Nordstrand Big Singles... I'm not digging the tone

[Meyatch]

Over the years, I've built lots of different basses. Two of which, I specked with Nordys in them and two basses with Barts. I like them all, I'm not dissing one brand over the other. Bart's sound different to Nordys because they use different magnets in their construction.
I like the Big Singles a lot, but I also like Bart Jazz PU's too. They sound very different. It depends on what one is looking for…which I think was the original question.

I am not dissing barts either, but I don't think I've ever heard anyone describe them as anything other than dark, or a synonym.

 

[TN WOODMAN]

Do you like the sound of the bass un amplified? If you don't it's likely not the pickups fault

I wouldn't draw too many conclusions on whether one likes the sound of an un amplified solid body bass. They were never intended to be played that way & the low volume you hear isn't very indicative of the sound you hear amplified . Much less in a full mix with other instruments.

 

[ctmullins]

I wouldn't draw too many conclusions on whether one likes the sound of an un amplified solid body bass. They were never intended to be played that way & the low volume you hear isn't very indicative of the sound you hear amplified . Much less in a full mix with other instruments.

I disagree.

The tone starts with the strings, and how the body structure supports the strings. A bass that sounds lively when played unplugged is a good foundation for amplification. A bass that sounds dead when unamplified can sound good with the right electronics, but it is starting with a handicap.

 

[BeMoreFrench]

Barts as being bright seemed like a strange comment to us too. Ears are different too!

To me too, never heard of that in 35 years of playing barts and listening to guys with barts on their basses, "you want low mids then go barts" was the thing here in France for a long time !

 

[Altitude]

That seems like strange advice. I don't think you will find many people saying Barotolinis are brighter than Nordys.

I thought I was the only one who found that comment surprising.

 

[jlaudin]

I bought a used custom bass, the one in my Avatar, that came with Nordstrand Big Singles and a Nordstrand A3 pre-amp, I liked the tone but didn't love it.
Swapped in a Darkglass Tone Capsule pre-amp and the bass and pickups really came alive. I have been a loyal Audere fan forever (have had 5 Audere's over the years), but I thought I'd try something different and I'm digging the Darkglass with the Big Singles now.

 

[Matthijs]

Ime there's no such thing as a sure drop in for pickups. They surprise me very often. What sounded great in one bass, suddenly is 'off' in the other bass. Even if I thought they were pretty similar. There are just too many variables that play into wether they klick or not. All the voices in the bass have to match.

To my ears this is even more so for pickups with a distinct character, like most single coils.

So my advice for the op: if you have sorted out the pickup height and mounting and possible twisted strings, there's no other option than to start trying out different combinations of strings, pickups en pre's. There are worse chores in life

 

[GMC]

I am not dissing barts either, but I don't think I've ever heard anyone describe them as anything other than dark, or a synonym.

To me too, never heard of that in 35 years of playing barts and listening to guys with barts on their basses, "you want low mids then go barts" was the thing here in France for a long time !

I thought I was the only one who found that comment surprising.

Well one man's "brighter" is another man's burble. Using one single word to describe the difference between two complex tonal directions is always going to be a massive paraphrase. My point was about the magnet choice difference between the two brands. We need to read this in context of the OP. You may think that Barts are dark, buttery or what ever, however in a comparision with a like for like construction...Ceramic compared to Alnico, the Caeramics should be more mids scooped / ie sound a bit brighter (in comparison).

 

[BeMoreFrench]

Well one man's "brighter" is another man's burble. Using one single word to describe the difference between two complex tonal directions is always going to be a massive paraphrase. My point was about the magnet choice difference between the two brands. We need to read this in context of the OP. You may think that Barts are dark, buttery or what ever, however in a comparision with a like for like construction...Ceramic compared to Alnico, the Caeramics should be more mids scooped / ie sound a bit brighter (in comparison).

No, dark sound really means not enough highs or high mids. Quite simple, and I guess everyone understand that, and speaks his mind that way about tone color.

EDIT: in Bartolini Pickups - Understanding The Tone and More

Some benefits & features of Bartolini Bass Pickups:

• Completely epoxy potted for noise reduction
• Coil Splitting on most dual coil humbuckers for more tonal options
• Comfortable rounded edges are kind to your thumbs
• Majority of models have ceramic bar magnets accommodating many string spacings
• Tone that is known - thick, rich low mids

Now they do make a Classic series pickups with more top end, but the strong low mids signature remains, it will always remains and gives that Bartolini dark signature sound.

 

[BobKos]

I wish I could get that kind of sound out of my (garbage) Big Singles

Unfortunately you have a set of big singles in front of an Ibanez preamp. I have a couple too. They kinda suck. You would prob feel differently if you had a different pre like East or similar. I am a huge Nordstrand fan and my other basses with BigX pickups sound pretty great.

The bass tone in this song is great and is a testament to the PLAYER and the bass.

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

Unfortunately you have a set of big singles in front of an Ibanez preamp. I have a couple too. They kinda suck. You would prob feel differently if you had a different pre like East or similar. I am a huge Nordstrand fan and my other basses with BigX pickups sound pretty great.

The bass tone in this song is great and is a testament to the PLAYER and the bass.

Unfortunately, I have never modified a bass and I know absolutely nothing about pre-amps.

I have the Big Singles in a SR2600.

I'm assuming you have something similar. In that spirit, could you recommend a good pre-amp (in non-jargon) with which I could replace the Ibanez pre-amp?