Nordstrand

[Christine]

In my view, when you boil it right down, a preamp is just another set of tone controls that you can access right at the bass. Also, your tone gets a bit sparklier by default because the guitar cable isn't loading your signal anymore.

I've had the Nordstrand onboard preamp and have quite liked it. It could do very useful things to the instrument's tone and didn't make it sound weird or off when compared to passive operation.

Thanks
From what I’ve read it doesn’t really add too much coloration of its own just enhanced as you say.

Another thing that worries me is the amount of different configurations, I don’t really have a clue which to opt for

 

[spiritbass]

Excellent pickups and very reasonably priced custom work! I have two custom-spaced NP-4a pickups (mounted in Dingwall-supplied shells) on two of my Dingwall basses. One is paired with a custom Big Single. All have AlNico V magnets and sound magnificent with nickel rounds!

 

[4StringTheorist]

Another thing that worries me is the amount of different configurations, I don’t really have a clue which to opt for

If you're adding it to an already existing bass, constrain your choices to the number of knobs the bass uses. From there, it's just a matter of which set of knobs makes the most intuitive sense to you.

 

[Christine]

If you're adding it to an already existing bass, constrain your choices to the number of knobs the bass uses. From there, it's just a matter of which set of knobs makes the most intuitive sense to you.

It will be a new build along the lines of a thunderbird.
I’m not sure if what I see of the wiring diagrams show it having separate controls for passive and active, so for a three control set up would I end up with six?

 

[4StringTheorist]

It will be a new build along the lines of a thunderbird.
I’m not sure if what I see of the wiring diagrams show it having separate controls for passive and active, so for a three control set up would I end up with six?

First question:
Are you wanting a 2 band preamp (bass knob, treble knob)
or a 3 band? (bass knob, mid knob, treble knob)

Second question:
Do you want a passive tone knob?

 

[Christine]

First question:
Are you wanting a 2 band preamp (bass knob, treble knob)
or a 3 band? (bass knob, mid knob, treble knob)

Second question:
Do you want a passive tone knob?

If they run passive then yes I would want control of the tone but I don’t have the experience to answer if I want 2 or 3 band, I’ll say 2 for now and see how I get on

Battery on phone nearly dead will check in later

 

[spiritbass]

If they run passive then yes I would want control of the tone but I don’t have the experience to answer if I want 2 or 3 band, I’ll say 2 for now and see how I get on

Battery on phone nearly dead will check in later

I really like the two-band Glockenklang preamps. I run mine flat and love the 'more of everything' sound it delivers.
The treble control can also be used in passive mode to roll off highs.

 

[4StringTheorist]

If they run passive then yes I would want control of the tone but I don’t have the experience to answer if I want 2 or 3 band, I’ll say 2 for now and see how I get on

Battery on phone nearly dead will check in later

Okay!

With a 2-band pre you could do anything from 3 to 5 knob.

You can have volume and tone on two separate knobs, or one stacked knob.

You can have preamp bass and treble on two separate knobs, or one stacked knob.

3 knob option:

• Stacked Volume/Tone
• Blend
  
• Stacked Treble/Bass
  • ( optional switch or push/pull for active/passive )

4 knob option A

• Volume
• Blend
  
• Tone
• Stacked Treble/Bass
  
  • ( optional switch or push/pull for active/passive )

4 knob option B

• Stacked Volume/Tone

• Blend

• Treble

• Bass

• ( optional switch or push/pull for active/passive )

5 knob option

• Volume

• Blend

• Tone

• Treble

• Bass

• ( optional switch or push/pull for active/passive )

All of these could be Volume/Volume rather than Volume/Blend if you wanted.

 

[Christine]

3 knob option:

• Stacked Volume/Tone
• Blend
  
• Stacked Treble/Bass
  • ( optional switch or push/pull for active/passive )

Thanks, so for this configuration say, those 3 knobs work in both active and passive mode?
Another newb question, Tone and Treble/Bass, are they not the same thing (give or take)?

 

[4StringTheorist]

Thanks, so for this configuration say, those 3 knobs work in both active and passive mode?
Another newb question, Tone and Treble/Bass, are they not the same thing (give or take)?

The treble/bass knob wouldn't do anything in passive mode. The Volume, blend and tone would continue to function in passive mode.

Passive Tone and active EQ aren't quite the same thing.

• Passive Tone = a treble cut..
  • bass sound is un-altered when the knob is all the way "up"
• Active "boost/cut" EQ (treble knob and bass knob) = boost or cut in the bass/treble
  • bass sound is unaltered when knob is in center

Turning the treble down from center on an active EQ is approximately the same thing as turning the tone knob down from max, but they don't quite sound the same to most people.

 

[Christine]

OK I think I've got you there, so in passive I can have volume, tone and blend but the treble/bass (which are like narrow band filters/boost?) only work in active which in turn has a stronger signal across all frequencies if not filtered out?

 

[4StringTheorist]

OK I think I've got you there, so in passive I can have volume, tone and blend

Yes indeed. One nice thing about having the passive tone knob is that in passive mode, you still have all of your J-bass-ish controls.

but the treble/bass (which are like narrow band filters/boost?) only work in active which in turn has a stronger signal across all frequencies if not filtered out?

Most preamps use a "shelving" EQ for the bass and treble, not a narrow band. For instance, the 50Hz bass knob on the Nordstrand preamp is a boost or cut to 50Hz and everything below that.

Active mode will be louder if you're doing a lot of boost with the EQ, but if you're not going radical with the boost, the level is generally comparable. The Nordstrand preamp has a little gain trim pot so you can make the active and passive levels match completely.

 

[Christine]

Yes indeed. One nice thing about having the passive tone knob is that in passive mode, you still have all of your J-bass-ish controls.



Most preamps use a "shelving" EQ for the bass and treble, not a narrow band. For instance, the 50Hz bass knob on the Nordstrand preamp is a boost or cut to 50Hz and everything below that.

Active mode will be louder if you're doing a lot of boost with the EQ, but if you're not going radical with the boost, the level is generally comparable. The Nordstrand preamp has a little gain trim pot so you can make the active and passive levels match completely.

OK I'm with you now, I think, so at specific frequencies you can either turn up or down the volume (for want of a better term). So pretty much adding the preamp is a no lose choice and you could switch between the two without having to mess about with the head unit on your amp

 

[4StringTheorist]

Correct. It's basically another set of controls, just mounted on your bass where they're easy to get at.

 

[cmuellemann]

I'm hearing lots of praise for Nordstrand pickups from dealers, I'm curious what end users think of them. My interest lies mainly with the dual coil soap bars but I would love to know about any current pickup they market. Just your thoughts in general please if you could

I recently purchased a set of Power Blade P-Bass pickups from Norstrand. First off if you order from Norstrand it's going to take awhile to get them after you order and with no communication from them until they decide to ship. When you finally get a tracking number it will not mark any change for several days. My order spent three days waiting to get to USPS. The pickups are fine. Not any better than anything I have ever bought from Agulilar except that I can get those in two days and the people from Aguilar communicate much better. I got the distinct impression after sending and email requesting an update on my order and not hearing anything from Norstrand in a week that I was bothering them somehow because I pretty much received the answer it takes as long as it takes but that it should be shipping soon. It took over two week to get my pickups. They sound good but not any better than Aguilar's as I have said. These people come off a bit snobby for my tastes. I will not order again from them in the future.

 

[TonyP-]

I recently purchased a set of Power Blade P-Bass pickups from Norstrand. First off if you order from Norstrand it's going to take awhile to get them after you order and with no communication from them until they decide to ship. When you finally get a tracking number it will not mark any change for several days. My order spent three days waiting to get to USPS. The pickups are fine. Not any better than anything I have ever bought from Agulilar except that I can get those in two days and the people from Aguilar communicate much better. I got the distinct impression after sending and email requesting an update on my order and not hearing anything from Norstrand in a week that I was bothering them somehow because I pretty much received the answer it takes as long as it takes but that it should be shipping soon. It took over two week to get my pickups. They sound good but not any better than Aguilar's as I have said. These people come off a bit snobby for my tastes. I will not order again from them in the future.

Sorry you feel this way.
I have worked with Carey & Crew since the start (over 10 years now) He has one hell of a great reputation in the industry.

I’m one of his artists and if you want me pm your invoice # I can try to find out what happened.

 

[SoniaMara]

I recently purchased a set of Power Blade P-Bass pickups from Norstrand. First off if you order from Norstrand it's going to take awhile to get them after you order and with no communication from them until they decide to ship. When you finally get a tracking number it will not mark any change for several days. My order spent three days waiting to get to USPS. The pickups are fine. Not any better than anything I have ever bought from Agulilar except that I can get those in two days and the people from Aguilar communicate much better. I got the distinct impression after sending and email requesting an update on my order and not hearing anything from Norstrand in a week that I was bothering them somehow because I pretty much received the answer it takes as long as it takes but that it should be shipping soon. It took over two week to get my pickups. They sound good but not any better than Aguilar's as I have said. These people come off a bit snobby for my tastes. I will not order again from them in the future.

We are sorry you did not get the customer service you were seeking. We do make our pickups to order as we sell so many different models they are rarely sitting in inventory. This information is in our confirmation email (as well as on our website) to help avoid disappointment due to wait times. Being a small boutique pickup manufacturer, we do our best to build and ship as quickly as possible. Our reputation of quality pickups and customer service has and continues to be important to us. I have made notes on this situation for future reference.

 

[Karlson541]

I have no previous experience with Nordstrand pickups, but if I choose to try out another P/J pickup pair at some point (have the EMG Geezer Butler P/J set installed now in one of my basses, which I am actually really satisfied with), it will with all probability be the Nordstrand "NPJ BLADE SET" with "THE POWER BLADE" P pickup and the "BIG J-BLADE 4" J pickup.
Undecided yet if it will be the "Warm & Wooly" or "Clean & Clear" version of the J pickup, but leaning towards the first, as I like my tone mid heavy.

I like the sum up description of the character of that set:
Nordstrand suggest that if you’re looking for a raw, untamed, and aggressive sound accompanied by a disinhibiting yet friendly mediator, then the NPJ Blade set is right for you.

NPJ Blade Set

To me from what I can differentiate from the YouTube demos of respectively the Nordstrand P and J blade pickup (no demos with the combined P/J set), they seem to have a bit more clear and clean smooth Hi-Fi'ish tone than the EMG Geezers, that while still really articulated has more of a cheeky slightly griddy vintage'ish tone.

Not really sure if I would prefer the Nordstrand blade pickups to what the Geezer set does, seems to be two completely different types of tone, but I can't really know unless I'll try them, and I am really tempted.

 

[MDBass]

A bit more love for the new Nordenbocker Ric pickup: possibly the coolest pickup every made