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Favourite P2 (5 string) shape soapbars?


benh
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2 hours ago, benh said:

Another consideration - when making enquiries regarding the Nordy Big Split pickups, the lead time if ordering through Bassdirect is 3 months for an 18mm string spacing set, so I may well end up going with something else...

I ordered my last nordy pickup through bestbassgear in the states, was cheaper and came in a week.

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Just now, Woodinblack said:

I ordered my last nordy pickup through bestbassgear in the states, was cheaper and came in a week.

Will check them out, thanks! Bass Direct have a 19mm spacing set in stock, however my bridge is 18mm spacing so not ideal. I wonder whether it would make much difference with the offset pole pieces being wider than a standard single pole piece. Will have a look on bestbassgear in any case 🙂

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Just to add some more into the mix, quite liking the look/sound of the Big Blades/Zen Blades from Nordstrand too, anyone here tried any? Comparisons to Big Singles/Splits?

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46 minutes ago, benh said:

Just to add some more into the mix, quite liking the look/sound of the Big Blades/Zen Blades from Nordstrand too, anyone here tried any? Comparisons to Big Singles/Splits?

I have a big blade in a box upstairs which I have yet to use!

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I have a few sets of P2 shape pickups that I tried in one of my basses : Aguilar Super Singles 5, Delano SBC 5 HE/S Driver, Nordstrand Big Split 5, Nordstrand Jazz Bar 5.

All are meant to be used with a 19mm strings spacing at the bridge.

My favourites are the pure single coils Aguilar Super Singles 5 or Nordstrand Jazz Bar 5. But it's quite partial as I'm a single coil aficionado for their clarity and perfect articulation.

The Nordstrand Big Split 5 are too P-Bass sounding for me and the Delano SBC 5 HE/S Driver are too polite even if you can use them the way you want (single coil, parallel, series with lots of possibilities).

In other shapes, I never liked the Nordstrand Big Singles (too fatty) or the Fat Stacks (too low level in stacked mode with a shy sound, even if they are better sounding in single coil mode), but enjoyed the DC in parallel or series, really beefy pickups with balls.

The original Bartolini Quad Coils in whatever shape are awful to my ears : muddy, unclear, ugly low mids and no top end at all.

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1 hour ago, Hellzero said:

I have a few sets of P2 shape pickups that I tried in one of my basses : Aguilar Super Singles 5, Delano SBC 5 HE/S Driver, Nordstrand Big Split 5, Nordstrand Jazz Bar 5.

All are meant to be used with a 19mm strings spacing at the bridge.

My favourites are the pure single coils Aguilar Super Singles 5 or Nordstrand Jazz Bar 5. But it's quite partial as I'm a single coil aficionado for their clarity and perfect articulation.

The Nordstrand Big Split 5 are too P-Bass sounding for me and the Delano SBC 5 HE/S Driver are too polite even if you can use them the way you want (single coil, parallel, series with lots of possibilities).

In other shapes, I never liked the Nordstrand Big Singles (too fatty) or the Fat Stacks (too low level in stacked mode with a shy sound, even if they are better sounding in single coil mode), but enjoyed the DC in parallel or series, really beefy pickups with balls.

The original Bartolini Quad Coils in whatever shape are awful to my ears : muddy, unclear, ugly low mids and no top end at all.

Thanks for the info! Lots to consider. I don't suppose you still have any of those pickup sets you'd be willing to sell do you? (In case the smaller spacing pickups I ordered don't work out). 19mm is still much closer than the 16.5mm ones I ordered.

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On 25/06/2020 at 23:27, Woodinblack said:

Im getting some delano pickups next week. Prepackaged in a bass, I will see what they are like then!

Have you received aforementioned bass yet @Woodinblack?

Edit - just seen your NBD post from yesterday, lovely looking bass!

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19 minutes ago, benh said:

Have you received aforementioned bass yet @Woodinblack?

Edit - just seen your NBD post from yesterday, lovely looking bass!

Yes, they are far different than I was expecting, they are obviously not P2 sizes but they are a lot more agressive than i was expecting, and apart from volume differences, quite close to the US barts

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9 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

Yes, they are far different than I was expecting, they are obviously not P2 sizes but they are a lot more agressive than i was expecting, and apart from volume differences, quite close to the US barts

Sounds promising. Considering the Delano soapbars if the Big Splits don't work out

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33 minutes ago, Hellzero said:

It won't, I can guarantee it. The magnetic field will catch the metal string "interferences" without any problem.

Especially on the B string, it having so much mass. The pickup height might need to be raised on the G, but I reckon that’s going to work fine without over compensating with adjustments.

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Bit of an update - after a lovely chat with @Hellzero and a few ponderings, there is now a Delano Sonar 3 MS/E preamp and some Delano SBC Driver pickups winging their way towards me! This way I'll be able to A/B the pickups with a decent pre and decide which ones I prefer. The other set will go in the classifieds.

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16 minutes ago, ebenezer said:

When you get the delano pre and pickups installed i would very interested to hear your thoughts....i didn't think the sbc's sounded polite!!

Will do! Edit: they arrived today so shouldn't be too long.

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23 hours ago, ebenezer said:

might be an idea to try the delano circuit with the mk1 pickups just to see how good or bad they are. 

Well, after an evening of soldering and swapping through the 3 different pickup sets, I've settled on the Delano set. Not that I don't like the Big Splits, but the Delanos got much closer to the sound in my head - also with series/parallel/single coil switching, loads of options (which all sound great) on tap.

Also loving the Sonar preamp, probably the most musical sounding pre I've used.

Interestingly, the stock MK1 pickups sounded great with the upgraded preamp - if anyone else has the MK1 pickup/pre combination, I'd definitely recommend swapping out the pre first.

So in summary, holes drilled and switches wired in, very happy!

IMG20200713122905.jpg

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