Nordstrand Big Blades?

[Toptube]

OMG, Sidewinders! *drool*

 

[5StringPocket]

We currently offer the Big Blade, which is a single coil blade pickup in a soap bar shape. We are actively working on finalizing the HC Big Blade, which is a sidewinder hum canceling version of the Big Blade and has only one blade (sorry Andy). We are in the very early stages of development for the Big J Blade, which will also be a single coil. I would like to do a hum canceling version of this pickup as well, but space limitations will make that challenging.

Beyond those, I will definitely look at doing a shallow version of the blade design, which will make it adaptable to P and MM shapes. But that is probably quite a while down the road, easily into next year.

Love the demos I've heard of the Big Blade. Just did a little reading on sidewinder pickups and saw it described as hum canceling with a single coil sound but a different arrangement than the split coil configuration. With so many variables contributing to the signature sound of a pickup I hope the HC Big Blade stays true to the original. A pair of these in the P2 format would be a nice build!

 

[5StringPocket]

5 likes in a day. Sounds like some folks are interested in hearing about these!

They're in my MTD Kingston Z5 now. I'll do a recording sometime in the next few days and post my impressions after hearing them a bit more. I want to let the strings settle back onto the bass and adjust the gain trim pot on the 3b preamp. These are a fair bit hotter in output than the Aguilar DCBs I had in there. The ear often hears 'loudness = good' and 'new = good' so I want a little bit before I render any judgement.

I made a recording with the DCBs. I still have the Audacity project and drum track, so I'll record the same line and level match to give a A-B comparison recording this weekend. Same bass, preamp, strings, player, recording setup.

Kingston Z5

• 4StringTheorist
• Jun 29, 2016
• 2
• mtd kingston nordstrand

MTD Kingston Z5

Really like the looks of that Kingston Z5 with the Big Blades. What woods are in that? I don't generally solo one pickup or the other but have had trouble in the past with single coils when moving too far off center with the blend. How do these fare?

 

[EVerderame]

i got really interested in a set of those Nordstrands Big Blades for a bass project but at a U$ 650 tag price in Brasil, those are out of reach for me :/

 

[4StringTheorist]

Really like the looks of that Kingston Z5 with the Big Blades. What woods are in that? I don't generally solo one pickup or the other but have had trouble in the past with single coils when moving too far off center with the blend. How do these fare?

It's a mahogany body, a burl maple top, a maple neck and a rosewood fingerboard. The burl maple top is extremely thin: the thinnest top I've ever seen, so in terms of tone and weight, consider the body to simply be made of mahogany.

I haven't had these in a noisy environment yet, but I have the pickup cavities, electronics cavities and battery compartment fully shielded. I haven't noticed any noise issues yet.

EDIT: In terms of single coil hum, I'm given to understand that there's just no way around it. However, I play though a very pristine-tone kinda rig... these are honestly my first single coil bass pickups ever.. and I'm not really hearing the hum yet, even with either pickup soloed. I wired my blend pot ungrounded like this, but without the step of modding the pot itself.

 

[Guinness20]

Anybody any idea how these compare to the dual blade neo's?

 

[hondo4life]

Are Big Blades the best pickups for metal?
But seriously, I'm thinking of replacing one of my J pups with a Big Blades.
If I just got a single BB pup, would it work okay in parallel with a typical J pup? I'm guessing yes.
I think I would put the BB in the neck position, and keep the J at the bridge. I think it would be pretty good for metal.

 

[4StringTheorist]

But seriously, I'm thinking of replacing one of my J pups with a Big Blades.
If I just got a single BB pup, would it work okay in parallel with a typical J pup? I'm guessing yes.

@Carey This is one for you.

 

[5StringPocket]

I'm considering a build with a pair of these Big Blades: mahogany body with Claro walnut top, Darkglass preamp. I'm looking for a thick, warm finger style tone with punch and good articulation for rock, blues, and modern country. Trying to decide between wenge, birds-eye maple, or bubinga for the fingerboard. I like a solid low mid body to the note and sweet highs that aren't harsh. Any thoughts on which of these would be more suitable with a mahogany body?

 

[Carey]

Are Big Blades the best pickups for metal?
But seriously, I'm thinking of replacing one of my J pups with a Big Blades.
If I just got a single BB pup, would it work okay in parallel with a typical J pup? I'm guessing yes.
I think I would put the BB in the neck position, and keep the J at the bridge. I think it would be pretty good for metal.

I think that's a great thing to try. Will probably be killer.

 

[hondo4life]

I think that's a great thing to try. Will probably be killer.

Cool, I'm going to do it. It will be a month or two before I have it all together, but I'll post back about how it works.

 

[Carey]

I'm considering a build with a pair of these Big Blades: mahogany body with Claro walnut top, Darkglass preamp. I'm looking for a thick, warm finger style tone with punch and good articulation for rock, blues, and modern country. Trying to decide between wenge, birds-eye maple, or bubinga for the fingerboard. I like a solid low mid body to the note and sweet highs that aren't harsh. Any thoughts on which of these would be more suitable with a mahogany body?

These sound right up your alley. I'd probably recommend the maple fingerboard. In my experience it'll be just a little less zingy in the highs than the others.

 

[5StringPocket]

That's just what I'm looking for - a little less zing. Thanks!

 

[4StringTheorist]

A new video demo by Dino Monolexos.



And fun groove by Andy Irvine with the Big Blade equipped Charity Bass (to be auctioned off soon!)

 

[detoxxx]

Thanks for this!!!

Here's the same bass with Aguilar DCB pickups and Nordstrand Big Blades. First take, warts and all, and my dog started asking to go out right as I started. Listening back, worrying about my dog going out really futzed with my time! The point of this isn't the playing though, so just keeping it. Playing is boring and unexciting. Just trying to voice some clear notes for people to hear the tone.

• Aguilar DCB
• Nordstrand Big Blades

Clip sections:

1. both pickups - no EQ
2. neck pickup solo - no EQ
3. bridge pickup solo - no EQ
   
4. both pickups - slap EQ - bass and treble boosted, mids cut at 1 kHz
5. neck pickup solo - P style - treble cut, mids boosted at 400 Hz, slight bass boost
6. bridge pickup solo - J bridge - slight treble cut, slight mid boost at 1 kHz, bass flat

I made the first clip with the DCBs 6 months ago or so, but I replicated the setup with the Big Blades as best I could.

Bass details:

• MTD Kingston Z5
• Nordstrand 3b preamp
• pickups mentioned above
• D'addario Prosteels strings

 

[Toptube]

OMG, Sidewinders! *drool*

I emailed today. The sidewinder humbucking version of the Big Blades are in testing and estimated for final spec around May. Currently, two prototypes are in the wild.

I just put in an order for a Kiesel Vader with P2 shaped pickups. So, May is perfect timing!

 

[maurilio]

 

[4StringTheorist]

My oh my, Mo!! Niiice!

 

[maurilio]

My oh my, Mo!! Niiice!

Hey, thank you!.... more to come....

 

[5StringPocket]

View attachment 1065577

Beautiful bass and I like the reverse slant on that neck pickup. Does it help keep the B-string focused and the G-string fat? Please tell us more about this bass - woods, electronics, switching etc.