Ibanez Prestige Bartolini MK1 Replacement?

[bassdan9]

Hey all, my first post but I've lurked and searched over the past few months.

I own a 2007 Ibanez SR1005 Prestige Limited 5 string [bubinga top]

I love the ergonomics of the instrument but am bothered by the clicky clangy tone which I assume stems from the active electronics

I was thinking about replacing a pickup, pickup(s), or entire electronics.

The stock pickups are active Bartolini MK-1, custom for the higher end soundgear basses.

Could someone point me in the right direction on where to begin or what to do?

Thanks

 

[Augustine816]

Hey there!!

I have recently bought an Ibanez Soundgear SR705NT and I'm having the same problem with that clacky noise you get from the pickups. Also I find them a little to trebly for my taste...now I'm no expert on electronics, but I do know that a jazz pickup might do the trick, they have a warmer presence that I prefer over the mk1 pickups.

I've never replaced any pickups before in any of my basses, but I think I might see if I can get a couple of jazz pickups going on my Ibanez...just an idea though!

It also helps to have a warmer set of strings too of course... let me know what you're decision is though! I'd love to hear back.


Alex

 

[slyjoe]

I have a flame maple SR 1005 Prestige - I don't hear the clank. I did before I had a setup done - it was actually from the frets.

Those are not MK-1 pickups. The Prestige line used US-made "Bartolini Custom" pickups.

The first thing to do is figure out if the clank is mechanical or electrical - is there any way to get rid of it with the tone controls? To me, "Clank" is a term that may mean different things to different people, so it's may be a little hard to figure out on the internet.

Edit: BTW, beautiful bass. I like mine a lot.

 

[SGD Lutherie]

Some of those basses have Barts, so do not.

I make replacements for the MK series (BC, P6, etc.)

 

[bassdan9]

So if the pickups were US made custom bartolinis, how do I go about replacing them? Should I replace the whole electronics?

 

[SGD Lutherie]

So if the pickups were US made custom bartolinis, how do I go about replacing them? Should I replace the whole electronics?

No, you can replace just the pickups. One thing I noticed was Ibanez like the neck pickup to be dark and the bridge pickups to be bright, so they instal the Bart bridge pickup at the neck and vice versa. If they are Barts, swapping the neck and bridge pickups might help. Unless you just don't care for the tone of the pickups.

 

[Krucial]

Hi Bassdan,

I too am confused by what you mean with clicky clangy tone.
Is it a string that hits the elements? Or a string that hits the fretboard? Or are you bothered by the way the instrument sounds overall?

I own a SR1000 prestige and at first was a bit disappointed in the overall sound. After I was forced to change the electronics (the old ones broke down, I changed to EMG) the sound had much more depth, like it sounded stronger.

I am very content with the Bartolini custum pick-ups though.
Indeed the neck is sounding much darker than the bridge, like it should.
But I thought this was just basic fysics, and the pick-ups were identical. I could be wrong on this point btw.

 

[peterchui23]

Hi Krucial,

I own a SR2000 that is from 90s. I don't like the sound but I love the ergonomics of this bass very much. I have been looking for changing the pickups & electronic but have no idea what I should go for... So, are you using EMG BQC ? Can you describe the sound that you get from your bass ? I like round & fat with clarity (like the sound from my Fender P Deluxe MIA). Any comments ?

 

[SGD Lutherie]

Indeed the neck is sounding much darker than the bridge, like it should.

That's a matter of opinion. Since the neck location gives more low end, and the bridge location is thinner sounding, many pickup makers wind the bridge to be fatter sounding, and the neck to be clearer.

Bartolini does this, and in fact is how those pickups are made. Ibanez install them with the bridge pickup at the neck, and vice versa. You can tell if you remove the pickups and read what's scratched on them (B & T).

A neck pickup is going to be darker no matter, so there's no point in making them muddy as well. And if you have a thin sounding bridge unit, it's almost impossible to use it soloed.

This is one of the complaints I hear about those basses.

But I thought this was just basic fysics, and the pick-ups were identical. I could be wrong on this point btw.

I'm not sure what it has to do with physics, but they are wound differently. They are not identical.

 

[Krucial]

Hi Krucial,

I own a SR2000 that is from 90s. I don't like the sound but I love the ergonomics of this bass very much. I have been looking for changing the pickups & electronic but have no idea what I should go for... So, are you using EMG BQC ? Can you describe the sound that you get from your bass ? I like round & fat with clarity (like the sound from my Fender P Deluxe MIA). Any comments ?

Yes, I now have the EMG-BQC control electronics. The sound is more pronounced, more tight and clearer than with the original electronics. IMO it sounds very good, but with neutral EQ it still doesn't sound fat or big bottommed. Keep in mind: the SR1000 prestige just doesn't sound that way acoustic either! (this might be caused by the very thin and light curved body, or could be just the intention of Ibanez)
The EMG-BQC control EQ can get you there though, whereas with the old electronics a bit of EQ immediate sounded like too much EQ. Still, if I want that thundering low (for da dancehall things) I rather play on my Tobias Standard or even my Ibanez EDA900.

I'm not familiar with the SR2000, (not even with the old electronics on my 1000), so I can't predict if this upgrade will suit you. My music shop advised me and installed everything.

 

[Krucial]

That's a matter of opinion. Since the neck location gives more low end, and the bridge location is thinner sounding, many pickup makers wind the bridge to be fatter sounding, and the neck to be clearer.

Bartolini does this, and in fact is how those pickups are made. Ibanez install them with the bridge pickup at the neck, and vice versa. You can tell if you remove the pickups and read what's scratched on them (B & T).

This is quite confusing but interesting.
Do I understand it correct:
The Bartolini neck PU is designed to be more sensitive for low frequencies and the bridge PU to be more sensitive for high frequencies?
This would make sense as those frequencies are more present there.

And Ibanez use them the other way around?
What is the sense in that?

On the other hand, they do amplify the acoustic sound of my SR1000 quite authentic. (might be some old fashioned, but I still like that)

 

[SGD Lutherie]

This is quite confusing but interesting.
Do I understand it correct:
The Bartolini neck PU is designed to be more sensitive for low frequencies and the bridge PU to be more sensitive for high frequencies?

The neck pickup is made brighter and the bridge pickup is made deeper sounding.

Here's a description on Invalid Link Removed:

59J1 pair- These hum-canceling duel in-line coil designs - The 59J1 has a bright Neck tone and deep Bridge tone.
The #1 windings yield much more "growl" from the Bridge pickup. They are very similar in tone to our old 94J 4 string pickups, just ever so slightly brighter at the bridge.

So the bridge pickups is wound hotter and with more low end to compensate for the fact that there is less volume and low end from the bridge pickup. This makes them balance more.

AndIbanez use them the other way around?
What is the sense in that?

That's correct.

In an Ibanez ad once they talked about Bill Bartolini working with Ibanez:

(Emphasis added by me)

We always try to satisfy as many bass players and builders as we can, so we developed designs to satisfy the new requirements and tastes. Most builders were satisfied with an approximately equal tonality from bridge and neck pickups. The neck pickups were always a little brighter with slightly less output than the bridge pickups. But some builders and players preferred putting neck pickups at the bridge and bridge pickups at the neck intentionally. Ibanez was the first to ask for much deeper tone from the neck pickup while retaining a bright tone for the bridge.

When Ibanez asked for special pickups exclusively for Ibanez BTB series, they also asked me to try to blend the older enhanced lows and low mids with the newer, brighter tone in a narrower soapbar design. Could we go beyond what had been achieved in this direction?

I had a SR-2000 here for a setup, and looked at the bottom of the pickups, and the neck pickup was labeled "T" (treble/bridge), and the bridge was marked "B" (bass/neck). So they had them in reverse.

I guess that's what Ibanez wanted, but I sure wouldn't.

I like a warm but clear neck pickup, like a more open sounding P bass. And then I like the bridge pickup to be bright but smooth, with good mids and upper lows, so it will sound solid soloed. They also mix together well.

On the other hand, they do amplify the acoustic sound of my SR1000 quite authentic. (might be some old fashioned, but I still like that)

A good pickup will will reproduce the acoustic tone of the bass. But they will also tweak that, so for instance you can wind the bridge pickup for more lower mids for a good burp, and the neck pickup to be deep and hollow, if that's the tone you want. But they will still sound like the bass they are on.

I started making my own pickups because the pickups I used to use didn't sound like my bass, they sounded like the pickups. Those weren't Barts. They make good pickups.

 

[Krucial]

I checked the numbers on my PU's.
Bridge: PT4DCB and
Neck: T4DCBx1 (or T4DCB+1, not very readable)
???

But if Ibanez already put the intended bridge PU, with more low, at the neck, than swapping won't help Bassdan9 to a less clangy (as in fatter) sound, is it? It is however a very cheap experiment to start with (other, good PU's are realy expensive)

As said I'm happy with the sound (wich just isn't fat).
Thanx for the info anyway.

 

[SGD Lutherie]

I checked the numbers on my PU's.
Bridge: PT4DCB and
Neck: T4DCBx1 (or T4DCB+1, not very readable)
???

But if Ibanez already put the intended bridge PU, with more low, at the neck, than swapping won't help Bassdan9 to a less clangy (as in fatter) sound, is it? It is however a very cheap experiment to start with (other, good PU's are realy expensive)

As said I'm happy with the sound (wich just isn't fat).
Thanx for the info anyway.

No, Ibanez put the darker sounding (bridge) pickup in the neck position, and the brighter sounding (neck) pickup in the bridge position.

So the bridge pickup is more clangy.

But I think the real issue is he doesn't like round wounds, or needs less bright sounding round wounds, like La Bellas.

 

[The Lowe Down]

I had some of the same complaints with my BTB and SR (both active Barts). I swapped in D'Addario Chromes and I really liked the sound. It took a little of the bright "shine" of the sound and gave me more thump. The Chromes are still pretty bright, but I liked them much more than the rounds it had. I would second the try some new strings before you swap out pups. I really like the Barts with the right strings. It is way cheaper.

 

[Krucial]

I had some of the same complaints with my BTB and SR (both active Barts). I swapped in D'Addario Chromes and I really liked the sound. It took a little of the bright "shine" of the sound and gave me more thump. The Chromes are still pretty bright, but I liked them much more than the rounds it had. I would second the try some new strings before you swap out pups. I really like the Barts with the right strings. It is way cheaper.

+1

The Chromes even made my old, harsh 'bodyless' sounding Aria XRG sound good again.