Nordstrand Poly Vox

[RasJay]

Nick said I can post his answer here. This is in response to the four string:

“PolyVox is indeed one coil per string. The poles have the same offset as the BigRig, but instead of two parallel mounted coils, PolyVox has a coil around each pair of coils as they lie under the string courses. The Alnico loaded coils are supported above a ceramic bar. There's truly a lot going on under the hood and they've solidly secured the crown as the most complex build of all our pickups.”

 

[5StringPocket]

Interesting and innovative design but quite expensive. I’m also curious about how the hum cancelling works on the 5-string version.

 

[J.Wolf]

These sounded wildly good in person at NAMM. Fat, chewy, detailed, muscular and clear. Instant fan.

 

[sikamikanico]

Nick said I can post his answer here. This is in response to the four string:

“PolyVox is indeed one coil per string. The poles have the same offset as the BigRig, but instead of two parallel mounted coils, PolyVox has a coil around each pair of coils as they lie under the string courses. The Alnico loaded coils are supported above a ceramic bar. There's truly a lot going on under the hood and they've solidly secured the crown as the most complex build of all our pickups.”

thank for sharing! Based on that description and photos, I still don’t see where the ceramic bar is, but I suppose it doesn’t really matter.

so basically these are really wide aperture multi coils. Which would explain the thick yet clear sound description.

I wonder if they would offer a similar version, but based on the Big Single design, using a narrower aperture. You could combine two of those for a Wal-style pickup. Big Poly Man? Or Big Vox Man?

 

[mikezimmerman]

So you are thinking that there are 5 elongated coils, with each coil going around 2 pole pieces? I was guessing that there was a separate coil around each pole piece, the way Wal pickups are done, and you just couldn't see the back coil because of the angle, but I certainly could be wrong...

The photo in OP's post shows one coil per string, positioned diagonally.

Nevermind, it sounds like we have a definitive answer!

 

[MotorCityMinion]

Fat, chewy, detailed, muscular and clear.

 

[micguy]

They're selling separate bridge and neck pickups so I assume the magnet and winding patterns combine for a full complement of RWRP coils when using both.

fwiw, split-coil humbuckers for 5-string also usually have one coil larger than the other leading to less than 100% hum cancellation; I suspect in most cases it's good enough even if it's not perfect.

The math is pretty simple on most 5 string in line hum cancellers: 3-2 = 1. A single coil pickup has 5 poles, and in an inline hum canceler, one of the coils has 3, one has 2. They generate hum in proportion to that, so the hum from 4 of the poles is cancelled, the remaining one isn't, so the net is 1/5th of the hum of a single coil - otherwise know as 15dB of hum cancellation. If the designer is paying attention, they can make the neck and bridge pickups different, so that one gives you a little hum in one polarity, and the other gives you the same amount in the other polarity, so....when both pickups are on, it is fully hum cancelling.

There are 5 string hum cancelling pickups that are sonically single coils (they only listen to the string at one point), but that still fully hum cancel. Nordstrand makes a Dingwall design that's essentially a P architecture under one shell, with 3 poles on each coil (one isn't a magnet). They also make a sidewinder (aka Zen Blades) and stacks (aka Fat stacks) where you can get a single coilish sound, but no hum.

 

[5StringPocket]

The math is pretty simple on most 5 string in line hum cancellers: 3-2 = 1. A single coil pickup has 5 poles, and in an inline hum canceler, one of the coils has 3, one has 2. They generate hum in proportion to that, so the hum from 4 of the poles is cancelled, the remaining one isn't, so the net is 1/5th of the hum of a single coil - otherwise know as 15dB of hum cancellation. If the designer is paying attention, they can make the neck and bridge pickups different, so that one gives you a little hum in one polarity, and the other gives you the same amount in the other polarity, so....when both pickups are on, it is fully hum cancelling.

There are 5 string hum cancelling pickups that are sonically single coils (they only listen to the string at one point), but that still fully hum cancel. Nordstrand makes a Dingwall design that's essentially a P architecture under one shell, with 3 poles on each coil (one isn't a magnet). They also make a sidewinder (aka Zen Blades) and stacks (aka Fat stacks) where you can get a single coilish sound, but no hum.

So even with -15dB hum reduction, it would still benefit from good shielding in the pickup and control cavities.

 

[ardgedee]

So even with -15dB hum reduction, it would still benefit from good shielding in the pickup and control cavities.

Humbucking and shielding address different problems.

 

[micguy]

So even with -15dB hum reduction, it would still benefit from good shielding in the pickup and control cavities.

Shielding addresses electrostatic noises. Hum cancellation addresses magnetic hum. Two different things - if you want a quiet bass, you need both.

 

[winegamd]

So, I see a six string version mentioned in print, but there is no six string option on the website. Anyone know if they are coming, too?

 

[emjazz]

So, I see a six string version mentioned in print, but there is no six string option on the website. Anyone know if they are coming, too?

Yes they are

 

[RasJay]

I ordered a set of the Polxy Vox 4 35’s and have a question out to Lusithand Devices on which of their NFP pre-amps would work with two of these. I have forwarded the questions from Nuno to ask how the coils and pickups are wired.

 

[birminghambass]

I just happen to be talking to Nick at Nordstrand about the JC-3B/Big Blademan offering and he mentioned the Poly Vox today.

I have the current questions in with him:

1. Are they (poly vox 4) one coil per string?

2. How does the JC-3B pair with them?

3. How would they pair with a filter pre-amp.

I have a 35DC Spector ZeBop that I am looking to do something special with.

Let me know if you wanna move those EMG DCs.

 

[SoniaMara]

Exciting!
How does the hum-canceling part works for the 5 string version?

there is a sixth dummy coil.

 

[SoniaMara]

Paging @SoniaMara

you rang?

 

[SoniaMara]

Exciting!
How does the hum-canceling part works for the 5 string version?

there is an extra dummy coil. 6 coils for the price of 5.

 

[SoniaMara]

So, I see a six string version mentioned in print, but there is no six string option on the website. Anyone know if they are coming, too?

yes, 6 is coming, waiting for photos.

 

[sikamikanico]

there is an extra dummy coil. 6 coils for the price of 5.

nice, thanks for clarifying!!

I’m not sure you can say more, but two things puzzle me: where’s the ceramic magnet (or magnets?), and what are the slugs/poles in the middle of each coil visible on the photos of the underside?

I’m presume the latter is not the answer to the former

 

[winegamd]

yes, 6 is coming, waiting for photos.

Thank you, @SoniaMara!

These seem pretty hot in Carey's videos. How well do they interact with preamps?

Also, the BigRig in the neck has often been touted as too hot/unbalanced for a BigRig in the bridge. How well would a Poly Vox in the bridge balance with a BigRig in the neck?