Finally Getting Nordstrands For Lakie 55-94

[ecufunk]

between bartolini and nordstrand i prefeer nordstrand the low-mids are huge for me nice clear powerfull sound i love my 4.2 and man it can sound very varm or really hi-fi...the bartolini CB series are the best on the bartolini pickups galery but i keep on nordstrand

by the way mine is wired parallel/series great option

 

[Fezzey]

Fezzy -- can you get the volumes to balance out by dropping the bridge pickup height a bit? That imbalance would make the project a non-starter for me.

Pickles,

I did lower the MM bridge pickup a little bit and I think it helped some.

 

[Fezzey]

Wow, I don't have that problem at all. I'm going to get the MM wired for a series option.

Tallboybass,

Understand that series wiring will roughly double the output of that pickup while killing some of the high end. I used to wire humbucking guitar pickups so that I could use them with the two coils in series or parallel.

 

[tallboybass]

Tallboybass,

Understand that series wiring will roughly double the output of that pickup while killing some of the high end. I used to wire humbucking guitar pickups so that I could use them with the two coils in series or parallel.

Yes, I've done this with several basses....it usually ends up being my favorite position. To me, it brings the resonant peak down enough to really provide definition and punch. It's certainly not for everybody.

 

[bigsnack]

BUMPPPPPP!

The bass is FINALLY at the shop getting the pickups installed. I will be posting pics, and more importantly many sound clips as soon as I get the 55-94 back in about a week or so.

 

[tallboybass]

BUMPPPPPP!

The bass is FINALLY at the shop getting the pickups installed. I will be posting pics, and more importantly many sound clips as soon as I get the 55-94 back in about a week or so.

Yay!!!

 

[phat daddy]

I can understand people having different tastes, and I'm another Bart lover. I think the Barts are have the ultimate supportive tone with those velvety low mids. I also think they link up awesome with the Bart pre, which is my favorite pre I've ever played on any bass. I just put my second 55-94 on layaway and it has Barts as well, they're just perfect for my sound.

On the other hand, I'm very glad you've had such good luck with your swap, tallboybass.

 

[tallboybass]

I can understand people having different tastes, and I'm another Bart lover. I think the Barts are have the ultimate supportive tone with those velvety low mids. I also think they link up awesome with the Bart pre, which is my favorite pre I've ever played on any bass. I just put my second 55-94 on layaway and it has Barts as well, they're just perfect for my sound.

On the other hand, I'm very glad you've had such good luck with your swap, tallboybass.

Thanks P Daddy....glad you love the Barts. There's absolutely nothing wrong with them, didn't mean to talk bad about them. I'm oooooold and got used to a more vintagey sound is my problem. I actually wish the Nords were less smooth.

 

[bigsnack]

What's up everyone! I got the bass back today!!! I'll be posting pics and some real basic audio clips tomorrow for sure. For me, these pickups have breathed new life into this bass. I was on the verge of selling it, but now it's a keeper!

My first instincts are:

1) The MM style pickup is definitely a bit hotter than the J style pickup. Because of this, the sound of the bass actually favors the MM pickup if the pan pot is in the center position. I've been favoring the neck pickup just a hair, and I seem to get a great blend of both.

2) The bass just sounds a bit more "alive" to me. To be honest, it sounds similar to the Barts IMO, with with a touch less low-mid, and a touch more high-mid. The highs are a little bit glassier, but without being harsh. It's very punchy, I get even output from all of the strings, and the bass is a bit lighter with the Nordies installed. I know I'm just kinda spitting things out as they come to me, so bear with my grammar I actually also feel that the bass is more versatile...it sounds to me that I have a greater range of tones than I had before. More to come tomorrow!

 

[ErnieD]

Thanks phat daddy for speaking up on the Barts (post #88) I like em too, and thanks fezzey (post #74?) for your clarifying thoughts on this issue. I bought a new 55-01 based on what I read here on TB of it a couple years ago. I bought a used 55-02 last fall, knowing now what I know of Skylines. I never really felt I would need a 55-94 but always thought it'd be cool one day to have one, never thinking that bass would need to be modded.

I'd read of Nord mods for the 55-01 and understood that and was considering that for my -01. But now reading Nord mods for 55-02's and WOW 55-94's man, where does it stop. And recently I just took my, like new still, 55-01 out for a spin and I really liked what I heard for the disco/funk/R&B band I just got into, didn't hurt that I had my Genzgear behind me(cheap plug). Been using my -02 for that band mostly.

I guess there's always room for improvement, heck I guess maybe next there will be posts on improving Sadowsky's, and I was just looking to get into one of those Metros soon. Better wait and see what mods come up for those axes next.

 

[tallboybass]

What's up everyone! I got the bass back today!!! I'll be posting pics and some real basic audio clips tomorrow for sure. For me, these pickups have breathed new life into this bass. I was on the verge of selling it, but now it's a keeper!

My first instincts are:

1) The MM style pickup is definitely a bit hotter than the J style pickup. Because of this, the sound of the bass actually favors the MM pickup if the pan pot is in the center position. I've been favoring the neck pickup just a hair, and I seem to get a great blend of both.

2) The bass just sounds a bit more "alive" to me. To be honest, it sounds similar to the Barts IMO, with with a touch less low-mid, and a touch more high-mid. The highs are a little bit glassier, but without being harsh. It's very punchy, I get even output from all of the strings, and the bass is a bit lighter with the Nordies installed. I know I'm just kinda spitting things out as they come to me, so bear with my grammar I actually also feel that the bass is more versatile...it sounds to me that I have a greater range of tones than I had before. More to come tomorrow!

Congrats BigSnack! My experience has been very similar to yours, except for the MM PU being louder than the J. I usually run just one coil on the back PU though. "More alive" is a good description.....did you notice how much more output there is with the Nordies? Keep us informed as you continue to check out the sounds. You still have the Bart pre-amp in there? Where are the mids set?

Thanks, Alan

 

[bigsnack]

Congrats BigSnack! My experience has been very similar to yours, except for the MM PU being louder than the J. I usually run just one coil on the back PU though. "More alive" is a good description.....did you notice how much more output there is with the Nordies? Keep us informed as you continue to check out the sounds. You still have the Bart pre-amp in there? Where are the mids set?

Thanks, Alan

Alan/All,

So I have spent many hours with the bass now. I brought up some old protools sessions, and have really put the bass to the test. I A/B'd it with old 55-94 tracks that I did, and I also A/B'd it with tracks of my DJ5. To my ears, I think that the DJ5 beats both versions of the 55-94 hands down... The 55-94 does something very similar to a jazz now (moreso than before), but the DJ5 sits best in a mix and has the right mix of lowend/punch/and highs. I will do some bounces of audio and see what you guys think...

Okay, so I took a little snippet and did some quick passes. I'm pretty much a rock guy, so that's the element I'm the most comfortable with. Sorry to upper register riffs on this one guys! Please give a listen and tell me what you think

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Hopefully the names of the files are self explanatory. Let me know what you guys think!

Lastly, I know that this was a comparison between the barts and nords, but I guess I was just shocked at how after all of this, my ear is really gravitating towards the DJ5! There are definitely things I like about the Nords better than the Barts, but I'd like to hear what the peanut gallery has to say.

 

[pickles]

That is awesome, thanks Bigsnack!!!!

This confirms what I found with the LH3 swap. A 55-94 is pretty much going to sound like a 55-94 no matter what pickups you put in it.

It also confirms that I love the way the Barts sound. Thats the 55-94 tone to me. That focussed smooth midrange is what I'm looking for when I reach for that bass. If I want something brash I'll grab an SR5, or a J5 of some kind.

For your playing, I agree the DJ5 sounds best. Although a P-bass would sound even better.

 

[Piedro]

That is awesome, thanks Bigsnack!!!!

...

Although a P-bass would sound even better.

lol +1


Great great job... i think i'll go with the nordstrand in a few weeks to get this "dirtier" sound... love it!

Thanks... in fact the DJ5 sound awesome!

 

[bigsnack]

For your playing, I agree the DJ5 sounds best. Although a P-bass would sound even better.

No....must.....resist...GAS!!!!

Thanks guys for the comments. I will try and put something up tonight that shows off the upper register a little more.

 

[tallboybass]

More thanks to BigSnack.....great clips! My ears tell me the same thing, only thing that sounds like a Jazz is a....Jazz!!?! The Nordies definitely move it in that direction though. Have you tried the single coil split on the back PU? Especially the back coil balanced with the front PU is "more Jazz-like" but NOT a Jazz. If I wasn't a lefty I'd have a JO5 Skyline and be DONE (I think).

 

[CElton]

Lastly, I know that this was a comparison between the barts and nords, but I guess I was just shocked at how after all of this, my ear is really gravitating towards the DJ5! There are definitely things I like about the Nords better than the Barts, but I'd like to hear what the peanut gallery has to say.

Great comparison. Which pups did the DJ5 have in it?

 

[bigsnack]

The DJ5 has Lakland pups. Also, my 55-94 has the LH3 preamp in it, not the Bartolini pre. Originally, my 5594 was an LH3 bass, but I had issues with the A string output, so I had Lakland install Barts. So at this point I seem to have a slightly unique franken-bass.

 

[pickles]

The lakland J pups sound really good in that DJ!

Makes me want to try a set in my USA JO5.

 

[bigsnack]

The lakland J pups sound really good in that DJ!

Makes me want to try a set in my USA JO5.

That may not be a bad call! I played a few used JO5's before buying the DJ. They all had Fralins, and the DJ with the Lakland pups was the bass that really spoke to me out of all of them. FYI, my DJ5 has a maple fretboard.