I purchased an Ibanez BTB 1205E with Bartolini MK 2 pickups 3 months ago, and I have to replace the 2-9 volt batteries about every 10 hours of playing time. Has anyone else had this same problem with this model guitar, or with the MK2's in particular ?
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Bartolini MK2 pickups
- Thread starter macman0404
- Start date
The pickups are passive, the preamp is what is pulling the power. There is probably a short, as plugging in a cable into the output jack is what should complete the circuit.
I agree there must be a short in the preamp or the wires leading to it that create the issue. I have a BTB675 with 2 Bartolini mk2 pickups, and playing about 2 hours a night, it usually takes at least 2 months for my batteries to wear down. I've even left it plugged in overnight a couple of times (draining the batteries), but using high-quality batteries, they still last quite a while. I always get the best alkaline batteries I can find or afford.
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I have the BTB767pb. The mk2 preamp is draining the crap out of my batteries and it sounds horrible fast! I am looking at getting some Delano HE pickups and their Sonar preamp or an Aguilar Obp3, aguilar says over 300 hours of battery life. Delano is probably far more pulls next to nothing apparently. Plus the pickups work fully passive which is a nice alternative.
You can just replace the preamp, as that's what's draining your batteries. The pickups have nothing to do with that.
That being said, those MK2's have nothing in common with real Bartolini's so upgrading them to actual Bartolini's or Delano would be quite an improvement in sound but won't make a difference in battery drainage.
Even when I forget to unplug mine, it still lasts quite while on my BTB675. My TECH 21 VT Bass even lasts quite a while with 1 9 volt battery.
