• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Norstrand Big Splits or Fat Stacks?

#41
maurilio said:
All the Nord pups work wonderfully passive... no doubt on this!
Click to expand...
I can attest that. The problem with the fat stacks is that it's noticeaby louder in single-coil mode, I'm guessing that's why they suggest a preamp - to compensate the volume loss switching from single-coil mode to stacked mode. Otherwise in stacked mode it competes just as well with -say- Aeros I have loudnesswise.

On a side note; IMHO after the release of Big Splits, Fat Stacks are kinda moot now. Big Splits have all the boldness of Fat stacks in single-coil mode but without hum. To emulate the stacked mode all you need to do is to roll off highs a little bit.
 
#42
Well, my 2 cent is this. You can run the fat stacks passive. There is a signifigant drop in volume between single coil and humcanceling mode on them. I think there is a bit of a performance wall you hit when you have a stacked design. This drop in volume could be handled by adding gain pretty much anywhere in your signal chain. Plenty of guys like the hum-can sound of the fatstacks too. Here's the main thing though...

Its a different coil form. In single coil mode, you are using a squat, fat coil shape, wound to about the dc resistance of a jazz coil, but with a remarkable different character, due to coil shape, different wire, and HUGE magnets.

Big splits use the same magnets as our jazz pick-ups, a similar (but not the same) wire, and have offset poles to make a wider fatter coil, but still very tall. This changes the efficiency of the coil and definetly provides a different, but equally useable sound, depending on the situation.

So, fat stacks are still very relevant and absolutely folks should get them if they are interested in their sound. I think in general, when we are talking about tone we tend to think in a very linear manner. Instead of addressing differences in tone as getting closer/farther away from what we want, we assign arbitrary good/bad assessments of these characteristics and then limit ourselves to what we think is best, rather than what fits what we are doing at the time.

Also...

I have the tendency, and have seen it in other people testing out products, that whatever gives us the most volume, wins. Percieved volume is a really big pain when trying to analyze whats actually happening to tone. Louder stuff tends to sound better, its a matter of listening to things at similar volume levels to hear what is really going on. Again, this is all my 2 cents.

Lastly,

theres room for all sorts of sounds, made by all sorts of pick-ups. Rather than getting trapped in a one bass does it all mentality, figure on owning multiple basses, and using them as specific tools for specific tasks. I think in general for the posted application I'd use big splits.
 
#44
I'm gonna definately use this as my rationalisation for having over 25 basses, if that's alright with you...thx;)

stoopidcooper said:
Well, my 2 cent is this.theres room for all sorts of sounds, made by all sorts of pick-ups. Rather than getting trapped in a one bass does it all mentality, figure on owning multiple basses, and using them as specific tools for specific tasks. I think in general for the posted application I'd use big splits.
Click to expand...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sacha Lévesque
#45
Chef said:
I'm gonna definately use this as my rationalisation for having over 25 basses, if that's alright with you...thx;)
Click to expand...
This is my rationalization for having three Lakland Skyline 55-01 basses. :)

My Candy Apple red 55-01 is presently at Nordstrand Guitars having Dual Coil pickups and the Nordstrand preamp (both pups and pre courtesy of eBay) installed, with series/parallel/single coil switches added, along with a passive tone control. I blame Chef and billbern for this inspired bit of lunacy. :p

My 3TSB/maple board 55-01 will be the next mod candidate. Probably Big Splits will go in it, with a preamp to-be-named-later. My Inca silver 55-01 was originally going to be the first to get hot-rodded, but it's a trade candidate at the moment.

I better start buying up some more Skyline 55-01s to get "the Nordstrand treatment". :bassist:


Joe Hilgeman
 
#47
jshilgebass said:
This is my rationalization for having three Lakland Skyline 55-01 basses. :)

My Candy Apple red 55-01 is presently at Nordstrand Guitars having Dual Coil pickups and the Nordstrand preamp (both pups and pre courtesy of eBay) installed, with series/parallel/single coil switches added, along with a passive tone control. I blame Chef and billbern for this inspired bit of lunacy. :p

My 3TSB/maple board 55-01 will be the next mod candidate. Probably Big Splits will go in it, with a preamp to-be-named-later. My Inca silver 55-01 was originally going to be the first to get hot-rodded, but it's a trade candidate at the moment.

I better start buying up some more Skyline 55-01s to get "the Nordstrand treatment". :bassist:


Joe Hilgeman
Click to expand...

was that you i was bidding against for the dc's a couple weeks ago?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sacha Lévesque
#49
stoopidcooper said:
Cool!

It was good to meet you saturday. Hopefully I'll have more time to hang when you pick-up your axe.
Click to expand...
The pleasure was all mine! I had a great hang with you Mike, as well as Stew, and Hide and Alex. I am going to make it a point to spend more time when I return. I gotta see those basses of yours again! And Stew's basses, too.:hyper:

...one small request; could you convince Carey to make a few more homebrews for me before he gives up doing that? I'm willing to buy! :)


Joe Hilgeman
 
#50
I'm in my 1st day of getting info on installing Nordy Big Singles in my Dingwall ABII-5. After reading this thread I'm leaning towards FS's now.

I think I read this correctly but just make sure, the FS's can be BS's or toggle switched or hardwired to humcancelling mode but with a lower volume?

Even though the volume drops in hc mode it could be a life saver in certain situations especially if you have an Aggie OPB1 2 band eq installed.

Stupidcooper I prefer "louder" or higher gain pu's because to me it relaxes your plucking hand with all that gain under your fingers. Same with low action it relaxes my fretting hand.

That's cool the Nordy guys are chiming in. Looking forward to getting more info.

The DW FD3's appear to be the same size as the Nordy Signature series pu's. ABII-5's are 18mm spacing, FS's are spaced for 19mm but that might work out if they're on a slant. I would opt for the reverse pole position. Just waiting on word from Carey or Sheldon on whether or not the poles will line up.

FD3's are reverse P's wired in parallel. What type of sonic difference will I be looking at w/the BS's or FS's?

I have a set of DW MachII4L's waiting to be in installed in my fretless ABII-5. I'm going to hardwire the bridge PU in series, lose the BluEqube and use the switch to go from series/parallel on the neck pu.
 
#53
I think I've decided to go with the Big Splits. I had thought about installing Nordy Dual Coil's with coil taps but I'd rather not drill new holes, I'd probably leave them in single coil mode anyway, and I'm not completely convinced of my soldering abilities. I've got an Audere 3ZB going in there so I should be able to approach a series type tone anyway.
 
#58
Jim Carr said:
+1
Fatstacks are very very versatile, but lean toward big, full, and warm.
Add a good preamp, and your BANGIN' --> Aggie OBP-3!

Ask Nino Valenti. He build this wonderful instrument with FS and an OBP-3.
I am so happy to play it whenever I can.

stealth_valenti_016.jpg
Click to expand...

That is one awesome looking bass :)

Andy
 
#59
maurilio said:
Hey joker,
glad you like them. I had them in my Sadowsky, too.
The Nordstrand pre is a refined aguilar pre (3 bands) and, IMO, it's even better than the Sadowsky (more flexible and usable)...
Click to expand...
Hi Maurilio, do you find any differences between the Aguilar and the Nordstrand when set flat? Is it possibile to use the Nordstrand with active pickups? I know the Aguilar should work fine.
Thanks.
Ciao e grazie dall'Italia
 
#60
adipaoli89 said:
Hi Maurilio, do you find any differences between the Aguilar and the Nordstrand when set flat? Is it possibile to use the Nordstrand with active pickups? I know the Aguilar should work fine.
Thanks.
Ciao e grazie dall'Italia
Click to expand...
Ciao!
When all flat, there's very minimal sound difference between the two preamps! Pretty much any preamp can be used with either passive or active pickups, it depends on the relative volume/s-balance potentiometer/s used (typically 250K for passive and 25K for active)
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back