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New Nordstrand BigMan

#181
I mostly do complex 3 pickup active basses, but this one is getting a single MM shape pickup in the sweet spot.

Likely to be a BigMan of some type (an amazing pickup). Might go with a custom one with Alnico 5 magnets in one coil and Alnico 3 in the other. Planning on using a blend/balance pot between the two halves.

EDIT - ended up deciding on a custom quad coil double J in a MM cover which I have dubbed the JazzMan (a JJ version of the BigMan). Will have an NJ4se on the neck side and an NJ4sv on the bridge side. The J's will be less than an inch apart, but should sound like they have more separation because the SE is wound using different wire which gives a darker tone.

EDIT - here is the build thread: Build Thread: "JazzMan" Bass

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#182
Doner Designs said:
I mostly do complex 3 pickup active basses, but this one is getting a single MM shape pickup in the sweet spot.

Likely to be a BigMan of some type (an amazing pickup). Might go with a custom one with Alnico 5 magnets in one coil and Alnico 3 in the other. Planning on using a blend/balance pot between the two halves.

EDIT - ended up deciding on a custom quad coil double J in a MM cover which I have dubbed the JazzMan (a JJ version of the BigMan). Will have an NJ4se on the neck side and an NJ4sv on the bridge side. The J's will be less than an inch apart, but should sound like they have more separation because the SE is wound using different wire which gives a darker tone.

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I'm not always impressed by fancy tops, but I have to admit that that one looks pretty sweet.

That's an interesting idea with the pickup -- prompted a quick search, which turned up this: Is there a distinct difference between the Nordstrand NJ4SV and NJ4SE pickups..???, which, in turn, turned up this: Blueberry Hill Blog: Nordstrand Jazz Pickup Review (NJ4 vs. NJ4SV vs. NJ4SE)

Some people mentioned (at least in a J-bass setting, where the pickups are much farther apart), liking the SE in the bridge position -- more "meat" and more "burp" (according to them -- I haven't played either pickup) -- but, with both pickups in a single, MM shell, you should be able to just flip the pickup around and try it both ways! I'd be interested to hear your impressions if you do -- interested to hear them regardless!
 
#183
MarkA said:
I'm not always impressed by fancy tops, but I have to admit that that one looks pretty sweet.

That's an interesting idea with the pickup -- prompted a quick search, which turned up this: Is there a distinct difference between the Nordstrand NJ4SV and NJ4SE pickups..???, which, in turn, turned up this: Blueberry Hill Blog: Nordstrand Jazz Pickup Review (NJ4 vs. NJ4SV vs. NJ4SE)

Some people mentioned (at least in a J-bass setting, where the pickups are much farther apart), liking the SE in the bridge position -- more "meat" and more "burp" (according to them -- I haven't played either pickup) -- but, with both pickups in a single, MM shell, you should be able to just flip the pickup around and try it both ways! I'd be interested to hear your impressions if you do -- interested to hear them regardless!
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Using an SE on the neck side is my way of making the pair sound like they are further apart.

I have a JJJ bass where the bridge pair is similar to what I plan to do under the MM cover (JazzMan). Very distinct difference between the two. The middle SE almost sounds like a neck pickup.


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#185
I've been intrigued by this pickup arrangement ever since the old Fender HM basses from the 80's...

Doner Designs said:
Using an SE on the neck side is my way of making the pair sound like they are further apart.

I have a JJJ bass where the bridge pair is similar to what I plan to do under the MM cover (JazzMan). Very distinct difference between the two. The middle SE almost sounds like a neck pickup.


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#187
kkaarrll said:
also would love to hear from @line6man about this
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I haven't read the whole thread, but on the matter of multiple tone controls; it's generally not very practical. Tone controls operate parallel to the signal path, so if you want multiple tone controls, they all do the same thing, unless you isolate their signal paths from each other. Doing this either entails buffering each signal path, or adding resistors in series with each signal path. (Which reduces output.)
 
#190
I'm really thinking of putting a bigman in my modulus flea (single mm pickup) and keeping it passive. Ideally I'd like to do volume/volume/tone series/parallel switch. Hopefully that is possible. Given the graphite neck, what you all think of A3 vs A5 magnets?
 
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#191
From the Nordstrand website, it sounds like the A3 would be a little sweeter and darker sounding, but mine are A5 (as far as I know) and they are not especially bright sounding pickups to begin with, especially in series mode.

arbitrary said:
I'm really thinking of putting a bigman in my modulus flea (single mm pickup) and keeping it passive. Ideally I'd like to do volume/volume/tone series/parallel switch. Hopefully that is possible. Given the graphite neck, what you all think of A3 vs A5 magnets?
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#193
arbitrary said:
thanks for the info. What bass do you have it in & how do you like it?
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I have the CB (Cliff Bordwell) Dola 5 in my profile pic, with a pari of Bigman 5s and a Nordstrand 3-band. Mine has series/parallel/single switching for both pickups, and I find all 3 settings to be useful, but I default to the parallel setting, and only tend to use the single-coil setting with both pickups together (like a Jazz with single coils for hum cancelling).
 
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#194
mikezimmerman said:
I have the CB (Cliff Bordwell) Dola 5 in my profile pic, with a pari of Bigman 5s and a Nordstrand 3-band. Mine has series/parallel/single switching for both pickups, and I find all 3 settings to be useful, but I default to the parallel setting, and only tend to use the single-coil setting with both pickups together (like a Jazz with single coils for hum cancelling).
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So is the connection between the two pickups parallel?
 
#198
mikezimmerman said:
I have the CB (Cliff Bordwell) Dola 5 in my profile pic, with a pari of Bigman 5s and a Nordstrand 3-band. Mine has series/parallel/single switching for both pickups, and I find all 3 settings to be useful, but I default to the parallel setting, and only tend to use the single-coil setting with both pickups together (like a Jazz with single coils for hum cancelling).
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Interesting. I got to try a bass with a single Bigman. I could see defaulting to parallel - it sounds really good. But I also really liked single coil mode. Series didn't work for me. Just too wooly sounding IMO.

I think if I had a bass with two Bigmans (Bigmen?) I'd wire each single/parallel/single.

Lots of versatility and you'd have humcanelling using the inner or outer pairs.
 

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