Nordstrand Zen Blades vs Big Singles vs Big Splits

[Johny Blade]

Hi fellow bassists, I finally conceived myself to upgrade the pickups of my Ibanez BTB 675, and Im torn between they pickups mentioned in the thread's title.

I love my Nordstrand pickup on my P bass so I thought I would dive on the Jazz pickups too but have no experience nor can I try them in a locally since no store has them available.

So I ask for your advice on the matter.

 

[iiipopes]

Search the threads. There is more than one discussion on these pickups.

 

[two fingers]

I have had a few email exchanges with the fine folks at Nordstrand. According to someone who is working on a bass for me, upgrading to Nordstrand pickups as part of the project, they are very responsive to questions.

Honestly, I would contact them with your tone goals. They designed them. They should be able to point you in the right direction.

 

[Johny Blade]

I have had a few email exchanges with the fine folks at Nordstrand. According to someone who is working on a bass for me, upgrading to Nordstrand pickups as part of the project, they are very responsive to questions.

Honestly, I would contact them with your tone goals. They designed them. They should be able to point you in the right direction.

That's great, I will follow your advice.

Thank you

 

[Killed_by_Death]

comparison of Big-Single vs. Big-Split:



Zen-Blades:



keep in mind these two videos are not being played on the same rigs or even by the same player

also look at Nordstrand's own "tone" profiles on their pages

The Zen-Blades will be the most subdued IMHO, because they're full-length humbuckers.
Big-Singles are going to have the most "bite", more high-end & better dynamics than the other two. Big-Splits are a compromise somewhere in between.

I had a minor-Epiphany when I first played Big-Singles in my current Ibanez Premium Soundgear!
I HAD to buy it, and that was after playing only about two bars on it.

downside to the Singles is obvious, they're not hum-cancelling, unless you have both pickups at the same output-level
I haven't been bothered by the noise TBH, but my bass is shielded with carbon-paint.

 

[sikamikanico]

I pretty much agree with what KBD said, tho I have not tried Zen Blades personally yet. But I've compared countless of clips and read the discussions here, and everything seems to point in that direction... All three are fine choices, you just have to decide what tradeoffs you can live with. Also, consider the inherent tone of your bass and the electronics you'll use.

To muddy the waters a bit more, did you consider Big Rigs too? Another unique design from Nordstrand, and another "take" on a "big single" type tone.

We need a couple comparison videos of all four pickups in the same bass (or, rather, several basses). Any volunteers?

 

[Johny Blade]

To muddy the waters a bit more, did you consider Big Rigs too? Another unique design from Nordstrand, and another "take" on a "big single" type tone.

We need a couple comparison videos of all four pickups in the same bass (or, rather, several basses). Any volunteers?

I never heard of the Big Rigs, I knew about the Fat Stacks and they weren't my cup of tea from the videos I heard.
Zen Blades seemed they most articulate of the rest, they seem to be closer to a Precision pickup sound than the rest, while Big Singles have that bite I love. The Big Splits seemed to have a bit more low end to them, apart from the obvious advantage of being hum canceling.

EDIT: I just heard this comparisson and I can say with certainty that the Big Blades feel like they are more aggresive and articulate.

 

[rojo412]

I have the Splits and had the Zen Blades in the same bass. The Big Splits were higher output, a little rougher, a little angrier, which is why I put them back in that bass.
The Zen Blades are fantastic, don't get me wrong. Very clear and articulate with a decent amount of output to them. Very hi-fi! But they smoothed out the anger I liked in the Splits.
Never had the Singles, I hear they are great... but I personally refuse to play pickups that hum.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

The Big Singles have the most Character & are even angrier than the Big Splits, something that could not be achieved in a hum-canceling format.

The Big Blades have Character, but lack the same highs as the Big Singles.
They're probably higher-output (ceramic magnets).

 

[mickbellinello]

Hi! Got Nordy Big Blades on my sr bass and they're amazing. As suggested I tell you to ask directly to nordstrand... they' re great persons and at time they told me tons of information and suggestion about the various pickups. Another thing, if you have a 5 string or more Ibanez bass consider the string spacing. In fact my sr has 16.5 mm string spacing that are ok for using with blades pickups but in case I wanted for example a big rig etc I was forced to make a custom order (as standard they produce 18 and 19mm if I remember correctly).

 

[sikamikanico]

EDIT: I just heard this comparisson and I can say with certainty that the Big Blades feel like they are more aggresive and articulate.

Just realized what your nickname here is... of course you should get blades!!

Now that you've elaborated on what you're after, I'd definitely recommend single coils. Big Blades are single coils, as are of course Big Singles. If you can stand the hum...

The best hum-cancelling design that gives you most single coil tone is IMO/IME split coil. Big Splits get you real close to Big Singles. In fact, some P pickups can get really close too... Like Wilde P46. (I imagine the Nordstrand P with angled poles might be similar)... not all P pickups are thud machines (also depends on strings and other factors). That said, a personal "pet peeve" is that I cannot embrace the unbalanced 5-string split coil design, because one coil has to sense 3 strings and the other coil 2 strings. While all reports say that they are effective at hum-cancellation and sound good, my OCD or whatever just says no That's where Big Rigs or Zen Blades could work well, but they are smoother sounding, and at that point you might as well use single coils and live with the hum.

Note: Fat Stacks allegedly have a killer single coil mode. So it's like having Big Singles, but with an option to get them quiet in stacked mode. Worth considering, especially in an active bass (stacked mode seems to benefit from a preamp).

 

[mickbellinello]

Now that you've elaborated on what you're after, I'd definitely recommend single coils. Big Blades are single coils, as are of course Big Singles. If you can stand the hum...

Got blades and I only add that the hum isn't big hum... so nothing too tedious

 

[Toptube]

Something to understand is that none of these videos give a good impression of what these pickups sound like, live, through an amp. Especially the blade pickups (Big Blade/Zen Blade). They have a high output and slam out thick, rounded, punchy, pokey, big bass tone.

Not to say that the Big Singles and splits are not something noteable. They have a really toothy, bold growl to them. and plenty of output. But those blades poke and punch in a way which most pickups do not.

 

[moley6knipe]

Sadly haven't tried blades or splits. Have owned and gigged the Singles and they're jaw dropping. Hum be damned - if it was there I never heard it and "whatever". T'aint audible mid song. They sound so epic I wouldn't care if it hummed the national anthem, honestly.

as and when I get a custom made (one day!!) it will have singles, no question. Crunchy, angry things. Love 'em!

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Have owned and gigged the Singles and they're jaw dropping. Hum be damned - if it was there I never heard it and "whatever". T'aint audible mid song. They sound so epic I wouldn't care if it hummed the national anthem, honestly.

as and when I get a custom made (one day!!) it will have singles, no question. Crunchy, angry things. Love 'em!

This is exactly what I've been trying to tell folks, but they don't seem to get it.
Actually playing them vs. hearing them in the demo is eye-opening!
The slight hum hasn't bothered me at all, they're the quietest single-coil pickups I've experienced.

 

[smcgov]

Something to understand is that none of these videos give a good impression of what these pickups sound like, live, through an amp. Especially the blade pickups (Big Blade/Zen Blade). They have a high output and slam out thick, rounded, punchy, pokey, big bass tone.

Not to say that the Big Singles and splits are not something noteable. They have a really toothy, bold growl to them. and plenty of output. But those blades poke and punch in a way which most pickups do not.

sorry to resurrect i just got zen blades, the tone kind of reminds me of a roscoe lg3000 with a sort of hi fi Pbass tone, articulate but chunky....i'm assuming you guys are saying the big singles have more "growl".....i will wait to hear how these work in a mix before considering trying another

 

[Lebowitz]

Just wanting to give a response to this older thread. I got my 1346 with the singles not quite a year ago and have no hum whatsoever. I either got lucky or they might have worked out the hum at the factory. Sounds great!

 

[themickster]

Just wanting to give a response to this older thread. I got my 1346 with the singles not quite a year ago and have no hum whatsoever. I either got lucky or they might have worked out the hum at the factory. Sounds great!

You got lucky. I couldn't make an SR2600E hum at all, but some owners talk of bad hum from their Ibanez-fitted Singles.

 

[gillento]

These videos don't really show the differences between the BigSplits and the Big Singles.
The Singles are much more dynamic and react better to your playing.
Tonewise the BigRIG (both coils in parallel) are closer sounding to the BigSingles than the BigSplits are.

 

[jake bassist]

Just realized what your nickname here is... of course you should get blades!!

Now that you've elaborated on what you're after, I'd definitely recommend single coils. Big Blades are single coils, as are of course Big Singles. If you can stand the hum...

The best hum-cancelling design that gives you most single coil tone is IMO/IME split coil. Big Splits get you real close to Big Singles. In fact, some P pickups can get really close too... Like Wilde P46. (I imagine the Nordstrand P with angled poles might be similar)... not all P pickups are thud machines (also depends on strings and other factors). That said, a personal "pet peeve" is that I cannot embrace the unbalanced 5-string split coil design, because one coil has to sense 3 strings and the other coil 2 strings. While all reports say that they are effective at hum-cancellation and sound good, my OCD or whatever just says no That's where Big Rigs or Zen Blades could work well, but they are smoother sounding, and at that point you might as well use single coils and live with the hum.

Note: Fat Stacks allegedly have a killer single coil mode. So it's like having Big Singles, but with an option to get them quiet in stacked mode. Worth considering, especially in an active bass (stacked mode seems to benefit from a preamp).

Hi
What do you mean by "unbalanced" Big Splits. I know you mean 2+3 winding but what else? Does it affects tone in some way?
Cause I had BSplits in 3 different 5 string basses and it seemed to me that B and E strings sound muted and less defined than A, D and G. That has differed from bass to bass but was noticable more or less in all three basses.
Thou I realy liked the sound and being hum free, I couldn't stand that 2+3 sound difference