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Nordstrand BigRig Pickups

#141
I’ve had basses with Big Singkes, Big Blademan, DC’s, and Big Rigs. All have been good sounding but the DC’s and Big Rigs have by far been the beat for the gospel Praise and Worship and fingeratyke playing I do. Very round, clear and punchy fingerstyle tone. I had the Big Blade man with coil taps and didn’t get what I wanted live but listening to the recordings of our churches broadcast it sounded very good lol. I always felt it sounded sterile live but not so much recorded. The DC’s are the best sounding pickups I’ve played live.
 
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#142
Toptube said:
While I think you could certainly use these for that, you might be better suited with Zen Blades. Those have most of the punch and balls of the Big Blade, but with a little more refinement. Big Blades are huge, but kind of blunt. I found them lacking a bit in note definition. My B-string in particular, sounds way better with Big Rigs.

However, Big Rigs in series mode do have some juice. Yet, they are oh so sensitive. Makes you want a bass with each pickup in it!

Big Splits might be the perfect middle ground. Big and Toothy grind. Good definition, but a nice dark body.
Click to expand...
I’d like to see how a BigRig neck pickup with series/parallel switch and a BigSplit in the bridge would pair. I think the voicing would work well together and add a bit of grind when you dig in.
 
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#145
It can, although I could see it being in series most of the time to have that thicker tone. This does add another useful alignment though - both pickups in parallel but in series with each other. Separation of the pickups gives this a bit different voicing. It was pretty effective with a Dingwall I had.
 
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#146
melloncollie said:
Anybody using these for more aggressive rock styles? Looking for a tone with a good amount of grind but still with a lot of body. These are very interesting but I feel like I haven’t heard many reviews based around that sound profile.
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Based on my experience with @Fuzzbass ’s Benevente 51P5, I wouldn’t have any reservations doing so, and I’m planning on building a bass around one to do just that!
 
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#148
melloncollie said:
Anybody using these for more aggressive rock styles? Looking for a tone with a good amount of grind but still with a lot of body. These are very interesting but I feel like I haven’t heard many reviews based around that sound profile.
Click to expand...

A cool thing about the Big Rig is that you have options: series and parallel. IMO either works great for aggressive rock, but here are the differences:

Parallel is more transparent: better highs and lows, level mids. Significantly lower output than series.

Series is similar to the classic split P-bass pickup: thicker in the mids (highs and lows are still there, but less prominent). Output is significantly higher than parallel, which might be useful if you need extra oomph, f'r instance to push a distortion pedal.
 
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#149
Fuzzbass said:
A cool thing about the Big Rig is that you have options: series and parallel. IMO either works great for aggressive rock, but here are the differences:

Parallel is more transparent: better highs and lows, level mids. Significantly lower output than series.

Series is similar to the classic split P-bass pickup: thicker in the mids (highs and lows are still there, but less prominent). Output is significantly higher than parallel, which might be useful if you need extra oomph, f'r instance to push a distortion pedal.
Click to expand...
Yup. Exactly what you said about it in series is what I love...it's like a P bass pickup, just more even and refined (less bark). I like a darker sound/less high end, but it sounds great in parallel as well.
 
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#155
Laklandfan said:
Has anyone tried a single Big Rig setup? A Big Rig in the 51/54/modern P-bass position and that's it?
Click to expand...

My plan is to build one with the Big Rig located where the treble coil of a split P pickup is. I anticipate awesomeness.
 
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#157
Laklandfan said:
Has anyone tried a single Big Rig setup? A Big Rig in the 51/54/modern P-bass position and that's it?
Click to expand...

IMG_20190308_222339.jpg

Sounds amazing in this bass. :thumbsup:



I also liked the 51P5S, which is the Nordstrand humbucking version of the original 1951 P pickup. It's a zingy pickup, and the single-narrow-polepiece-per-string results in odd tonal artifacts. Also, it's definitely not recommended if you do a lot of string bending because volume will drop (I believe all these aspects are true for the original). I actually like some of the "quirks" of the 51P5S, but the Big Rig with dual offset poles is an improved design, no question.
 
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#158
In case anyone wants the side by side, I recorded some samples in GarageBand.
One is the stock Big Rig, P position, in series and passive.
The other is a Nordy NP5 with Alnico 3 poles, also P position and passive.
The difference in strings (rounds V flats) may account for some output and signal levels, it may also just be the pickups, basses, woods, etc. But it's at least something to reference.
And if anyone has particular requests of sounds, I'm happy to help.
IMG_5202.JPG
 

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#159
rojo412 said:
In case anyone wants the side by side, I recorded some samples in GarageBand.
One is the stock Big Rig, P position, in series and passive.
The other is a Nordy NP5 with Alnico 3 poles, also P position and passive.
The difference in strings (rounds V flats) may account for some output and signal levels, it may also just be the pickups, basses, woods, etc. But it's at least something to reference.
And if anyone has particular requests of sounds, I'm happy to help.
View attachment 3363647
Click to expand...
They did a precision pickup in a mm housing for you?
 
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#160
rojo412 said:
In case anyone wants the side by side, I recorded some samples in GarageBand.
One is the stock Big Rig, P position, in series and passive.
The other is a Nordy NP5 with Alnico 3 poles, also P position and passive.
The difference in strings (rounds V flats) may account for some output and signal levels, it may also just be the pickups, basses, woods, etc. But it's at least something to reference.
And if anyone has particular requests of sounds, I'm happy to help.
View attachment 3363647
Click to expand...
Informative, thank you. Just gave it a listen and will be listening again.
 
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