way the poles are angled. They can be very subtle or get very agressive, all depending on the way the bass is played.
I have had many players tell me they like the way these pickups have J like tone, but somehow more of it. I can't even say how many times I've heard that. I lost track a while ago.
J singles by comparison sound a bit narrower and more pure and simple than the Big Singles. Which is great. I love J single coils too!
So, I really don't mean to disparage Ken here, but I think he's doing Big Singles a disservice with the way he's talking about them. The bulk of my experience is almost polar opposite to what he's saying.
Anyway, I hope everyone that is interested in them gives them a chance and is able to judge for themselves how J like or Bart like they are (or are not, IMHO).
Thanks.
+1 We all hear things differently. I guess I'm a little picky on what I call a J style. For example, the guys over on the LEJ thread call that tone 'J' tone, and I really don't hear that either... sounds great, very punchy, very bright, but no grind or grit, which to me is key to the variety of J tones.
That's the beauty of the IMO
Ok, I'll disagree with you here...the one thing that the LEJ's have in spades is grind and grit. I'll not comment on your Big Singles posts...you're getting plenty of heat there too!
I think people see a Big Single and confuse big tone with the big size. So in this sense, they are hearing with their eyes. I don't personally find Big Singles to have a bigger tone than a good standard single coil, nor do I find that they have "more of everything" as compared to a traditional single coil. I think Carey's concept for the Big Single is a cool idea in theory, but in practice it dosen't really pan out. I know people love them, they are fine pickups, but they do not sound bigger than a traditional J, nor do they have quite the tone of a well made traditional J. I put this in the category of myth, like the whole "J bass on steroids" crap you always here. If you are looking for a J tone, look at a traditional J pup because you won't find it in a Big Single.
+1
I also respectfully disagree with KJung on his assessment of the Big Singles. Before I ordered my Sadowsky NYC with Big Singles, I came from strictly playing Bartolini soapbar equipped instruments for a long time (Modulus Quantum, Zon Legacy Elite). From that experience, I can say that the Bartolini soapbars sound nothing like the Big Singles.
I've had the opportunity to A/B Sadowsky's hum-canceling and single-coil pickups with the Big Singles when I visited the Sadowsky shop, and in all truth, the Big Singles, to my unsophisticated ears, sounded like... well... bigger Jazz single coils. To all the people that don't hear it, that's cool. Play what you play. Having now owned a Big Singles equipped bass for about a year and a half, without hesitation I recommend them to folks looking for that single-coil tone with a bit more to it.
