Nordstrand Big Singles vs. Big Splits vs. Fat Stacks in Single Coil Mode

[zDay99]

Hey all!

Nordstrand Big Singles are the best sound pickups I have ever tried to my ear.

That being said, I have been eyeing putting Fat Stacks in a bass I use primarily for distorted metal both recording and touring. The more aggression the better. My thought was to use them mostly in single coil mode, and only engage both coils when playing in a particularly EM noisy environment.

My hope is that the Fat stacks with the coil split on would sound and have near identical output level to Big Singles. If anyone has experience with both, is this the case, or have you noticed any significant differences?

Additonally, if anyone has experience with Big Splits vs Fat Stacks in dual coil mode - I know the Big Splits are going to be more aggressive, but how much so? Are the Fat Stacks really mellow in hum canceling mode?

Thanks!

 

[Jared Lash]

I don't necessarily find Big Splits to be more aggressive per set. They sound a lot like Big Singles. To my ear they (compared to the Big Singles) have a drop in the upper mids and a bit more treble extension.

I never A/B'd them, but I had Fat Stacks eons ago and they weren't quite as "big" sounding as the Big Singles when set as single coils. I'd say they are somewhere between the Big Singles and a standard jazz pickup. So not a huge difference. And of course there's a slight volume drop when using them as stacked humbuckers.

All three are great pickups. I used the Fat Stacks exactly as you described - as single coils unless I needed to run them as humbuckers due to noise/power issues.

 

[Zazie Moondust]

I don't necessarily find Big Splits to be more aggressive per set. They sound a lot like Big Singles. To my ear they (compared to the Big Singles) have a drop in the upper mids and a bit more treble extension.

I never A/B'd them, but I had Fat Stacks eons ago and they weren't quite as "big" sounding as the Big Singles when set as single coils. I'd say they are somewhere between the Big Singles and a standard jazz pickup. So not a huge difference. And of course there's a slight volume drop when using them as stacked humbuckers.

All three are great pickups. I used the Fat Stacks exactly as you described - as single coils unless I needed to run them as humbuckers due to noise/power issues.

I am glad I am not the only one who noticed the Big Split has more higher treble frequencies than the Big Single. I feel like it might be something to do with the way split pickups work. Sometimes it's hard to describe pickup online because one person's trebley might be about more high mids than low mids, while someone senses might be about the a higher resonant peak.

Its also kind of cool that Fat Stacks in single mode are kind of a brighter version of the big single.

 

[logdrum]

Big Splits are polite. Fat Stacks have the Turbo mode but you need to hum cancel it with another pickup if you are not tolerant to the hum that appears. It is very in your face when it is on.. You can choose for it to be in turbo mode all the time or use a switch. For me I have the option of turning turbo mode for each pickup, My favorite is split mode on the neck and turbo mode on the bridge. IMO In turbo mode Fat Stack is more aggressive than Big Single

 

[PrimitiveMan]

I don't necessarily find Big Splits to be more aggressive per set. They sound a lot like Big Singles. To my ear they (compared to the Big Singles) have a drop in the upper mids and a bit more treble extension.

I never A/B'd them, but I had Fat Stacks eons ago and they weren't quite as "big" sounding as the Big Singles when set as single coils. I'd say they are somewhere between the Big Singles and a standard jazz pickup. So not a huge difference. And of course there's a slight volume drop when using them as stacked humbuckers.

All three are great pickups. I used the Fat Stacks exactly as you described - as single coils unless I needed to run them as humbuckers due to noise/power issues.

Pretty much my experience with big singles and fat stacks. Big singles seemed a bit more open than the fat stacks, but both sounded great.

 

[bikeplate]

Blades are my fave. The clean version

 

[micguy]

Big Singles have 5.5 Henries of inductance (the neck model). That's on the high side compared to a typical Jazz pickup (3.5 to 4 Henries) - they have a bit less high end extension. The Fat stack (just the top coil so it's a single as well) has 2.5 Henries of inductance - that's on the low side compared with a typical Jazz Bass Pickup - they will have more high frequency extension. The thing is, if the Big single doesn't have enough HF extension for you, you're stuck. If the Fat Stack has too much, you're not - a loading capacitor will solve that, allowing you to tune the thing where you want.