Bartonlini did (does) make active pups?

[twangchief]

Correct?

I just bought a few set of barts from some fellow TBers. One set that I bought is in question wether or not they are passive or active. Is there any way to tell?

 

[Musiclogic]

Most Barts are passive, and Bartolini has active pre-amps that match their pick-ups. I cannot tell you about older Barts, as I only started using the regularly in the past few years.

 

[Puru]

The only active pickups I'm aware of are EMGs, where the pickups themselves contain the preamp thus not needing a separate preamp in the control cavity. Does anyone know of other brands that are similar?

 

[alexclaber]

Seymour Duncan make some active pickups. The proprietary Bartolinis in MTD basses are active.

Alex

 

[twangchief]

The only active pickups I'm aware of are EMGs, where the pickups themselves contain the preamp thus not needing a separate preamp in the control cavity. Does anyone know of other brands that are similar?

About half way down the page, active J and P bass are described.

Invalid Link Removed

 

[1kinal]

The MTD barts are the only actives barts I've heard of. They are only available in MTD basses and are supposed to sound very different from the regular line.

 

[Passinwind]

The only active pickups I'm aware of are EMGs, where the pickups themselves contain the preamp thus not needing a separate preamp in the control cavity. Does anyone know of other brands that are similar?

http://www.magneticspickups.com

I've only tried a set of their passives so far though, which are very nice.

 

[jady]

Every set of Barts I have seen (I have owned 2 sets) have been passive but with a preamp connected, you get the most out of the pups with a pre.

 

[luknfur]

FWIW:

Bart at least makes an active J and P and probably soaps I'd guess.

If the J and P's are any indication they have a half dozen or so terminals, one of which is a smaller diameter red lead for battery. There's a diagram of the 9E J's on the bart site.

 

[luknfur]

Oh yeh, forgot the obvious, measure the DCR with a meter. Active pups will be around 2k and highly unlikely over 4K.

You can also just wire the pup to a free jack outside the bass, turn the amp on low volume, and tap on the pups with a pup screw (steel). If you get anything from an active, you'd probably have to crank it some to hear it at all. A passive will be blatantly discernable at low volume.

Also, in the Bart 9E J set, the neck pup is actually passive. The bridge pup is active for both and obvious by the number of wires. Mine also had 9E etched into them.

 

[Puru]

Thanks guys.

 

[Modulrob]

My late '80s Zon Legacy had an active Bartolini...i.e. the pickup itself drew power from the battery.
- Rob

 

[MAJOR METAL]

All the barts I have played on were passive with a preamp.

 

[Modulrob]

sorry, I should have addressed your specific Q (how to tell)...

The active bartolini had a separate wire going to the outer edge of the pickup, i.e. a wire that was not the hot or the ground.
- Rob

 

[joeyl]

sorry, I should have addressed your specific Q (how to tell)...

The active bartolini had a separate wire going to the outer edge of the pickup, i.e. a wire that was not the hot or the ground.
- Rob

he is right, they have 4 wires on the bridge pickup, on the active J model