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Bartolini Pickup Shortage

fishdude101101

fishdude101101

Oct 15, 2020
2,158
3,387
#1
Sounds odd right? More of a comment than a question.

But I can't find a bart 4 string, Fender-sized P/J pickup set anywhere. I can find the P's individually, but not the Fender sized bridge outside of a set. Bart is trying to track a set down for me...
 
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#2
Where have you tried? Are you just looking at inventory online, or are you communicating with vendors?

I've had good luck in the past just emailing or calling vendors to ask. This past spring I wanted a specific Bartolini model, Bartolini were not able to get any (although they said they'd make a set with a 6+ week wait). I emailed Best Bass Gear even though they showed it out of stock, and they were able to find a distributor that had them in stock and drop ship them straight to me.
 
#5
dwizum said:
Where have you tried? Are you just looking at inventory online, or are you communicating with vendors?

I've had good luck in the past just emailing or calling vendors to ask. This past spring I wanted a specific Bartolini model, Bartolini were not able to get any (although they said they'd make a set with a 6+ week wait). I emailed Best Bass Gear even though they showed it out of stock, and they were able to find a distributor that had them in stock and drop ship them straight to me.
Click to expand...

Well I contacted Bartolini themselves, and I've contacted Best Bass Gear as I've bought pickups from them in the past. Anyone better to contact. Thought about getting a hold of Musicians Friend, Fat Bass Tone, etc.


If I can't find barts I'll look for an alternative, but nothing sounds quit like them, and I love the way they keep their wiring clean with the coax cabling. Seems most other pickup manufacturers are all focused on the "give a bas some bit and growl" kind of thing, but I like the smooth warmness of Barts. Plus they are all dead quiet.

If I can't go the Bart path, who else makes a warm smooth set?
 
#6
If you like barts I'd just stick with them! They come up in the classifieds here all the time as well. I bet it wouldn't take long to find a bridge J if you can get ahold of the P you want. Would definitely take the time to call those vendors, you never know.

Which specific bart bridge J are you looking at?
 
#7
dwizum said:
If you like barts I'd just stick with them! They come up in the classifieds here all the time as well. I bet it wouldn't take long to find a bridge J if you can get ahold of the P you want. Would definitely take the time to call those vendors, you never know.

Which specific bart bridge J are you looking at?
Click to expand...

My goal was to do original bass P, the 8SU, and the matching bridge, but I just found a classic bass bridge from best bass gear, and I might mix that with the 8SU. I like the classic bass in my J basses so why not right?
 
#9
fishdude101101 said:
Sounds odd right? More of a comment than a question.

But I can't find a bart 4 string, Fender-sized P/J pickup set anywhere. I can find the P's individually, but not the Fender sized bridge outside of a set. Bart is trying to track a set down for me...
Click to expand...

There's one Bart J Classic Bass bridge L3 PU on ebay for $79 + $21 shipping at the moment. Seller listing it as 'last one'. If you have found a source for the P this should make the set.

Or email Bestbassgear, they'll at least give you an idea of when they're expecting stock to arrive.
 
#10
Durham52 said:
There's one Bart J Classic Bass bridge L3 PU on ebay for $79 + $21 shipping at the moment. Seller listing it as 'last one'. If you have found a source for the P this should make the set.

Or email Bestbassgear, they'll at least give you an idea of when they're expecting stock to arrive.
Click to expand...

The L3 is the "bright" variant which isn't what I'm looking for. Bestbassgear had the regular l1 classic bass and fat bass tone had the S8 p pickup. Not quite a matched set but not too bad.
 

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