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Bartolini preamp - broken wire

BenTheBassGuy

BenTheBassGuy

It's not that I "need" another bass...
Sep 3, 2011
90
277
Iowa
#1
Hoping someone has a suggestion on how to fix my problem. I have a Bart preamp and was installing it in a bass when the ground wire came off. Literally broke flush off where it goes into the sealed box. The wires all seem kind of brittle. After I picked my jaw up off the floor I tried to figure out how I could fix it and it looks impossible. Anyone had this happen and have a suggestion on what I can do to fix it? Thanks!
 
#2
Pretty sure they're just little circuit cards encased in epoxy. You might be able to carefully grind enough away to expose more of that wire and try to solder a new lead to it. That or maybe an epoxy dissolving product. Both methods probably run the risk of further damage :nailbiting:
 
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#3
Yeah, that may be all I can do. It's essentially a paperweight at this point so I suppose it cant get any worse. The thought of taking a dremel to a preamp just seems so wrong in so many ways... :sour: Thanks
 
#4
BenTheBassGuy said:
Yeah, that may be all I can do. It's essentially a paperweight at this point so I suppose it cant get any worse. The thought of taking a dremel to a preamp just seems so wrong in so many ways... :sour: Thanks
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Thats probably how I'd approach it. See if you can remove material alongside that wire with a dremel and a little grinding stone bit. Maybe switch to hand file when you get close?
 
#7
So I was thinking about it and I've really gotten tired of preamps and dont even use them in builds anymore. I was intending to replace the MEC pre in my Warwick. The Bart pre was just sitting around so I figured it had to be an upgrade. But maybe I don't even need a pre and I'll just make it passive. Hmmmm...
 
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#8
BenTheBassGuy said:
So I was thinking about it and I've really gotten tired of preamps and dont even use them in builds anymore. I was intending to replace the MEC pre in my Warwick. The Bart pre was just sitting around so I figured it had to be an upgrade. But maybe I don't even need a pre and I'll just make it passive. Hmmmm...
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What Wick? I run my FNA Jazzman passive 90% of the time. Its got a passive J and MM pickups. The J is kinda meh, and on its own benefits from some preamp adjustments. The MM sounds great passive.
 
#9
Reedt2000 said:
What Wick?
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Cool, that's good to know. It's a 2005 ltd. edition corvette hot rod with PP pickups (my icon pic). I love it but the sound is a bit thin. I tried swapping pickups and it didn't change much so the pre just has to go. I think I'll try the MEC pickups passive and see how it sounds. If that doesn't do the trick I'll try to salvage the Bart and see what that does.
 
#10
Cool bass, not a model I've seen before. Looks like you've got gold logo pickups which would mean they're active. Not that you couldn't bypass the pre, but you'd still need the battery (technically not passive :D).

Is it ash body, maple top? That's how mine is made and its really light (as Warwicks go) and comfortable to play.
 
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#14
That TOTALLY sucks. on the bart preamp I installed in my grind, I'm SURE there are multiple ground wires coming out of the box... so check the pinout of that module and see. Maybe there's another ground - if so, then a ground is a ground is a ground (at least for this purpose).

EDIT: I just googled my ntbt 918 and I think I was wrong... just the single black ground at the end coming out. Sorry! Definitely would be the easiest one to find if you can open the box... epoxy or not.... since the ground is all over the place in electronics, often the outermost trace on a pcb (but not always, watch that).
 
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#16
Thumpin6string said:
Those preamp wires are not the best. What I did in a similar situation was to get a straight pin and push it into where the wire broke off. Then I soldered the wire to the pin as close to the preamp as possible. I cut off the excess pin and put a dab of Goop (or you can use silicone) over the repair. It held up for years.
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That's a really good idea! I didn't even think about trying that approach. And its reassuring to know that I'm not the only sad sole out there whose experience this. Thanks, I'll give it a shot.
 
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#18
That's a bummer. I had a similar "episode" once. Solder joints can be pretty thin. Sometimes epoxy used to seal PCBs can expand/contract with temperature. And the cavity in a bass is pretty small so wires can get pulled, stressing the joint during assembly. I'm with some of the above posts. If you gently file away the epoxy at the broken connection you will expose the residual solder and/or the terminal beneath the solder. It's worth a shot, you can't break it more. The likely reason for the potting in the case of a relatively small, inexpensive PCB is to conceal their design. That being said, you really won't risk the function if you damage ONLY the epoxy potting.

If it doesn't work out you can get a John East preamp and you'll never regret it. Best of luck, go slow.
 
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#20
I had it happen and repaired it. With a dremel tool or a sharp small blade screwdriver carefully carve around the epoxy surrounding the nub. get enough wire exposed to put a drop of solder. once I connected a wire i crazy glued part of the wire to the side of the housing to keep it from pulling loose. 5 years later it still works like a champ. I have since sold the bass or I would provide pics.
 
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