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Nordstrand NJ4SE

H

hkroy

Nov 3, 2007
181
1
Hong Kong
#1
I am deciding to change my bass pups

but before I change it, I have few questions to ask

1, my bass is Fender custom classic 4 strings Jazz (active,18v), is the Nordstrand NJ4SE suitable to use in my bass?

2, Is the Nordstrand NJ4SE better than the Noiseless Jazz pups (the orginal pups of my bass)?

3, Is the Nordstrand NJ4SE is better than he Noiseless Jazz pups for punk, emo, anbd rock??

4, Any others JJ pups suggestion to me for my music style?


Thanks
 
#2
hkroy said:
I am deciding to change my bass pups

but before I change it, I have few questions to ask

1, my bass is Fender custom classic 4 strings Jazz (active,18v), is the Nordstrand NJ4SE suitable to use in my bass?

2, Is the Nordstrand NJ4SE better than the Noiseless Jazz pups (the orginal pups of my bass)?

3, Is the Nordstrand NJ4SE is better than he Noiseless Jazz pups for punk, emo, anbd rock??

4, Any others JJ pups suggestion to me for my music style?


Thanks
Click to expand...

1. yes
2. a subjective probably
3. I don't see why not.
4. The nordstrand SVs are a tad more vintage sounding and might be worth a look
 
#4
hkroy said:
so the Nordstrand Svs is better than the SE for emo, rock and punk?
Click to expand...
There's no right or wrong answer for that, only what works for you. If you read the Jazz pickup megathread the one thing that seems clear is that almost anything is an improvement over stock Fender pickups - so I'd say go for it. Nordies are popular around here and I'm sure if you didn't like them you could turn around and sell them with at least some of your investment recouped.
 
#5
Much of what is the "right" pickup depends on the bass itself

I have a set of the NJ4SE pickups ... they are now in their 3rd bass. First bass was a USA 62 RI Fender the bass was somewhat dark sounding and the pickups helped but in the end I just put the stock ones back in and sold it. Next they went in my 196? Frankenjazz again a nice sound but decided to change them out for single coil Lindy Fralins ... now that bass has the snap I was looking for. Finally I have a very bright and light 75 Fender RI that needed some taming down and the NJ4SEs brought that one to life.

That set of Nords are mids punchy and the first two basses had rosewood boards and alder bodies the 75 RI has a maple board and is a naturally brighter bass so the combination worked better atleast for me.

:hmm: ... As to if it will get the "sound" you want that I cant say.
 
#7
Read the Fralin/Nordstrand comparison at the Blueberry Hill Blog:

http://blueberryhillbass.blogspot.com/2006_07_01_archive.html

I have the noiseless Fralins, and they're amazing. I like the "loose," growly lows and raw, gritty tone. (This description applies somewhat to the Fralin P pickup as well.) I seriously balked at the price when I bought them in mid-2005, but they've been worth every penny.
 
#9
i think the SE version rocks!!!! they are just great i love it....i got one on my 4-94´s neck but for a jj i preffer single coils thats the true jj sound i love aero´s singles fralinds are great and are better with the 5%n more winnding
 
#10
SE's have more bark (mids)
SV's have more bite (highs) and i think a tad extra fundamental. They sound vintage+/
the NJ4's have Bark and Bite, and sound the most vintage of them all (still vintage+ with some more mids from the SV's.

I think the SV's sound like a more mid polite version of the NJ4's. The SE's sound like a mid crazy version of the SV's. More heft to the notes in the low mids than the SV's and NJ4's combined.

The NJ4's are my favorite, however I have the NJ4SV's in my custom Jazz that I built and I think they will stay. They seem to do the modern thing well, and that will weigh in with me as I'm looking for more vintage sounding basses for my next 2.

Given the preamp that is in the Custom Classic Jazzes, i would say that the NJ4's would add a more vintage flavor but keep you noiseless. The NJ4SE's would be something new sounding, but sound a little more modern. The NJ4SV's would be more accustomed to the tone of your preamp and bass and probably sound the best.

The thing to remember with Nordstrand pups is that you cannot go wrong. :D
 
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#12
joelb79 said:
SE's have more bark (mids)
SV's have more bite (highs) and i think a tad extra fundamental. They sound vintage+/
the NJ4's have Bark and Bite, and sound the most vintage of them all (still vintage+ with some more mids from the SV's.

I think the SV's sound like a more mid polite version of the NJ4's. The SE's sound like a mid crazy version of the SV's. More heft to the notes in the low mids than the SV's and NJ4's combined.

The NJ4's are my favorite, however I have the NJ4SV's in my custom Jazz that I built and I think they will stay. They seem to do the modern thing well, and that will weigh in with me as I'm looking for more vintage sounding basses for my next 2.

Given the preamp that is in the Custom Classic Jazzes, i would say that the NJ4's would add a more vintage flavor but keep you noiseless. The NJ4SE's would be something new sounding, but sound a little more modern. The NJ4SV's would be more accustomed to the tone of your preamp and bass and probably sound the best.

The thing to remember with Nordstrand pups is that you cannot go wrong. :D
Click to expand...

A very good review. Thanks...

MM
 
#13
joelb79 said:
The thing to remember with Nordstrand pups is that you cannot go wrong. :D
Click to expand...

I would agree with this. I hemmed and hawed for a long time,and finally went for the SVs. After listening to some soundclips, neither were better, just different flavors (and I wanted noiseless). I think I did right, the bass they are in is an effing slap monster now, which is pretty much what I was looking for, but I think it depends on the bass, strings, pre, etc). My set up is Alder/maple/pau ferro, Nordy SVs, AUdere, and Hi Beams, and it is about perfect for what I wanted to do with it. I'm thinking about another bass with SVs for a better fingerstyle sound.
 
#14
joelb79 said:
Given the preamp that is in the Custom Classic Jazzes, I would say that the NJ4SV's would add a more vintage flavor but keep you noiseless. The NJ4SE's would be something new sounding, but sound a little more modern. The NJ4SV's would be more accustomed to the tone of your preamp and bass and probably sound the best. But thats my $0.02
Click to expand...

Edited. I must be dozing off at the keyboard again. :ninja:
 
#19
My own $0.02........

I had the NJ4's in my Custom Classic (love those block inlays!). Overall, good tone and seemed a good match with the stock preamp. For grins and giggles, I transferred my Dimarzio J's from my Warwick to the Jazz and.......yeah, nice! Very punchy, barky, filling in the mix, etc. They don't have the sharp highs the Nordies have, but I like it warm anyway. They are not subtle, but the soloing the bridge pickup is probably the best, "burpiest", growliest tone I have had in a Jazz. Nothing against the NJ4's...great pickups and vintage as described by the others...maybe less output and a little thinner sounding to my ears. I'm curious, though, how the SE's or SV's would compare to the Dimarzios. Well...I guess I know how in one way --price!

You could always get any set, see if you like them, and sell them on here if you don't. There are tons of "tweakers" like me out there snooping the for sale posts. I will probably sell mine since the Model J's sound great in the Warwick too (no preamp).

Good luck!
Scott
 

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