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Nordstrand BigRig Pickups
- Thread starter 3rdcurve
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- nordstrand pickups
Thanks, gents. In the clips I've listened to, the Big Rig sounds smoother and more polite than a P (than my idea of what I like in a P, anyway) and the Big Splits have been described as somewhere between a P and a J, so I wondered.
I haven't tried the Big Splits, but I'd agree with your description of the Big Rig.
Smoother and more polite for sure. It doesn't have the same mid range grunt, but in series it's close. But yeah, still different.
Could I use a pair a Big Rig with the outer coils in Rickenbacker positions and
- get a Ric-like sound with the Big Rigs in single coil mode
- get a P-like sound with the middle pickup in series mode
- get a Ric-like sound with the Big Rigs in single coil mode
- get a P-like sound with the middle pickup in series mode
You can split to either coil in the Big Rigs. However, due to the pole piece layout, the pole pieces do not line up, during single coil mode. In my opinion, you probably won't get as aggressive of a tone as a Rick. But I dunno. Maybe ask the guys at Nordstrand. They are very nice to email with.
This is my Labyrinth Guitarworks custom. Multiscale 34" to 31". The neck pickup is a BigSplit, bridge is a BigRig. I have Kalium strings ordered to be 37 lbs across the strings.
It has a series/parallel switch, glockenklang preamp, and passive tone.
That BigRig is magical. I didn't know what to expect, or how it would balance with the BigSplit. It's my go-to. It isn't a p-bass tone, my go-to, but it's glorious in its own right.
It has a series/parallel switch, glockenklang preamp, and passive tone.
That BigRig is magical. I didn't know what to expect, or how it would balance with the BigSplit. It's my go-to. It isn't a p-bass tone, my go-to, but it's glorious in its own right.
Cool - some neat ideas in that bass, too.
With the Big Rig described as more P-like and the Big Split more J-like, I find it interesting that you put the "Rig" at the bridge and the Split at the neck. Would you elaborate on the thinking behind this?
I have the BigRig in the neck and the Big Split in the bridge of mine. Turned out to be a PERFECT combo for me.
It's on a push pull knob for both, but I only use it in series.
THanks for the info. I've been pondering a Big Rig at the neck position along with the Big Split at the bridge I have...... also thinking about a Big Rig Alnico III in bridge position as the only pickup for a fretless I have.
I haven't heard the Alnico III version. I'm sure it would be great. The BigRigs have a wider, more even sound. You may not get a biting, traditional bridge pickup sound with it, but it would be cool for sure.
Perfectly fine with that on the fretless. I'd like to avoid doing a totally Jaco thing.
The BigRig is described as a humcancelling '51 P on Nordstrand's site. I'm putting one in the neck position in a bass, with a Nordstrand Dual Coil flush with the bridge side, and an Aguilar DCB in the bridge position. Hope it works out.
The Big Rig is based off the old '51 P bass pickup, not the split coil we're used to, and the Big Split was sold to my as an aggressive J/P hybrid. I wouldn't agree with this description, but it's the basis for my decision.
That being said, the pickups are so close together that the placement has less impact than on a regular neck/bridge position setup. Would changing positions make a difference? Sure. Would it be tonally noticable? Perhaps only to the player.
I wired my Big Rig in series. Sounds WAY more P-like. Even better!
Last edited:
- Apr 29, 2003
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- Contributor- Bass Musician Magazine | Marketing Manager- Trickfish Amplification
I think of the Big Rig as more like a P than it is like a J or a dual coil, so it kinda gets that definition. In my experience it has the full mid profile of a P, but more refinement and less wool/edge to its sound than a classic P pickup.
^^^ Thanks, gents.
I know that it's hard to zero in on sound with words -- and, even then, much depends on the player, instrument, and, to some extent, the rig -- but I appreciate the continued thoughts and impressions. It'll be some time (maybe until I get my first custom build, if and when that happens) before I'm likely to try these pickups (maybe not), but each post sheds a little more light on the topic from a different angle.
Anyway, cheers -- and happy Friday!
I know that it's hard to zero in on sound with words -- and, even then, much depends on the player, instrument, and, to some extent, the rig -- but I appreciate the continued thoughts and impressions. It'll be some time (maybe until I get my first custom build, if and when that happens) before I'm likely to try these pickups (maybe not), but each post sheds a little more light on the topic from a different angle.
Anyway, cheers -- and happy Friday!
