BARTOLINI BC4CBC

[Arjank]

Does anyone have any experience with the Bartolini's?
I would like to replace the Nordstrand Big Splits in my Ibanez EHB1500, I'm not very fond of the "clackiness" of these pup's.

 

[Polfuste]

Here are soundclips i've made with my Markbass Kimandu i've updated with these pickups.
Directly plugged in Roland UA-25EX soundcard. In summary: i dig these pickups !

 

[Arjank]

Here are soundclips i've made with my Markbass Kimandu i've updated with these pickups.
Directly plugged in Roland UA-25EX soundcard. In summary: i dig these pickups !

Thanks a lot!
Those sound great, a lot warmer then these Nordstrands but still enough clarity and definition.

 

[bholder]

I've got the W4CBCs (same pickup, different case) in my 8 string Washburn "Plutergegant Chemungenunny" project. Love them. Have them wired for parallel / single / outer coils.

 

[Arjank]

I ordered and installed the Bartolini BC4CBC pups in my EHB1500 and I do not regret this decision. Eventhough these pups are less bright then the Big Splits, with a bit of on-board eq I can get a solid slap-n-pop sound. Slapping the low E has more punch and growl and popping the high G doesn't have this anoying clank to it that I just couldn't EQ out without loosing definition.

Ergo, the Big Spilts in the EHB are great for metal but not for ol' funk and fusion, the Bartolini's are much better for that.

 

[bowthing]

I have BB4CBCs on this bass. They sound fantastic with a filter or EQ preamp with a touch of boost, and have a sweet single coil tone.

I wired the two switches (two position) for:
Both down: Both pups parallel
Back switch up: Outer coils
Front switch up: Inner coils
Both up: Both pups series.

Aside from being very durable and quiet, they also have the best string balance of any sealed humbuckers I've ever used. The inner strings have the same output as the E and G (fretboard has a 12" radius). And I like that the leads can be replaced. Two thumbs up.

 

[bholder]

I wired the two switches (two position) for:
Both down: Both pups parallel
Back switch up: Outer coils
Front switch up: Inner coils
Both up: Both pups series.

I'd love to see how you wired that - pics or schematic, by any chance?

 

[bowthing]

I'd love to see how you wired that - pics or schematic, by any chance?

Here's the wiring for Bart DCs (first photo). I can't find my diagram with color coding for various brands, but the second diagram has the coil layout (I think the colors are for Fender/Lawrence Roscoe Beck pickups), so you could figure out other pickups from that. The switches are two-way, looking at the terminal side. The one on the right in the first diagram is the "back" switch (outer coils when up, i.e. bottom terminals connected).

 

[Arjank]

I have BB4CBCs on this bass. They sound fantastic with a filter or EQ preamp with a touch of boost, and have a sweet single coil tone.

I wired the two switches (two position) for:
Both down: Both pups parallel
Back switch up: Outer coils
Front switch up: Inner coils
Both up: Both pups series.

Aside from being very durable and quiet, they also have the best string balance of any sealed humbuckers I've ever used. The inner strings have the same output as the E and G (fretboard has a 12" radius). /QUOTE]

I don't know what the difference is between the BB and BC version but these pups sound amazing, I can't put this bass down since it sports these pickups!
The balance is indeed excellent.
I would love to add a switch to select the outer coils which would give a sort of jazz bass configuration but the Ibanez EHB control cavity is pretty cramped...

 

[bholder]

I don't know what the difference is between the BB and BC version but these pups sound amazing, I can't put this bass down since it sports these pickups!
The balance is indeed excellent.
I would love to add a switch to select the outer coils which would give a sort of jazz bass configuration but the Ibanez EHB control cavity is pretty cramped...

I think the sound of the pickup is more determined by the "type" suffix, "CBC" in this example. The prefix, BB and BC, I think just describes the size and shape of the case the guts are stuffed in, but one set of CBCs sounds like another even with different cases...

 

[bholder]

Here's the wiring for Bart DCs (first photo). I can't find my diagram with color coding for various brands, but the second diagram has the coil layout (I think the colors are for Fender/Lawrence Roscoe Beck pickups), so you could figure out other pickups from that. The switches are two-way, looking at the terminal side. The one on the right in the first diagram is the "back" switch (outer coils when up, i.e. bottom terminals connected).View attachment 5433290 View attachment 5433291

I just worked through all 4 positions of this, wow, I just find it mind-blowing that it could be mapped out like that! I think I'm going to have to try that on the build I'm just "de-mothballing".

It seems to me that the bridge pickup is kind of "run backwards", that doesn't impact the sound?

 

[bowthing]

I just worked through all 4 positions of this, wow, I just find it mind-blowing that it could be mapped out like that! I think I'm going to have to try that on the build I'm just "de-mothballing".

It seems to me that the bridge pickup is kind of "run backwards", that doesn't impact the sound?

I may have the color codes wrong, sometimes a coil is swapped but it's obvious when you play it. It should sound the same as any other switching scheme.