dual coils

humbucking 4/5/6 string bass pickups

This is a modern design dual coil humbucking pickup. Pickups like these are usually found on very high end basses. They use Alnico V magnets and the traditional bi-pole layout with two poles per string. It's almost like two Jazz Bass® stlye pickups in one cover.

These pickups are available in two different versions. One set is designed to be wired in parallel, and the other in series. The reason we do this is that a pickup that is made to sound good wired parallel will usually be too hot and dark sounding if wires in series. So, we put less wire on a series dual coil than a parallel dual coil. In general, a pickup wired in series will have a fuller and fatter midrange with a subdued high end than a pickup wired in parallel, which will typically have more highs and a deeper low end with a cleaner midrange. Series pickups also have more output than parallel pickups. Parallel pickups are generally a better choice for a split-able installation, as there will not be the gain loss associated with series pickups.

These pickups are available only in black plastic covers with exposed pole pieces.

These pickups will fit as replacements for Bartolini™ P2 (5 string) and BC (4 string) pickups. Dimensions are 4.25" by 1.25" and 3.95" by 1.25" respectively. Standard spacing is 19mm ctc at the bridge.

fat stacks

stacked humbucking 4/5/6 string bass pickups

These are a proprietary Nordstrand design. The traditional bi-pole magnet layout was, literally, twisted in a new direction. By rotating the pole 45 degrees for each set we have increased the size of the traditional J style coil by 50%, making it wider, or "fatter". This results in a larger aperature, which captures more harmonic content from the string, resulting in a "fatter" tone. These pickups have a tone reminiscent of a J style single coil, but they are bigger and bolder. Full range and a present but pleasant high end response. These pickups have a great deal of midrange detail and fullness. Due to the naturally lower output of this design, these pickups can sometimes benefit from a pre-amp with 3 or more db of gain.

These pickups are shipped with three conductor wire for a split-able installation. When the third lead is shorted to ground only the top coil will remain active for a louder, more aggressive and mean version of the fat tone these pickups deliver (albeit with 60 cycle noise that single coils inherently possess). Think of it as a turbo charger for tone!

These pickups will fit as replacements for Bartolini™ P2 (5 string) and BC (4 string) pickups. Dimensions are 4.25" by 1.25" and 3.95" by 1.25" respectively. Standard spacing is 19mm ctc at the bridge.

big singles

single coil 4/5/6 string bass pickups

These pickups are all about huge, full, loud, aggressive single coil tone. They use the same magnet layout as the Fat Stack, and the resultantly big coil is about as much single coil pickup that can be packaged in a soap-bar cover. This is the ultimate pickup for the Jazz Bass®-on-steroids tone purist! These pickups will fit as replacements for Bartolini™ P2 (5 string) and BC (4 string) pickups. Dimensions are 4.25" by 1.25" and 3.95" by 1.25" respectively. Standard spacing is 19mm ctc at the bridge.