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EMG DC vs Bartolini Mk-1
- Thread starter Blankmann44
- Start date
I ve got mk1 s and the mk1 preamp in my SR 605 and it sounds muddy as hell. My Gio sounds 10 times better!
The guy at the store suggested Seymour Duncan. Any thoughts on this would be apreciated? (i suppose it depends on which SD s....?!)
The guy at the store suggested Seymour Duncan. Any thoughts on this would be apreciated? (i suppose it depends on which SD s....?!)
I don't think Duncan makes a pickup that will fit.
I suggest USA Barts with a USA Bart preamp. Those MK1's have nothing in common with real Barts, they are just some generic Korean made pickup and the preamp is pretty awful.
I took the MK1's out of an Ibanez SR700 and replaced them and the stock preamp with American Barts and an Audere preamp. Look out! Stunning improvement in tone, dynamics and expression.
Than
sThanks. The prob is that in South Africa it s going to cost about R4000 for the new pups and preamp! The guy at the store suggested using a GEB-7 eq and a compressor. I managed to pick up both 2nd hand. It sounds better but still not at all good. I suppose if u dont have a decent sound to start with not much will improve it! That Mk1 system is BAD. Dont know HOW Ibanez can make such a good bass and then put such trash in it!! The mind boggles!
Many people think that the preamp is the 'bad' part of the MK1 system. You would try your MK1 pickups passive. See these threads:
Bartolini Mk1 preamp and pickups - what impact does this preamp have on the tone! | TalkBass.com
What preamp improved your Ibanez? | Page 2 | TalkBass.com
Anyone running Bart Mk1s without the active preamp? | TalkBass.com
Does anyone know if it’s ok to use the EMG VMC (Variable Mid Control) with, say, the Bartolini NTMB-GF preamp? (simply change out the existing mid knob with an Emg vmc?)
I also wondered this about the mid range add-on that bartolini used to make (for the tct class preamp).
other options would be John East Mid.
Or to simply try to add a capacitor / switch to the beown wire running to / from the existing mid-pot.
EMG VMC is 100-1000, though. So this would be awesome. It’s says to use with EMG products, though. (This is my concern). Think it would still work with bartolini preamp?
Any thoughts?
thanks,
Pick
I also wondered this about the mid range add-on that bartolini used to make (for the tct class preamp).
other options would be John East Mid.
Or to simply try to add a capacitor / switch to the beown wire running to / from the existing mid-pot.
EMG VMC is 100-1000, though. So this would be awesome. It’s says to use with EMG products, though. (This is my concern). Think it would still work with bartolini preamp?
Any thoughts?
thanks,
Pick
The only downside to the MK-1 is the preamp.
I removed the preamp immediately after purchasing the B5 Element.
I tried to gather as much information as possible, including this post, and my efforts paid off.
My B5 Element wiring was mostly taken from the Ernie Ball sub-passive circuit.
I blocked off all the holes on the front panel with an MN250k blender, A500k volume control, 250k LPF, C500k HPF, output jacks, and dummy LED sockets.
The original output jacks remained dummy, but this is better for me as I dislike the butt-plug style.
Also, I changed the 4.7k resistor connecting the low-cut to the tone control to a 1.5k resistor, and the tone cap to a 473.
The strings are really important;
in my case, at 45, 65, 85, 105, and 130, it produced a sound similar to a P bass,
while at 40, 60, 80, 100, and 125, it sounded closer to a jazz bass. However, it doesn't growl like a jazz bass. It is a clean sound.
Who ever reads this comment will be fully satisfied once the work is completed.
I removed the preamp immediately after purchasing the B5 Element.
I tried to gather as much information as possible, including this post, and my efforts paid off.
My B5 Element wiring was mostly taken from the Ernie Ball sub-passive circuit.
I blocked off all the holes on the front panel with an MN250k blender, A500k volume control, 250k LPF, C500k HPF, output jacks, and dummy LED sockets.
The original output jacks remained dummy, but this is better for me as I dislike the butt-plug style.
Also, I changed the 4.7k resistor connecting the low-cut to the tone control to a 1.5k resistor, and the tone cap to a 473.
The strings are really important;
in my case, at 45, 65, 85, 105, and 130, it produced a sound similar to a P bass,
while at 40, 60, 80, 100, and 125, it sounded closer to a jazz bass. However, it doesn't growl like a jazz bass. It is a clean sound.
Who ever reads this comment will be fully satisfied once the work is completed.
