I would love to hear the difference as I’ve thought of changing my preamp if a Bart to a Nordie myself.
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Warrior Club Part 2
- Thread starter Bryan R. Tyler
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- club
I would love to hear the difference as I’ve thought of changing my preamp if a Bart to a Nordie myself.
Ok. This wasn't really meant for public consumption.
It was a single pass with each lick, so please don't judge the playing. As a reminder, this is a 4 string with the MM/J Bart pickups. Neck through. Mahogany/purpleheart/mahogany neck, ash wings, poly finish (which is unusual for Warrior).
The first sample you hear each time is the Bartolini, the second is the Nordy. I got the 3 band Nordy. The controls are (stacked) volume/tone (the tone works in passive and active, and is maybe the best knob on the thing now. I didn't have that before.), pan, (stacked) bass/treble, mid with pull up frequency change. Down is 400Hz, up is 1,000Hz.
In the licks, I had the settings straight up and down on EQ and pan. I plugged straight into a Lexicon Alpha into GarageBand.
First Lick is the opening section of a song my band does.
0:00 - Bartolini
0:23 - Nordstrand
Second Lick was just noodling.
0:47 - Bartolini
1:16 - Nordstrand
Stomping Grounds
1:44 - Bartolini
2:36 - Nordstrand
Now I just start noodling and adjusting EQ and pan to my preferences with the Nordstrand, so I'm working through it as I go.
3:35 - Adjusting EQ (all with the mid at 400. This is where I like to live.)
4:34 - I've pulled the mid knob up to 1,000Hz here. I'm not really a slapper, but I love the flexibility with this preamp to get such dialed in tones.
5:16 - Back to 400, and dialing in "my" tone. Really using the tone knob here.
Listening back to the Soundcloud, there is sometimes a bit of clipping with the Nordy. It's the Lexicon. The level of the preamp (internal trim pot) was turned pretty low, so I had to turn the input up on the Lexicon, and it clipped a bit. I didn't realize the trip pot was down.
Ok. This wasn't really meant for public consumption.
It was a single pass with each lick, so please don't judge the playing. As a reminder, this is a 4 string with the MM/J Bart pickups. Neck through. Mahogany/purpleheart/mahogany neck, ash wings, poly finish (which is unusual for Warrior).
The first sample you hear each time is the Bartolini, the second is the Nordy. I got the 3 band Nordy. The controls are (stacked) volume/tone (the tone works in passive and active, and is maybe the best knob on the thing now. I didn't have that before.), pan, (stacked) bass/treble, mid with pull up frequency change. Down is 400Hz, up is 1,000Hz.
In the licks, I had the settings straight up and down on EQ and pan. I plugged straight into a Lexicon Alpha into GarageBand.
First Lick is the opening section of a song my band does.
0:00 - Bartolini
0:23 - Nordstrand
Second Lick was just noodling.
0:47 - Bartolini
1:16 - Nordstrand
Stomping Grounds
1:44 - Bartolini
2:36 - Nordstrand
Now I just start noodling and adjusting EQ and pan to my preferences with the Nordstrand, so I'm working through it as I go.
3:35 - Adjusting EQ (all with the mid at 400. This is where I like to live.)
4:34 - I've pulled the mid knob up to 1,000Hz here. I'm not really a slapper, but I love the flexibility with this preamp to get such dialed in tones.
5:16 - Back to 400, and dialing in "my" tone. Really using the tone knob here.
Listening back to the Soundcloud, there is sometimes a bit of clipping with the Nordy. It's the Lexicon. The level of the preamp (internal trim pot) was turned pretty low, so I had to turn the input up on the Lexicon, and it clipped a bit. I didn't realize the trip pot was down.
Sounds wwesome!
I've been looking at a Warrior myself but the particular model I'm looking at is pretty bare bones and doesn't have many EQ options.Best wishes,
Brent
Sounds wwesome!
Best wishes,
Brent
As bass players, I'm fully aware that we deal in minutiae, and the regular non musician probably wouldn't hear much difference, but I can tell a big difference. There's a warmth with the Nordy that I didn't have with the Bart. The mid switch options with the Bart were 250, 500, and 800, and I find that 400 and 1k are much more musical for what I do.
Sounds wwesome!
Best wishes,
Brent
Also, I'm sure there is room in the control cavity for whatever EQ options you want . . . or just buy a Nordstrand Starlifter.
Having used the Nordie preamp in several basses with Nordstrand pickups and very familiar with Bart’s and Bart preamp I would say the complete opposite. The nordstrand is far more open and detailed than the Bart Preamp. Listening to the samples you provided also the Nordie is more clear and open IMO.
Warmth is probably a bad word to use. The top end of the Bart never really felt right to me, and sometimes felt a little brittle. The Nordy doesn't feel that way to me. Maybe it translates in the room through my amp than it does through Soundcloud. Either way, I'm happier with the Nordy for sure.
Yes I agree with that completley. The Nordie is more useable in a full band mix and doesn't get burried due to mud. The Nordie is more defined at all frequencies. My favorite preamp for sure. I even use the Nordstrand Starlifter Preamp-DI pedal as it is amazing.
You guys are making me curious.... I've never had a Nordie pre-amp, but I've had a couple of basses (Callowhill, Alpher) equipped with Aguilar 3 bands. Do any of have thoughts about the comparison between Nordstrand & Aguilar???
I've never actually played a bass with an Aguilar. I had to sit here and really think, and I was surprised to come to the conclusion that I have never played one, especially give their popularity.
To Aguilar is more aggressive and the Nordstrand is more musical IMO. The Premap no matter how you adjust the Nordie is useable.
To me, the Aguilar can be very aggressive in the mid freqs. Both my basses with Aguilar preamps were paired with Nordstrand pu's. Thanks for your comparison.
+1 on this.
I love my Nordstrand preamp in my Roscoe and Fender Elite.
The Nordstrand sounds good with ever brand pickup that I’ve tried it with. I can’t say that about the Aggie or Bart.
Love the 3D natural maple quilt! I used to have a Modulus that had a top like that. Never got tired of looking at it! Always hated that since it was Flea model, Modulus screwed a pick guard over the beautiful flame.... such a disgrace. You definitely have a looker & a player on your hands
I sure hope not. I’ve had a couple of Warriors and only one had the so called “sparkle circuit”. IMO it cut some of the nice mids and lows. I gutted that bass and installed a stock Bart 3-band. Much better sounding. The sad thing was when Warrior installed the original Bart pre (using the Sparkle circuit) they cut unused wires all the way down to the epoxy module which prevented me from wiring up the preamp in the standard configuration. Senseless and unnecessary. They could have left the wires long enough to splice into.
Hi Warrior people!
Anyone have any definitive info on the "Sparkle circuit"?
Like what is it meant to do? How is does it work? Are there any good versions of it, do some people like it and others do not?
The only talk I can find about it is that people remove it. Be really interested to hear examples of bass's with it and without as comparison.
Thanks in advance
Anyone have any definitive info on the "Sparkle circuit"?
Like what is it meant to do? How is does it work? Are there any good versions of it, do some people like it and others do not?
The only talk I can find about it is that people remove it. Be really interested to hear examples of bass's with it and without as comparison.
Thanks in advance
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