Don't like my bartolini pickup or pre, What to switch first

[phillybass101]

so anyone know who will make a music man like pickup in a custom shell because I have yet to find a manufacturer with the same shape I think there made special for zon


And thanks for all the help

SGD Luthiery, Reed James, probably Nordstrand.

 

[jg42]

figures! thought mk1's are barts

so maybe i let a good bass go! damn because i always liked the bass didnt like pickups and the preamp! now i [DEL]need[/DEL] want a 5er again and i miss that guy never mind though will get another one soon enough!

technically, they are.
sound wise - not so much.

 

[aproud1]

SGD Luthiery, Reed James, probably Nordstrand.

Christoph at Basscultures will do a custom size too. Pretty quick turnaround time.

 

[maurilio]

I have a 2012 Zon sonus with a single bart humbucker in the sweet spot and a bart pre amp and I don't like the sound, it lacks a bite and sounds dark. On the preamp the treble knob has to be turned up all the way to get close to a tone i like which is a Marcus Millerish tone.

So the question is what to change first pickup or pre amp?

The only catch it the pickup looks like a custom size so it may be hard to find.

Did you measure the pup? what's the size?

M

 

[Hund Basses]

I did but I'll have to do it again when I get home I can't remember right now

 

[JIO]

Depending on the bass... Bart pickups with a bart pre can sound somewhat tame IME. Now Bart pickups with an Aguilar pre is beastly.

If it were me I would try the preamp first. I generally like bart pickups as long as they are attached to a non bart preamp.

All IMO of course...

I've been looking for this kind of insight/advise. I have a Bartolini MM4CBC at the neck and a Bartolini 9J-L1 at the bridge on a custom fretless and was looking for advice on a preamp. Which Aguilar would you recommend? It's for a Ric 4000 cavity so not a huge amount of room to stuff everything. Looking for 4 knobs and maybe that's about all I'd have room for w/the module and battery.

 

[onda'bass]

I got bart mk-5 and a 5.4 pre...no problem getting the Marcus Miller tone, I'd look at my amp.... but if thats what you want, try a jazz bass, his pickups were stock, with the bart "chip" as a booster. carbon fiber is awesome I'd know, but ash and maple its not.

 

[SGD Lutherie]

...his pickups were stock, with the bart "chip" as a booster. carbon fiber is awesome I'd know, but ash and maple its not.

He uses a Bart TCT 2 band preamp. It's not the TC Chip booster. He cranks up the treble to get his tone.

I had the Chip in my Rick back in '76. I had that set up with bass and treble controls too. I still have it too.

 

[Bochafish]

According to a response on a question I recently asked- you don't need to change anything, it's all in the hands, and if you can't get a tone, it's because you need lessons.

(Personally I think things like type of bass, pickups, strings, have an effect, but several disagree)

 

[Hund Basses]

I put a 4 string music man pickup in there today just to try it with that pre amp and it made it a little better I think I need to switch both

does anyone know anyone who makes a music man 5 string pickup with bar magnets and4 screws on the corners instead of the three?

I'm thinking I should just go all music man style with the electronics


On a side note my other 3 Zons sound killer 2 of which have a single pickup

 

[Hund Basses]

I think its just a 5 string mm pickup with a different hole layout so I just ordered a emg mm pickup and i'll drill some new holes, Ive always loved emg's

 

[aproud1]

I've been looking for this kind of insight/advise. I have a Bartolini MM4CBC at the neck and a Bartolini 9J-L1 at the bridge on a custom fretless and was looking for advice on a preamp. Which Aguilar would you recommend? It's for a Ric 4000 cavity so not a huge amount of room to stuff everything. Looking for 4 knobs and maybe that's about all I'd have room for w/the module and battery.

Me personally I'd go with the obp-3. Depends on if you want mid control or not.

http://www.bestbassgear.com/aguilar-preamp.htm

 

[JIO]

Me personally I'd go with the obp-3. Depends on if you want mid control or not.

http://www.bestbassgear.com/aguilar-preamp.htm

Thanks. After looking into the options - that's the one that seems best.

 

[hemmerlinj]

Flexcore it!. I had the same gripes about my Elrick 5er. Had Bart J's and a Bart NTMB pre. Just didn't do it for me. Wanted to change pups originally, but the barts in this bass don't have the screw mounts on the side like a regular Jazz pup, and I didn't want to have to get anything routed out on the body of the bass. So a preamp swap was my only choice. I went with Mike Pope Flexcore and the sonic versatility of this bass was blown wide open. I don't even understand why Elrick puts the Bart pre in their basses. It really isn't complimenting the quality of the instruments. You'll get what you want and more out of this preamp and more.