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Sadowsky HumCancelling versus Single Coil pickups. (Clips inside)

#43
I am buying a new set of pups for my MIM Jazz. I have a Sadowsky outboard pre so the pups seem the natural choice (not to mention the best tonal choice)

I am thinking more of the HCs. I am usually trying to scoop the high mids a bit to get more of a Marcusy sound so I am thinking the natural light scoop and slightly compressed sound would be great.

Does anyone notice a big difference in how the HCs and SCs sit in a full band mix?
 
#46
ptidwell said:
So, since no one commented on my post above. Then it doesn't sound like I will get any big noticeable differences, whether I go Nordstrand or Sadowsky pickup. I have to wait on the nodies, but not the sads. I do however want to drop in the singles as opossed to having the HC's. Hopefully I will discover what ElMon discovered, subtlety amounting to a huge difference to my ears as well.
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I have the Nordstrands NJ5's in my Metro MS5 and they've been a god-send to say the least because I had got to the point to were I dreaded playing the Sad when it had the hum canceling pups. With the Nordstrands the tone was much fatter and rounder than with the Sadowsky hum canceling pups,and the highs were nice and clean
 
#47
Wilbyman said:
I have tried both pickups in different basses...not in Sadowskys, but the Sad HC's and single coils. Essentially they are ultra-jazzes v. Antiquity II's. They are very very different pickups to my ear. The UJ's have hyped top and bottom which to me don't sound very "jazz bass like" at all...they are really unlike any other pickup. Good for slapping. They also have a weird chorus-y type harmonic quality in the high end. I have experienced this in multiple sets in different basses, so it isn't a defective pickup or defective wiring. Everybody else present heard it as well. The single coils are excellent, excellent pickups and have a nice vintage character. In a live recording they might sound similar but solo'd they are quite different and they respond VERY differently.

W
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The single coils ( I'm speaking on the Nordstrand NJ5's ) were fatter in the mix,which is what I prefer,but this doesn't take away the fact that the hum canceling pups weren't good it was just the fact that my ears have change .

To be honest with you I would like to see Roger make just a real good passive Jazz bass,but that's a whole another story
 
#48
Wow. Great clips. I am late to the party but thanks for answering a question going thru my mind. As I listen to the clips I prefer the bridge of the HC and the neck of the SC. However, if you blended a little neck in with the SC bridge, I think it would have a super fat sound.

I have an RV5 that just sounds kinda dull when played passive. I have a couple Fenders that just sing passive. I am wondering if SC would spicin' things up a bit, but after listening to the clips I am not sure. I feel like the bass goes from a bright to a dark sound without a whole lot of in between. I wonder if the SC would give a more gradual shift as the pickups are blended.
 
#49
DavePlaysBass said:
Wow. Great clips. I am late to the party but thanks for answering a question going thru my mind. As I listen to the clips I prefer the bridge of the HC and the neck of the SC. However, if you blended a little neck in with the SC bridge, I think it would have a super fat sound.
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After many listenings I think that I also prefer HC for the bridge and SC for the neck (on these recordings)

DavePlaysBass said:
I have an RV5 that just sounds kinda dull when played passive. I have a couple Fenders that just sing passive. I am wondering if SC would spicin' things up a bit, but after listening to the clips I am not sure. I feel like the bass goes from a bright to a dark sound without a whole lot of in between. I wonder if the SC would give a more gradual shift as the pickups are blended.
Click to expand...

I don't like the HCs in passive but the SC are nice although I always play with the pre engaged, IMO that's one of the main ingredients of the Sadowsky tone. I'd give a try to the SCs.
 
#50
I changed to singles in my rv5. I dig the sound for finger style and vintage BUT the high-end is drastically changed! It seems there is absolutely nothing around 4.5k and above. I had first the impression the tweeter in my cab died until I checked other basses and could verify that it's was the pickup swap. Even the hi band on the Sad pre seems drastically changed it kinda became a "grind" knob. makes sense you cannot boost what's no coming in in the first place. I am thinking to change to Aguilars AG 70s 5Js since I just found out they come in the suitable CL dimension now. Hoping to regain some Highend Openess and Airiness.

What were your experiences with the Singles?
 
#51
I just re-installed the HCs again. BAM that's it!!!! now the Sad hammers again big time! I can get super phat Marcus Miller Slap! IMho nothing lost and only gained over the singles. I absolutely do not miss any single coil grind but have added versatility. The singles sounded vintagey fine flat but they totally changed the nature of the Sad Pre to unusable. I found that the treble Band became an ugly grind knob and the Bass an unusable mud and boom knob? IMHO totally mismatched. Now the Sad pre works again with boost to spare on cutting Highend and deep and tight bass boost. For me the clear winner are the HCs! It be might be the fact that my Aggie TH500 and DB750 heads can generally need some help in the Highend department, the RV alder rosewood combo and the fact that I don't have necessarily the desire that my Sad sounds super vintagey fenderish as I have 5 other single coiled passive Jazz basses available that cope that vibe.
 

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