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King Koa - Now With Nordy's!
- Thread starter RocketMusic
- Start date
It's been almost a month, so it's obviously time for me to change pickups again.
I ordered these Nordstrand NJ5FS pickups a while back, and they arrived while I was gone last week. I put them in last night... and I haven't been able to stop playing my bass since!
I've been yearning to get a more traditional j-bass tone out of King Koa. The Barts got me about 80% of the way there. I loved the sound of both pickups together, but I didn't care for either pickup solo'd. These Nordy's have taken me all the way, I'm happy no matter how I set the blend! I'm pleased as punch!
Of course, I'm still well within the honeymoon phase. The true test will come on a gig, but I don't have anything lined up until later this summer... for now, I'm looping like crazy and LOVING the tone of my bass.
Roscoe Century Signature V (Koa, BEM)
Cool Greg! The pole pieces look good on the bass too!
Yeah, I think it's my favorite look yet, and the poles really line up nicely. These are off-the-shelf Nordstrand pickups, I didn't have them wind anything special to match my string spacing. I think there is a slight difference between Roscoe's spacing and Fender's, but it's miniscule (less than 1-2mm string-to-string). These pickups are the Fender 5-string pickup specs, so it's nice to know that anything Fender-compatible should work in my Roscoe, too.
LilRay
Commercial User
- Dec 27, 2007
- 4,166
- 39
- Disclosures
- Owner: Cockeyed Cow Custom Leathercraft
Looks great! Greg, sound wise, how do the Nordstrand dual coils compare to the Roscoe Barts? I am tempted to try a pair in my bass, but hesitant also because it sounds great right now.
Mark
Mark
I believe the DC's are usually compared to the Bart CB pickups which tend to be a little more open/less compressed sounding than the Roscoe Barts. The DC's do come in a couple flavors (they can be wound to sound better in series or parallel, I think is the story), though, and that is not often mentioned. For my fretless, I chose the DC's with the winding that was more mid-heavy.
The folks at Nordstrand are really accessible and helpful. My advice would be to contact them directly and get the skinny on their various pickup models. If you have an idea of where you want to go tonally, they can best help walk you down that path.
The folks at Nordstrand are really accessible and helpful. My advice would be to contact them directly and get the skinny on their various pickup models. If you have an idea of where you want to go tonally, they can best help walk you down that path.
...I am expecting the Delanos to cause more ruckus...
Yeah, give the Nord folks a call, ask for Gumbo, tell 'em Skeet sent ya...
Yeah, give the Nord folks a call, ask for Gumbo, tell 'em Skeet sent ya...
...I am expecting the Delanos to cause more ruckus...
I really, really wanna try some Delanos, but at the same time, don't wanna screw with my Roscoes & Gadow as they sound just fantastic as is.
They even do a quad coil soapbar like the Roscoe Barts, tempting.
It's a rainy Sunday. Want to record, but not feeling too inspired... why not make a quick sample of how King Koa sounds with the recently installed Nordstrand NJ5FS picksup?
I hope ya'll can feel it like I do. The tone is MUCH smoother than the Bardens, and it's a little more natural sounding to my ears than the Barts. It sounds like a jazz bass to me now, and it also sounds like wood instead of plastic (if that makes any sense at all)...
"King Koa w/ Nordy NJ5FS PUPs"
I give you finger style first walking through both PUPs, neck PUP and then bridge PUP. Next I slap with both and then just the neck. I'm lovin' it! All recorded direct through my REDDI by A-Designs.
Oh, yeah, and the pickups look pretty bitchin', too!
I hope ya'll can feel it like I do. The tone is MUCH smoother than the Bardens, and it's a little more natural sounding to my ears than the Barts. It sounds like a jazz bass to me now, and it also sounds like wood instead of plastic (if that makes any sense at all)...
"King Koa w/ Nordy NJ5FS PUPs"
I give you finger style first walking through both PUPs, neck PUP and then bridge PUP. Next I slap with both and then just the neck. I'm lovin' it! All recorded direct through my REDDI by A-Designs.
Oh, yeah, and the pickups look pretty bitchin', too!
Sounds and looks great! Hope you have found the tone you are looking for, I have chased this for years.
Mark
Mark
Sadly, no gigs yet. I don't anything lined up until early this fall...
I think I'm going to be happy like this for a while. I might still get the Delanos and give them a try (Im on a waiting list for those), or I might not....
I think I'm going to be happy like this for a while. I might still get the Delanos and give them a try (Im on a waiting list for those), or I might not....
- Jan 20, 2003
- 382
- 29
- 44
- Disclosures
- Roscoe Guitars-Benavente & LowEnd Basses-SIT Strings-Schroeder Cabs
I played his bass with those pickups in it, and they are no joke. Seriously. I want some. The only way i can describe it is the finger response of a cocobolo fretboard from pickups. Amazing!
I got a chance to be in the room with this one Saturday....yeah, it don't suck.
(...and yeah, Greg can freakin' play!
)
(...and yeah, Greg can freakin' play!
)
Sounds great Greg. I wonder if the pups would work in my Lull M5V? Currently I have Seymour Duncan's. Do you think they would match up with the Lull Jazz basses (5 strings)?
All depends on the size of the pickups. The "Fender" standard size for 5-strings has the bridge PUP at 104 mm long and the neck PUP at 101 mm long. The Bardens are a smidge shorter than that, but they'll fit in those routes.
