From Bartolini to Aguilar

[BassOliverB]

Hello!

I have ordered a new Modulus Funk Unlimited 4 with the Bartolini NTBT preamp. I am thinking of upgrading the preamp to the Aguilar OBP-1.
Will there be any issues with that?

BassOliverB

 

[DWBass]

Shouldn't be but in my opinion, Bart pickups work better with Bart preamps. I wouldn't think of it as an 'upgrade' either. Is there something about the Bart preamp you don't like?

 

[BassOliverB]

It has a Seymour Duncan Pickup. I have just heard that the Aguilar sounds better

 

[zfunkman]

I have a Mod Q5 with a Bartolini 3 band pre-amp and Bartolini pu's. IMHO you can't really get any better than that. My Q5 sounds awsome and I have a ton of control over my tone. I can pretty much get my Q5 to sound however I need it to. I'd say go with the Bartolini pre-amp w/ Bartolini pu's and you can't go wrong.

 

[BassOliverB]

I would like to go with the Aguilar. My question is just, will there be any issues if I swap out the Bart with an Aggie?

 

[ctmullins]

First, to answer your question, no there shouldn't be any issues. Other than the fact that the NTBT is boost/cut, and the OBP-1 is boost only.

Second, IMHO, you really should give the NTBT a chance. Bartolini's preamps are on par with Aguilar's in terms of quality and value. They may sound a bit different, but the Bart is not inferior to the Aggie.

 

[DWBass]

First, to answer your question, no there shouldn't be any issues. Other than the fact that the NTBT is boost/cut, and the OBP-1 is boost only.

Second, IMHO, you really should give the NTBT a chance. Bartolini's preamps are on par with Aguilar's in terms of quality and value. They may sound a bit different, but the Bart is not inferior to the Aggie.

+1. If anything, I'd ditch the Seymour Duncan and put a Bart pickup in there. But that's just me.

 

[BassOliverB]

First, to answer your question, no there shouldn't be any issues. Other than the fact that the NTBT is boost/cut, and the OBP-1 is boost only.

Second, IMHO, you really should give the NTBT a chance. Bartolini's preamps are on par with Aguilar's in terms of quality and value. They may sound a bit different, but the Bart is not inferior to the Aggie.

Yes, I will off course start with the Bart, and give it a chance. But I will defiantly switch to the Aggie at sometime. Also defiantly upgrading the pickup to a Lane Poor/Legacy pickup.

 

[DWBass]

Again, you're not really upgrading. Just changing out what you have. There's nothing wrong with what you already have in there. My advice is not to spend money needlessly! Have you even heard the combination of what you're looking to put in your bass? You may not like it.

 

[Stranger Danger]

If you just ordered it, you should get the bass and try it out for a while as is. You'll probably like it just fine. Aguilar for Bartolini is not an upgrade, a lateral move at best, a down grade at worst.

 

[BassOliverB]

Ok, I think I got it now

 

[BassOliverB]

Have you even heard the combination of what you're looking to put in your bass?

No, I've just read that the Bart has a more thin tone and the Aggie more of a full deep tone.

 

[DWBass]

No, I've just read that the Bart has a more thin tone and the Aggie more of a full deep tone.

Hmmm...! You need to hear my Fender Jazz bass and my Lakland 55-01! Nowhere near thin sounding! Both have full US Bartolini electronics. Don't believe what you read! Not true! Play your bass first and then determine if you want a different sound. That's all changing the preamp and pickups will do.

 

[KevInDaBassment]

No, I've just read that the Bart has a more thin tone and the Aggie more of a full deep tone.

That's such a loaded statement LOL

There are so many variables that are not being addressed in that statement. Pickups, strings, bass setup, neck wood, amplifier, cabinet, speakers, the list goes oooonnnnn and oooonnn...

Bart makes some wicked cool preamps, give it a listen and go through the "3 S's" to get the bass where you want before you do any electronics changes:

Settings (preamp, amplifier, cab, etc) -> Setup -> Strings

Way cheaper than gutting and has saved me more than a few purchases in the past. Give it a shot!

 

[Belka]

I've never tried the Aguilar but the Bartolini is a damn fine preamp. Versatile, useable tone even if you do extreme eqing, the batteries last for ages, you have the variable mid switch. And it is dead quiet. No noticeable hiss/radio interference unless you max out the treble control. Whoever told you it sounds thin is dead wrong. Again, no experience with the Aggie so feel free to disregard my words but I heard that while it can sound a little more aggressive than the Bart, whatever that means (and that may not necessarily be a good thing) and that it does have some unwanted noise/hiss/.

If you have the Flea bass then I assume you'll have a Badass bridge. If you're worried about thin tone then swapping out the Badass would be my priority.

 

[BassOliverB]

Other than the fact that the NTBT is boost/cut, and the OBP-1 is boost only.

What does the boost and cut?

 

[DWBass]

What does the boost and cut?

Boost and Cut means you can add or remove bass, mid and treble. Boost only means you can add bass, mid and treble but you can't remove. It has a flat set point that you can't go below.

 

[Pickebass]

Truly six one way half dozen the other. Own both and have been very happy with both. Bart's do match up
Better with their own preamps. As everyone says. It's a lateral move

 

[golower]

No there shouldnt it just sounds like a silly thing to do.Have you ever listened to a recording and been able to tell if the bass player is using a bart pre versus an OBP ?or any other pre for that matter.

 

[BassOliverB]

Have you ever listened to a recording and been able to tell if the bass player is using a bart pre versus an OBP ?or any other pre for that matter.

I have heard some soundclips on YouTube, with both Aguilar and Bartolini preamps. And it's sometimes hard to tell which preamp is used, but also sometimes not so hard.