Bart preamp with EMG pickups?

B String · #1 10-29-2006, 07:05 PM

Can I use a Bart preamp with my EMG 45's instead of my
EMG preamp. Anyone try this combo???

emjazz · #2 10-29-2006, 09:12 PM

Yo B! One of the only Modulus basses I've liked was a 6 string with EMG's and a Bartolini preamp. It's a great combo because the Bart compresses the super clean sounding EMG's to warm them up a bit. I also think an EMG preamp is great with Barts because the preamp makes the Barts quicker and crisper. Great switchup!

B String · #3 10-30-2006, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emjazz

Yo B! One of the only Modulus basses I've liked was a 6 string with EMG's and a Bartolini preamp. It's a great combo because the Bart compresses the super clean sounding EMG's to warm them up a bit. I also think an EMG preamp is great with Barts because the preamp makes the Barts quicker and crisper. Great switchup!

With the all EMG stuff in the bass, its very articulate and
I can hit the pickups as hard as I want, but it lacks range
and dynamics. Its very flat. With the Bart pre and pickups
its more dynamic but the highs are more pointed and nasal.
Even though I have more lows, the slap sound is not as
good as the EMG's.
I'm not sure which combo will give me "the" sound. Plus, this
experimenting is not cheap!

lug · #4 10-30-2006, 12:05 PM

I'd love to help, but I only have a EMG pre with a Bart pup.

B String · #5 10-30-2006, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lug

I'd love to help, but I only have a EMG pre with a Bart pup.

You may have the right combo. I tried to look at your profile
to see what kind of music you play but its empty.
What kind of sound are you getting with this combination?

lug · #6 10-30-2006, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B String

You may have the right combo. I tried to look at your profile
to see what kind of music you play but its empty.
What kind of sound are you getting with this combination?

I play really really bad music, but it's not the instrument's fault. Here's a few soundclips off a pandora of the bass in question. It is a Bart MMC and an EMG BTC Control pre.

http://users3.ev1.net/~woodd/huntforsailing.mp3

http://users3.ev1.net/~woodd/huntfordig.mp3

http://users3.ev1.net/~woodd/huntforoldschool1.mp3
(treble rolled off)

69nites · #7 10-30-2006, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lug

http://users3.ev1.net/~woodd/huntforoldschool1.mp3

Now that sounds nice I like that tone

lug · #8 10-30-2006, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 69nites

Now that sounds nice I like that tone

Thanks. It's a lot more "Bart" sounding than "EMG" sounding to my ears.

B String · #9 10-31-2006, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lug

Thanks. It's a lot more "Bart" sounding than "EMG" sounding to my ears.

Hmmm. I have no idea what to do.

dvh · #10 10-31-2006, 06:32 AM

I'm in a similar dilemma.

I've got a Schecter Custom 4 which I love everything about - except the most important thing: the tone.

I've tried everything to get the tone I'm after: strings, switching the micro-switches on the pre-amp, tweaking the guitar and amp. I can never seem to get THE sound.

This bass has the EMG HZ pups with the EMG BTC pre-amp.

I've heard of others either changing the pups to Barts or changing the pre-amp to a Bart.

Any thoughts?

lug · #11 10-31-2006, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dvh

I'm in a similar dilemma.

I've got a Schecter Custom 4 which I love everything about - except the most important thing: the tone.

I've tried everything to get the tone I'm after: strings, switching the micro-switches on the pre-amp, tweaking the guitar and amp. I can never seem to get THE sound.

This bass has the EMG HZ pups with the EMG BTC pre-amp.

I've heard of others either changing the pups to Barts or changing the pre-amp to a Bart.

Any thoughts?

The BTC has 2 switches that let you set the crossover point for the bass and treble controls to 4 different spots. You might want to monkey around with those before swapping anything. If you had to choose, I think the pups will play a bigger role than the preamp so if money is tight, I'd swap pups first and then preamp if I still wasn't happy. If however, you are a rich playboy millioniare, go ahead and get it all done at once.

B String · #12 10-31-2006, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dvh

I'm in a similar dilemma.

This bass has the EMG HZ pups with the EMG BTC pre-amp.

I've heard of others either changing the pups to Barts or changing the pre-amp to a Bart.

Any thoughts?

I just went through this. Had EMG 45's and BTC pre. I just
couldn't get the sound I wanted. Just a bit too flat maybe.
I put in Bartolini cb's and two band pre. Its sort of the
opposite now. Bigger sound, but not enough articulation.
So I guess its either the Bart pre will warm up the EMG
pickups and give a little more highs and lows, or the EMG
pre will tighten up the Bart pickups, and help the nasal highs.

emjazz · #13 10-31-2006, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B String

I just went through this. Had EMG 45's and BTC pre. I just
couldn't get the sound I wanted. Just a bit too flat maybe.
I put in Bartolini cb's and two band pre. Its sort of the
opposite now. Bigger sound, but not enough articulation.
So I guess its either the Bart pre will warm up the EMG
pickups and give a little more highs and lows, or the EMG
pre will tighten up the Bart pickups, and help the nasal highs.

Bruce, you've got the Bart CB's in there? Keep those in and try a non Bartolini preamp. Either the EMG, an Aguilar, Audere...most anything other than a Bartolini preamp. Those preamps compress your signal way too much. Those Bart classic bass pickups are fantastic though.

B String · #14 10-31-2006, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emjazz

Bruce, you've got the Bart CB's in there? Keep those in and try a non Bartolini preamp. Either the EMG, an Aguilar, Audere...most anything other than a Bartolini preamp. Those preamps compress your signal way too much. Those Bart classic bass pickups are fantastic though.

Smart boy Andy. Thanks. Its the least expensive thing to
try. I hope you're right. I know I'm close.

emjazz · #15 10-31-2006, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B String

Smart boy Andy. Thanks. Its the least expensive thing to
try. I hope you're right. I know I'm close.

Trust me Bruce, those Bart CB pickups are very open sounding with anything other than a bart preamp.

Edit: you ever tried a John Suhr pre? You should contact John. Hands down one of the best preamps I've ever tried (3 band).

Christov · #16 11-01-2006, 03:47 AM

I have a bartolini preamp from a Pedulla MVP-5 that I removed before installing a TBIBT preamp system. It looks like a TC-4 series but only has 4 wires!! Two black wires still connected to the tone pot, and one blue wire, and one green wire. Does anyone know where I connect the 9 volt supply power on this preamp?
Thanks.

Type-55 · #17 11-01-2006, 07:02 AM

Interesting topic. I have a Lakland 4-94 classic and the Bart stuff while very nice it tends to get lost in the mix. EMG's with a Bart pre sounds very interesting. More cut and clarity but not to dry or sterile. What about the vol. and pan pots rating? How much re-wiring will have to be done?