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Bartolini Soapbars -- Help a feeble brain! :^)

P

pbasswil

Feb 17, 2008
1,278
135
#1
Hi there,

I bought a second hand custom bass with Barts in what I understand is their P2 Soapbar shape.
(Just over 1 1/4" x 4 1/4")

While I generally like the sound of them, I find I'm cranking the highs on my preamp to get the cut I need -- which brings some hiss with it.
So I'm guessing they're "Original" Barts, rather than the newer, brighter "Classic" Barts.
I'm pretty sure I'd like to switch to Classic Barts.

The only markings on my p.u.'s are:

72P25C-T & 72P25C-B (-T & -B being Treble & Bass, = Bridge & Neck)

The closest in the Bart current catalog are:
xxP25C-T & xxP25C-B -- which are, indeed, "Original" deep tone.

I don't understand the catalog's "xx" (place-holder?) instead of 72, which I'm guessing is the max. total string width in mm.

Can someone please check my comprehension, so I don't make a bone-headed purchase??

According to their soapbar comparison page... (here:)
Invalid Link Removed

...my only option for brighter ("Classic" Bart) tone in the P2 shape is:

P25CBC-B & P25CBC-T
Invalid Link Removed
They'll be dual-coil instead of quad, but I don't think that'll hurt me.

Have I missed anything?

Thanks in advance for any corroboration!

- Peter from Montreal, AKA "pbasswil"
 
#2
Yeah, the '72' is max string width in mm, and 'CB' is for Classic Bass, but I don't remember what the 'xx' was for.
They used to have all that info on their old site- good to see the comparison chart, tho I liked the old one better.
May just have to dig around on the new site to find what you need.
Wiring quads as split like 'P' and reverse 'P' would sound a bit different than dual-coils, tho if the dual-coils are switched to be used as single-coils, they may sound closer to the split quads.
But then, you've got the single-coil hum to deal with.
Maybe one day Bartolini will provide a legend for their abbreviations, like they used to.
 
Last edited:
#7
Hey you guys, I really appreciate the responses! And also the translations of the model number/letter codes.

As it happens, I finally got a response from Bartolini, saying many of the same things. (A very helpful guy by the name of Clyde Clark.)

He mentioned that some of their models have flat coils. My bass has a fair radius to the fretboard. I'm now waiting on Clyde's confirmation that the P25CBC-B & P25CBC-T won't cause inner strings to be weaker than outer strings -- due to varying proximity of a flat coil against the lateral arc of the string to string shape.

Thanks again to you all.

- Peter
 
#10
Just thought I'd update: The guy from Bartolini never got back to me again. :^/
But from poking around on the web I became satisfied that the P25CBC-B & P25CBC-T will be fine for my average radius 5 string.

I'm in Canada, and the Cdn. distributor happens to be Mike Kinal of Kinal Basses, so I've ordered from him. It may take a couple of weeks, cuz he gets his stock from the USA, but going thru him will save me customs brokerage, since he's bringing them in wholesale and charging me a very fair domestic price.

I'll let y'all know how I like 'em. I'm looking forward to not having to crank my highs and high mids as much.
 

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