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Nordstrand Zen Blade
- Thread starter sikamikanico
- Start date
Id say that serial sounds a bit more dynamic and forceful. Gain is also a little higher than parallel. Parallel seems smoother and more 'hi-fi. As these pickups are balanced and quite neutral, I tend to use serial mode for rocky material as it's a bit more gritty and driving.
As I've fitted two toggles, I find that I might use serial on the bridge p/u and parallel with the neck, with a slight bias to the neck pickup to get a little more 'cut'.
IMO, you could be very happy with no switching and wire serial by default. In large part, I did it that way to fill the holes in the body but it does give a little more tonal variation.
Hope that helps!
Regards
Alex
Absolutely does. I wired them parallel for ease of installation, as the Underhill Bass pre gives me a lot of tonal options. I might rewire the neck as serial, just to check it out.
I think that would be better, although it doesn't sound weak in either parallel or serial Surprisingly, it even works pretty well for slap!.
I’m playing fretless only these days, so may just keep it parallel.
- Apr 29, 2003
- 9,076
- 9,792
- Disclosures
- Contributor- Bass Musician Magazine | Marketing Manager- Trickfish Amplification
I put a set of these in my Erizias Jive Bass 5 string with a Trickfish IPA preamp a couple of months ago, and I have to say I don't know that I've ever been as happy with a set of pickups. So punchy, dynamic, clean but juicy. Fantastic voicing and pairs beautifully with the IPA preamp.
I had a hard time finding clips of these pups that I could really tell what they sounded like; a lot of the YouTube vids don't sound like my bass, so I thought I'd upload one as another data point for perspective buyers. Here is an iPhone vid of my rig from on stage at a recent gig. God I love this bass, and these pickups totally brought it to life. As Mo said, these pups really like some EQ boost, and he was right. This is both pups in series, with some healthy bass and treble boost. Mids maybe a tad of boost.
I had a hard time finding clips of these pups that I could really tell what they sounded like; a lot of the YouTube vids don't sound like my bass, so I thought I'd upload one as another data point for perspective buyers. Here is an iPhone vid of my rig from on stage at a recent gig. God I love this bass, and these pickups totally brought it to life. As Mo said, these pups really like some EQ boost, and he was right. This is both pups in series, with some healthy bass and treble boost. Mids maybe a tad of boost.
- Apr 29, 2003
- 9,076
- 9,792
- Disclosures
- Contributor- Bass Musician Magazine | Marketing Manager- Trickfish Amplification
I tend to run mine in Series for the R&B kinda tones I like. Its a little warmer. parallel is a more hifi and linear, but less output. I highly recommend installing a switch for each pickup as I've also had luck mixing and matching settings with the pickups centered. SO many great tones with this option, and its an easy mod.
Do you mean pickups in series with each other? In which case I agree, I love that setting (each pickup internally in parallel, in series together). A very nice growly J
But any setting with both pickups can be made to work just fine as a J really.I keep finding new tones out of these, I love it
I wired pickup internally series/parallel which can be switched. But In parallel together. So it is different from your setting. Also I use balancer(pan) pot and passive tone control. It is very usefulDo you mean pickups in series with each other? In which case I agree, I love that setting (each pickup internally in parallel, in series together). A very nice growly J
I keep finding new tones out of these, I love it
So following this discussion about series and parallel, I made a few recording to compare them.
Neck and bridge pickups, with the preamp (J.East UniPre) active and kept flat, tone wide open.
I recorded all tracks back-to-back (same interface settings), matched the levels, and then added a bit of compression (same setting for all).
To me, the series w/ pickups in parallel (3) has the bite and body that I like, but I'd be happy with any of the parallel settings (1 or 2). Series w/ pickups in series (4) is a bit too woolly for me, but could work in certain situations.
Hope this helps!
Neck and bridge pickups, with the preamp (J.East UniPre) active and kept flat, tone wide open.
I recorded all tracks back-to-back (same interface settings), matched the levels, and then added a bit of compression (same setting for all).
To me, the series w/ pickups in parallel (3) has the bite and body that I like, but I'd be happy with any of the parallel settings (1 or 2). Series w/ pickups in series (4) is a bit too woolly for me, but could work in certain situations.
Hope this helps!
Thanks for sharing! Do you have the raw/“isolated” tracks (without Jamiroquai) you could share? Or did I just miss them?
Sure, just updated the playlist to add the 4 isolated tracks.
I placed one of these in my Dingwall. damn! - [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
I've been continuously amazed by how versatile these pickups are I think they are a fantastic foundation to build upon, and I believe this is a case where "neutral" is great, because you can have them become so many different things.
I've had lots of fun trying to replicate classic tones!
Here's an experiment : neck pickup in series, tone rolled back to 1/3, low mids boosted, highs and lows slightly cut, straight to Scarlett 2i4, some compression and a bit of distortion added (the cheap Audacity ones).
Did I nail this P bass tone, in your opinion?
I think they are a fantastic foundation to build upon, and I believe this is a case where "neutral" is great, because you can have them become so many different things.I've had lots of fun trying to replicate classic tones!
Here's an experiment : neck pickup in series, tone rolled back to 1/3, low mids boosted, highs and lows slightly cut, straight to Scarlett 2i4, some compression and a bit of distortion added (the cheap Audacity ones).
Did I nail this P bass tone, in your opinion?
I've been continuously amazed by how versatile these pickups are
I've had lots of fun trying to replicate classic tones!
Here's an experiment : neck pickup in series, tone rolled back to 1/3, low mids boosted, highs and lows slightly cut, straight to Scarlett 2i4, some compression and a bit of distortion added (the cheap Audacity ones).
Did I nail this P bass tone, in your opinion?
nice sound! Very P-like, yes. Tho, to be honest, it’s one of the P sounds. Can it do a mean angry P?
Can it though?
Not much of a pick player, I did what I could!
Series mode, tone rolled back to 2/3, onboard pre's high mids boosted quite a bit, highs just a nudge. Workable tone IMO.
Did not fiddle too much with the EQ or took the time to add some amp and cab sim, just Audacity's compression and distortion.
Definitely workable! This might work well with loading caps or a filter-based preamp (or two).
