Big Bottom End Posted September 27, 2020 Share Posted September 27, 2020 Does anyone use Nordstrand NPJ4SE pickups on their PJ? Can you give me your opinions please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trueno Posted September 27, 2020 Share Posted September 27, 2020 (edited) I have a MIM PJ Mustang with NP4 and NJ4SE at the bridge... with new loom and VVT control setup... so it's close. Totally subjective view... and bearing in mind that I don't want you to go off and drop £200 on pickups and then not like them... I believe I now have the bass of the gods. I wanted something vintage-y but with a bit of whoomph (don't we all). For me, it was essential to have a bridge pickup that held its own... and it does that. I now find I have huge control over tone with just the two volume controls and don't need to twiddle any controls on the amp. I've tried this out through a Rumble 100 at home (this is also my rehearsal amp). I have a Rumble 500 for gigs... but obviously not been able to try this out in anger. For me the tone is ideal for classic rock and blues. I have to point out that I'm terrible at analysing or discussing tone and all the finer points of techie-stuff. I just like what I like. You will already know this, but as the SE is a split coil the whole lot is dead quiet... you'll have to double-check the amp is on. In set-and-forget mode I tend to have P on full, J backed off very slightly and tone backed off about a third. Edited September 27, 2020 by Trueno 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bottom End Posted September 27, 2020 Author Share Posted September 27, 2020 Thanks Trueno - that's great feedback and much appreciated. I'm the same with tech-type analysis. The tone either moves you or it doesn't - it's very subjective stuff. Looks like I'll be emptying my wallet soon! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hooky_lowdown Posted September 27, 2020 Share Posted September 27, 2020 The biggest affect on your tone is the strings. Before you change pickups it may be an idea to look into the strings you use. I spent years and years thinking I needed the right pickups to get me sound I want. Turns out finding the right strings got me pretty much there. For pickups you need to decide vintage or modern sounding, that's pretty much it. 😎 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bottom End Posted September 27, 2020 Author Share Posted September 27, 2020 Good point. I've been considering DR Sunbeams... maybe I should try a set before doing anything drastic. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hooky_lowdown Posted September 27, 2020 Share Posted September 27, 2020 38 minutes ago, Big Bottom End said: Good point. I've been considering DR Sunbeams... maybe I should try a set before doing anything drastic. Thanks! Is there a specific band or players sound you want to sound like? May be able to direct you to which strings to use, I've tried most brands and guages. 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bottom End Posted September 28, 2020 Author Share Posted September 28, 2020 (edited) A player that I really like the sound of is Mick Karn. The background to all of this is that I'll be taking possession of a new fretless with a rosewood board soon. I was thinking that a pick-up replacement might give it some extra sparkle (because it's quite an inexpensive instrument). I played an old single-coil (fretted) tele bass for years with Rotosound roundwounds on it and loved it, but I imagine putting these brutes on a RW fretless would be like grinding round files over soft cheese. I'd like to stick with rounds and have read that nickels are gentler on the board. So, I'm thinking DR nickel Lo-Riders, Sunbeams or Pure Blues. Or maybe D'Addario nickel NYXLs? Or La Bella nickel rounds. In the 45-105 range. The bass is a PJ with an ash body, maple neck and rosewood board. Thanks - any tips would great! Edited September 28, 2020 by Big Bottom End Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hooky_lowdown Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 For the Mick Karn sound you need soapbar pickups, no jazz pickup will cut it. The p maybe ok with the tone rolled off 40%. If you want roundwounds, I'd go for Fender pure nickel 7150, they are fairly high tension, but sound big and warm straight out of the packet. Also, you'll need to play fairly heavy, and slightly out of tune to get that wobbly effect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bottom End Posted September 28, 2020 Author Share Posted September 28, 2020 Okay, great - thanks for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cord.scott Posted September 30, 2020 Share Posted September 30, 2020 On 27/09/2020 at 08:31, hooky_lowdown said: The biggest affect on your tone is the strings. Before you change pickups it may be an idea to look into the strings you use. I spent years and years thinking I needed the right pickups to get me sound I want. Turns out finding the right strings got me pretty much there. For pickups you need to decide vintage or modern sounding, that's pretty much it. 😎 I think strings are most important just like you said. Pickups 2nd most important. What are your favorite strings? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted September 30, 2020 Share Posted September 30, 2020 (edited) I have the NP5, which is the 5 string version of the P pickup on my maruschyk. It brightened up the sound greatly over the pre-existing (Haeussel) pickups. made it sparkle a bit more, which I couldn't do with a string change. Edited September 30, 2020 by Woodinblack 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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