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Bartolini MMC not 'cutting' it.

basey

basey

Jul 31, 2005
359
263
55
San Antonio, Texas
#1
Hi, My main metal bass has a Bartolini MMC 4 string pickup and an aggie OBP-1 in it now. The problem is it seems like its naturally scooped in the midrange. If I were playing jazz or solo it would be great, but in my band it just doesn't cut through. My question is: Should I replace it with something different? if so, what? or maybe take out the active pre? different pre?
I do like the sound of the PJ barts I have in my Spector. I wish I could get my main bass to sound more like it.

Thanks.
 
#2
I have an MMC in my homemade and it's exactly the same. GREAT sound for basscentric stuff (great bottom, glassy highs), but gets lost in a heavy guitar situation. I hear the Basslines is more appropriate for cutting though but haven't tried one.
 
#4
basey said:
Yep, I think I'm gonna try bypassing the pre first, just to make sure that its not the problem.
But it sounds like I'm going to have to swap it out with something a little fatter in mids.
:(

I'll let you lnow how it works out.
Click to expand...


Cool. The MMC is one of my absolute fav pickups, just not in a heavy rock situation. I got some grief over stating this before because someone thought I was dissing the pup. Every tool for a purpose is what I say. :D
 
#9
Tonight,I bypassed the preamp and ran straight to the jack, and unfortunately it sounded pretty close to what it sounded like with the pre set flat.
Then I tried it wired parellel and it just sounded more distant.

So I put a FT feeler up in the Accesseries Classifieds.

I guess the bright side is that my pre doesn't color the sound much. (considering how high it boosts the signal)
 
#11
I had an Aguilar Preamp in my Fender Jazz Deluxe 5 with Bartolini Pickups and hated it. It's like the sound didn't cut through.
I forgot which Aguilar Preamp but it was the 3 band eq.
I finally took out the Preamp and put in a Bartolini NTMB 3 band eq and made all the differences. IMHO, I don't think Bartolini PUs sound good with Aguilar Preamps (Internal).
The Bartolini Preamp has more barky mids that cuts.
IMHO
 
#12
Just depending on what type of tone your going for....I currently have basslines on my GMP elite in the J and MM (SMB-4D) slots and they do cut fairly well. For you it depends on how much clearity you're going for. I'm replacing my basslines with emg's because emg's have more clearity. If you are going for a slighty more edgy, grind tone the basslines should be perfect, they have alot of punch. I just wanted pickups that had a clearer sound with punch, therefore I'm getting emgs.
 
#13
I'll tell you this. Get yourself an emg. I have an MM-TW thats right, tri coil. anyways the thing has the best sound ever, i play rock and funk. anyways but it sounds like what you need is the EMG musicman replacement pickups that has both ceramic and steel blades, ill post again when i find the exact title so just look at the website.
 
#15
Ok, so I've decide to go with the basslines smb-4d.
I'm wondering how they'll sound with an obp-1, because they also sell it with a preamp. I'd really like to avoid spending $190+ but if it makes all the difference ...?
Does anyone have any experience with the smb-4d and the obp-1?
The reason I ask is, the package deal is cheaper than buying them separate.
 

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