If I have a volume control for each coil, is that any different in the end than turning the volume all the way down on one?
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New Nordstrand BigMan
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If I have a volume control for each coil, is that any different in the end than turning the volume all the way down on one?
It would be a more complex circuit (which some people don't like) - whether there would be an audible difference, I wouldn't speculate.
I definitely considered that option, but on a lot of other pickups I really like series mode so I didn't want to rule that option out completely, and I wasn't sure how much use I would get out of the "inner coil setting" since that basically amounts to another Bigman smack in the middle of the two I have already...
.I don't use series a lot, but I do really like it when I'm using the neck pickup and have the passive tone rolled all the way down for a really dark wooly tone--in parallel mode there's a bit of upper edge (or maybe a little scoop somewhere in the mids?) when I do this and it just doesn't have the same effect.
If anyone is interested, my Alpher Instruments bass runs two Bigman pickups alongside two Dingwall 4-way switches. Each pickup has rear/parallel/series/front coil switching and the pickups are wired parallel with each other with a blend. 24 coil combinations if I count correctly 
Both the CB and Alpher look great and I enjoy that you've both taken different approaches to switching with the pickups.
I am thinking of doing a dual bigman setup, right against each other with the inner coils set on the MM sweetspot. For switching a Dingwall rotary to select between them and inner/series/outer switch for both pickups (or inner/parallel/outer for each, perhaps). That will give me the option to run the pickups soloed, in parallel or series with each other and also both the inner and outer combos.
I am thinking of doing a dual bigman setup, right against each other with the inner coils set on the MM sweetspot. For switching a Dingwall rotary to select between them and inner/series/outer switch for both pickups (or inner/parallel/outer for each, perhaps). That will give me the option to run the pickups soloed, in parallel or series with each other and also both the inner and outer combos.
It was an earlier Alpher with dual Bigman pickups that really convinced me to go with them on my CB!
If anyone is interested, my Alpher Instruments bass runs two Bigman pickups alongside two Dingwall 4-way switches. Each pickup has rear/parallel/series/front coil switching and the pickups are wired parallel with each other with a blend. 24 coil combinations if I count correctly
Mine was finished in October 15 , think there was one before mine but with a somewhat simpler wiring configuration
It's a Roscoe Century Standard and I've installed a custom set of Nordstrand Bigrig pickups. I love it.
I had thought parallel would be darker, never tried a bigman [yet]. My one Franken P [in pic has a Model P schaller clone] i predominately use the P-Set soloed, and it seems to be darker {quieter w/less highs} when i switch it to parallel.
Have been reading about the Nordstrand options for awhile and there are quite a few, including the video of Andy with a Bigman in a P copy Bass that he raves about. Not sure if he is running it series or parallel though. I speculate he is running it in whatever the default is for him. He had said he likes a simple setup. p
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If it's the bass I'm thinking of; his was in Parallel wired V,T, T/B. A P-bass with a Bigman pickup is very high on my list of basses to build. Just not sure yet on the exact placement that works best.
We all have different perception what it is darker or brighter, but a dual coil in parallel has a average output with deeper Low ends, scooped mids and crispy highs. In series it will be higher output, less deep lows but thicker mids and less extended top end...
Andy’s eko I cant remember if we installed a push/pull for series/parallel, but by default we wire all those ‘big’ pickups in parallel
