Bartolini Experts: Question

vince a · #1 02-17-2010, 07:03 PM

Just installed a set of Bartolini MK5 (B and T) bass pickups in my Ibanez SRX705NT, which came with MM style humbucking bass pickups.

I absolutely cannot get any decent sound out of that bass that I like - none!

I hooked up the pups to the stock vol, blend, and 2 band EQ (bass and treble).

The bass comes on so strong that my Eden cabs just explode with nasty bass and the speakers bottom out. If I EQ the amp for less bass . . . way less bass . . . it sounds hollow, tinny . . . very mid happy!

Any ideas? I lowered the pickups . . . raised the pickups - no help. Either these pickups suck or I need to install a Bartolini 2pickup, 4 knob active pre-amp - if that will even help!

For comparison sake . . . I usually EQ my amp, for either a MIA Jazz or Precision, almost dead flat - no enhance!

Thanks in advance!

cliffbass1 · #2 02-18-2010, 05:14 AM

Lowering the pickups would be a good place to start also getting the bart eq would be a good idea also.
so do you just have tons of low end ????

vince a · #3 02-18-2010, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cliffbass1

Lowering the pickups would be a good place to start also getting the bart eq would be a good idea also.
so do you just have tons of low end ????

Both pickups are bottomed out on the bass side, and yes . . . a very overdriven, muddy, distorted too much bass!

Zapp · #4 02-18-2010, 10:02 AM

nothing great to add but I'm wanting to piggyback 'cause I'm thinking of dropping a pair of Bart j pickups in my 2tek cruise.

the most obvious answer is that your pre-amp is swamped.
Can you wire the pickups passively and bypass the pre-amp?

fleabee · #5 02-18-2010, 10:04 AM

Turn the gain nob counter clockwise on the onboard preamp{if it has one}

Zapp · #6 02-18-2010, 11:13 AM

nice. hadn't thought of that one. it may be no more than a little inset screw.

that gives the idea of just soldering a pad onto it.. a resistor or something on the positive lead in front of the preamp. a good EE could tell us just what part to put there. cost about 80 cents at radio shack.

cliffbass1 · #7 02-18-2010, 02:18 PM

well, other than a gain knob on the circuit board, maybe when they came from the factory the p/u's were wired in series (more output) i'm gonna include a link for what i'm taking about is at bottom of the second page (scroll all the way down)
http://bartolini.net/instructions/pi...g/4cnd_sw1.htm

capnsandwich · #8 02-18-2010, 02:38 PM

I'm guessing you got the MK5CBC which are Bartolini's US made replacement for their MK1's. They state on their website that they are voiced as "powerful lows and low mids, bright treble." It sounds like one or two things may be happening. First, the voice of these particular pups may not be what you're looking for and/or, second, the preamp you have in your bass may be as cheap as the pickups you just replaced. I had this issue with an old Toby Pro and with a Lakland 55-01. I changed the Toby's preamp to a Bart NTBT 2 band and that helped out a lot, along with the Bartolini xxM45c quad coil pickups I stuck in there. The Lakland's preamp was switched to a Bart NTMB 3 band and that was an awesome change. It turned that bass into a monster, along with the set of Nordstrand Big Singles I dropped in there.

I'd go for a preamp switch first and see how that helps. Then if you still don't like what you've got, try a differently voiced pair of Barts or maybe some EMG or Nordstrands. There's a ton of pups out there in that shape.

Nurb · #9 02-18-2010, 02:41 PM

Maybe a stupid question, but did you check the battery?

vince a · #10 02-18-2010, 03:02 PM

I got it . . . well . . . most of it!

I read the above posts about a gain knob or inset screw, so I looked . . . nothing! Then after an hour or so, I took the back cover off again and looked. Still nothing, but guess what? After looking intently for a set screw or something . . . I noticed that the back of the treble pot had two slots in it. I took a tiny screwdriver and pushed one of the two slots . . . it rotated . . . it made an almost 360 degree turn. I looked at the other pots, and noticed that the blend pot also had one . . .

So, I hooked the bass up where I could hear it when I plucked a string and at the same time, rotated both of those 'thumbwheels' (for lack of a better word) counterclockwise . . . or minmizing them, which sounded the best to me and it took out most of what I was dissapointed with.