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Why Nordstrand is unbelievably awesome...

lanceropolis

lanceropolis

Mar 10, 2009
247
2
So. Cal
#1
So I had a pair of what I thought were Nj5's, and my luthier was installing them on my fmtv jazz. My luthier called me to tell me that the pickups were very noisy and I should consider getting different ones. Not wanting to get away from Nordstrands I decided to email them, just in case. I explained that what my luthier had told me, assuming the polarity was reversed, and that I was wondering what they recommended. Within hours, Stew aka my new best friend, emailed me back and told me to send them in. I was shocked there, just that the company was so ready to help me out. So I sent them in and I get a reply from stew today. Turns out I had some nj5s's, and the newer model was dead quiet, so they were just gonna send me those. That is such amazing customer service to me. Then to top it off I just got another email informing me that "mike just finished MAKING my new pickups" and that they sent them out today. I am seriously blown away. Not only did they replace them with an upgrade, but they replaced them with a pair that someone just made for me. I say this next part in all honesty. They have made me a nordstrand player until I die. Just because of their unmatched customer service, and the obvious quality of their product, from this day forward I don't intend on purchasing any new basses that don't have the nordstrand name attached to them.

Stew if you by chance read this, I am so touched by how accomidating you were, that you have single handedly restored my faith in customer service. You are top notch

and Carey, Stew deserves a raise! ;). Well done good sirs... Very well done indeed.
 
#3
I thought of that. But my point was not them as a pickup maker, that was only a part of what I was trying to convey. I was meaning this more for a company in general. Their basses are amazing, as are the pickups.

My point is that they are an amazing company.
 
#7
People at Norstrand really care about the customer, when a pickup cover of my bass got broken I emailed Norstrand asking them where I could buy it, they replied back asking me for my address, three days later the pickup cover was in my mail box, they did not charge me a penny.
 
#8
lanceropolis said:
So I had a pair of what I thought were Nj5's, and my luthier was installing them on my fmtv jazz. My luthier called me to tell me that the pickups were very noisy and I should consider getting different ones. Not wanting to get away from Nordstrands I decided to email them, just in case. I explained that what my luthier had told me, assuming the polarity was reversed, and that I was wondering what they recommended. Within hours, Stew aka my new best friend, emailed me back and told me to send them in. I was shocked there, just that the company was so ready to help me out. So I sent them in and I get a reply from stew today. Turns out I had some nj5s's, and the newer model was dead quiet, so they were just gonna send me those. That is such amazing customer service to me. Then to top it off I just got another email informing me that "mike just finished MAKING my new pickups" and that they sent them out today. I am seriously blown away. Not only did they replace them with an upgrade, but they replaced them with a pair that someone just made for me. I say this next part in all honesty. They have made me a nordstrand player until I die. Just because of their unmatched customer service, and the obvious quality of their product, from this day forward I don't intend on purchasing any new basses that don't have the nordstrand name attached to them.

Stew if you by chance read this, I am so touched by how accomidating you were, that you have single handedly restored my faith in customer service. You are top notch

and Carey, Stew deserves a raise! ;). Well done good sirs... Very well done indeed.
Click to expand...

Wow, man!! Thank you so much for the kind words!!

I really have to point out that it's a group effort at the shop. I'm just part of a team.

If we helped you, then we're all happy!!

:D

Stew
 
#9
Wish they made a bass that I could afford. I've been playing 35" scale 5ers for the last several years and they just feel so huge to play, but the B strings are so great on them. I think the 34.5" scale would be a nice compromise. Plus, they already come with some of the best pickups on the market ;)

I would love a vJ5 at some point. But, they are way out of my ballpark price-wise. No doubt they are worth it though.
 
#11
I can requite all of these sentiments too... The guys at Nordstrand actually helped me pick the best pickups they had to match my pre amp, and when I had questions about the pre wiring (a Sadowsky, not even their product) they were super quick to help and a wealth of knowledge. Best of the best IMO.
 
#15
+1 re: Nordstrand's awesome CS... last year I purchased a used and pre-dinged nordy vJ4. After an email to Cary, I received (via UPS) a small bottle of paint that matched the aquateal color of the chipped headstock and a request to take the bass to local builder (Michael Dolan) to have him fix the chip.

Of course the bass sounds just as awesome as Nordstrand's CS... total win!
 
#16
Carey and Stew basically "held my hand" and walked me through the process of finding which of their pickups would match up the best with the basses I would be installing them in (including the construction method, the woods used, etc..), the preamp I'd be using, and ultimately which would replicate My Sound the best. After 18 months I was able to start the ordering process (it would have been sooner, but 3 times I was able to purchase one of my "Dream Basses" and had to use money from the "Electronics Fund" and start the saving all over :rolleyes: ) through Bryan @ BestBassGear.com (another great help!) - I've had them in-hand for a while (see "Dream Bass" above, repeat and add several months to re-save for the install costs :help: ) but the first Spector ReBop 5 DLX EX & set of Custom Sized-and-Wound Big Singles (EMG as opposed to their standard Bartolini-shelled size, 5% underwound for a more aggressive midrange) will be going into the shop this week with the next bass hopfully sooner to follow then it took to get the first one done. :D

I can't say enough about the guys @ Norstrand. I have an concept for a custom bass (basically the P/Dual Coil pickup setup from Fender's American Deluxe Precision Bass but in a Jazz Bass body as ergonomically as Jazzes are far more comfortable for me to play) and Nordstrand will be a vital component in the construction of this bass with their Dual Coil pickups when the finances are solid enough to have this done.
 
#17
A Nordstrand is very high on my GAS list... And the great CS is one of the many reasons for it. That means a great deal to me. It's why I'm a Genz Benz convert, it's why all my hardware is from Hipshot, etc.

There are several larger companies, and even smaller companies with arrogant jackasses running them (not mentioning any names) that will never, ever get a single dime from me, and their I-don't-truly-care attitude is the primary reason why.
 
#19
I have Nordy P4 and MM4 pickups in my favorite bass and they sound killer. I've only contacted them once, but the reply was quick and thorough. Any future basses of mine will have Nordstrand pickups unless it's something they don't sell. They sound good enough that you would put up with crappy service -- but you don't have to.
 

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