Nordstrand Zen Blade

[MovinTarget]

I bought a set directly from Nordstrand and they're both labeled ZenBlade6b. I can't find any indication as to which is bridge and which is neck.

Are they supposed to be identical? or did Nordstrand send me two bridge pickups?

Edit: Just found the 'B' printed on the bottom of both of them. Already waited a few weeks for these pups, fun!

AFAIK Zen blades are singles and not designed to be paired up.

The only reason pickups were designed to be neck or bridge pups was due to pole spacing relative to the strings at certain points between the bridge and neck. As a function of this, the bridge pups *might* be wound a little hotter to balance with the neck since the strings move less closer to the bridge.

Since Zens are noise cancelling and bladed, they don't need to be wound for neck or bridge position.

Note: They *are* a bit on the quiet side for humbuckers, but they should be the same (manufacturing variances notwithstanding)

Note^2: I'm pretty sure I have the facts right, but if anyone knows better, please chime in.

 

[lyralain]

AFAIK Zen blades are singles and not designed to be paired up.

They sell them as a pair, which is what I ordered. There are separate options for bridge & neck if ordering individually. They can be used together to great effect-

The only reason pickups were designed to be neck or bridge pups was due to pole spacing relative to the strings at certain points between the bridge and neck. As a function of this, the bridge pups *might* be wound a little hotter to balance with the neck since the strings move less closer to the bridge.

Yeah, they're single pole so spacing shouldn't matter- but they might be voiced differently as bridge & neck position hear a different part of the string.

 

[XLunacy]

When I got in touch with them before buying the pickups for my custom, I did confirm with Nordstrand that bridge & neck Zen (only) differ by the wind count on the coils.

 

[MovinTarget]

Mmmmmm Just thinkin about that Zen + Noll combo....

Well, color me surprised! Perhaps you did get two bridge pups.

 

[SoniaMara]

I bought a set directly from Nordstrand and they're both labeled ZenBlade6b. I can't find any indication as to which is bridge and which is neck.

Are they supposed to be identical? or did Nordstrand send me two bridge pickups?

Edit: Just found the 'B' printed on the bottom of both of them. Already waited a few weeks for these pups, fun!

can you send me your order number? They definitely should be N and B.

 

[BassBeginer64]

Those Zens make a low cost bass sound amazing, great work Mo @ mo's Shop @ nordstrands

 

[fourstringbliss]

What would be a series/single coil/parallel wiring diagram for these? I'm looking for a way to wire two of these to an on/on/on 4pdt switch so that I can have all three options with one switch.

Thanks!

 

[daddymactx]

What would be a series/single coil/parallel wiring diagram for these? I'm looking for a way to wire two of these to an on/on/on 4pdt switch so that I can have all three options with one switch.

Thanks!

Hi @fourstringbliss I would call Mo at Nordstrand and ask him that question. I'm sure he can provide you with a diagram/info on exactly how to accomplish that. Check my post #183. The option you mentioned that I don't have on my modulus is single coil. But Mo did the install for me with both Nordstrand Zen Blades and a custom 3B Pre.. Hope this helps..

 

[fourstringbliss]

Hi @fourstringbliss I would call Mo at Nordstrand and ask him that question. I'm sure he can provide you with a diagram/info on exactly how to accomplish that. Check my post #183. The option you mentioned that I don't have on my modulus is single coil. But Mo did the install for me with both Nordstrand Zen Blades and a custom 3B Pre.. Hope this helps..

Thanks! You have series/parallel, then?

 

[daddymactx]

Yes!!!

This Modulus has a set of Zen blades paired with a custom 3B Nordstrand preamp. It has series/parallel switches (each pup), active/passive switch and a old school jazz style roll off under the volume. IMHO it's the most versatile, quietest, instrument I own.. Mo at Nordstrand did this install.. Clean accurate and no guess work... & Everything works... Series and parallel have different tones which work in different situations and even when I cross pickups (one series and one parallel) its still super quiet. But both in series gives the fattest tone across the board!!!

View attachment 4741044 View attachment 4741055

 

[fourstringbliss]

Yes!!!

I had thought to go with Big Splits, but I think I'll go with these. Maybe I'll do separate switches, but there isn't a lot of real estate for that, unfortunately.

 

[XLunacy]

What would be a series/single coil/parallel wiring diagram for these? I'm looking for a way to wire two of these to an on/on/on 4pdt switch so that I can have all three options with one switch.

Thanks!

Nordstrand's website got you covered (I believe for Zens specifically neck or bridge SC would not make any difference tone-wise because of the single blade, but you'd have to have one "neck" SC and one "bridge" SC to keep them humbucking) :
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1..._diagram_4_plus_conductor_pickup_wiring-2.pdf

4pdt would simply be similar to 2 2pdt side by side.

 

[daddymactx]

I had thought to go with Big Splits, but I think I'll go with these. Maybe I'll do separate switches, but there isn't a lot of real estate for that, unfortunately.

Fat stacks are another great full tone option!! Randy Wyn Fulmer used them in his basses!!!

 

[fourstringbliss]

Nordstrand's website got you covered (I believe for Zens specifically neck or bridge SC would not make any difference tone-wise because of the single blade, but you'd have to have one "neck" SC and one "bridge" SC to keep them humbucking) :
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1..._diagram_4_plus_conductor_pickup_wiring-2.pdf

4pdt would simply be similar to 2 2pdt side by side.

Thanks for the link! I was trying to wrap my head around the single coil option because for a minute there I thought these were linear humbuckers, but I forgot these were sidewinders

so single coil mode really would work. Definitely inner coils then, I think. That'd be closer to Jazz on this bass, I think

Although, the sensing blade would still be in the middle, so it wouldn't matter which coils as long as they were both inner or both outer, right?

 

[XLunacy]

Although, the sensing blade would still be in the middle, so it wouldn't matter which coils as long as they were both inner or both outer, right?

I do believe so

 

[iiipopes]

Keeping in mind posts 221 & 223 above, DC resistance: Has anybody measured the comparative DC resistance values between the neck and bridge versions? 4-string is what I am looking at, but I'll take anything. Thanks.

 

[Johno Dunn]

The Zen’s are in!

 

[Alex Masters]

Been playing my Ibanez SRMS805 with the Zen Blades and John East Uni-Pre. What a great combo that is - this bass sounds really, really good. With a little bass boost, I've put buying a P out of mind as this will do the trick nicely and a whole lot more!.

 

[Johno Dunn]

Been playing my Ibanez SRMS805 with the Zen Blades and John East Uni-Pre. What a great combo that is - this bass sounds really, really good. With a little bass boost, I've put buying a P out of mind as this will do the trick nicely and a whole lot more!.

I run my Zen's through an Underhill filter based pre. I wired it parallel for simplicity, and it sounds amazing! And dead quiet.

 

[Alex Masters]

I do believe so

Unlike a humbucker or paired Jazz pickups, I don't think it matters which coil is connected as the blade is where the string sensing is.

I configured mine for series/parallel/single switching on each pickup using a DPDT on-on-on mini toggle for each pickup. Surprisingly, the output is still quite high in single coil mode.